Not a Katie Couric Wannabe

I've said before that I'm all for cancer awareness, but I could never go so far as to have my colonoscopy broadcast on national TV like Katie Couric did a few years ago. Her husband died of colon cancer in his mid-40s and she wanted to heighten awareness of the disease. Part of my mission is to make sure my family, friends and loved ones stay healthy by edifying them about cancer through my own experience or by empathizing with them if they are survivors themselves or caring for family members with cancer. This week, all three of my brothers and my sister will have their first consultation before scheduling their own colonoscopies. After my diagnosis, I insisted that they all get screened too. Two other people told me that they recently experienced similar symptoms and are now seeking medical advice immediately instead of ignoring, underestimating, procrastinating; and they said that they responded with urgency in part because they were aware of my diagnosis.

Cancer awareness is now my cause and that is partly why I agreed to maintain this blog that my sister Nina and her boyfriend Mike created for me. I'm putting my cancer experience out there so that family and close friends can stay updated on my treatment and I can keep a journal of all the events, names, recollections, and my state of mind as I undergo this- for my sons, if necessary. But, I'm not trying to be a celebrity here- never in a million years for this reason. Cancer is deeply personal and I don't want to be judged for "posting" the highs and lows during my illness nor would I want to be the subject of idle gossip. I should not have to consider that a peripheral audience stumbled onto this blog and now I have to censor myself in order to make sure that my sometimes discomforting, painful or just plain ugly incidences are not subject to water cooler talk. My family is re-living the nightmare of my mom's illness because of my diagnosis, some of my old friends knew me years ago at the time she died, and my new friends love and understand me enough to know why I am keeping this blog. My friends know who they are. They share my history, my sense of humor, and understand my need to communicate openly with them out of love and gratitude. This blog is for them, for me, and for my sons. If you are getting something positive out of this, then please read on! If you don't get it, then you don't get me and who I am. Please read this blog with care.