For most people, the thought of dying is something too overwhelming to think about. Everything changes when you are given a death sentence; in fact, it usually makes you more aware of how fragile life is and how we take it for granted. There is just living until your body wonundefinedt let you and in some cases, you can make the decision to end your life with the help of a doctor. Mickey Weems was granted a second chance at life in 1984 when he was lost at sea and miraculously rescued. Now, with Stage 4 prostate cancer, he is using his time to build unity and love with others while courageously choosing his time of transcendence. Tonight on Ground Zero, Clyde Lewis talks with Mickey Weems about MICKEY IS DYING.
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https://aftermath.media/podcast/3-16-23-mickey-is-dying-w-mickey-weems/
SHOW TRANSCRIPT:
There was a brief moment in my career when I was working for a Classic Rock Station called Z-93. It was a very popular station; in fact, it was voted one of the best classic rock stations in the west. I was working late night, and I also stayed for the morning show and was writing and producing funny bits and drinking copious amounts of coffee.
Then one day the engineer came in and took us off the air undefined hooked up a computer that gave a strange countdown.
I was told that the station was changing formats to country. I was shocked because I had no idea that new country was popular and was introduced to a whole new attitude when it came to a classic form of music that my parents raised me on.
At first I was a little reticent but got the hang of ramping up country songs. But it did not last long, I decided to move into being a news reporter and talk show host. But finding new music was always welcome and for a time I was listening to country music and after 9/11 happened it seemed that country was really hot as old home patriotism took over.
But I started to grow tired of it and went back to my rock and roll habits.
Around 2007 into 2008 I had been diagnosed with renal cell carcinoma. it was a shock to me and I was in denial for some time- I was being shown X-rays and the doctors said I had two choices either get Chemotherapy or have a number of surgeries to have them removed. I chose the surgeries.
Of course, the thought of dying was something I had to face. In fact, I didnundefinedt want to think about it undefined then I heard this song by Tim McGraw. The song was called undefinedLive like you were dying.undefined
It was about a man diagnosed with Cancer and upon realizing the end was coming he decided to do all the things he never did before, trying new things, like skydiving and hiking in the mountains undefined and he also made a commitment to be a better friend and husband.
It was about how everything changes when you are given a death sentence; in fact, it gives you more reasons to be more aware of how fragile life is and how we take it for granted.
I wasnundefinedt necessarily given a death sentence, but I certainly would have died if I didn’t have the surgeries. it wasnundefinedt enough. 5 years later I had to go through it again because there were more tumors found.
The third surgery was the most brutal and painful- but I had to fight -and I did, it was tough and you lose a lot of people in the process undefined but you gain people whom you never thought cared about you.
It is not just about living like you are dying undefined it is trying to live and knowing that you may die at any time. It is a dark cloud that eventually wears off because, after years of being cancer free you decide that God must have plans for you undefined and now I believe he does and this is why I am here.
I know that my story isnundefinedt the only one and I know people deal with death in many ways but my producer, Ron, was telling me about his friend Mickey Weems and how he was diagnosed with Stage 4 prostate cancer.
Listening to his story got me thinking that there is a third choice when it comes to your health and cancer. There is chemo, there is surgery, and then there is just living until your body wonundefinedt let you and in some cases, you can make the decision to end your life with the help of a doctor.
I know that this choice is controversial and some people see it as giving up undefined but sometimes it may be the best choice because of the severity of what happens as the cancer progresses.
From what I have read about Mickey Weems is how he has courageously faced death before.
He was lost at sea and was rescued by the SS Independence, a cruise ship between the islands of Maui, Lanai, and Molokai, the sun had set, He was sunburnt and suffering from hypothermia, and if the currents had stayed true, he would have been in the vast stretch of water between Hawaii and Tahiti by morning.
It just so happened that the Independence passed just a few yards south of him and a crew member smoking a joint heard him yelling “Help! Help!” he looked up and saw the constellation Orion in the sky above the ship as it did a U-turn to rescue him.
He trained in anthropology, folklore, queer studies, men’s studies, and religious studies.
His works have been influenced by his experiences as a US Marine, ocean lifeguard, initiate into Candomblé, circuit party participant-observer, and eventual conversion to progressive Islam.
Among his research goals are the development of theoretical means for the reduction of public violence as well as the promotion of inter-religious dialogue.
He also has done work with his own personal experience on championing the right to choose one’s death when faced with terminal illness as he negotiates his end of life with stage 4 prostate cancer.
Thatundefineds right Mickey is dying, and now with all of the good living and finding the meaning of life and spreading joy to those around him, Mickey has chosen to end his life.
In 2021, Weems learned that he had Stage 4 prostate cancer, and the diagnosis was terminal. Deciding that quality of life was more important than the length of it, Weems decided against chemotherapy, and is only accepting treatments that improve the quality of life.
The state of Hawai‘i allows for terminally ill patients to choose the time of their death. Recalling the voice that spoke to him when he was lost at sea, Weems has confidence that the Universe from which he came will continue to care for him when he dies.
He has taken the option for choosing his time of death and will make arrangements with his friends and family to be around him for that final day.
Mickey is an example of how being honest, decent and ethical while living righteously can show how perhaps we should all live as if we are dying.
The eternal nature of reality is quite a massive proposition to ponder and every moment in time is loaded with all sorts of reasons for why things are as they are.
Sometimes it takes courage to embrace the light.
The light, when shining fully and illuminating those things you were once confused about, may seem too bright and overwhelming, and you may be tempted to close your eyes or turn away from the intensity. Mickey apparently has welcomed the idea that the Universe will cradle him and give him comfort when he passes away and has not shied away from the intensity of the light.
He obviously believes that your eyes will soon adjust to the new conditions, enabling you to witness more than you had ever realized was possible in your previous state of ignorance and uncertainty.
It is not that you are fighting for life when you choose to die, it is choosing to live life to its fullest when you realize your time is short no matter what choice you make.
We should not live life in the fear of our own shadow.
There is no need to feed the disease undefined it is about starving the beast from coming to take you away .
A sense of humor is very helpful in living a meaningful life despite the current instability of social life. The ability to laugh at oneself and to laugh with others over the irony of situations makes life more bearable.
Mickey has chosen this route before he chooses to die.
The destination is the end-state and the process is how you get there. You can choose to be brooding or you can find faith in all things and in people.
William Wordsworth wrote a poem called ODE- which attempts to explain life and death and the illusory nature of the life experience.
undefinedOur birth is but a sleep and a forgetting:
The Soul that rises with us, our lifeundefineds Star,
Hath had elsewhere its setting,
And cometh from afar:
Not in entire forgetfulness,
And not in utter nakedness,
But trailing clouds of glory do we come
From God, who is our home:
Heaven lies about us in our infancy!
Shades of the prison-house begin to close
Upon the growing Boy,
But He beholds the light, and whence it flows,
He sees it in his joy.undefined
The expanded portion of the ode is related to the ideas expressed in Wordsworthundefineds The Prelude Book V in their emphasis on childhood memories and a connection between the divine and humanity. To Wordsworth, the soul was created by the divine and was able to recognize the light in the world. As a person ages, they are no longer able to see the light, but they can still recognize the beauty in the world.
Yes, Mickey is going to die but he still sees the beauty in the world and wants to make it better, by generating the enthusiasm and encouragement of people to try and seek out and have empathy for lifestyles, religions, and people they do not understand.
Life experiences have made Mickey unafraid of dying, but he’s keenly empathetic to those without such experiences now facing their own death or the loss of a loved one. The difference between surrender and acceptance is debated, but it all boils down to how honest we are to ourselves and how we can deal with the fact that we are all human and that in the end, it is important to dance even if nobody is watching.
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SHOW GUEST: MICKEY WEEMS
Mickey Weems is a man of modest aspirations. He wishes to give counsel to the world as to how to prevent our extinction, and he has aspirations for undefinedbodhisattvahood.undefined Other than that, he is overeducated, overjoyed, and overwhelmed by the love of his friends during his last few days.
