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.
What do you do with grief five, ten, twenty or more years out? That’s the question posed by Nancy this week, whose latest post explores the loneliness of grief. On the same theme, Abigail‘s Little Deaths post is also a powerful read. “Grief, once it becomes our “dark companion,” she writes “is there to stay.”
Carolyn’s latest post ponders mistakes in medicine – an opportunity for learning from those mistakes or blaming.
I really enjoyed reading and reflecting on Kristie’s thoughts on creating anchor moments in life.
Social media and breast cancer support is the latest topic discussed on Surviving Breast Cancer
A poignant poem from Audrey entitled When Summer Hurts. Sarah’s poem End Times is also well worth reading.
Barbara’s latest post inquires into motivation after a breast cancer diagnosis.
An impassioned plea from Chris for proactive change in healthcare.
Gorgeous post from Ilene on friendship, poetry, community and connection.
Terri’s latest podcast features Juliet Fitzpatrick, a breast cancer survivor and patient advocate from the U.K. who chose aesthetic flat closure after breast cancer.
A powerful post from Susan on the personal cost of advocating for others.
Connie’s reflection on “damaged goods” really hit home for me this week.
Martha‘s latest post for Cure reflects on the comfort and grief within the world of metastatic breast cancer.
Maureen shares some good news from her latest scan and a lesson in cancer’s unpredictable nature.
Rod’s latest post for Advanced Breast Cancer looks at what’s involved in long term caregiving for metastatic patients.
Finally this week, a writing prompt because sometimes we all need a little prompt when the well of inspiration runs dry.
Until next week,
Yours with much love always,
Marie xxx
Thank you Marie for this week’s round up – and especially for including my post on what happens – or what does NOT happen – when mistakes happen in medicine. I think the relatively new #BLAMENOTSHAME campaign from the Doctors Association of UK is on the right track, e.g.
“Health care needs an open and transparent culture where harm is minimized by learning from mistakes. Patient safety should always come first. We need to bring in a truly just culture so that all errors are discussed openly.”
kind regards,
C.
♥
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Thank yo Carolyn for not shying away from these conversations and writing so openly about the things that need to be spoken about in healthcare
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Hi Marie,
Thank you for another jam-packed roundup and many thanks for including my post on grief at five, ten, twenty (or more) years out. I know you’re an “experienced griever” and understand all too well. x
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Grief never ends – i always appreciate reading your thoughts on this Nancy xxx
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Your inclusion of my post proves the point that the connection of friendships especially when faced with cancer or another life threatening or ending disease can become the way we interact outside of ourselves and share experiences with those who need no prior explanation or proof. After reading Susan’s post my heart sunk. I knew how she felt and I know a good too many who are on the verge of burnout or calling it quits altogether. It’s sad to me that when you’ve dedicated yourself to helping others there never seems to be enough to go around or to feel like the results are as impactful as you’d set out. I think at times just sharing experiences is not enough and I can and should be able to do more but my cancer reminds me with a hard kick that I best back down and take it easy or else I’ll see the other side of my illness with great painful reminders. And I have had no idea how little I feel about what impact I have when I see marathoners, mountain climbers, hugely impactful advocacy individuals, podcasters, and I know I can do more. But with time and chores being equal I’ll be lucky to get my laundry done some days. It’s a painful reminder that I’m one of many in the pool I’m truing to both swim in and lifeguard simultaneously. Sometimes I can and mostly I can’t.
But I’m grateful for every word I’m able to write and every poem I’m able to complete. Now if I could get a smidgen of the same confidence on my private life I’d really be getting somewhere but it’s as frightening as my health. The stress of all this at once could have an adverse effect as bad as a new metastasis and being on iv chemo – just the emotional equivalent. Life itself doesn’t stop because we have cancer and in some ways it gets harder because it’s all that and this too and a lot of the posts you chose have a thread of it running through all of them – it’s a comfort to know I’m not alone. Much love my aram cara.
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Yes Ilene burnout is very real and it is important that we acknowledge it and are supported along the path of advocacy – sadly this just doesn’t happen enough.
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