[2021-11-16] Unabashed

I'm so grateful to everyone who sent me well wishes yesterday and today, including everyone who poked a little fun at my expense (but more on that later).

What touched me the most was hearing from so many people about the impact I am having by sharing my story. A wise friend wrote to say: "Thank you for all the puns and unabashed approach to sharing. I can think of many people who would not have the guts to share this and many more who wouldn’t take the required action. You continue to inspire." In response, I declared that my word of the day would be "unabashed," which Dictionary.com defines as "not ashamed, disconcerted, or apologetic; boldly certain of one's position."

In keeping with this sentiment, a dear friend shared this quote from Nanea Hoffman: "You may not realize it, but every time you share your story, you're taking the hand of someone who thought they were the only one."

Whether someone reading my blog is facing the same issue as I am or another health challenge altogether, they can be inspired to take action in their own lives. A wonderful friend wrote to say: "You continue to make it easier for a whole bunch of people to talk about the very real parts of life." She also thanked me for my approach to last night's post: "leave it to you to do justice to a sensitive subject such as this one today… complete with puns and very hilarious lines."

A former colleague shared a story about her own health woes. She told me that she had been seeing a specialist and following the doctor's orders "and then...the pandemic hit." She admitted that "All self care went out the window." She was due for more tests in the summer "but kept on procrastinating since I was in constant meetings and didn’t take the time for myself." She acknowledged that "as an executive, mom, wife, daughter, etc I kept putting my health last." I share this because many of us fall into this same habit of putting obligations to others ahead of care for ourselves. She concluded by saying "Thanks for reminding me—and so many others—that we need to take the time to look after ourselves. It is so easy to get caught up in the day to day tasks and not do self care."

Many people expressed very simply that they appreciated my post for raising awareness, saying such things as "it was news to me"; "I had no idea that was possible"; "It is very important to address these kinds of skin issues"; "it will potentially reduce the barrier for others seeking medical attention."

In relation to the human papillomavirus (HPV) that was the likely cause of my carcinoma, one woman shared this encouraging news: "I recently read about a massive reduction in cervical cancer since the HPV vaccine was introduced in the UK. My oldest daughter got that vaccine a couple of months ago and it makes me feel so happy and positive that we have a new generation of women who are protected by this medical advance." I, too, am thrilled that advances in medicine will give our younger generation (all genders) a better chance at avoiding HPV-related cancers than my generation. (As an aside, I learned today the GARDASIL®9 HPV vaccine is available for people between the ages of 9 and 45.)

One of my favourite responses was from a lovely cousin who wrote: "Tout d’abord, merci de nous renseigner. C’est très généreux de ta part. On dit qu’une personne avisée en vaut deux! J’applaudis ton courage et ton approche face aux difficultés de la vie. J’apprends beaucoup en te lisant et je pense souvent à toi." Somehow English never sounds as eloquent as French: "First of all, thank you for informing us. That's very generous of you. They say that one wise person is worth two! I applaud your courage and your approach to life's difficulties. I learn a lot from reading you and think of you often." I was not familiar with the expression "une personne avisée en vaut deux." My husband explained that it means that one informed person is worth more than two uniformed people.

And now for a little fun. I was happy to be the butt of many jokes, as one person wrote. Here are some expressions that I can get behind:
  • Good grief Jen. You can’t make this shit up.
  • This news is a bummer!
  • What a pain in the ass.
  • So glad that you didn't sit on this any longer.
  • You are courageous: no ifs, ands or butts.
  • Bottoms up sister!
  • So glad this is behind you.
  • All's well that ends well.
  • Fingers crossed that the surgery is the only step needed to kick this precancerous mass out on its butt!
  • Hope your bum is feeling better. And that this is the end.
I, too, hope that I can soon put all of this in the rearview mirror. As one person said to me, laugh or cry—there's always a choice.