How to react to a person recently diagnosed with cancer
At the moment I'm living through a classic case of not what it looks like, I think.
I think, I understand that people's perception of someone with cancer varies from one person to the next and it affects how the react and interact with the offending patient. Yet, I am still the same person, I still have the same mind, body and same personality. Funny that? (Personality is found only by digging deep enough through the misery)*. Nonetheless, it seems more so than last time some people are too scared to even shake my hand incase I burst into flames nevermind be able to hold a conversation that consists of cancer free elements.
Having cancer can be isolating. In my case it is physically isolating, I spend all day looking at the four same walls for months, let me tell you it is an utter bore. Sometimes it's nice when a friendly face has the ability to turn into a human shaped Valium and provide some TLC; rubbing my feet etc*... Sadly not everyone makes the cut, true friends are few and far between. This, I have learnt only comes to light when you're put in these situations and no one even bothered to warn me that watching your friends whittle out is actually kinda sad. And it's really not just me, I've heard countless stories of my friends with cancer who have lost friends. I have sat genuinely PUZZLED over the past week or so as to why this happens? Is it me? Or is it you?
Okay so a few weeks into being diagnosed I don't feel like speaking to anyone, I'm not to be crossed as I've turned into a human eating dragon. After doctor tells me I'm in remission I want to do nothing but share my joyous news. Then I hear nothing, it's done right? Treatment must be finished, time to go home? Maybe back to Paris? Girl no! I have to get a transplant, which honestly I'm pretty terrified. about.
So my message in this is that it's not all what it seems. If I'm not replying maybe I'm just having a bad day and the thought of talking about it is vom city. Not all days are bad days though and it's not all as gruesome and unspeakable as it seems. If you come visit me there is a 95% chance I won't be hysterically crying and rolling on my back in a gown with my arse out. It still feel like me and I still am me. duh.
Oh shit still not got to the moral of the story in that paragraph, will try once more. Basically, listen up and listen good. People are people everyone is the same and life happens (that's true that) bad things are hurled at you, family and the people you love around you. You have to deal with it. The way you deal with something like this, to me anyway, defines you as a person. Empathy, compassion and strength.
*A joke.
I think, I understand that people's perception of someone with cancer varies from one person to the next and it affects how the react and interact with the offending patient. Yet, I am still the same person, I still have the same mind, body and same personality. Funny that? (Personality is found only by digging deep enough through the misery)*. Nonetheless, it seems more so than last time some people are too scared to even shake my hand incase I burst into flames nevermind be able to hold a conversation that consists of cancer free elements.
Having cancer can be isolating. In my case it is physically isolating, I spend all day looking at the four same walls for months, let me tell you it is an utter bore. Sometimes it's nice when a friendly face has the ability to turn into a human shaped Valium and provide some TLC; rubbing my feet etc*... Sadly not everyone makes the cut, true friends are few and far between. This, I have learnt only comes to light when you're put in these situations and no one even bothered to warn me that watching your friends whittle out is actually kinda sad. And it's really not just me, I've heard countless stories of my friends with cancer who have lost friends. I have sat genuinely PUZZLED over the past week or so as to why this happens? Is it me? Or is it you?
Okay so a few weeks into being diagnosed I don't feel like speaking to anyone, I'm not to be crossed as I've turned into a human eating dragon. After doctor tells me I'm in remission I want to do nothing but share my joyous news. Then I hear nothing, it's done right? Treatment must be finished, time to go home? Maybe back to Paris? Girl no! I have to get a transplant, which honestly I'm pretty terrified. about.
So my message in this is that it's not all what it seems. If I'm not replying maybe I'm just having a bad day and the thought of talking about it is vom city. Not all days are bad days though and it's not all as gruesome and unspeakable as it seems. If you come visit me there is a 95% chance I won't be hysterically crying and rolling on my back in a gown with my arse out. It still feel like me and I still am me. duh.
Oh shit still not got to the moral of the story in that paragraph, will try once more. Basically, listen up and listen good. People are people everyone is the same and life happens (that's true that) bad things are hurled at you, family and the people you love around you. You have to deal with it. The way you deal with something like this, to me anyway, defines you as a person. Empathy, compassion and strength.
*A joke.
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