Key Takeaways• Guilt often becomes a constant companion in cancer, touching caregiving, survival, emotions, genetics, lifestyle choices, and even relief.• Most cancer-related guilt punishes rather than protects; it drains energy from healing, relationships, and daily life.• Survivor guilt and “relief guilt” come from the search for fairness and control in an unfair universe, not from…
Read moreTag: hope
How to Build a Daily Routine During Cancer Treatment When Life Feels Unsteady
Life before Cancer had a rhythm. You woke up, moved through the day, and most things made sense. Then treatment started, and the ground seemed to move under your feet. When pain, appointments, and side effects change from week to week, even simple things like showering or answering a text can feel huge. In the…
Read moreThe Questions I Hear Frequently
Some mornings I wake up to the sound of birds singing and the smell of coffee brewing. It’s a normal miracle that another day has begun. And before my feet hit the floor, the questions are already there. They live in the space between sleep and waking, in the time it takes me to check…
Read moreHow I Plan My Treatment Weeks So I Don’t Fall Apart By Friday
By Wednesday of my first chemo cycle, I cried in the shower because I dropped the soap. Not because of the soap, of course. My body ached, my mind felt foggy, and my heart carried a quiet fear that this was my new normal. By Friday, I felt like an empty shell. I knew I…
Read moreAt the end of 6 years, I have given up on the idea of arriving someplace. There will never be a time when I understand everything and can live without fear. I expected to get to that place. I thought that after 6 years, I would have it figured out. I have not. Maybe that is the first thing I want you to know.
At the end of 6 years, I have given up on the idea of arriving someplace. There will never be a time when I understand everything and can live without fear. I expected to get to that place. I thought that after 6 years, I would have it figured out. I have not. Maybe that…
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