Thanks, Cancer!

It’s gonna get bloody

We're not dead -- we've just been in loving isolation.

In our latest episode, we discuss:

• Wrongly blocked from Twitter

• Truncation

• Endless mask theatre

• No more group chemo sessions

• Caregiver isolation in liminal spaces

• Never seeing faces of care team and patients

• Muffled communication

• Old time miserable cancer deaths

• Synchronized pausing

• Creativity

• Exhausting rebirth

• Embracing what you love unapologetically

• More than ever, try not to get sick and die

** Getting sick of cancer is a privileged problem of survival

** Keep moving like a shark

** Do what you can do: that is enough

** Find carcinomies who get it

** Step back when you need to

**Resentment: everything is more difficult

**Relationships: celebrate the new amazing

**Restoration: getting tougher

**Rebuilding: plan long term

** Guardian Article: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/feb/10/subway-air-pollution-new-york-washington-dc

** BBC Article: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-london-51049326

What classes would be the funniest and most useful at a cancer university?

** Cancer can be a time to get involved in the politics that now directly affect you.

** Governmental funding has contributed to most of what we know about cancer.

** Our health is dependent on our neighbor’s health--we need to care about and for each other.

** Taking care of the sick is the first sign of civilization, and everyone deserves healthcare.

** Slow progress is still progress--and cancer research is moving forward.

** Have two years of living expenses saved for a health catastrophe--and if you live in a Republican state, consider saving more.

** VOTE!

** Is it a cancer souvenir or is it just trash waiting for me to process?

** Use souvenirs as performance art-- it can be therapeutic

** Don’t be afraid to throw things out: the cancer won’t come back if you lose it or let it go.

** Ask for the things you want to keep

** People will try to stop you from getting a new pet during cancer; maybe they are right, and maybe they are wrong..

** Borrow or petshare if possible.

** Research shows great things about people with pets, and placebo is ⅓.

** Animals you shouldn’t be around: rodents, reptiles, chickens, ducks, pocket pets.

** Pets provide a reason for living and walking.

** Taking care of someone else can be taking care of yourself.

** Be realistic about how much you are able to care for a pet.

** Have a good back up pet plan.

** Embrace the dynamic relationships

** Take a walk with your caregivers--we should all be walking more

** Know and communicate your needs and wants

** Don’t be afraid to walk alone

** You can’t control others--you can only (mostly) control yourself

** Take advantage of technology during coronatimes: phonecalls or FaceTime is the next best thing to an IRL caregiver

** Be kind to yourself and others

** Be clear and honest

** Don’t be a manager or an entertainer