Category Archives: cancer

holding it all

Life can be extreme.  Our fears can consume us; joy can make us feel like our hearts will burst.  Holding it all, simultaneously, as I was made to do recently, can seem nothing short of defying emotional gravity. There are … Continue reading

Posted in cancer, Family, medicine, running, yoga | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

the other shoe

We survivors possess many unique skills.  Chief among them may be our ability to consciously deny our persistent, nagging fear of The Other Shoe Dropping.  It’s essential, if we want to keep on living in any meaningful, joyful way. Most … Continue reading

Posted in cancer, Family, Life After Cancer, medicine | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

mitt romney steals my baby or, adoption anxiety

My sister-in-law was in for a quick visit this weekend.  It was fabulous to see her and finally be able to share parenting stories.  For the past eight years, we have watched her raise her own children, always feeling a … Continue reading

Posted in adoption, cancer, politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

the whole story: thoughts inspired by “50/50”

I am constantly running up against the thought that it’s time to stop this exercise, that my story is stale.  That it’s time to step aside and let some other young adult with cancer shout to the world – as … Continue reading

Posted in adoption, cancer, Film, Humor, Life After Cancer, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

when hope is all we have: elizabeth edwards remembered

Everyone has been writing tributes to Elizabeth Edwards over the last twenty-four hours.  The grief which I felt upon learning of her death yesterday was likely no greater than that of anyone else who admired her but never knew her personally.  But it may … Continue reading

Posted in cancer, Death | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

mister mean genes (or, expect the unexpected)

Today I have had the surprising experience of someone else’s good news making me feel like shit.  Are we in middle school again?  I recall, quite starkly, a “profound thought” from my high school notes of the same name, which … Continue reading

Posted in cancer, Life After Cancer, Work | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

the essence of injustice

Other women with ovarian cancer are dying.  Lots of them.  Young women, women my age.  I don’t understand why they are dying and I am not.  I feel a little guilty.  No, a lot guilty.  I am so fucking alive, … Continue reading

Posted in cancer, Death, Life After Cancer | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

does my cancer offend you? tough s*&#!

I generally don’t spend much time reading random comments from anonymous folks on the Internet – in response to blogs, news bits, whatever – but today, I took a peek over at my ovarian sister Donna Trussell‘s latest cartoon, and … Continue reading

Posted in cancer, Humor, politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

the lynch syndrome, with apologies

Some things are just plain unexpected.  Or are they? Yesterday, when the rain-soaked mail fell through the slot in the front door, I discovered a thin envelope from Penn GI Genetics – far too thin to be the packet of … Continue reading

Posted in cancer, Life After Cancer | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

shine on

When my husband and I moved into the house we have been renting for the last three and a half years, our heads promptly filled with visions of the happy life we would live here, even the family we would … Continue reading

Posted in cancer, Family, music, running | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment