This really resonated for me. When I was going through radiation, surgery and chemo I was writing a blog. Sometimes the message of my blog was around awareness (encouraging people to “check their poo!” And explaining symptoms and changing stats on colorectal cancer). Other things I wrote about included how to navigate the food advice that was proliferating everywhere and making me feel I couldn’t eat anything without killing myself, how to support cancer patients by listening instead of whitewashing, etc… my blogs were often met with “you are so inspiring” type comments, which was sweet but wasn’t necessarily what I was going for!!
Then when I finished my treatments and started writing about life after cancer the uptake on my posts dropped dramatically…. To the point that I felt like people thought I was complaining and I gave up.
I couldn’t let it go, though… I am here on Substack now writing about life after cancer… a new platform, a new newsletter.
You are not alone, Karen. 🩷 I don’t know why the burden of explanation falls on your shoulders. I’m working to change that. Thank you so much for reading and commenting.
Wow thank you for putting into words what I've been going through. I speak about 'changing the cancer narrative' and I guess it is indeed Hollywood that is partly to blame for giving a sense of how we 'should' behave when diagnosed or I guess making it something we want to bury our heads in the sand about because the depictions are often so extreme, or at the very least inaccurate. I'd forgotten all about that SATC episode- good to remember it now post-treatment.
I’m so glad it resonated with you. I loved that SATC episode and I think about it in the summer when my patients are sweating under their wigs. Best wishes in your post treatment healing. And thank you for reading.
Nailed it! I’m not the hero or warrior in the movie, I’m the guy just trying to live another day. Another day that is filled with pain, sadness, exhaustion, worry and so much more. Thank you for posting this, amazing as always.
Thank you for writing this. It's all the feelings and thoughts of a person trying to heal from breast cancer. Me. Thank you. ❤️
This really resonated for me. When I was going through radiation, surgery and chemo I was writing a blog. Sometimes the message of my blog was around awareness (encouraging people to “check their poo!” And explaining symptoms and changing stats on colorectal cancer). Other things I wrote about included how to navigate the food advice that was proliferating everywhere and making me feel I couldn’t eat anything without killing myself, how to support cancer patients by listening instead of whitewashing, etc… my blogs were often met with “you are so inspiring” type comments, which was sweet but wasn’t necessarily what I was going for!!
Then when I finished my treatments and started writing about life after cancer the uptake on my posts dropped dramatically…. To the point that I felt like people thought I was complaining and I gave up.
I couldn’t let it go, though… I am here on Substack now writing about life after cancer… a new platform, a new newsletter.
Your words made me cry. I'm recovering from a stem cell transplant for a rare cancer and am so tired of managing other peoples feelings about it.
You are not alone, Karen. 🩷 I don’t know why the burden of explanation falls on your shoulders. I’m working to change that. Thank you so much for reading and commenting.
Wow thank you for putting into words what I've been going through. I speak about 'changing the cancer narrative' and I guess it is indeed Hollywood that is partly to blame for giving a sense of how we 'should' behave when diagnosed or I guess making it something we want to bury our heads in the sand about because the depictions are often so extreme, or at the very least inaccurate. I'd forgotten all about that SATC episode- good to remember it now post-treatment.
I’m so glad it resonated with you. I loved that SATC episode and I think about it in the summer when my patients are sweating under their wigs. Best wishes in your post treatment healing. And thank you for reading.
Nailed it! I’m not the hero or warrior in the movie, I’m the guy just trying to live another day. Another day that is filled with pain, sadness, exhaustion, worry and so much more. Thank you for posting this, amazing as always.
Grateful that it spoke to you, Joe. Your writing is beautiful.