Cancer memoir in six words
I love the challenge Renn has put to us over at her Big C and Me blog:
Can you condense your cancer experience into just six words?
Renn has risen to the challenge wonderfully with hers:
Cancer called. Wish I hadn’t answered.
Isn’t that so good! Renn is inviting us all to participate with our own six word cancer memoir:
I’m inviting everyone to participate, because everyone has a breast cancer story. Even if you don’t have breast cancer yourself, your life has somehow been touched by it. Let’s put a six-word face on BC.
Here’s my first attempt:
Post cancer life is lived in limbo
Now it’s your turn!
I LOVE this!! I may try this six-word challenge. It is difficult to condense the cancer experience into six words, so I know it’s challenging. But it’s a great idea, so I will try it!
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Oh do try Beth. It is good for our brains to be challenged – I really learned that through the monthly writing challenge I just completed. Looking forward to seeing what you come up with. Do come back and share it with us.
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Wish my Daughter was in Limbo!!!!!!!!
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Okay I’m cheating and using seven words, but it’s my birthday today so I’m indulging 🙂
I had cancer, cancer didn’t have me.
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That’s a good one! And it’s a line from your book too if I am not mistaken Cara? Oh and very happy birthday to you today m’dear x
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What a great challenge. At first blush I thought, 6 words–no way! I’m much too verbose for that. But I did it!
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I know that was my first thought too! But isn’t it good to challenge ourselves every so often? What did you come up with?
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Cancer scars: deep but not pervasive.
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I love it. Nancy, this is just such a great exercise isn’t it – maybe we should try to do this kind of thing more often 🙂
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I love this too:) Thanks Renn and Marie for sharing this concept. Here’s my shot:
Wild hope born from cancer’s ashes.
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Wow! That’s so evocative – brilliant..and so you!
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Thanks Lovely:) I love these short creative exercises…now it’s back to finances, volunteer reviews, and spanish classes. Big love! T xo
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What a delightful and clever challenge! It reminds me of the three-word exercise (was that from Feisty Blue Gecko?). Anyway, let’s keep up the suggestions for prompts. Here’s my stab at it:
Faith whispers. Love responds. Cancer deteriorates.
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Wonderful. These six word examples are quite poetic aren’t they?
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JAN!!!! I love that you got three sentences (and beautiful ones at that!) in SIX words…. xoxo
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Alright, here’s something I learned summarized into six words. It’s a realization that is helping in recovery and moving forward, though not exactly poetic!
“My life is more than cancer.”
Catherine
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Great writing challenge, by the way. 🙂
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Perfect Catherine! And very appropriate for how you live your life after cancer.
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Marie, thanks so much for picking up my challenge! I’m thrilled to see this spreading! So I came up with another 6-word memoir just for you:
Oncology: Not part of the plan.
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Another one 🙂 I love it! And if I remember right you didn’t just stop at one haiku..but you did two!
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Very creative idea–once again!
Here goes:
“Cancer creeps in; deny it home.”
I’m not wild about it. what about. . .
“Request for me whole? Firmly denied.”
The other ones are great.
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Brilliant! I must make a collection of them all for the Facebook page.
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Oh please do! My daughters and I make T-shirts for our annual Run for the Cure with slogans on them. These are SOOOO clever!
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What a great excercise – I do love these (yes the three word task is one which I luxuriate in every year!)
I need to give some thought to the six word memoir as I am running off to work, but in the meantime here is a 5 worder which is not mine originally (not sure where I first saw it) but which I love and says so much – “Cancer sucks, but blogging rocks”!
I’ll be back with my own one later…….
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Well I just love THAT!!!
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a great exercise..
“YOU MADE ME LOVE ME”
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Too sick for chemo – now WELL.
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Also: No chemo but used Chinese herbs.
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I’m too determined to be defeated…my six words
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I looked healthy. I had cancer.
Part two:
I’m getting better. I look sick.
Now…let me go to Renn’s blog and put it there!!!! I miss you….. We lost each other on twitter….. twitter decided to unfollow you…. UGH… fixed it now!
xoxoxox
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I thought it was very quiet on Twitter! Darn it! I missed you too..glad we hooked up again xxx
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Cancer lingers, long after it’s gone
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Breast Cancer persuaded me to live
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Love that Jennifer! Thanks for sharing
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Disfigurement does not include my soul.
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Poignant and so beautiful:)
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Thank you! It is the second part of a poem in Fine Black Lines: The breasts are gone, but I am whole. Disfigurement does not include my soul.
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Hi Lois,
It has been years since we first (and last met). Hope you are doing well. You may remember me as another woman who wore a black sleeve – I only had one.
I founded Annie Appleseed Project and we’re hosting a conference in SF this year. Would love to see you there. I think we last met in SF at the Ca Breast Cancer Research Program event.
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Stunning words Lois. I am so grateful to you that you continue to share your beautiful poetry so freely here with us
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Want to say “hi” to Ann Fonfa. And to Marie – I’m glad to share.
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Cancer sucks puttyballs through a straw!
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Now that’s creative Kathy!
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I am loving each and every one of these! Here is another:
Implants: imaginary mammaries hiding hideous loss
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PS: Though I’m not at the implant stage yet, “tissue expanders” put me over the 6-word count. LOL!!
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🙂
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There’s just no stopping you Renn!
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Cancer scars, the roadmaps of Superwomen.
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These are wonderful – so diverse and conveying so much. Here’s a six worder from me (might be more coming too….)
Cancer? You’re kidding! Oh, you’re not.
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LOVE it Philippa:) Great use of punctuation too 🙂
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Clever!
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Oh that’s a good one Philippa!
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These were wonderful everyone…but don’t stop now. Keep them coming everyone! They are powerful!!!
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This is great to read what ye all thought.
Cancer knocked.. door ajar…kicked it shut.
I know, 7 words but it is small and doesnt count.LOL
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Love it 🙂 Thanks for taking part x
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Cancer came, breasts went, life continues.
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Thanks so much for sharing this Chris – really wonderful.
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These are all great. I had forgotten about the challenge until Chris came in with such a good one. Reread them all – good stuff, cancer’s bad, poems good.
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I had forgotten too Ann – so it was nice to reminded again – thanks for your comment also 🙂
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