Monday 28 October 2013

Feet don't fail me now

I've been trying to write a new post for the last few weeks, but after a while every attempt has ended up just saying FUCK CANCER FUCK CANCER FUCK CANCER. Health wise I'm fine, but in the last few weeks I have met with a reconstructive surgeon which was unexpectedly depressing, I found out that a friend was back in hospital and then that her breast cancer had spread to her brain, and now today I have learnt that another breast cancer friend has passed away. 

These friends are people I have only met through Instagram and Facebook. I've never met them in real life, never spoken to them on the phone, and I don't even live in the same country as any of them, but they are just as important as any of my other friends. I know some people don't understand this, or how news like this can devastate me for days, but we have a connection through this horrible disease that we just can't share with anyone else. 

Kim was the first breast cancer warrior I 'met' online, when I searched #mastectomy on Instagram. She seemed so strong and badass (a term I have never used to describe any one, but is perfect for her). Just days after getting out of hospital she had posted a picture of her drains tucked up under her top so she could go to her daughters school play. Through her I discovered a whole online community of breast cancer fighters. From their Instagram pictures I learnt more about my upcoming mastectomy, chemo, and radiation than from any of the information the doctors and nurses gave me. I was also invited to a private cancer group on Facebook which has been the most incredible resource and support for me. I knew that Kim's cancer had returned and in the last few weeks I considered asking mutual friends if they knew how she was, but I think I was too scared to find out. This morning I learnt of her passing and later today found out that she has donated her body to science and will not be having a funeral. I think this is such a beautiful, admirable, and selfless thing to do, to chose, even in death, to put others first and to be more interested in helping others instead of memorialising yourself.

Then there's my beautiful friend Mariana. A few weeks ago I discovered she was in hospital and not well. All day I kept checking back for an update before learning that her cancer had spread to her skin and lymph nodes. A few days later she wrote that her cancer was now in her brain. I was so gutted by this news that for days I could hardly think straight. The last time I tried writing this post was about a week ago and I ended up bursting into tears trying to write about her, so I'll stop here to avoid doing it again. 

As for the meeting with my reconstructive surgeon, well it seems insignificant now. Basically, the surgeon told me that the best option for someone my age is a regular implant but, because I have had radiation treatment, I'm not a candidate for this so my other two options which involve cutting skin and muscle from either my stomach or back and making a sort of patch work boob. Not ideal but today I don't particularly care. I'm still annoyed that I didn't have a bilateral mastectomy in the first place. If I had, reconstruction wouldn't be so important. I also get angry when I think about the cost of these so called 'cosmetic' procedures (over $10,000 for one, almost $30,000 for the other. And that's with Medicare and private health insurance) but as Kim once said 'as long as I'm here to bitch about it, I'm ok'

Rest In Peace Kim x

3 comments:

  1. Marisa if I haven't told you lately I think you are beautiful and strong. I consider you not only my friend but my sister. I could have written this, you spoke to all of us in our cancer connection. XOXO

    ReplyDelete
  2. WHAT A GREAT MIRACLE THAT I HAVE EVER SEE IN MY LIFE. My names are Clara David I’m a citizen of USA, My younger sister was sicking of breast cancer and her name is Sandra David I and my family have taking her to all kind of hospital in USA still yet no good result. I decided to make search for cancer cure so that was how I find a lady called peter Lizzy she was testifying  to the world about the goodness of a herbal man who has the roots and herbs to cure all kind of disease and the herbal man email was there. So I decided to contact the herbal man @herbalist_sakura for my younger sister help to cure her breast cancer. I contacted him and told him my problem he told me that I should not worry that my sister cancer will be cure, he told me that there is a medicine that he is going to give me that I will cook it and give it to my sister to drink for one week, so I ask how can I receive the cure that I am in USA, he told me That I will pay for the delivery service. The courier service can transport it to me so he told me the amount I will pay, so my dad paid for the delivery fee. two days later I receive the cure from the courier service so I used it as the herbal man instructed me to, before the week complete my sister cancer was healed and it was like a dream to me not knowing that it was physical I and my family were very happy about the miracle of Doctor so my dad wanted to pay him 5 million us dollars the herbal man did not accept the offer from my dad, but I don't know why he didn't accept the offer, he only say that I should tell the world about him and his miracle he perform so am now here to tell the world about him if you or your relative is having any kind of disease that you can't get from the hospital please contact dr.sakuraspellalter@gmail.com or whats app him +2348110114739  you can follow him up on Instagram @herbalist_sakura for the cure, he will help you out with the problem. And if you need more information about the doctor you can mail me davidclara223@gmail.com 

    ReplyDelete