Thursday, April 12, 2018

Counting the After-Effects of Cancer

How has cancer changed my life? Let me count they ways.


PUBLISHED April 11, 2018

As well as being a cancer blogger, Laura Yeager is a religious essayist and a mental health blogger. A graduate of The Writers’ Workshop at The University of Iowa, she teaches writing at Kent State University and Gotham Writers’ Workshop. Laura survived cancer twice.
After I had cancer and came out alive, I told myself that from there on out, I'd take things a little more easily. I wouldn't "sweat the small stuff," and everything that happened would be "the icing on the cake."

Well, that attitude adjustment lasted about six months. In short, I was easy-going and carefree for a time, but soon, my old habits returned. After a brief (too brief) reprieve, I took things very seriously, and worried about everything just like before.

Funny how a near-death experience didn't really change my fundamental nature. According to my mother, every day for me is a new crisis. She's known me for 55 years, so I guess she's right.

Yes, I'm a worrier. I wish I could be happy-go-lucky, but I'm not.

Not even cancer changed that. I'm a survivor, but I'm still the same Laura Yeager.

So, what has changed? Little life details.


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