Monday 24 June 2013

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Cancer Clinic...


Let me start off by saying Cancer sucks. Plain and simple. From diagnosis to treatment to aftermath, there is absolutely nothing enjoyable about having Cancer. I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy and I cross my fingers every day that I never have to embark on this journey again.

That being said, I truly believe in the power of the mind-body connection. If you want to start feeling better, start thinking better. It may not completely cure what ails you but, really, can it hurt?

My own personal Cancer journey was full of many emotions – sadness, frustration, anger, fear… but anyone who knows me even a little will know that it was also filled with laughter. I don’t know if laughter really is the best medicine, but speaking from experience, it beats chemo hands-down!

So why was I smiling as I went through one of the toughest eight months of my life?

  • How many places can you go and have virtually everyone continually tell you how young you are?
  • Nothing gets the older crowd in the waiting room talking like showing up in a bright orange raincoat & leopard-print rain boots - no sensible shoes here!
  • “Preferred parking” at the hospital’s Cancer clinic – score!
  • Finding a discarded receipt at the parking machine for more than yours was for – yahoo!
  • Free coffee from the bald guy at the local coffee shop – solidarity, brother!
  • Think of all the money you save on hairdresser’s & esthetician’s costs!
  • Getting trapped in underground parking can be an experience - did you know you can have quite a lovely conversation with the person on the other end of the "Help" button?
  • Ever wonder if you could rock a “GI-Jane” look? Now you know!
  • Do you have any idea how quickly I can get ready in the morning – goodbye, blow dryer!
  • When else can you eat a full meal of chocolate milk & powdered donuts and not have one person raise an eyebrow??
  • When people say they like your hair, how often can you take it off and let them try it for themselves?
  • Months of lying in bed watching HGTV makes one heck of a “Honey-Do” reno list!
  • There is no better time to immerse yourself in some full-character Sinead O’Connor-style karaoke…
  • My amazing nurses’ names were “Joy” and “Bliss” – seriously, can you have better karma than that?

So do any of these reasons offset the physical or emotional suffering? Absolutely not. But if you’re able to smile for even a few moments throughout the darkest moments of your life, isn’t that already a victory?

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...