Predicting the Ground

A few weeks ago, the oncologic NP (nurse practitioner) described my health living with cancer as a line trending downward with periodic plateaus of stability. I suppose the trajectory continues in that pattern until the line hits the ground.

There are no units on this imaginary graph. It could be days or months. Since science does not provide the answers I want, I have to resort to other methods, such as the ancient, reliable pseudoscience of palm reading. AI makes palmistry more accessible, and you can even get it to read out the interpretations in a soothing voice. Here is a photo of my left hand, followed by its analysis by AI in Pro mode.

A palmistry analysis of a left hand, which is considered the "Fate" or "Potential" hand. It represents inherited traits, natural disposition, and the destiny dealt at the start of your journey.

• Shape: A broad, square Earth hand. Indicates practicality over theory.
• Life Line: A deep arc, showing robust baseline vitality. Intersecting horizontal marks are stress lines, indicating susceptibility to external pressures.
• Head Line: Attached to the life line and horizontal. Points to caution and a logical, fact-based mind.
• Heart Line: A gentle upward curve. Suggests an even temperament and realistic expectations.
• Fate Line: Faint and vertical. Indicates an adaptable direction.

It is fairly accurate, but it does not say anything about my future. Turns out palm reading is the wrong method:

• The idea that a short life line equates to a short life is a myth within the practice. Palmistry attempts to measure the quality of vitality, not the quantity of time.
• If a life line is short, broken, or fades out, practitioners do not read this as a definitive marker of death. It is interpreted instead as a period of lowered energy, a significant lifestyle change, or a shift in physical health.
• There is no mechanism, timeline, or metric in palmistry to calculate an expiration date.

Fortunately, the realm of pseudoscience includes other mechanisms that can predict life expectancy, such as astrology.
Vedic astrology uses a concept called "Ayurdaya" to mathematically calculate longevity based on the exact time and coordinates of birth. Traditional Western astrology uses specific planetary points called the "hyleg" and "alcocoden" to determine the supposed biological limits of a person's life.

Having run out of clinical trials to research, I have time to look into tasseography, tarot cards, physiognomy, astrocartography, and Kabbalistic gematria.