{"id":2572,"date":"2026-06-29T13:29:32","date_gmt":"2026-06-29T17:29:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/walkingdeadman.com\/?p=2572"},"modified":"2026-06-29T13:29:32","modified_gmt":"2026-06-29T17:29:32","slug":"eleven-years","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/walkingdeadman.com\/index.php\/2026\/06\/29\/eleven-years\/","title":{"rendered":"ELEVEN YEARS!"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Eleven years ago today, I received what I believed at the time was a death sentence: Stage IV lung cancer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was not.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ironically, I walked out of that doctor\u2019s office with my head held high. But as I turned the corner and began the quarter-mile walk home\u2026 the tears came.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I cried for the life I thought I was losing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What I did not know then was that I was not walking toward the end of my story.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I was walking toward a new beginning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those eleven years have brought pain, chemotherapy, another Stage IV cancer, bladder cancer, uncertainty, and more challenges than I ever imagined.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But they have also brought faith, awareness, purpose, writing, cycling, and countless sunrises I was never supposed to see.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That journey became the inspiration for my poetry book:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

CANCER\u2019S GIFT: CONVERSATIONS OF A WALKING DEAD MAN<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And my soon to be published second book:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

CANCER\u2019S GIFT: THE GIFT OF AWAKENING-FURTHER CONVERSATIONS OF A WALKING DEAD MAN<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is not a book about dying.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is a book about learning how to live.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If my journey helps even one person face their own challenges with hope instead of fear, then every mile of this road has been worth it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To my immediate family\u2014thank you. I have never been alone during these battles. You have been my staunchest supporters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thank you to everyone who has prayed for me, encouraged me, and walked beside me these past eleven years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most of all, I thank God for His grace, His mercy, and for every sunrise He has allowed me to witness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here\u2019s to another day\u2026 and another ride.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Peace and blessings!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Michael J. Simien Sr.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Eleven years ago today, I received what I believed at the time was a death sentence: Stage IV lung cancer. It was not. Ironically, I walked out of that doctor\u2019s office with my head held high. But as I turned […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2572","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-living-life-with-cancer"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p8zBYf-Fu","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":2560,"url":"https:\/\/walkingdeadman.com\/index.php\/2026\/05\/29\/havent-posted-lately\/","url_meta":{"origin":2572,"position":0},"title":"HAVEN\u2019T POSTED LATELY!","author":"Michael","date":"May 29, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"I have not been posting lately for a very simple reason. My concentration has been focused on my second book, CANCER\u2019S GIFT:THE GIFT OF AWARENESSFurther Conversations of a Walking Dead Man I know the title is a mouthful, but once you read the introduction, you will understand exactly what this\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Living life with cancer!"","block_context":{"text":"Living life with cancer!","link":"https:\/\/walkingdeadman.com\/index.php\/category\/living-life-with-cancer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingdeadman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/IMG_6476-scaled.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingdeadman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/IMG_6476-scaled.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingdeadman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/IMG_6476-scaled.jpeg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingdeadman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/IMG_6476-scaled.jpeg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingdeadman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/IMG_6476-scaled.jpeg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingdeadman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/IMG_6476-scaled.jpeg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2552,"url":"https:\/\/walkingdeadman.com\/index.php\/2026\/04\/15\/gone-into-living\/","url_meta":{"origin":2572,"position":1},"title":"gone into living!","author":"Michael","date":"April 15, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"i have something to saywhich may seem oddbut the way i livehas become a facade it is eleven years nowi have been in a fightfor within my bodyi battle a blight so i put on my maskmy helmet, my glovesget on my bikemy language of love no one can seewhat\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Living life with cancer!"","block_context":{"text":"Living life with cancer!","link":"https:\/\/walkingdeadman.com\/index.php\/category\/living-life-with-cancer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingdeadman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/IMG_8877-scaled.jpeg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingdeadman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/IMG_8877-scaled.jpeg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingdeadman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/IMG_8877-scaled.jpeg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingdeadman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/IMG_8877-scaled.jpeg?resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingdeadman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/IMG_8877-scaled.jpeg?resize=1050%2C600 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingdeadman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/IMG_8877-scaled.jpeg?resize=1400%2C800 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":198,"url":"https:\/\/walkingdeadman.com\/index.php\/2017\/07\/05\/15-recapitulation\/","url_meta":{"origin":2572,"position":2},"title":"Recapitulation!","author":"Michael","date":"July 5, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Since I'm now just beginning my 3rd year of treatment something occurred to me. \u00a0Mind you, I'm still here through the grace of God but it goes much deeper than that. The simple fact is that I've made it this far in my life\u00a0only through the grace of God! There\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Living life with cancer!"","block_context":{"text":"Living life with cancer!","link":"https:\/\/walkingdeadman.com\/index.php\/category\/living-life-with-cancer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":2578,"url":"https:\/\/walkingdeadman.com\/index.php\/2026\/07\/16\/growing-faith\/","url_meta":{"origin":2572,"position":3},"title":"growing faith","author":"Michael","date":"July 16, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"my faith is so stronglook in the mirror to seenow ever growing then what shall i do?live without having belief?i do not think so! cancer taught me howi see beauty everywheremy eyes are opened so i ride my bikeand lift my head to the skynow i see farther now i\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Living life with cancer!"","block_context":{"text":"Living life with cancer!","link":"https:\/\/walkingdeadman.com\/index.php\/category\/living-life-with-cancer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingdeadman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/IMG_8809.jpeg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingdeadman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/IMG_8809.jpeg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingdeadman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/IMG_8809.jpeg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingdeadman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/IMG_8809.jpeg?resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingdeadman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/IMG_8809.jpeg?resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2574,"url":"https:\/\/walkingdeadman.com\/index.php\/2026\/07\/03\/talking-only-to-the-wind\/","url_meta":{"origin":2572,"position":4},"title":"talking only to the wind","author":"Michael","date":"July 3, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"when riding in the parktalking only to the windi require no voice to answerquestions that live within how many sunrises are left?how will my surgery go?what is next to see?will the seeds i\u2019ve planted grow? though grateful, purpose i still craveas time spins toward this waiting graveforever waning while i\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Living life with cancer!"","block_context":{"text":"Living life with cancer!","link":"https:\/\/walkingdeadman.com\/index.php\/category\/living-life-with-cancer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingdeadman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/IMG_9024-scaled.jpeg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingdeadman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/IMG_9024-scaled.jpeg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingdeadman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/IMG_9024-scaled.jpeg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingdeadman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/IMG_9024-scaled.jpeg?resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingdeadman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/IMG_9024-scaled.jpeg?resize=1050%2C600 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingdeadman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/IMG_9024-scaled.jpeg?resize=1400%2C800 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2584,"url":"https:\/\/walkingdeadman.com\/index.php\/2026\/07\/27\/choosing-violence\/","url_meta":{"origin":2572,"position":5},"title":"choosing violence","author":"Michael","date":"July 27, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"woke up this morningchoosing violence.no hesitation involved,only relentless intent. i am not like this usually,but due to circumstancesnot quite within my grasp,my choices are limited. the act i have chosenmay seem insignificant to some,but means the differencebetween breathing\u2026 and not breathing. i am extending my riding time,each and every day\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Living life with cancer!"","block_context":{"text":"Living life with cancer!","link":"https:\/\/walkingdeadman.com\/index.php\/category\/living-life-with-cancer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/walkingdeadman.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2572","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/walkingdeadman.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/walkingdeadman.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/walkingdeadman.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/walkingdeadman.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2572"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/walkingdeadman.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2572\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2573,"href":"https:\/\/walkingdeadman.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2572\/revisions\/2573"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/walkingdeadman.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2572"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/walkingdeadman.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2572"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/walkingdeadman.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2572"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}