Here is the link to the G&M article, Cancer: A Day in the life. There are 48 different stories, mine can be found here. The fantastic Spike was also interviewed and her story can be found here.
As expected, I cried today when I was talking about the article with some women at work. But then I also joked about it in an inappropriate way. Which tends to be what I do.
Great article.
Posted by: ErinM | 18 November 2006 at 08:17 PM
Wow- great article. And I thought you really were a Louise- LOL. I would imagine its hard to strike the right tone with people about your medical history- its a huge part of who you are, and yet the look of horror when you say the "c" word. (I have seen it vicariously re: my husband.)
For years after my brother died it was hard to sort out where was the "appropriate" place to mention that I had a brother until I was 22 but he's gone now. Obviously not in a bar hanging out for the evening, but if I'm starting to make new friends and we're out for the 2nd or 3rd time? I don't know if that's similar to how you feel, but if it is, it does get easier as you get older. It sits easier (I don't know if "easier is the right word exactly) within you as time goes by, and also people tend to get a little more "real" as they enter late 20s/early 30s, so there isn't quite that same flash of horror/recoiling/how fast can I get away from this person with bad juju as there was with my peers when I was in my early 20's.
Posted by: Leggy | 18 November 2006 at 10:44 PM
Wow! I don't know what to say. I am proud of you for putting yourself out there like that, for all the world to see. As one of your partners in the hiding out on the internet from "our people," that takes a lot of courage. I am fighting back the tears now, after having read those stories, and how much I can relate to and how much I am scared by them. But they did an amazing job putting all those stories together - and I Think it's great you are a part of it!
Posted by: Jen | 19 November 2006 at 06:27 PM
And here I thought you were a Louise all along. Then again, I'm not a Ruby. My grandmother is, but not I.
I've been reading these stories for an hour. wow. brings everything back that I try to forget. I think its great you did that, especially to add the story of a 20-somthing cancer patient. I think too many folks think of young kids or old adults. Not us. (althouh *gasp* I'm not a 20-something anymore)
Posted by: Ruby | 22 November 2006 at 09:15 PM