When I was diagnosed with lung cancer, one of the first things I did was Google “what it’s like to die from lung cancer.” In April 2015, the odds of beating my disease were pretty dismal. Convinced I wouldn’t make it past Christmas, I started reading to prepare for what […]
At 12:45 this afternoon, I said goodbye to my sweet Moses — another (like all of my cats) foster fail. I could never let them go. Fourteen years ago, he was rescued as a very young kitten, found among the tall reeds in a pond. I don’t know if he […]
There are two small index cards with quotations taped to the neck of my computer monitor. They are the first things I see when I sit down at the computer. I put them there when I was going through chemo and radiation when god you’ll reach for anything to get […]
Some of the following is paraphrased. Me (going through mail, hands letter addressed to husband): Here, something from the physical therapy people for you. H (after reading letter): They don’t have my secondary insurance listed and are informing me they will bill me directly for the balance of my treatment. […]
Nothing important enough to take up your time except this. Poet Mary Oliver died this week on January 17th. She was important enough in my life to acknowledge her passing here. The comfort and introspection I derived from her writing while I was going through cancer treatment was lifesaving. I […]
Unless you have or have had cancer, you won’t appreciate the significance of the title of this post. Cancer anniversaries, regrettably nicknamed “cancerversaries” (see “anywho,” “guestimate”), are measured not from diagnosis, but from end of treatment. I don’t know about all protocols, but mine consisted of six weeks of radiation […]
The American Cancer Society emailed me concerned about my absence and asking for my help in completing a short survey about what cancer issues I want to support. I replied that I’m a little concerned, too, ACS, because nowhere in the survey is lung cancer even mentioned on the list […]
I have two pressing questions today. The first most of you will relate to; the second, maybe not everyone. Question One: I’d rather take a bloody beating, but I have to buy a new washer. I wash a lot of human and animal bedding, so large capacity, at least 4.7 […]
Youngest grandson, seven, called me this afternoon and wanted to know would I come pick him up “now or later, whichever is best for you” and take him to Game Stop to buy a Skylanders figure (pricy video game paraphernalia, don’t ask). Seems his older brother was invited to a […]
She clips the coupon for the HoneyBaked Ham, just in case And puts it in her purse, just in case At Target, she buys sweet candy and colorful baskets, just in case She dyes eggs, makes potato salad, arranges flowers just in case She tries to smile, just in case
