Why I Don't "Fight" Cancer - Part 1

/
Why I Don't "Fight" Cancer - Part 1

I don't know about you, but I don't identify with much of the militaristic language surrounding cancer, most especially The *War* on Cancer.  That being said, I totally get that we're all so different. If being a fighter and kicking cancer's ass works for you, great! Keep it up! Disregard this post.

If, on the other hand, you haven't really found yourself embracing the imagery of a life on a battlefield, I just want to say, "You're not alone. Me neither." I like using the term "cancer thriver" and the image of being on a "journey" instead...

Read More

How My Body Talks to Me

/
How My Body Talks to Me

When I tell people that my body talks to me and tells me things, most of the time they get a gleam in their eye that feels like they're thinking, "Oh, you're a little bit on the crazy side. Okay." But Carsten, my friend at Hufeland Klinik in Germany that I wrote about here, was very intrigued and asked me, "How do you do this?" with what felt like the implication of how he could also hear what his body says. I explained that my body does it a few different ways...

Read More

Liz's Thoughts

/
Liz Cancer576

A few weeks ago Liz commented on my blog. She was at Hufeland Klinik this past Spring... awesome! As I perused her blog posts, I really like what she had to say about a lot of things including the term "surveillance." My oncologist is doing this with me as well... she says that what they call it when they follow a patient given a diagnosis of cancer that is not using chemotherapy or radiation. (And some oncologists refuse to do this and tell you to find another doctor!)

"The continued use of militaristic language within cancer circles is just plain disturbing.  I’ve cooperated through their surgery protocol, a true cadet.  Now, when I refuse to continue the fight with chemical guerrilla warfare, I’m a defector, double-crosser, rebel, renegade.  I’m put under surveillance.  The word conjures up the darkest of images of cancer warfare.  Where’s the compassionate language one would expect from a health care system sworn to do no harm? Maybe that’s the rub, 'sworn to do no harm' yet, the establishment is largely responsible for losing the winnable war against cancer."

You can read more about her journey after a diagnosis of Stage 3C1 Uterine Cancer on her blog: https://cancer576.wordpress.com/

 

Good luck? Bad luck? Who knows?!

/
Good luck? Bad luck? Who knows?!

So many times during my journey after being given a diagnosis of cancer, people have judged the diagnosis as bad, the worst, and very horrible at the least. Maybe this diagnosis of cancer is ultimately bad, but we don’t know that yet. And maybe this diagnosis of cancer is ultimately good, but again, we don't know that yet. I've heard others say how grateful they were for a cancer diagnosis in their life. I want to get there too! I think what helps me most is the work I do everyday whether it's...

Read More

Life Is Beautiful

/
Life Is Beautiful

That morning, when I woke up... I felt like a veil had been lifted from my heart and everything was BEAUTIFUL. I looked at the leaves on the trees in the park across the street and it was so beautiful that it made me cry... I listened to the words of songs that I love and they were so beautiful that it made me cry... all day, throughout the entire day, my heart and my eyes just overflowed with the incredible feeling and realization that (as cheesy as it sounds)... Life Is Beautiful. For the most part, I've found life to be really hard and challenging and painful and filled with lots of suffering...

Read More

A Song for Our Souls

/
A Song for Our Souls

There are lots and lots of things I love in this world, and one of the closest things to my heart that I love is the church that I go to. Highlands Church in Denver, Colorado is a place and a group of people that each and every time that I'm there shows me the love of God. In June 2015 we had my Surgery Blessingway Prayer Circle there and so many came to support me and pray for us before my mastectomy.

This summer we had the opportunity to have Heatherlyn be an "Artist in Residence" at our church. So... wherever you are at... whether you need this song sung over you... or you know of someone who needs this song sung over them... I encourage you to spend 4 minutes with this song and your soul... 

Read More