We discuss the cognitive changes from chemotherapy, including forgetfulness, reading difficulties, planning, and possible super powers.

** Embrace your inner artist and change your perspective

** Ask your doctor about the cheaper generic medications

** Emotional trauma makes for amazing friends, so find your community

** Cancer may (or may not) make you a better person, but it will make you a DIFFERENT person

** Get on Twitter for connections--YOU ARE NOT ALONE

** To live is to suffer. To survive is to find some meaning in the suffering. Find meaning in the suffering.

** Common symptoms: breast lump, pain, discharge, dimpling, swelling, change

** Telemedicine has expanded, and can be awesome

** Fatigue or weird dreams can be a warning sign: what is your body telling you?

** Get checked if you think something is wrong: push if necessary

** Communicate with friends and family about health and symptoms

** Moisturize when you wash hands

** Be brave: the hospitals are still there for you

We social distance record coronavirus part II: it’s getting weird out there.

** Cancer and financial toxicity is not your fault.

** Family Reach provides money to cover life expenses with low barriers to entry.

** Insurance and crisis finances is a whole new language, and Family Reach has financial planning resources to help you learn.

** Take time off work to focus on recovery: your job can survive without you.

** Leverage your transformation to make positive changes and help others.

** Wash your hands and don’t touch your face

** Isolate if necessary

** You should always have enough food in the house for two weeks, and rotate through on the regular

** Practice fasting—it’s good meditation, minimization, and prep for the unknown future

** You are responsible for your own health and also the community health—take care of yourself to take care of others, especially the immunocompromised

** Don’t freak out—channel the energy into preparation and don’t get stuck in a pinch

** Perception is the reality

** Embrace your cancer fearlessness

** Everything hurts more after cancer: resist the urge to live in the trauma or play the victim.

** Acknowledge the shittiness of the situation, but don’t live there.

** Cancer + Fertility + Uncertainty = ??

** No one picks their cancer, but things we do can influence our cancer.

** Cancer starts in the in between epithelial transferal liminal spaces--where things mix.

** Plan for the apocalypse if that helps.

** Channel your inner zen master.

** Forcing forward can be good--it’s a sign of hope.

** Maybe plan a little bit less for the future. Sit back and enjoy the ride.

** Maybe you have to have plans and goals--that’s what keeps you going.

** A dream without a plan is just a wish.

** The latency period means best case it takes a generation to figure out what causes cancer.

** Kaiser Permenente Childhood Stress Study should be REQUIRED READING for parents so they know which childhood traumas to avoid: https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/childabuseandneglect/acestudy/about.html

** Your job doesn’t give a shit about you: don’t work more than you are getting paid for.

** If you are an executive, don’t work more than 40 hours and don’t expect any staff to work more than 40 hours.

** Trauma is subjective.

** Trauma changes your cells and DNA.

** Be aware of how trauma fucks people up.

** We are all responsible to minimize trauma in our own lives and the lives of others.

** Ease up on the caffeine and smart phone / tv / technology distractions.

** Embrace your needs and don’t be shy about communicating clearly.

** You ARE as amazing as you hope and fear you are.

** Don’t take yourself so seriously.

** Pay it forward: consider giving to a cancer patient.

** Love all your parts.

** Don’t be afraid to be a narcissistic bitch.

** For the Friend:

1) Give the gift of no expectations: DO NOT EXPECT A RESPONSE and don’t let the cancerpath bear the emotional weight of the holidays.

2) Invite, even if you think they will say no.

3) Experiences mean more than stuff.

4) Acknowledge the situation.

5) Communicate.

6) Keep things normal.

** For the Cancerpath:

1) Don’t bear any emotional weight.

2) Be present.

3) Be honest about what you need.

4) Don’t forecast: don’t expect anything from yourself.

5) Recovery takes longer than you think.