Weekly Round Up – The Cancer Is Never Done With You Edition
Time for this week’s round-up of the best of the blog posts which I’ve read over the past week. These are the posts that have moved me, taught me something, inspired me, and which I’ve wanted to share with you. Don’t forget if you have written a post which you would like readers to see, just leave a comment below.
I try each week to group your blogs according to themes and this week it was very easy as so many of you have been writing about how once you have been diagnosed with cancer, no matter what the outcome, it lurks in the background or in the words of The Sarcastic Boob:
The best description of a chronic disease was when Eddie Murphy, in his raunchy stand up movie Delirious, described herpes: “You keep that shit forever. Like luggage.” Damn, I’ve got luggage all right.
Part of the luggage for many of us is depression – the theme of My Heart Sisters excellent post – When Survivors Feel Depressed Instead Of Lucky.
Audrey has written on mothers and daughters and our recent #BCCEU tweet chat in which she asked the assistant director of research for Breakthrough Breast Cancer , Julia Wilson, what reassurance could she give mothers and daughters in the future when it comes to advances in breast cancer research.
Her reply was “our commitment we are ready to pick off different types of breast cancer one by one and stop mothers and daughter dying”.
We passionately wish for that day to come soon! If you want a reminder of why we wish it, read Anne Marie’s blog on National Cancer Research Month; Susan’s frustration; Lisa Bonchek Adam’s powerful post on life’s expiration date; Lori on vaccines; Yvonne on how cancer is no longer the black and white issue she once thought it was; Renn’s list of 9 of her favorite metastatic breast cancer bloggers, Beth and Nancy on why we are never done with cancer.
Elsewhere in the blogosphere…
Yvonne’s latest post “breaking bad news and long-distance love” packs a punch.
Chris is writing on my favourite topic – the blogging revolution in healthcare.
Eileen has written a great post on dealing with chemo-brain at work.
Florence writes about why she is running for her life.
Philippa has written beautifully on the themes of birth, death, growth and renewal:
Tiny buds on the trees, little shoots of grasses pushing through the ground, delighted white fluffy lambs appearing freshly laundered as they scampered around the hillsides, prolific spring daffodil bulbs and new wild flowers shivering in the winds. Reminding me of the precarious balance that is life and death.
And the theme of spring is echoed in Victoria’s blog and Pasha celebrating “Beltane, the Celtic Fire Festival that marks the first day of summer, in the ancient Celtic calendar – a “festival of optimism”.
“How do you hedge living and dying?” asks Lauren in a welcome return to the blogosphere. She offers some suggestions:
It all comes down to the old quote, “You better get busy living or get busy dying.” The only thing I know for sure is when we are busy living, the sweet is sweeter.
And thanks to Lauren I can end on a quote this week from my favorite poet, Mary Oliver…
“listen–are you breathing just a little, and calling it a life?”
Until next week.
Breathe. Live. Love.
Marie xxx
Thanks so much Marie for including a link to my “When Survivors Feel Depressed Instead of Lucky” article here on such a good list! I especially loved that Mary Oliver quote you ended with:
“Listen – are you breathing just a little, and calling it a life?”
Ouch. Some days, my answer to that question is “Yeah, sort of…”
Regards,
C.
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Marie, I can’t wait to check out the posts I didn’t yet read. Thank you so much for including my latest post in your round-up.
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I love Mary Oliver – her words always stop me in my tracks Carolyn
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Always a pleasure Beth x
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Looks like I have some reading to do! Thanks so much for this week’s round-up and many thanks for including my “Tiptoeing Through Survivorship” post.
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thanks marie, great to be back in the saddle with such a wonderful group of cowgirls!
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So pleased to see you back blogging again lauren 🙂
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As always, Marie, thanks for taking the time to put together the weekly roundup, and many thanks for including my chemo brain post.
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Thank you, Marie, for this chock-a-block reading list! And for including my “9 Favorite Metastatic Breast Cancer Bloggers” post.
Our METS sistahs need our support — and our voices. Thank you for providing an avenue for both.
xoxo
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Love reading what others in our club are feeling, thinking…… it helps us non writers because ye write what we are thinking or struggling with. Thanks
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Marie,
This is terrific! Thank you for sharing!
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Thanks for your comments everyone x
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Thank you Marie for including me in this fantastic group of posts. I also love catching up on what I missed and it’s so great how you bring our community together and tie the stories to each other. XoXoxo – Susan
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There is so much to catch up with. Thanks for this round up, Marie. ~Catherine
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A new metaphor I heard last week from Kathleen Petty, a well-known Canadian radio host and someone with her own cancer journey, is cancer as a stalker, with the various treatments akin to restraining orders, keeping it at bay, hopefully forever but realistically giving us time.
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Terrific round-up! Thank you for this! Kathleen
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Thanks for the great line-up, Marie.
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Thanks, Marie, for both taking the tome to highlight so many great blogs–as well as for mentioning my own.
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Thank you Marie. May Day was bright and beautiful here. 🙂
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Wonderful to hear that Victoria – here’s to many more bright and beautiful days 🙂
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Thank you so much! I just e-mailed a lifelong friend last night explaining how I never mention our shared Dx on my blog. Today, however, your post is about to bring me “out”. I’ll let you know.
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