Weekly Round-Up

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.

Have you ever wondered why society avoids using “D” words  – death, dying, died, dead? This is Nancy‘s question to us this week. Quoting Lisa Bonchek Adams’ post, When I Die Nancy calls for more openness in talking about death.

When I die don’t say I “passed.” That sounds like I walked by you in the corridor at school. When I die tell the world what happened. Plain and simple. No euphemisms, no flowery language, no metaphors…When I die someday just tell the truth: I lived, I died. The end.

Super post from Barbara this week on dealing with the physical scars of breast cancer surgery.  See also Juliet‘s striking post on the same topic.

Mammography is a topic that stirs quite a lot of debate. I have always found Dr Elaine Schattner’s views on the debate to be well-reasoned and articulate. Her recently published journal article Correcting a decade of negative news about mammography is “open access” which means it’s free for all to read – and well worth checking out. 

A clever post.. and a poem from Ilene on PET scans and other cancer acronyms.

Are you about to start radiotherapy as part of cancer treatment? Shine Cancer Support shares wisdom from its community to help you prepare.

Another superb post from Chris on cynical and emotionally manipulative cancer advertising by large charities.

Healing thoughts winging their way to Sarah as she struggles through horrible chemo side-effects. Hang on in there Sarah.

A big birthday shout-out to the fab amazonian Kathi Kolb who doesn’t look a day over fabulous!

What to say to someone is cancer is a topic that comes up often in the blogosphere – and it’s one that bears repeating often judging from the “clunkers” that even well-meaning people drop on cancer patients. Here’s Melanie‘s take on this perennial topic.

Beautifully lyrical post from Johanna on trying to find her place in the world again after cancer:

There’s no resolution here. No closure. I’m aware that my hunger for resolution is a hunger for a certainty that cannot come. We who live in Cancerland, stage IV or recurrent or just diagnosed, have stepped into a world of mirrors and aberrations, in which the life we saw before is distorted. Figureheads on ships that used to guide us can’t be believed. Music has more minor key, or no familiar notes at all.

We, who are a long time on this path, know that cancer is a marathon, not a sprint – but not everyone around us gets this, a point Janet‘s latest post underscores:

The other reality that I’m starting to face is that not everyone who was with me at the outset of this cancer journey will still be with me during this much longer and perhaps harder phase of coming back into my life. I get it. They think that the crisis is over, and that I should “get on with it” and that perhaps I don’t need the support that I needed at the beginning. This part is boring. I’m not setting the world on fire, being a model cancer survivor who climbs mountains after treatment ends.

In her latest #CreativeDespiteCancer feature, Karin showcases the work of Helena Traill and her wonderful project The Cancer Chapter: Your Stories.

I’ve featured The Cancer Husband’s Blog in the past in the round-up and I’m returning to it again. Kieran, who is recently bereaved, writes about the aftermath of life following his wife Jo’s death.

A juicy post from Cathy this week as she delves into those headlines that X super-food can cure cancer.

The Society of Surgical Oncology held their annual meeting in San Diego, CA last month. Dr Attai shares some of the highlights in her latest post.

Powerful post from Isabel on “being seen” by  her physician; she writes:

If you’re a healthcare provider and you’re reading this, I ask you two things; Do you turn into suffering? Do you choose to see your patients? Their families? Or just their symptoms? Because the latter may make you a good doctor. The former will show you are a healer.

Thanks to Nancy for suggesting two new blogs for the round-up. Abigail Johnston’s blog No Half Measures and Emily Garnett’s Beyond the Pink Ribbon. Looking forward to getting to know Abigail and Emily in the weeks ahead.

Speaking of new blogs, Julia has a new one Taking Life As It Comes – it’s a bit more of the backstory that is Julia Barnickle today. Julia has also been wondering if it’s too late to follow her dream of being a published author and concludes that it’s not. It’s only our fear that holds us back.

For Julia and all those who feel this way, I leave you with some wise words from self-styled “late-bloomer”, Connie on the launch of her book He Heard My Voice:

My hope, is that readers of my book look inside themselves to see what may be calling them, to discover the ‘desires of their hearts.’ It’s never too late to pursue those dreams that have been buried inside.

Until next week,

Keep those dreams alive,

Yours with much love always,

Marie xxx