It's interesting how many times I have heard this in response to news that my cancer has spread and is now incurable. "I know it might be trite but any one of us could get run over by a bus tomorrow." It's meant as a solace - that we none of us really know how long is our allotted span. It is true and it is hard to argue with. I've been trying to work out why I find it so irritating.
I think it is…
On October 15th 2015 I was invited to speak at the National Forum of Gynaecological Oncology Nurses conference on survivorship. There were about 80 people there, mostly nurses, and they wanted to hear about the patient experience. This is what I said:
Good morning and thank you for inviting me here to speak with you today. I’ve never opened a conference before and I think the fact that I am standing here, kicking off…
I’ve been following the debate on whether The War Against Cancer is an unwinnable war in which the enemy is not engaged and where the collateral damage is people affected by cancer.
I’ve been mulling over where I stand on this. I can see that the fighting, battling, war-like metaphors are not always helpful. That they can leave those who “lose” the battle somehow feeling like it is their fault and put an enormous…
I never realised I would need to tell so many people. Or that I would at times have to suppress the urge to tell others who really don't need to know.
Family and close friends obviously top the list and with mine scattered so far and wide I had to resort to phone, email and Facebook private messaging.
My poor husband found out by phone from the friend who accompanied me to my appointment with my gynaecologist. I…
