If I Only Had a Brain!

Lyrics to If I Only Had A Brain :

(Scarecrow)
I could wile away the hours
Conferrin' with the flowers
Consultin' with the rain
And my head I'd be scratchin'
While my thoughts were busy hatchin'
If I only had a brain

I'd unravel any riddle
For any individ'le
In trouble or in pain

(Dorothy)
With the thoughts you'd be thinkin'
You could be another Lincoln
If you only had a brain

(Scarecrow)
Oh, I would tell you why
The ocean's near the shore
I could think of things I never thunk before
And then I'd sit and think some more

I would not be just a nuffin'
My head all full of stuffin'
My heart all full of pain
I would dance and be merry
Life would be a ding-a-derry
If I only had a brain

The above lyrics are from the much beloved childhood movie, “The Wizard of Oz.”  Ray Bolger, a very talented dancer played the part of the Scarecrow, and everyone knows that Judy Garland was “Dorothy.”  I have watched it numerous times because I have four children and we watched every year.  It was family night complete with hot buttered popcorn.  At least 18 times!  It is a wonderful movie!

My feelings today can best be expressed by the Scarecrow’s final line,

“If I only had a brain!”

Then, I could do what I want to do!

·        I would like to feel in control of my life again.

·        I would like to feel confident about speaking again.  Not speeches, just conversations without the loss of words.

·        I would like to be able to read at my former reading rate. It has slowed down mightily and become a frustration instead of my greatest pleasure.

·        I would like to enjoy the convenience of driving again.

·        I would like to be free of worrying about repeating myself.

·        I would like to concentrate and focus on one thing at a time.

·        I would like to remember things!

·        I would like to not be frightened at the thought of being alone again.

The American Cancer Society reports “there is no way to prevent chemo brain while getting cancer treatment.  For some people, treating their cancer will mean trouble with thinking, memory, planning, and word finding.”

“The brain usually recovers over time.  They might last a short time, or they might go on for years.  These changes can make people unable to go back to their school, work, or social activities, or make it so that it takes a lot of mental effort to do so.  They affect everyday life for many people, and more research is needed to help prevent and cope with them.”

And there are many things that must be faced, like changes in your spiritual life, and you need to be in full possession of your faculties to be aware of them.  So now, after four and a half months of treatment I am feeling like the Scarecrow

“if I only had a brain!!!”