Is there much to laugh about with cancer? Is there anything?!
Way before I got diagnosed with cancer, my very good friend S., who ultimately and sadly lost her battle with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, taught me that you really can find humor in just about anything, including cancer. I used to travel up to Kalamazoo or Ann Arbor, Michigan — she lived in both places and got her treatment in Ann Arbor — to visit her while she was sick. This was during the time when Pretty Woman was released and we went to see it together. She had lost her hair and, like me, wasn’t about wearing a wig. S. was wildly artistic (unlike me) and did amazing things with scarves. When we were watching Pretty Woman, the scene came up where you see the character Vivian’s wig on the bedpost and S. leaned into me and whispered, “chemo patient.” I busted out laughing. S. was one of the funniest people I’ve ever known in my life — to this day — and could find the humor in absolutely anything.
This morning I was talking with my sister J. on the phone while she’s unfortunately home sick. I was telling her how next Tuesday I will get a cast made of my chest and arm area as part of the preparation for radiation treatment. The appointment is also when I’ll get my radiation tattoos. I was joking around with J., telling her that I always wanted another tattoo, but I was hoping for something different and that more people could see, and also telling her that Throws Like A Girl calls the area where her mastectomy was notaboob (like in that post which is hilarious in itself) and I have to find a name for mine, although I’m tempted just to steal “notaboob” because I find it really funny. I have called myself Judy One Boob, but that’s not specific enough to the mastectomy area. *sigh* There just aren’t proper words in the English language for this area — the un-boob, the non-boob? The Not-A-Tata? No, too long, although I do like the alliteration. I don’t know. I’ll have to think about this. I’ll take suggestions also, but the only thing is, they do have to bring a chuckle. At least they have to bring a chuckle from me. J.? Sorry, J., but I’m quoting you, or at least paraphrasing you — she said, “I’m not finding much about this funny at all.” No, she was finding it kind of sick and morbid, I’m afraid, while I was pretty much laughing my head off. Poor J. I really am sick and morbid, though, but you gotta do what you gotta do. *shrug* Laugh your way through it or . . . . well, whine or whatever. Me? I’m gonna laugh even if it’s the sickest thing ever, I’m afraid. Or even if I’m the sickest thing over. Sick as in morbid and gross, that is. *ahem*
They don’t call me Giggles in the Chemo Room for nothing.
J. should have known S.
Then she really would have been disgusted.
Or just primed for me.
Heh.
(Please note: I hope people understand that this is all said with great love. I know that this is hard on J. and it can be harder on the loved ones to joke about this than it can be on those of us who have cancer)
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Larry David can make cancer funny too. Check it out:
As always, Stand Up to Cancer.
Cross-posted to Mothers With Cancer.
You know what? Sometimes cryingis the best medicine. And sometimes screaming is the best medicine. And often, laughter is. You do what YOU need to do.
I like ustaboob myself. I’d get a license for it :
Usta B. Boob
Birthdate: (surgery date, of course)
Address: East of the Mountain and West of the Pits Rd.
SnarkyLibrarian, OH 55555
I really like nata-ta-ta very much.
I don’t know how this will turn out, J, but you are way ahead of those people who sit and mope and cry. You’re being pro-active and you know that laughter is way better – sometimes – than anything else. You should forgive your sister, though, it’s happening to someone she loves. She’s worried for and about you, and is having a hard time finding the humor.
(((hugs))))
Nikki — Like it, really like it!! LOL!!
Mollie — thanks! And oh my goodness! There was absolutely not supposed to be any kind of anger or malice in my words. No forgiveness needed. I do understand. I didn’t mean for it to come out that way.
[...] Cross-posted to Just Enjoy Him. [...]
If one day I face what you are facing, I hope I have a 10th of your sense of humor, Judy!
Hmm, how about the uniboob? And you can be the Uniboober!
I came across your site a while back, I live close by you, near Lake Erie but a little west. I recently adopted my beautiful baby boy 2 moths ago from VN. Just before I left they found “something” not good. A cancer in my left breast. Initial screenings said it’s in early stages. But, should still be removed. I wonder after all this, why now. I (try to) find joy and humor and love and laughing. Why not. In any way. Life is about love and thinking and laughing. Anyway, just thought after reading your site for awhile, I’d introduce myself. But, I don’t have a name for “it”
I think “Not-a-Tata” is hysterical. You could do it all lower case and run together if it’s easier: notatata.