"Life's challenges are not supposed to paralyze you; they're gifts given to help you discover who you are."

Saturday, July 20, 2013

Them or me?

No medical news, and tired of talking about it anyway...so I find the other thing most frequently rattling around in my semi-functional brain lately is how to help others deal with my illness.  Which, by the way, is still just so damn weird.  I look fine (as fine as an overweight, middle aged bald chick can look), I feel fine (when chemo hasn't kicked my ass), so can't we just ignore the looming dark cloud?  Speak around the elephant in the room? 
Not to mention, it's really easy to get sucked into a focus on ME, ME, ME.  After all, I'm the one dying here--can't the rest of the world bend over and kiss my ass please?

It's a struggle to remember that those around me, at least the ones who really care about me, are hurting too.  I try to get inside their head and figure out--are they really dealing with it?  Or are they pretending its not happening?  Do they think about what life will be like without me in it?  Is there sadness?  Anxiety? Or do they fly through the days focusing on other things so they don't have to think about it? 

It's like this huge task called "Helping Other People Deal" is out there--waiting for me to take it on.  But I don't have the energy.  Or the skills.  I don't know where to start.  And why do I have to do this anyway?  Can't you figure out how to do it on your own for once?  Do I have to do everything around here?