Monday, March 14, 2011

MONDAY MEMOIRS - Starting a Cancer Journal or Book...

This morning I was thinking back on my cancer journey. Recently, a friend of mine reminded me that at one time, I had planned to record my cancer journey in a book. So, that's been on my mind. I started to try to recall the order of things - what things happened on my cancer journey. Whenever I do this, I find myself right back there - enduring all of those tests, hearing the results, trying to figure out what I'm supposed to do. It's an uncomfortable thing to go through.

And I think, maybe that's why I haven't written my book yet. Most of the time, when I think about writing it, I just don't want to go back there. But, I do know that writing is therapeutic. It really does help. I know this because I wrote all during my cancer journey. I have a blog, and that's how I coped. So, I think I'll go back to my blog, and start to read. Most of what I need for my book is already written there. I know it's going to be like revisiting an old wound, or someplace I never want to see again. But, I also know that I wanted this whole journey recorded so it could possibly help someone else. So, back I go.

I'll share something I wrote the first day of my blog, as an introduction:

"I started blogging about my cancer journey right after I had my head shaved. That wasn't the start of my cancer journey - it was 4 months into the journey. I'm hoping to be able to go back and write about what happened before that. This is my cancer journal - I hope it helps someone. If you have questions or concerns, and you think I can help, please contact me.

Cancer is an ugly monster. The things we have to do to save ourselves from cancer are ugly as well. Don't expect my thoughts and feelings about what I've gone through to be calm and nice.

Cancer sucks. Welcome to my thoughts."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Have you written about your cancer journey? You should. It helps. Think back to the beginning - if you were going to start a blog that everyone could read, what would you write to introduce it? Take your cancer journal out, and start it with this.

Good luck.

-Kara

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