Weekly Round-Up
Time for the weekly round-up of blogs. These are the posts that have moved me, taught me something, inspired me, and which I’ve wanted to share with you. Just click on the highlighted links to read the posts. Don’t forget if you have written a post which you would like readers to see, just leave a comment below.
Starting you off with two new blogs for the round-up this week. Chez from the UK has been blogging about the SCAR Project, fear, and finishing breast cancer treatment and finding her “new normal”. Someone who hasn’t quite finished her treatment yet, is Mary, who blogs at the wonderfully named, Last Call for Margaritas. Mary has been having a tough summer with treatment, so please do drop by her blog and share some encouragement with her.
Debbie from Where We Go Now, Anne Marie who blogs at Chemobrain and Kathi aka The Accidental Amazon have all been writing on the theme of surviving hurricane Irene this past week and Irene also inspired Brenda to reflect on the similarities between cancer and the hurricane in her latest post, Breast Cancer Families in the Eye of the Storm.
Rachel Pappas has some very useful information for US based readers who are worried or have been affected by legal and insurance issues arising from a cancer diagnosis. I stopped by the Cancer Legal Resource Center (CLRC) information stand back in February this year when I attended the YSC conference for younger women and I was impressed with the literature and advice available.
Tami is reminding us all of the importance of following a healthy eating and exercise regime, particularly as research points more and more to a lifestyle link to cancer.
Coco’s guest post, really struck a chord with so many of you this week and thank you all for your fantastic comments. Coco’s theme has been reflected in posts by both Katie, Laurie and Sarah.
For me, the post that stuck a cord most this week was Beth’s story of coming to terms with chemo-induced infertility and the heartwarming story of adopting her gorgeous little girl from China.
You will never forget the day you heard those fateful words “you have cancer” and this is the theme that Lauren, in her own inimitable way, is writing about this week.
In Why is Everyone So Honked off with Komen, Jackie weighs in on a debate that has been raging through the blogosphere over the past few months. Her post is in the form of an open letter to the Komen organization and Jackie asks her questions and makes her comments in a respectful and well measured way and once again, I stand in awe of the articulate, intelligent and empowered bloggesses that I am proud to have come to know over the past year. These are women who do the research and fearlessly tells it like it is and it seems I am not alone in my admiration, as Philippa has also been writing about this, among other things, in her latest post.
I am really so excited reading A Fresh Chapter, as Terri chronicles her first steps at making her big audacious dream come through. She is at that wonderful first stage of dreaming and planning and imagining, and while this stage is magical, it is also very fragile, so please, please do shoot on over to her blog and give her lots of encouragement.
And speaking of infectious excitement, Catherine has arrived back home to live in Canada, and she is very, very, happy this week 🙂
And finally to my “stunning post of the week award” and it goes to Renn at The Big C and Me. Just wait until you see her wonderful photographs and read her beautiful post. It really lifted me out of the ordinary and this week I’d like to read you with a prose piece courtesy of Renn and from the pen of Hamlin Garland, a writer I hadn’t come across before, but am curious to find out more about now that I’ve read this:
I remember a hundred lovely lakes, and recall the fragrant breath of pine and fir and cedar and poplar trees. The trail has strung upon it, as upon a thread of silk, opalescent dawns and saffron sunsets. It has given me blessed release from care and worry and the troubled thinking of our modern-day. It has been a return to the primitive and the peaceful. Whenever the pressure of our complex city life thins my blood and benumbs my brain, I seek relief in the trail; and when I hear the coyote wailing to the yellow dawn, my cares fall from me — I am happy.
May this week find your cares fall from you and may you find a way to return to peace and happiness on your own trail….
Love Marie xxx
What a great round up of blogs this week Marie!
LikeLike
thank you marie, can’t wait to start reading these this long weekend!
LikeLike
I found Coco’s post very helpful this week in making feel less alone and I am looking forward to reading the other blogs on the same topic
LikeLike
That verse at the end is just gorgeous!
LikeLike
Love following Terri’s adventures 🙂
LikeLike
Another great mix of the poignant and uplifting Marie..where else would you find such honest, articulate and moving writing in the blogosphere but in the weekly round-up 🙂
LikeLike
Losing my fertility after chemotherapy was devastating for me too – I don’t know if I will ever be able to come to terms with the grief and anger.
LikeLike
Thank you Marie for including me in this stellar group of bloggers! I’ve already read many of the pieces in your round-up and look forward to reading the rest this weekend. Good work once again!
LikeLike
Thank you Debbie – I appreciate your support and I always enjoy reading your blog, particularly Mindful Monday!
LikeLike
Hello & thank you so much for mentioning my blog in your weekly round up! I am honoured to be listed alongside these other fabulous bloggers & will definitely be taking a look at the other blogs you have mentioned.
Thanks again, I’ll be visiting again very soon! Love Chez. xx
LikeLike
Hi Chez, it was a real pleasure to find your blog this week and I look forward to following your “adventures” in the coming weeks. Have a wonderful weekend. Marie x
LikeLike
Thank you AGAIN for including me in your roundup…. You made me smile this morning and I did not have a great week. VERY bad scan news from someone very dear to me….. I’ve been on a medical hunt and when the clinical trials page only shows NINE worldwide possibilities (some already filled) it is disheartening, disturbing and distracting.
I have made writing my blog a daily adventure into the trials and tribulations of Chemobrain. I FORCE myself to at least try to write. It’s one of the few things I do where I can maintain focus for sustained periods of time. Sometimes, the writing appears to be from a second grader so focus moves to edit, edit and edit. I am just grateful to be able to focus!!! Obviously, my focus shifted to finding the needle in the haystack this week. A woman on a mission…..
I found some wonderful blogs thanks to this page and I just keep adding them to my list so I can check in on all of them. I just widened my circle of friends yet again, and for that I TRULY thank you….
Love,
AnneMarie
xoxo
LikeLike
Hello my dear – I am so sorry to read of your tough week and the distressing news about your loved one. I do hope there will be some light on this situation for you all in the coming weeks. On another note, I really like the way you use your writing to tackle chemo-brain – what a great idea! And of course, the added bonus with blogging, is that we do expand our circle of friends online and reach a deeper understanding and awareness of what it is to be on this journey beyond cancer in all its manifestations. Hugs to you x
LikeLike
Thanks for sharing all these touching and useful blogs, Marie!
LikeLike
Hi Lisa, thanks for stopping on by 🙂
LikeLike
So many good sources and people here, Marie. Just wish I had time to read all of them, But thank you for getting me to stop and take note when I see something or someone here who’s real interesting – even when I don’t get the time to check it out, if I see them a second time, I take pause – and say – I saw that person or heard about that blog from Marie. And thanks for including me in your RoundUps. That’s a compliment cause I know you only pick what you think are among the best.
Hope everyone has a good weekend. I plan on kicking back and drinking my wine – Does so much for my chemo brain LOL!
LikeLike
Hi Rachel, I understand that it is not always possible to get around to reading all these blogs, but I still aim to give a flavor of the conversations which went on in the previous week, for those of us time-pressed. Have a wonderful weekend!
LikeLike
Wonderful round-up yet again. Thanks, Marie, for your faithfulness in getting out the word.
XOXO,
Jan
LikeLike
Thank you Jan, and looking forward to you resuming your writing too and including it here when you are ready xxx
LikeLike
Marie,
I really look forward to your Friday roundups, they are always so inspiring. Imagine my surprise to see my blog included in today’s roundup, and that you’d given it your “stunning blog of the week” award! What a way to start the day! I am ever humbled (I believe Mr. Garland would be too!) and honored to hitch my wagon next to so many fine bloggers and fellow cancer comrades.
Sending cyber hugs,
Renn
LikeLike
It is truly a wonderful post Renn – totally captured my imagination and my heart this week x
LikeLike
Pingback: Friday Round-Up ? Journeying Beyond Breast Cancer « alfredocirro
Hi Marie,
Thank you for including me in your roundup this week. So great to find other bloggers and women I’ve never met before here. Thank you.
XOXOXO,
Brenda
LikeLike