Either various media outlets are following me around to
gather material to use for their editorials, or else cancer is sweeping the
human race and making headlines.
Unfortunately, I fear its the latter that is true. Regardless, I keep coming across several
interesting bits of media that highlight what I’m going through right now.
It has been eye-opening to realize that all of the unthinkably
crazy things that I am going through are actually happening to people everyday, all
around the country. It has called
to mind a favorite passage from Matilda
written by Roald Dahl (if you’re not already obsessed with Dahl, read The Twits and I promise that you WILL
be!). Matilda was a bright young
girl in an oppressive, ignorant family who treated her like dirt. She found solace in books, reading
about heroes and heroines—other smart people who, like her, were misunderstood or treated
badly, but who ultimately rose triumphantly.
“So
Matilda’s strong young mind continued to grow, nurtured by the voices of all
those authors who has sent their books out into the world like ships on the
sea. These books gave Matilda a
hopeful and comforting message: You are not alone.”
Seeing the following videos definitely proved that I am
not alone in my bizarre experiences in Proton Therapy. These videos were actually taken at the
facility I attend daily at UPenn, and the creator and I actually have a mutual
friend! My sweet former roommate
pointed me to these videos. Not
only are they creative and cool, they are actually pretty accurate at showing
what treatment is like.
Huge cyber high-five to creator Thomas Ashley, and nice
choice of music on above^ video—Radioactive
by Imagine Dragons. (Coincidentally, I saw them perform this song live
shortly after I moved to Philly with my main man friend, Vic, who is a medical
student here!)
Seriously, click the links and WATCH THESE VIDEOS!
As you could see in the videos, the patient was wearing
this awful mask. He looked so
jolly when they took his off, but for me I’m always like, “Get me outta this
thing!”
NPR highlighted an Art Show in Washington DC where many of
these masks were converted into artwork and displayed. The show was called Courage Unmasked. Very cool. I like how one patient who donated his mask to the project
stated, “[The mask's] goal is to restrain, and they’re [the masks used as art]
going to expand. And so, it’s a
thing of contrasts…”
The artwork from this event was auctioned off and the
proceeds went into the 9114HNC (Help for Head and Neck Cancer) fund, which
gives grants to patients with head and neck cancer.
I already have BIG plans for my own mask art
post-treatment. My canvases are
purchased and everything!
Here’s a LINK to the photo gallery: http://courageunmasked.org/photo-gallery/
Additionally, I have recently started subscribing to a free
podcast called RadioLab from WNYC. And maybe
it just happens to seem this way with the ones I have happened to have already
downloaded, but I swear that they are obsessed with tumors! They even had one episode dedicated to
people with brain tumors and criminal law! Its like they made that episode just so that it would be
interesting to me! If they had
added something about rugby, feminism, and farmer’s markets, I would have been
kinda freaked out, since that’s me in a nutshell.
Here’s a couple of their tumor-related shows…
(also FREE on iTunes)
And get ready for this final one, shared with me by my
cousin and mom. Seriously, don’t
press play until you have a tissue…
No matter how crazy things get, you are not alone. I have known that in a spiritual sense,
but I am now seeing it in a very tangible, physical sense as well.
No comments:
Post a Comment