I am a recently trained librarian in a second career that I relish. This blog is about my recent cancer diagnosis, which presents a huge speed bump in my new role as interim library director at a community college. I have chosen to share my experience as a therapeutic process for myself, and to provide a document of my path through this illness and treatment process. If others can find entertainment or even comfort in reading my story, my personal burden is lightened. Thank you to all readers willing to spend a few moments walking beside me.
I am walking beside you! And I think you are doing just the right things, with respect to treatment, actions, activities and attitudes.
I have been on the “Medical Train” a number of times in my life: hyper thyroid (I chose radioactive iodine treatment), the resultant hypothyroid (synthroid the rest of my life); herniated disk (many over ten years – I chose surgery (laminectomy); small, in-situ breast cancer (I chose bilateral mastectomy over treating the biopsy as a lumpectomy and see what happens); 3 subsequent operations to deal with the breast implants (finally just removed them); spiral fracture of the right femur at the hip (surgery, no choice). In all cases I tried to get back to exercise as soon as possible and keep in good shape, also eat properly. After the cancer operation, I decided to keep busy and took an evening paralegal certificate course.
The Medical Train involves a lot of stopping and starting, waiting, worrying – you just want to get off it and back to normal. But the train eventually gets to the station, you get off, and you are fine – back to normal.
Keep up the good work.
By: Trice Booth on September 7, 2009
at 7:05 pm
I’m Dani’s friend, Joyce, in Florida. Thank you so much for having the courage to share your worst times, and you do it so eloquently. What a gift you have for writing! Nothing could be more therapeutic. And it is such an outreach to others who are experiencing any humps in life and feeling so very alone. Thank you for letting me look over your shoulder. If prayers really do help, you’re in a hailstorm, but you may not notice because the Bible says God speaks in a whisper.
By: Joyce Senatro on October 1, 2009
at 9:23 am