The Look People Give You
A woman recently diagnosed with cancer said to me, “I wish you would tell people not to give me that look.” “What look?” I asked. “The pity puss.” (At first I thought she said “platypus,” which I faintly recalled as being a weird-looking animal, and I wondered why on earth people were making platypus faces […]
Cancer Sucks Button
I often wear a button that says, “Cancer sucks.” In addition to pretty well summing up the cancer experience, it’s a great conversation starter. Just last month, a man tapped my button as I was waiting in line for coffee in an airport. He nodded sadly and told me that his young daughter was being […]
Don’t Ask About My Battle
We seem to struggle with language when the topic is cancer. We don’t think twice when cancer is discussed in military terms. In 1971, Richard Nixon declared “war” on cancer in his State of the Union address. When I was diagnosed with breast cancer, countless people told me to “fight this thing.” Since I’m still […]
I Have Cancer, What’s New With You?
Two days after being diagnosed with cancer, I received a call from the Red Cross asking if I’d give blood in an upcoming blood drive. I was a regular blood donor, so I received these calls a couple of times a year. This time, my head nearly exploded with a thousand thoughts: Should I tell […]
Telling the Parents
I’ve seen many resources that provide advice on how to tell your children that you have cancer. But what about the other generation – your parents? Family relationships are sometimes complicated, so I don’t presume to know what’s best for you and your family, but some guidelines might be helpful. In general, it’s a good […]
