2026 so far: - After 18 months, my first cancer drug stopped working. Stage 4 progression. - I had radiation in February and March. The pain showed up months later, and it hasn't let up. - My mom went in for a surgery in January that was supposed to take 1–2 months for recovery. She went from active to barely able to walk, then spent time in the ICU. She lives with us now while we wait on assisted living. - My dad, an amputee from his own cancer, has declined right alongside her. I manage his meds, his mobility and his care team. It's almost daily. - Our dog of 14 years got cancer, and we had to put her to sleep. - My wife and I are raising a 12-year-old who's in school full time and plays competitive basketball. - And somewhere in there we fostered a dog and two nightmarish but adorable litters of 5 puppies. The pain is the part nobody sees. It's there most of the day, every day. It hurts to sleep. It hurts to move. It hurts when my kid wants to play, and I play anyway. Some meds help, but I try to avoid them so I don't build a dependency. Nerve block injections have been a life saver. Here's what I've figured out. I can feel sorry for myself, or I can accept what's out of my control, take action, and keep moving. I choose the second one. It's just a better way to live. I still go to the gym. I still play tennis. I still play with my kid and take him to basketball. I still crush him in games of PIG (little shit thinks he's better than me...not yet young one). I believe movement is helpful for getting out of the pain, not something I wait to do until the pain is gone. I don't think I'm exceptional. I've just been handed a lot at once, and I keep showing up and moving forward. It's the only way. Whatever you're carrying right now, this too shall pass. Take action. Keep moving forward.