"It's Always Something"
Today I am grateful for my five senses and for each of them being in working order. I am also grateful for my job, both when it exhausts and when it invigorates.
I just got done reading Gilda Radner's book It's Always Something. We had ordered SNL's the Best of Gilda Radner from Amazon, and I decided to throw in her book, which I had always wanted to read anyway. Radner was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 1986 and died in 1989, at the age of 42. I loved her Roseanne Rosanneadanna and Emily Litella sketches from Saturday Night Live. Roseanne usually worked "It just goes to show you, it's always something, if it's not one thing, it's another . . . " into her sketches. From the book, I learned that this phrase-it's always something-was a favorite of her father's. He died of a brain tumor when she was in her teens.
Her book was good, heartfelt. It wasn't a light read, but it wasn't always serious either. Radner was a masterful comedienne. That didn't go away with her cancer diagnosis. It's a tough read too because she shares in detail about her diagnosis (which was misdiag-nosed for several months), her treatments, surgeries, remission, recurrence. She suffered a great deal from the time her treatments began until her death, and a number of complications compounded things for her.
I appreciate a book about someone's cancer experience that is genuine and real. That makes it difficult and emotional, but I think it also helps the author and all those who read it. It seems more helpful to discuss the range of emotions that come with cancer, not just always trying to put on a happy face. If the strained and scary emotions don't come out in healthy ways, they will keep doing damage, or come out in unhealthy ways. Humor is always healthy and humor is possible even in the toughest of times. Radner's book shows both points.
Gilda Radner's ordeal, her fame, her book, and her tragic early death helped bring more awareness to ovarian cancer, and also led to the creation of Gilda's Club, now known as the Cancer Support Community. One of the things I appreciated most about this book is Radner's efforts to treat the whole person, not just the physical person. To do that, she had plenty of supportive people around her, including some on their own cancer journey.
I found such support to be vital to my overall well-being while going through my breast cancer diagnosis, surgeries, and treatment. From my supportive husband, family and friends, to my co-worker Jenny and other co-workers, to the local breast cancer support group I got involved with a few months after diagnosis. The scary times are less scary when we don't feel alone. And when looking for humor, there is more to be found when there are more people around.
I don't relive my cancer ordeal every day, but I do live with my cancer experience every day. From the scars on my chest to the fear in my heart, but also to the joy and gratitude that come with this chance to keep on keeping on. Gilda Radner's book helped me remember this.
I just got done reading Gilda Radner's book It's Always Something. We had ordered SNL's the Best of Gilda Radner from Amazon, and I decided to throw in her book, which I had always wanted to read anyway. Radner was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 1986 and died in 1989, at the age of 42. I loved her Roseanne Rosanneadanna and Emily Litella sketches from Saturday Night Live. Roseanne usually worked "It just goes to show you, it's always something, if it's not one thing, it's another . . . " into her sketches. From the book, I learned that this phrase-it's always something-was a favorite of her father's. He died of a brain tumor when she was in her teens.
Her book was good, heartfelt. It wasn't a light read, but it wasn't always serious either. Radner was a masterful comedienne. That didn't go away with her cancer diagnosis. It's a tough read too because she shares in detail about her diagnosis (which was misdiag-nosed for several months), her treatments, surgeries, remission, recurrence. She suffered a great deal from the time her treatments began until her death, and a number of complications compounded things for her.
I appreciate a book about someone's cancer experience that is genuine and real. That makes it difficult and emotional, but I think it also helps the author and all those who read it. It seems more helpful to discuss the range of emotions that come with cancer, not just always trying to put on a happy face. If the strained and scary emotions don't come out in healthy ways, they will keep doing damage, or come out in unhealthy ways. Humor is always healthy and humor is possible even in the toughest of times. Radner's book shows both points.
Gilda Radner's ordeal, her fame, her book, and her tragic early death helped bring more awareness to ovarian cancer, and also led to the creation of Gilda's Club, now known as the Cancer Support Community. One of the things I appreciated most about this book is Radner's efforts to treat the whole person, not just the physical person. To do that, she had plenty of supportive people around her, including some on their own cancer journey.
I found such support to be vital to my overall well-being while going through my breast cancer diagnosis, surgeries, and treatment. From my supportive husband, family and friends, to my co-worker Jenny and other co-workers, to the local breast cancer support group I got involved with a few months after diagnosis. The scary times are less scary when we don't feel alone. And when looking for humor, there is more to be found when there are more people around.
I don't relive my cancer ordeal every day, but I do live with my cancer experience every day. From the scars on my chest to the fear in my heart, but also to the joy and gratitude that come with this chance to keep on keeping on. Gilda Radner's book helped me remember this.
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