Cancer Bloggers Join Forces

Last week, I had what I thought was a brilliant idea: What if all my favorite cancer bloggers and I joined forces and blogged on the same topic at the same time?

That would give our readers a half dozen different takes on the same topic, and give us some synergy (hate that word, but what can you do?) in our isolated little blogging lives.

The topic I suggested was "meltdowns," because I'd been in the middle of a doozy of a meltdown for almost a week at the time, and for the first time I was blogging about a meltdown in real time. And the sky didn’t fall when I told the world I was having a hard time emotionally. A revelation.

Enthusiastic Response
Teresa at The Cheeky Librarian wrote back:
…your timing is perfect. I am building up for another round of exams on my head/body to see if any cancer can be seen (they didn't believe it was there the first time, dang it, so what is the point?), the first-born looks to be flunking his second senior year of high school (and doesn't seem concerned), a mother-in-law visit is only a week away and I am still not supposed to bend over (how else can I get ready for the inspection since no one else seems to know the floors and lower cabinets need cleaning? dripping stuff so the dog licks it up doesn't count!), and I am traveling soon to a city known for its wonderful cheese steak sandwiches yet I will never know a sandwich again - so I am prime for some dark days.

Folks at work seem to follow the Cheerful Oncologist's train of thought--in their words, I just shouldn't let things get me down. One even said that the cancer grew because I let things get at me, and I should only be positive. Blogging about ways a person is expected to apply that advice in daily life, and my predictions on what outcomes could be expected could be a good exercise, I suppose.

And Jacqueline, at Rebel1in8:
I think this is a mighty fine idea! … Next week's "meltdown" is great as I have one more post regarding the tail-end of a visit to bottom-of-the-pitsville USA. A few weeks ago my friend Tina over at www.diynotdie.com was writing about her lymphedema and after someone praised her for her positive attitude I commented:
"Just to keep it real: I love it when you're pissy, too. I’m proud of anyone who has the balls to be angry and negative sometimes—yes even when they have cancer! It’s human, part of empowering someone with cancer is allowing them the right to bitch without the fear that they are sending out a message of defeat and whining. so in short. I’m damn proud of you ALL of the time."

And then Laurie at http://notjustaboutcancer.blogspot.com/ posted http://notjustaboutcancer.blogspot.com/2007/03/raging.html.

Tina and I were talking last week and we agreed that recently we noticed a stream of similar blog posts. Bloggers, including Jeanne, were giving themselves the right to explore moments of clarity in an effort to let down the shield (as Jeanne calls it)—a small break in the uphill climb towards "positive" that doesn't have to disturb HOPE at all. I truly believe that it is not the feelings defined as "negative" that will ultimately harm us but the GUILT that is imposed upon us for not being Polly-Anna-positive 24/7 will be the magic mystery poison.

And Liz, at As the Tumor Turns:
Wow, this is funny, I was just today thinking I really need to go have my next meltdown with Jeanne. How cool would it be to be reading Elizabeth George in her back seat, with the top down and hanging out with the dogs! My own meltdowns are so pedestrian and run of the mill in comparison.

But yeah, good idea. I'm ready to blog all over the whole meltdown meme. I'm the official Not A Trouper poster child of the decade, Little Miss Meltdown, the Bad Attitude Queen. And I don't mind telling the world all about it in way too much detail.

Go to Liz’s blog for a hilarious report on a crawfish boil: “Or crawfish ‘bawl’ as they say around here.” Bonus: lots of photos of her new hair, which had a mind of its own, to say the least.

I’ll be linking to posts from these women and more. Here's the first one, from Liz at As The Tumor Turns, called Little Miss Meltdown.

Liz writes, "Sometimes a meltdown is the only sane response to a situation, and maybe just maybe, awful as it is, it deserves a little respect."

And here's another one, from Teresa, The Cheeky Librarian:
Meltdown - can information get me out of one?

Teresa writes, "If you are someone that doesn't have cancer and want to criticize meltdowns as a weakness, get your own cancer first and then come back to talk with me about it."

And Lynne at Life Changing Cancer weighed in on Tuesday morning with The Meltdown that Didn't Happen.

Here's one from Jacqueline, at Rebel1in8:
impinged diligence

@ Jeanne Sather 2007.

Comments

[Sara]

Oh, man. Reading the Cheeky Librarian's post above made me think of this post about that rotten book The Secret over at Kay Olson's place:

http://thegimpparade.blogspot.com/2007/03/about-secret.html

I "be-live" I despise people who tell other people they have cancer because of their negative thoughts.

[jeanne]

Incredible, isn't it?

And of course you can keep your cancer from coming back by having positive thoughts!

It's all your attitude, you know, so stop sniveling!

Here's a post I wrote about that:

The 'Undaunted' Die Too
http://www.assertivepatient.com/2006/10/the_undaunted_d.html

Jeanne

[jessica]

At this point, it's an old question but i just looked at the clock and thought you might care to know: 3:42 am. I came to read about meltdowns because I'm feeling the early symptoms and thought I might find some support. In response to Teresa's statement, I don't have cancer but I do have meltdowns...and I think all sorts of people would benefit from allowing themselves to join us. If only they knew... thanks girls.

[jeanne]

Jessica--I hope it helped to read all the posts about meltdowns. There's one new one up now, from Lynne. The link is at the very bottom of the main post above, The Meltdown That Didn't Happen.

How are things now?

Jeanne

[Stewart]

"One thing I am sure about is that those of us with cancer are entitled to our meltdowns." Lynne at Life Changing Cancer has summed up the moral of these stories.

This morning's reading makes me wish that all of these experiences, and not just about meltdowns, would get collected into a book, which would quickly become a best-seller (because simply as writing, as honest gut-wrenching writing, it is riveting) and would then become required reading for everyone in the medical professions.

Way to go, Jeanne.

[jessica]

...getting worse...barely hanging on, but hanging on, nonetheless.

[jeanne]

Thanks, Stewart. I am working on a book, but find that I really like the blog format better. The tangents and different ways of organizing information that are possible on a blog don't work in a book. And my mind often goes off on tangents.

Jessica--hang in there. Do whatever helps. Anything I can do?

Jeanne

[jessica]

Jeanne--thanks. i guess i could use some reminders. about being in charge of my own life and not owing anyone an explanation even if they are offering support. is this just in my head? or do people really expect this? mostly i'm just bitchy. ranting and cussing and emitting all sorts of ambiguous guttural expressions. look out!