But Some Pain You Can’t Ignore

by Summer D Clemenson | Oct 10, 2026 | Cancer, Chronic Illness, Life, Opinions, Politics, Queer Community

I hurt this morning. I live on a cocktail of morphine and oxycodone. Every few hours an alarm goes off on my phone telling which pills to take. Usually they are enough, but this morning I can’t sleep and I have taken 1000 mg of Tylenol as well. It took the edge off. Before this second bout of cancer, I was able to live with chronic pain with a different mindset, proper exercise and naps, when the pain got too intense. But some pain you can’t ignore.

I was talking with Jamie Holloway last night about this cancer. The first time was easier, but this time, it is in my lymph nodes, and they are hard to get to without me bleeding out. We need to get the cancer to shrink there. The ovary can be removed, but the lymph node, it is another story. She was asking me about my medications because I was telling her I was glad to be changing meds on Sunday, the one I am taking right now, is also used to treat anorexia and it makes me hungry all the time and I am having a terrible time controlling myself.

You see sometimes something that is helpful can also make another problem worse. I used to weigh 435 lbs. The last time I weighed in, I am down to 322 lbs and I am very proud of myself. I fit in chairs I used to not be able to sit in and I feel better about myself. I did this by eating less and proper exercise for my body, which is not a harsh workout because I also live with 2 kinds of arthritis, fibromyalgia, and insufficient veins in both legs that cause inflammation and swelling. This has taken devotion to loving myself and self-control.

We were also talking about our experiences while researching how we would cast our votes for the November 2026 General Election. We didn’t talk about what we chose. Our conversation went like this:

Me: Well, I made it through the voter’s pamphlet. I am disheartened but for the most part, I think I have decided. I feel like I have been set up for failure. No good choices.

Jamie: That’s how I felt about my voting choices too.

I have had a few conversations on Facebook with people who felt the same. I am so upset that more people didn’t run who were willing to be the change we need. I know you might be thinking, why didn’t you run? Well, duh, I have cancer and 13 other chronic illnesses. I can’t be traveling all over the place and be everywhere that the job requires; my body can’t handle the stress of the job, and a dead representative is not a good one.

I do want to talk about a few things and why I believe that we have to stand firm on a few ideas.

Initiative Measure IP26-645

This initiative repeals the 9.9% tax on annual income tax on those with income over $1,000,000. I know it sounds cut and dry. Our state would make an estimated $11.4 billion in revenue which they say they would put towards K-12 education, higher education, health care and human services.

But as you have seen, many big corporations are leaving the state because of this income tax, which the people did not want, but our representatives pushed through, regardless of what we said. Also, if we allow this income tax, which goes against our state’s constitution, to go through, it sets precedence to allow the government to come after the rest of us later on, when they have gotten used to having even more money, because they already voted in the largest budget ever seen in Washington State’s history this year. Finally, this government has not earned the trust of the people, in fact they have purposefully gone against us, who is to say those tax dollars will go to the projects they have been promised? We the People need to remind our government representatives that they work for us and we decide what their limits are.

• Initiative Measure IP26-645 Full Text.pdf

Note: If the Initiative fails, make sure to get receipts when you donate anything. You will need all the tax write offs you can get.

Initiative Measures IL26-001 and IL26-638

These initiatives should be one in my mind. They sound separate, but they are about one thing; control. It isn’t about protecting children – it is about protecting parents’ feelings. If you are a healthy, secure parent that is putting your child first, these initiatives are not necessary because you know how to ask the right questions, you know how to listen to your children, and you know how to make decisions that don’t force your beliefs on other families. Public school is for the general public. If you want your child to have a private school experience, you know what to do.

When I was growing up, I didn’t know I was queer, but I did have a broken home. I was loved but my houses were not places I felt safe. One was actually dangerous and the other, I knew I was needed. I chose to stay and help, even when I knew I could leave because I knew my family needed me. But I had a strong relationship with God and there were family members that helped. We made it and everyone is doing well. I am glad I was there to choose. But not every child has the fortitude or ability to make the choices I did. In fact, every day could be very scary for them. Some families are violent. Some families have no one to help.

In 2025 there were changes made to RCW. 28A.605.005. For the most part, it is fair, however, there are circumstances where a child may need help from an abusive guardian. Many parents are not abusive, these parents will not be affected by this law, because they are emotionally available to their student. They will already know their child’s teachers. They will be supportive. But an abusive or neglectful parent might be a danger to their child. You will recognize them. They will be defensive. They will only care how they look. They will not be concerned with the well-being of their child. In this situation, the child might need to be removed from campus and taken to a safe place, before parents/guardians are contacted. Also, I have a problem with opting out of sexual health classes. We live in a world where what you don’t know can kill you. A baby is not the worst thing that can happen if you don’t know enough about sex. I believe that students should be able to step out of classes where they feel uncomfortable, however, education should be available to students. When we censor children, we stop them from learning how to think and learn how to make choices because they don’t know that they have choices.

I knew how to make choices because, even though my home was not perfect, I was allowed to read anything I wanted. I learned many things and learning was encouraged. I knew that my choices were mine. I believe that IL26-001 is not safe for children that need help.

IL26-638 is a waste of paper and resources. We don’t need a law to tell us that our child’s pediatrician needs to know the medical needs of their patient, and that would include anything about their body that is private. We don’t need a law to tell us what the doctor already does. Needs of transgender students, the few there are, can be handled with a few conversations held between students and teachers. Transgender students make up about 1% of the students in Washington State and only .6-.8% of students in the United States are transgender. Let’s talk people. Solutions can be created.

I do not support both Initiative Measures IL26-001 and IL26-638.

• INITIATIVE IL26-001 fulltext.pdf
• INITIATIVE IL26-638 fulltext.pdf
• RCW 28A.605.005:

City of Longview Proposition 1 Levy Lid Lift

The City of Longview needs funding for Emergency Fire and Medical Response Services. We need funding for hiring paramedic/EMT firefighters, replacing aging equipment, building a new fire station, purchasing a fire engine and funding to improve response time and funding the operational functions. There is no argument against this. However, homeowners are already being taxed heavily and not only would this proposition raise taxes in 2027, but it would also continue to raise taxes in consecutive years.

We can’t keep asking property owners and small business owners fund everything unless we are going to work harder to offer living wage jobs, and work harder to make housing more affordable for everyone. The homeless population, the raise in costs, the ridiculous cost to rent, all these things are made worse by the fact that many of our residents work more than one job just to make ends meet. Raising taxes on the people that own homes, does not increase the incentive to buy houses. We have to look to different ways to answer the needs of our community. We need the bean counters to get creative.

I am not for Proposition 1 Levy Lid Lift.

In all my life, I have not seen things that I am seeing now. What bothers me is that people that are older than me are saying that too. However, I read the bible a lot and you know what? It is full of people doing unfair things. Governments getting too big. People being forgotten and treated unfairly.

I wasn’t going to vote this year. I had entertained the thought for several days. I am still not happy with my choices. However, being silent doesn’t help either, so I wrote to Marie Perez Regarding A Slow Economy and I spent some time online, in the voter’s pamphlet and praying while I researched my choices and I have decided what I plan to do.

There are people who have asked me about what I live with. They often tell me they don’t want to talk about their current illness because they believe that I suffer more than they do. I always tell them, that suffering is relative. There are certain experiences that I have had that have left me to believe that I can never judge someone else’s pain. There have been moments that the pain was so bad that if I could have reached a tool to end my life, I would have, but I couldn’t and so I am still here. I think the world is going through a time like this. We can’t ignore this pain. We need to lean into each other and be kind. We need to ask questions of those who are wiser than we are. We need to seek quiet and rest. We need to listen and seek peaceful things. Pain is here to remind us that we need to change something, either physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, maybe all of them.

But if you don’t vote, you didn’t take your opportunity to be part of any chance of change. We can’t ignore this pain. it is telling us to be different. Stand up for what you believe. You don’t have to agree with me. But make sure to use your voice. Be well. I love you.

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Feel free to leave your comments below!

My name is Summer. That is how you can call me. I hope that I am a blessing to you. I am not perfect. I will fall again. But I am forgiven. For anyone reading this that isn’t a Christian, unapologetically, I am a Jesus Follower, but I believe there is room for lots of beliefs and religions in the world. It is not my intent to offend people with different beliefs than I have and I would be open to open-minded conversations with no goals of changing anyone’s mind, but sharing information. If you are interested in becoming a Jesus Follower…Do you know Jesus? Do want the Holy Spirit to fill you and give you understanding and salvation? Ask Him. Want someone to pray with you? Contact me.

If you would like to know Jesus as your friend, but want to make this amazing commitment by yourself please pray something like this: Thank you Jesus that You are the Son of God, the God that created heaven and earth. Thank you Jesus that You came to earth in the form of a man so that You would be able to empathize with my humanity. Thank You that You did this in order to fulfill the promises You made at the foundation of the world. I realize that I am a sinner and do things that hurt myself and keep myself away from you. Thank You that You died for my sins so that You could defeat death and bring me into Your life. Please forgive me. I ask You to be Lord of my life. I ask you to heal my hurts and show me what my new life, empowered by You looks like. Thank You for Your mercy.

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