Back to silver linings

Last year I was in such a different place. I was in the fight of my life and I was writing posts like this. It was different. And this year I went to the school carnival with hair, not a bandanna. I wasn't planing my weeks activities around my next chemotherapy. This is better. No question.

I still get riled up about things. For example, I heard some quote recently that in a poll more women would rather have cancer than be fat. All I can think is, ignorance must be bliss. Nobody who has seen the face of cancer would ever EVER even THINK that they'd rather have cancer than be fat. It's made me quite angry, frankly.

Some years from now, we might see what the therapies that saved me from cancer actually subjected me to. What health issues might I face in the future? I hope nothing, but there may be something lurking somewhere within. You'd rather be fat than have cancer. Believe me. You can fix fat. You can work at it and make incremental steps without pumping toxins through your body. Without laying on a table for radiation doses. Cancer - well, you hope you find good doctors and you do what you can to keep healthy and strong while you're in treatment. And you can't see it, and you can't tell if it's going or growing. But fat - that's like stop using sugary creamer in your coffee, drop butter from your diet, TAKE A WALK… all non-toxic sacrifices. All cheap and easy. You don't have to fight with the insurance company over what brand of coffee creamer you switch to. See, fat is better.

Few things can compare to potentially life-threatening illnesses. They should be handled with some respect: it's no joke to those of us who have been patients or caregivers or family members. Who are these people who think cancer is something to wish for over an alternative like fat?

Probably the same people who cannot read the "no parking" signs in front of the school, or the idiots who smoke in front of hospital entrances. On second thought, they may be ignorant but they don't appear to be blissful.