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Show CHRYSALIS pA G E 4! these underground channels melanomas spread rapidly to the lungs, brain, or other vital organs. I read of the excision of lymph nodes and surrounding tissue, of B.C.G. injections and immunotherapy, of perfusion techniques, and of the amputation of limbs. I read optimistic autobiographies and journals of other people who've shared their experiences with cancer - most of which, I note with interest, were published posthumously. Melampus said moles reveal hidden things and profound mysteries. Moles, he wrote, are the stars of the human being, encircling our bodies as the stars and planets encircle the universe. A mole on a woman's forehead denotes power. Moles on the lip betray gluttony. Upon the nape of the neck, however, the beauty spot predicts decapitation. When appearing on the shoulders they predict captivity and unhappiness. Melampus was an astrologer. Fortunately I do not believe in astrology. I can never admit to being afraid. I never talk about IT to anyone. The subject of cancer (like the subject of sex when I was a child) is avoided. Everyone (including me) wears a mask that smiles continuously. I can't talk to Mark, nor to my friends, nor even to ray doctor. We discuss neutron stars, parapsychology, football, Bartok, the weather, pyramid power, biofeedback, Chris's bad |