Today was an extraordinarily long and difficult day. Why? More f-bomb cancer. I went with my dear girlfriend and her dear husband to discuss her upcoming (nasty f-bomb) cancer treatments, including gnarly chemo and radiation. F-bomb cancer. Seriously.
Sorry about the f-bombs. Cancer just brings them out of me. Geesh. What can I do?
After her appointment, the two of us planned a girls night which consisted of dinner — during which we talked of trivial things and anything other than treatment — followed by a comedic play called Under My Skin at the Pasadena Playhouse.
Written by Robert Sternin and Prudence Fraser (of The Nanny fame), directed By Marcia Milgrom Dodge (the Tony Award-nominated Director of RAGTIME) and featuring Tony Award-winner Hal Linden. Fun, right?!?
Prior to going, I read the description and thought that a few giggles at the expense of healthcare would be some great medicine, considering how much of it she and I have both seen and continue to see:
In UNDER MY SKIN, a twist of fate leads to love and laughs when New York’s most eligible bachelor and a single working mom hilariously experience each other’s lives and see things from a very different perspective. It is the world premiere of an outrageous, new, heartfelt comedy about sex, love, and healthcare…the three things we all need but can’t always get.
Total fun, right? Well, lo and f-bomb behold, one of the main characters gets uterine cancer and has to have a hysterectomy. Oh, yes, basically it was a repeat performance of a good chunk of the conversation at the oncologist’s office today. Uh huh. I couldn’t possibly have made that up. I wanted to crawl under the seat first, then I thought about jumping up on the stage (to do what, I don’t know!) and then she and I just laughed and laughed and laughed. Because you know what? It was funny. F-bomb funny.
The thing about f-bomb cancer is that you’ve just gotta have a sense of humor and be able to engage it (the humor) when you least expect to. And you know what? That’s EXACTLY what Under My Skin did for us. It unleashed some really wonderful and joyous belly laughs which happened to be the exact Silver Lining that we both needed today!
If you’re in/around Pasadena, I highly recommend going to Under My Skin. It’s wonderfully entertaining and super fun.
Under My Skin continues until October 7 at the Pasadena Playhouse, 39 S. El Molino Ave., Pasadena. Tuesdays-Fridays, 8 p.m. Saturdays, 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. Sundays, 2 p.m. Tickets can be purchased online by visiting www.pasadenaplayhouse.org/undermyskin, by calling (626) 356-7529 or in-person at the box office.
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