As a 5 year survivor of late stage Ovarian Cancer I am often approached by family members of people recently diagnosed with a deadly cancer. I've been searching for an image of how it feels to be diagnosed with a deadly disease, and the best I can come up with is a barbell. I was … Continue reading The Weight Of Cancer
This morning my FaceBook feed alerted me to Sephora's new program, designed to benefit cancer patients. During a 6 minute video they show bald, scared, suffering women, getting makeup and skin care tips, then walking through the store being shown products by a Sephora employee. Credits roll. Women rejoice. Wait....... Right after my 1st round … Continue reading Capitalism, Cancer and Outrage
While in Mexico I fell in love with the statues and mannequins that represent Dia De Los Muertos. My children were aghast when I said I wanted a full size mannequin for my dining room. "Mom, that's morbid" they exclaimed. When I looked at these mannequins though, I saw nothing morbid about them. In fact, … Continue reading De Dia De Los Muertos
How It Really Feels to Advocate If you were to look at my Facebook feed, or my instagram page, you might get the impression I love advocating for ovarian cancer awareness. You might also think that I am somewhat successful in my efforts, I have faithful supporters and it is my life's ambition to … Continue reading Survivors Guilt
Parenthood brings many surprises. In addition to the fact that you can go days at a time without sleep and those D cup boobs aren't as fun as you thought they'd be, you find yourself engaged in activities you never knew existed. Between my 3 biological sons and 1 stepson, I've spent time marveling (& … Continue reading Parents Say the Darnedest Things
I don't often answer my phone. When it rings, I look at it. If it's a caller I don't know, I hit silence and go about my business. If it is someone I do know I make a conscious choice to talk or ignore them. At times during my divorce proceedings, my lawyer was among … Continue reading Sweaty McSweaterson
Him He pulled up to the house in his Cadillac. He parked it on the street and checked the carport to make sure she wasn’t home. He caressed the car as he left it, filled with pride that it was his, reveling in the fact that while she would have fought against its purchase, she … Continue reading The Tractor
I hope I don't burn in hell for writing this...... I had an uncle who lived about 1.5 hours away from me. He was a flamboyant narcissist. He and his wife would come to my town every month or so, sit at my kitchen table and rattle on, telling me the same stories of their … Continue reading The Final Years of an Aging Narcissist
A lovely woman from my ovarian cancer group died last week. To be clear, she did not pass, depart or gain her teal wings - she Died. Yesterday was the service, and a group of us drove up together. It was short and simple. There was no viewing, no hymns, no priest or minister, and … Continue reading The Power of Negativity
I dreamed of a family and wall to wall carpeting as a child. Wall to wall carpeting was relatively new, and many of my friends had it. We had oriental rugs and hard wood, and our house was cold. My friends had families that loved each other. They looked forward to seeing each other, they … Continue reading Life After the Narcissist
