Hello dear readers, please come in, have a seat, a cup of your favourite hot beverage and relax a little. I am not sure I can relax particularly today, but there is no reason why you can’t. My next chemotherapy is hopefully happening today.

One thing is good: I am halfway through chemotherapy now. The FEC part is over. Now starts the T part and as far as I heard it won’t be much different from the previous chemotherapy sessions when it comes to side- effects. The only difference is that I am given this chemical as a drip, and the nurses don’t have to sit with me and give me 9 syringes.

When it comes to side-effects, I feel I got away lightly. Yes, I hate feeling sick more and more each time I have chemotherapy. But for me, it only lasts badly for a day and lightly for a week. The anti-sickness tablets I have work well, and I also work with herbs and teas. Both together do an excellent job.

I have to admit, though, that my anxiety goes up a notch just before and in the chemotherapy week now that I know more what it means for me. I wasn’t sick last time, which was a bonus. But I got depressed because I was already dealing with cancer for six months, and there are at least another four to six months to come.

My attitude from the beginning was, “I am living my life and fight cancer” not “I fight cancer and maybe live my life.” So many people told me about someone they knew who had cancer but weren’t particularly bothered by it and just kept going. I felt that was an excellent way of dealing with it.

It also made me feel closer to my mother, who fought for five years when I was young, but the cancer was stronger in the end. Because now I know what it must have meant for her. However, it’s tough.

Chemotherapy, for me feels a little like fighting a house that has a mold problem with a nuclear bomb. You just kill off the whole district to get rid of one place’s problem. Chemotherapy throws a ton of chemicals at you to destroy cancer cells, but a whole lot of healthy cells are collateral damage.

And of course, I ask myself: “Is it worth it?” My usual approach in dealing with health problems is with herbal and old-fashioned recipes and no pharmaceutical products. But I do not believe that herbs alone help against cancer. And what you believe has a huge impact on the healing process.

Some theories say that 50% of tablets don’t work; it’s the patient’s belief that makes them work. Apparently, the so-called “placebo effect” is more powerful than we know. I strongly believe in the power of the mind no matter if you use herbal remedies or heal with pharmaceutical medicines.

I consciously chose this path to beating cancer. My way of choosing was a balancing act of what I know about cancer, what I learned since my diagnosis and what my gut told me. It feels counter-intuitive to my usual approach to health, but sometimes that’s the only way of fighting something.

Choosing a healing path and choosing my attitude is my way of feeling in power and keep going. But sometimes I need to remind myself of my strength and let all the grief come up. Still grieving my mother’s death, grieving a missed year dealing with cancer and on top grieving all these lost lives because of arrogant and scientifically illiterate politicians who go over bodies to stay in power. But that’s another story…

Now, let’s come away with me to South Korea. That is a place I never wanted to visit. I still don’t want to, but the more I get on with my musical world tour, the more I enjoy learning about this beautiful planet, it’s people and music. And South Korea has a lot in common with Germany I grew up in. A heavily armed border with a communist country. And families who are parted by this border. And propaganda on both sides. And communist defectors. But these are all different stories too.

Lonely Planet gives a lovely and short introduction to South Korea for all ofus who are still curious:

We have been watching the BBC Travel Show for many years, and I vividly remember a documentary about South Korea and its rather curious habits. Please watch this one and make up your own mind:

And what do the locals say about South Korea? Asian Boss had a look into that:

Want to know more? Please check out Hallyism’s page and post about Korea

Let’s get to the music then. Most of us probably have heard of K-Pop. If you can watch this BBC Documentary, then please do, as it gives a great insight into the Korean Hit Factories. We also might remember the infamous Psy with his Gang Nam Style. I found that funny in the beginning, but it got on my nerves extremely soon. Can’t listen to it even now. South Korean music isn’t my thing, I think. It was the opposite with the band/Singer I chose for today:

Tearliner is the name and they started as a six-member band and now only consists of Park Sung-Hoon. At first I didn’t really like his musical style. But I liked the animation so I kept listening and, I have to admit the dreamy quality of the music grew on me. But please make up your own mind.

I would love to give you some information about the illustrator who designed the video but he or she speak through his or her work:

MJ Chang on Behance

MJ Chang on Instagram

MJ Chang on FB

The band Tearliner is a bit more forthcoming 🙂 but not much. The Wiki on Last.FM is the one that is repeated on many other pages. So I might as well only leave you with this link

Tearliner on Last.FM

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And where are we going next week?

Come Away With Me 2020 Musical Challenge Country for Monday, July 27th, 2020

I am taking a rather random route around the world, but sometimes it makes sense. Next week we move a lot more East to Mexiko. Please find Mexican musicians here on the Last.FM page.

As for the suggestions to take part:

1. Join in! No matter where, when and with what. You missed the first week? Don’t worry. Just jump in when it suits you.
2. Send us the link! The ping-back option does not always work so please leave a link in the comments of the post on the day you take part. Or leave it at the “Come Away With Me 2020 FB page“
3. Tag your post either with ” Come Away With Me Musical Challenge”/ #CoAwWiMeMuCh” / “Come Away with Me 2020 Musical Challenge” o/“CoAwWiMe2020MuCh” / . You can also use these as hashtags for Twitter and other Social Networks to give your post more exposure. If you add #blog and #music with your hashtags it will get you more readers.
4. No matter which music or country the prompt favours you create with it whatever you please. This is supposed to be a fun challenge and no chore.
5. I post a prompt for the next week with every “Come Away With Me 2020 post” I write.
6. If you like, use this picture for your readers to find the posts.

Please stay a little longer and find my poetry posts on The Bee Creates… on Weebly. Thanks!

You are more into photography? Then please check out my photo posts on Bee Wordless on Blogger.

You can also find my photos on Dreamstime (affiliate link, you do not need to buy anything but if you do I get 10% from your purchase).

Just one more thing before you go: The hospital that is treating me is fundraising for a dedicated breast cancer unit which would allow same-day diagnosis and better premises for patients and staff.

Please, if you can spare a little money hop over to their Just Giving Page and give as little or much as you can. Or share the page on your social media. Your support means a lot to me! Thank you very much.

Thanks my dears, for staying with me until the end. I appreciate your presence. Please stay safe, stay kind and remember that you rock!