AML Blues
Discover more from Blood Lines
Acute Myeloid Leukaemia
What can I say?
It’s a rare blood cancer
That I live with everyday
It starts in the bone marrow
The blasts ain’t fully-formed
They multiply like crazy
So my bloodstream is swarmed
Chorus
I wish I had no cancer
I wish it was a dream
I wish ma bone marrow
Made ma blood cells pristine…
Bone marrow biopsy
What can I say?
It’s one helluva procedure
Gives me nightmares everyday
The skin is anaesthetised
Then I lie and wait
A great big needle
Draws out the aspirate
Chorus
I wish I had no cancer…
Chemotherapy
What can I say?
It’s a load of deadly drugs
Dripped into my arm each day
It’s just like weedkiller
Damaging everything in sight
No wonder my old body
Don’t feel quite right
Chorus
I wish I had no cancer…
Blood transfusions
What can I say?
I need them to stay alive
Or I’ll be dead by next day
Donated by a stranger
Generosity in a pack
A total life saver
Thanks for watching my back
Chorus
I wish I had no cancer…
Neutropenia
What can I say?
No neutrophils or platelets
Gotta fever today
Hospital awaits me
‘Biotics through a drip
My temperature begins to drop
A temporary blip
Chorus
I wish I had no cancer…
Stem cell therapy
What can I say?
I don’t have a donor
Yet I’m still alive today
Don’t need those stem cells
Don’t need more time inside
My life stays uncertain
On this crazy cancer ride
Chorus
I wish I had no cancer…
This poem was loosely inspired by “The Moaning Lisa Blues” song on ‘The Simpson’s Sing the Blues’ album.
This track has particular resonance with me. I once worked with a very creative teacher to support her to develop her outdoor practice. She decided to use “The Moaning Lisa Blues” with her class to get them reflecting on what they didn’t like about their outdoor space and then ways this could be improved. Whilst the ideas didn’t come to a re-arrangement of the track, it was a very clever way into working outside and demonstrates how we can use our own skills and interests as teachers to develop interesting experiences for our classes.
Flynne’s Barn is a place where young people living with cancer can come together and find connection in beautiful surroundings and provides a range of immersive outdoor and creative experiences. I am sharing one poem per day during September 2022 to raise money for this charity. To DONATE, visit my GO FUND ME page. Many thanks.
4th September is World Leukaemia Day. “It’s a global campaign run in collaboration by patient groups from across the globe. It’s the one day of the year people from all around the world can come together to help raise awareness of leukemia. the non-specific signs and symptoms make it difficult to spot. There are over 300,000 deaths caused by leukemia worldwide. Survival rates for leukemia are significantly lower than most common cancers, and these rates are worsened by the high prevalence of emergency diagnosis.”
