At the best of times, cancer is a difficult burden to bear, but in the midst of a pandemic, it's especially worse. But patients with cancer know the way out is by going through.
PUBLISHED APRIL 01, 2020
Samira Rajabi was diagnosed with a vestibular schwannoma, also known as an acoustic neuroma in 2012. She has had ten surgeries to deal with her tumor and its various side effects. She writes a blog about her life, surgeries, recovery and experiences at LivingWithHerbert.com. She is currently a post-doctoral fellow at the Center for Advanced Research in Global Communication at the University of Pennsylvania, where she studies media studies. In her spare time she plays with her two pups and spends time with her husband exploring Philadelphia.
I’ve got a unique perspective, I think, into the pandemic that has gripped our world.I was, once, a patient with a brain tumor, who spent the majority of her time in and out of the hospital for several years. My condition, while chronic in terms of pain and symptoms, is now stable. I may have some barriers in terms of immunity but given that the latest test for my spinal fluid leak came back with the equivalent of a shrugging emoji, I don’t know how at risk I am anymore.
Now, I am not just a patient, or former patient, or survivor or whatever language you might use. I am, instead, first and foremost the family member of a couple people with cancer. These people matter a lot to me. These people are older than me, and thus more at risk in a pandemic that strikes people of a certain age more frequently, and they are by all accounts, wonderful, full of life and charming people. They are also, in their own ways, stubborn, sassy and strong people too. I miss them terribly.
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