Tag Archives: Attitude

Chronic Illness

Posted on April 29, 2013 by Scorchy

When the Death Star was under construction and then, once completed, sent out Tai Fighters to establish satellite stations, I was busy moving on with my life. Very busy. Work swallowed me whole–and I welcomed it. I was no victim, … Continue reading →

Posted in Advocacy, Book and Article Reviews, My Stage IV Life, Social Commentary | Tagged advocacy, amputation, Attitude, awareness, Blaming the Victim, breast amputation, breast cancer, breasts, cancer cell, Cancer Culture, chronic, chronic disease, cultural commentary, Death Star, Diagnosis, empowered, empowerment, frustration, In the Kingdom of the Sick, Information resources, Komen, Laurie Edwards, Mammogram, mastectomy, metastasis, metastatic breast cancer, Our Feel-Good War on Breast Cancer, Peggy Orenstein, Philosophy, pink ribbon, post-modern, Research, so, Stage IV, stage iv breast cancer, stigma, support, vulnerability | 20 Comments

In Which I Don’t Tell People What to Say

Posted on April 11, 2013 by Scorchy

I read a lot of blogs–not all cancer-related. Indeed, if I knitted as much as I read the blogs of knitters I’d have knitted a sweater for every human being in my neighborhood–not to mention a few chihuahuas. It amazes … Continue reading →

Posted in My Stage IV Life, Social Commentary | Tagged advocacy, Attitude, awareness, breast cancer, Cancer Culture, Diagnosis, friends, frustration, Information resources, metastasis, metastatic breast cancer, Stage IV, stage iv breast cancer, support, vulnerability | 63 Comments

The Downside of Virtual Interaction

Posted on March 24, 2013 by Scorchy

Since my breast cancer diagnosis and–48 hours later–the creation of this blog, I have sung the praises of social media. As my readership grew and my Twitter numbers blossomed, virtual roots that were planted started to flourish in a garden … Continue reading →

Posted in Advocacy, My Stage IV Life, Social Commentary, Stage IV Musings | Tagged advocacy, Attitude, Beyond the Shock, blogging, blogs, breast cancer, breasts, Cancer Culture, cultural commentary, Diagnosis, discussion boards, discussion groups, empathy, family, fear, friends, frustration, Information resources, metastatic breast cancer, National Breast Cancer Foundation, side-effects, social media, spousal support, Stage IV, stage iv breast cancer, support, Treatment, Twitter, vulnerability, women who don't support women | 60 Comments

Me and My Shadow

Posted on March 20, 2013 by Scorchy

I have to be honest: it’s been a conscious effort to think about cancer recently. Not that I’m complaining, who the heck wants to think about cancer all the time? Who knew it could be so easy? I love being … Continue reading →

Posted in Career Conundrums, My Stage IV Life, Physicians, Stage IV Musings | Tagged "Alright Tit", Attitude, bone metastasis, bone mets, breast cancer, captain picard meme, career, denial, Diagnosis, metastasis, metastatic breast cancer, Stage IV, stage iv breast cancer, Tamoxifen, Treatment, vulnerability | 48 Comments

When You Get the Good News

Posted on March 1, 2013 by Scorchy

Call me crazy, but ever since I got the good news that my lung lesions and all of the lymph nodes in the chest and right axilla resolved I have been a little lost. Weird, right? The first six months … Continue reading →

Posted in My Stage IV Life | Tagged advocacy, Attitude, awareness, breast cancer, breasts, crisis, Diagnosis, frustration, Information resources, metastasis, metastatic breast cancer, post-crisis management, Stage IV, stage iv breast cancer, support, Treatment, vulnerability | 50 Comments

Hallmark: The Dark Side

Posted on February 18, 2013 by Scorchy

Well, we can all rest easy. Apparently Hallmark has begun to recognize the hospice card niche. I wasn’t aware that there was a need for specific cards to address the end of one’s life or their caregivers. But in this … Continue reading →

Posted in Just for Laughs, My Stage IV Life, Stage IV Musings | Tagged Attitude, breast cancer, comedy, dark humor, end of life planning, end of life sentiments, Hallmark, hospice sentiments, Humor, metastasis, metastatic breast cancer, Parting Thoughts, passive-aggressive, sentiments, smart ass, Stage IV, stage iv breast cancer, vulnerability | 65 Comments

A Perfectly Unnatural State

Posted on February 13, 2013 by Scorchy

Over the last week or so I’ve been struggling with something stuck in my craw. I’m not sure what it is, although I’ve been trying desperately to find out. The thoughts go something like this: Yeah, I know. All over … Continue reading →

Posted in Career Conundrums, My Stage IV Life, Stage IV Musings | Tagged 2012 Sisters, Attitude, awareness, breast cancer, Death Star, Diagnosis, doomsday machine, friends, gratitude, marginalized, metastasis, metastatic breast cancer, Stage IV, stage iv breast cancer, Start Trek, support, Tamoxifen, vulnerability, william windom | 24 Comments

Living Beyond Breast Cancer

Posted on February 9, 2013 by Scorchy

Join me in Philadelphia–my hometown and the City of Brotherly Love–for the LBBC Annual Conference for Women Living with Metastatic Breast Cancer: Enhancing Your Health and Quality of Life. This is my first conference and I’m really looking forward to … Continue reading →

Posted in Advocacy, My Stage IV Life | Tagged advocacy, Attitude, awareness, breast cancer, breasts, Information resources, LBBC, Living Beyond Breast Cancer, metastasis, metastatic breast cancer, Research, Stage IV, stage iv breast cancer, support | 3 Comments

It’s Weird

Posted on February 1, 2013 by Scorchy

I read an essay today that described a kind of alienation felt by a woman with stage iv breast cancer. Friends fall off the radar, neighbors don’t know how to treat you or what to say, you’re faced with an … Continue reading →

Posted in My Stage IV Life, Stage IV Musings | Tagged alienation, Attitude, breast cancer, colleagues, discussion boards, discussion groups, friends, frustration, metastasis, metastatic breast cancer, Stage IV, stage iv breast cancer, support, vulnerability | 45 Comments

Don’t Be Stupid

Posted on January 26, 2013 by Scorchy

I’ve been slowly pushing back into work and it’s been going well. Just as I get going it’s time to go home. I pushed it a bit one day and paid for it the next, but I’m getting there. Patience, … Continue reading →