You all know how helpful dropping f-bombs has been during my experience with FBC, right? Well, recently I came across another (much more fabulous!) “F” word to associate with FBC: F.R.E.E. Last week I received an email out of the blue from Bethany Kandel. In addition to her kind words about The Silver Pen, she… Continue reading F.R.E.E. is a Four-Letter Word
Cancer
Preparing for Hospice
As many of you know, prior to my FBC diagnosis, I was a hospice nurse. In my career, I have worked with both children and adults. So many people have asked me, “How the f-bomb do you do that?” Well, I have to say that for whatever reason, I have been given the capacity to… Continue reading Preparing for Hospice
Crazy Town
After having had f-bomb cancer, the thought of a potential of a recurrence is never far from my mind. A recurrence occurs when cancer comes back after treatment. It can come back in the same place as the original cancer or elsewhere in the body. While I don’t dwell on it (I really don’t!), I am… Continue reading Crazy Town
Caregiver Fatigue
As I wrote recently, caregiving can be a demanding and stressful experience, either personally or professionally. Sometimes I don’t think that caregivers get enough credit for what they do. “Caregiver fatigue” is a serious condition characterized by a gradual lessening of compassion over time. I know it sounds rotten, but I’ve seen it happen and… Continue reading Caregiver Fatigue
Silver Lining Lifelines
This month finds me in a very challenging period. I am working on a project that is all-consuming and full of blood, sweat and tears…literally. What I learned from my clinical work and now from my personal experience is that grief is reactivated. This process has triggered memories of my outrageously awful experiences during treatment. As… Continue reading Silver Lining Lifelines
Role Reversal
Learning how to rely on people when I had FBC (f-bomb breast cancer for new readers) was a brutal learning curve. As a nurse and social worker, I had always been the caregiver. And I liked it that way. Until my diagnosis, I had always been a do-it-yourselfer (except when it comes to craft projects).… Continue reading Role Reversal
Breast Cancer in Men. Yes, Sir.
Although rare (1 in 100 diagnoses), men can indeed get FBC (f-bomb breast cancer for new readers). Though it’s rare, I’ve known quite a few men with FBC. And you know what? It seems like in some ways, it’s a little extra sucky for them because it’s considered to be a disease that affects women.… Continue reading Breast Cancer in Men. Yes, Sir.
World Cancer Day + Everyday Health
Did you know that today is “World Cancer Day“? WTF is it, you ask? Well, so did I. Turns out, it’s a really great initiative. According to it’s website, World Cancer Day is a chance to raise our collective voices in the name of improving general knowledge around cancer and dismissing misconceptions about the disease.… Continue reading World Cancer Day + Everyday Health
Caring for the Caregiver
In the world of f-bomb cancer and other illnesses, a “Caregiver” is someone who is responsible for attending to the physical, emotional, or financial needs of another person. There are formal and informal caregivers. Formal caregivers are trained professionals paid for their services. Hiring professional caregivers is expensive. Really expensive as a matter of fact.… Continue reading Caring for the Caregiver
Illness and Weather: The Great Equalizers
Today, I was supposed to be in Salt Lake City for the Alt Summit blogging conference. I was really excited about the learning and mingling opportunities. The morning started off really well with an on time departure from Santa Barbara at 5:30 am (yes, 5:30 AM…the Silver Lining is that I am a morning person) and another… Continue reading Illness and Weather: The Great Equalizers