Wonderful news, Theresa! Best news of the day. Also, need to highlight the obvious: Arthur's fantastic hair is straight out of physics professor central casting:)
Lovely comment! Also, Matt Desmond--the author of EVICTED--said the same thing about Arthur's hair. The guy who cuts his hair says he tries to keep Arthur from looking too much like a mad scientist. Of course I shared this comment with Arthur and he very much appreciated it. Hugs!
That is great news about your clear mammogram. I am still nervous when I have my mammogram even though it has been over twenty years since I have had an abnormal one. I always found pink being the color to represent breast cancer strange. A more neutral color like green would have been more appropriate. Men also can receive a breast cancer diagnosis. I think of women when I see pink. I am amazed at the NFL wearing pink socks but not contributing money to breast cancer research. Interesting.
Thanks for this comment, Elaine! Cancer does cast a long shadow if 20 years later you still feel apprehensive at mammograms. I imagine I will be the same. I guess the positive way to look at it is the wish that I will have 20 years of mammograms to be nervous about. In a way, that would be a wonderful blessing. You are so smart to bring up men getting breast cancer. It isn't only women, and yet, the pink does make people think of women, and it must make it harder for men to disclose a breast cancer diagnosis. Appreciate you taking the time to leave your thoughts!
I’m so glad to hear this great news, Theresa! And I agree about all the pink. It’s a yucky color (reminds me of Pepto Bismol) and isn’t helpful. If people want to show support, why not drive women to their appointments or bring a casserole by the house?
Great suggestions, Mari! A casserole, talking over coffee, or help would all be so much better than someone buying a pink pair of socks. I'd feel differently about all the pink if more money from those sales went into breast cancer research, but a lot of the money from pink products doesn't get passed on. You're right, too--the pink is the color of Pepto-Bismol, which is not inspiring. Somehow all the pink in the Barbie movie was fun to me, but that was a different pink.
Wonderful! Congratulations to you. "Enjoy life!" is a great directive and one I have taken to heart. It's sad to say, but after breast cancer I could no longer tolerate the more punishing aspects of being a clinical nurse. I take enjoying life to also mean not to do work that feels like it is grinding me down, if I'm lucky enough to have that choice. Hugs to you!
I agree. I retired from nursing 15 years ago, but my leukemia and transplant gave me new opportunities to use my nursing skills of listening and being supportive in a new role. I volunteer to do peer to peer counseling for Memorial Sloan Kettering and Be the Match. I talk to others who are going to have or are considering having a bone marrow transplant. It is rewarding work. I am glad that you also are not doing work that can grind you down.
Such a great point! My sense of normal returning slowly, but powerfully is my own. Someone else might feel back to normal as soon as active treatment is done. And a different person might find it hard to ever let go of the fear that cancer caused. With better, more compassionate health care probably more patients would have less fear because they would feel supported and that they don't have to take on the burden of the illness themselves. Your point gets to not judging anyone else's response to a serious illness. Audre Lorde made the same point in THE CANCER JOURNALS and it's important and profound.
Congrats on hitting that 6th year milestone, Theresa! May you continue to watch each successive year recede further in the rear view mirror as you move forward with a cancer-free life...
This is lovely--thank you. My husband says the effect I'm describing is called time-dilation, where the time seems to pass more and more quickly (in a good way in my case) even though it actually doesn't. I will take your good wishes very much to heart!
Wonderful news, Theresa! Best news of the day. Also, need to highlight the obvious: Arthur's fantastic hair is straight out of physics professor central casting:)
Lovely comment! Also, Matt Desmond--the author of EVICTED--said the same thing about Arthur's hair. The guy who cuts his hair says he tries to keep Arthur from looking too much like a mad scientist. Of course I shared this comment with Arthur and he very much appreciated it. Hugs!
That is great news about your clear mammogram. I am still nervous when I have my mammogram even though it has been over twenty years since I have had an abnormal one. I always found pink being the color to represent breast cancer strange. A more neutral color like green would have been more appropriate. Men also can receive a breast cancer diagnosis. I think of women when I see pink. I am amazed at the NFL wearing pink socks but not contributing money to breast cancer research. Interesting.
Thanks for this comment, Elaine! Cancer does cast a long shadow if 20 years later you still feel apprehensive at mammograms. I imagine I will be the same. I guess the positive way to look at it is the wish that I will have 20 years of mammograms to be nervous about. In a way, that would be a wonderful blessing. You are so smart to bring up men getting breast cancer. It isn't only women, and yet, the pink does make people think of women, and it must make it harder for men to disclose a breast cancer diagnosis. Appreciate you taking the time to leave your thoughts!
I’m so glad to hear this great news, Theresa! And I agree about all the pink. It’s a yucky color (reminds me of Pepto Bismol) and isn’t helpful. If people want to show support, why not drive women to their appointments or bring a casserole by the house?
Great suggestions, Mari! A casserole, talking over coffee, or help would all be so much better than someone buying a pink pair of socks. I'd feel differently about all the pink if more money from those sales went into breast cancer research, but a lot of the money from pink products doesn't get passed on. You're right, too--the pink is the color of Pepto-Bismol, which is not inspiring. Somehow all the pink in the Barbie movie was fun to me, but that was a different pink.
So glad and happy for you to learn of your 6-year anniversary of being cancer free! I am now 4 years of being leukemia free. Enjoy life!
Many hugs,
Pat
Wonderful! Congratulations to you. "Enjoy life!" is a great directive and one I have taken to heart. It's sad to say, but after breast cancer I could no longer tolerate the more punishing aspects of being a clinical nurse. I take enjoying life to also mean not to do work that feels like it is grinding me down, if I'm lucky enough to have that choice. Hugs to you!
I agree. I retired from nursing 15 years ago, but my leukemia and transplant gave me new opportunities to use my nursing skills of listening and being supportive in a new role. I volunteer to do peer to peer counseling for Memorial Sloan Kettering and Be the Match. I talk to others who are going to have or are considering having a bone marrow transplant. It is rewarding work. I am glad that you also are not doing work that can grind you down.
You are doing such great work! It's good to be reminded that there is rewarding volunteer work to do that can feel and be meaningful.
Thank you for sharing this piece of your journey. I think it helps to normalize different perspectives on illness and our society's response to them.
Such a great point! My sense of normal returning slowly, but powerfully is my own. Someone else might feel back to normal as soon as active treatment is done. And a different person might find it hard to ever let go of the fear that cancer caused. With better, more compassionate health care probably more patients would have less fear because they would feel supported and that they don't have to take on the burden of the illness themselves. Your point gets to not judging anyone else's response to a serious illness. Audre Lorde made the same point in THE CANCER JOURNALS and it's important and profound.
Congrats on hitting that 6th year milestone, Theresa! May you continue to watch each successive year recede further in the rear view mirror as you move forward with a cancer-free life...
This is lovely--thank you. My husband says the effect I'm describing is called time-dilation, where the time seems to pass more and more quickly (in a good way in my case) even though it actually doesn't. I will take your good wishes very much to heart!