Blogs and Links

[Monique]

I found this link on another cancer blog, "Cancer Made Me a Shallow Person" penned by the late and great Miriam Engelberg. I shared the following link with a few friends who have cancer and all of them found it very funny. That said, most of my friends have twisted senses of humour. Hopefully no one will find this too offensive.

http://www.theonion.com/content/node/41449

Monique

PS
Speaking of great cancer blogs, here's a favourite:

http://spinningtumor.blogspot.com/

Can anyone else recommend any good cancer blogs? Rodney's blog is also a fav.

[Christine]

Thanks for posting the onion article. That is really funny!

[rthornton]

If you're referring to my webpage, Monique (as opposed to a different Rodney, but I'm not sure if there are any other Rodneys on colonclub), then thanks for the comment. I haven't added anything to that webpage in a long time. Maybe it's time for an update or just some new content. I remember that Onion article when it was initially posted. The Onion is often very funny. The article reminds me of when my roommate got a colonoscopy a few months after I was diagnosed, and I told her "you just can't stand for me to have something that you don't have. I get cancer, now you want it." Her colon was fine, though, so I still got to have all the fun of cancer treatment while she had to settle for a silly little case of gastritis. So much for tumor envy ....

[Monique]

Hi Rodney,

Yes, I was referring to your webpage, which I found not only funny, thoughtful and well-written, but also very informative. When I was suffering from fissures I was relieved to know that someone else had experienced, and survived, the agony. Your description was so dead-on that I read it aloud to my mother. I don't think she realized how excrutiating the condition was until I read her your description. Perhaps I should have spared her? Anyway, thanks again for sharing your experiences. You're a great resource.

Monique

[Wendy]

The onion article is priceless!
Rodney already knows I am a fan of his work! And yes, it needs some more content!!

I have found http://www.npr.org/blogs/mycancer/index.html
by Larry Sievers - previous executive producer of NBC Nightline (and stage IV cc) is great for describing what alot of us are going through, but unable to put into words.

Wendy
www.wendysbattle.com

[Monique]

Wendy and Christine:

Thanks for your replies! I was worried that I'd offended people. However, when I first read the article I laughed so hard that I wondered if I'd finally gone off my nut. Then, my healthy Mother read the article, and she laughed equally hard, so I felt less guilty. That said, when my boyfriend read the article he felt as if I were sending him a "message".

And thanks Wendy for the Larry Sievers link. I read him too. For some reason I find it comforting to read the words of other cancer patients/survivors. One of the worst things that I've found about this dreaded experience is how isolated I've felt, and so when I read about others' experiences I feel less alone, and oddly, comforted. And educated. Often I am bouyed by others' courage and humour.

Monique

[sean]

The onion article is priceless!
Rodney already knows I am a fan of his work! And yes, it needs some more content!!

I have found http://www.npr.org/blogs/mycancer/index.html
by Larry Sievers - previous executive producer of NBC Nightline (and stage IV cc) is great for describing what alot of us are going through, but unable to put into words.

Wendy
www.wendysbattle.com

Good blog. I found this buried in a comment on one of the recent entries:

http://www.fightcolorectalcancer.org/ne ... nce_af.php

Can't hurt and certainly gives me a lot of incentive to get and stay healthy after chemo.

Here's the full comment:


Dear Leroy:

Like you (and probably everyone else in our cancer community), I've been transfixed with Elizabeth Edwards' unveiling drama of courage and determination to live "her way". Each of us who has been on this journey knows how very important this is.

And ain't it strangely wonderful that we all now speak the very same lingo!! We understand the feelings, the words, the feelings and feel an indescribable closeness to her, to them -- .to us! Again it reminds me that no one walks in our shoes -- until they do.

I don't think you know this, Leroy, but there was a contingent of us C3'er's (Colorectal Cancer Coalition -- www.fightcolorectalcancer.org ) swarming all over the Hill last week. We were there to lobby our Congress people in our continuing work to restore funding for CRC research and screenings for all. Mostly survivors and people tested by this horrible disease, our group was made up of too many young Stage IV's! Our awards dinner featured the story of one of our members who couldn't come to DC with us this year because the cancer -- from which, in 3 years, she'd never experienced remission or NED -- took her very young life (37).

We're all back in our communities now, Leroy, even more determined to carry on our fight. Here's my list of what I'm going to do:
1. develop relationships with my local legislative representatives and persuade them to introduce legislation that will mandate insurance companies to pay for CRC screenings -- turning Colorado's current "F" to "A" on the National Report Card;
2. seek out speaking opportunities to bring the topic of CRC to the public;
3. talk about the study that demonstrates the more than 50% of CRC recurrences may be prevented by a dedication -- post treatment -- to vigorous exercise (http://www.fightcolorectalcancer.org/ne ... nce_af.php );
4. create an awareness athletic event (to be piloted in Denver next March) that will commence my desire to "turn March blue" on the national level; and
5. speak up loudly and often about the fact that "colonoscopies are fun!"

I'm really, really happy for your very good news. I join in with the good wishes from all the others who follow your story, and I totally understand your "heebie-jeebies" about your new status of NED.

There is, however, something you can do for yourself RIGHT NOW that may help in preventing recurrence of the Beast: exercise!!!

I really, really hope that you will do that. (I believe that my daily swim has prevented the recurrence of my colon cancer. And I intend to continue!!)


Sent by Erika Hanson Brown | 9:43 PM ET | 03-26-2007

[Megan]

Hey all- I have a blog, too! (Well, who doesn't these days)

Follow me as I head down the home stretch of 6 months of FOLFOX.

Thanks for everyone's words of wisdom and humor. Best medicine I've had yet.

shortcolon.blogspot.com

[sean]

Good blog. I it was funny for me to read about avoiding cancer movies and liking American Beauty. Sometimes regular movies catch you off guard. AB is one of my favorite movies & so I decided to relax & watch it again when I was stuck in bed with the Neulasta bone pain I got in my first cycle. I just turned 42 in January & never celebrated since I was just back from the hospital from the resection & had just found out I had cc. The opening lines were a bit intense.

[Monique]

Wendy,

That home stretch is a bitch. Good blog by the way. I especially like the picture of you with the horse, and the caption beneath.

Sean,

From all that I've read it appears that excercise is vital. Thank you for posting Erika's letter.

Monique

[cynnycal]

shameless plug for my humble little blog....
(in my signature)

but all these others are so great! man we got some good writers in this club, .