Thanks, Cancer! Pod-Club 12.15.21 Sign Up

Thanks, Cancer! Pod-Club

Join YAP and the creators/founders of the Thanks, Cancer! Podcast, Leanna and Mimi, for a discussion on cancer and isolation. In the episode we will discuss, Leanna and Mimi share their experiences with isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic, reflecting on the ways in which the pandemic has impacted care and treatment for people with cancer, their caregivers, and care teams. With candid humor and sarcasm, themes discussed include decision-making, synchronized FOMO with the world, facing mortality, and embracing your values and passions during these challenging times.

Before the event, listen to the podcast here. On Wednesday, December 15th, from 12-1pm ET, we will gather via Zoom to discuss as a group, sharing thoughts, reflections, experiences, and ideas for tackling isolation.

This event is open to all young adults who have been diagnosed with cancer. You are welcome to bring a caregiver or support person as well. Advanced registration required. For more information and to register, please complete this form. Looking forward to seeing you there!

Cancer & Isolation in the Time of COVID

We're not dead -- we've just been in loving isolation.

In our latest episode, we discuss:

  • Wrongly blocked from Twitter

  • Truncation

  • Endless mask theatre

  • No more group chemo sessions

  • Caregiver isolation in liminal spaces

  • Never seeing faces of care team and patients

  • Muffled communication

  • Old time miserable cancer deaths

  • Synchronized pausing

  • Creativity

  • Exhausting rebirth

  • Embracing what you love unapologetically

  • More than ever, try not to get sick and die

Cancer Stages Again

We discuss the new and exciting stages of cancer recovery.

5) Resentment: everything is more difficult (possibly yet another re-creation).

6) Relationships: celebrate the new amazing (possibly tossing out the old).

7) Restoration: getting tougher (possibly composting).

8) Rebuilding: plan long term (possibly focusing on the physical).

Cancer and Politics

We discuss the history of the United States government in cancer research, and how the cancer journey has informed our political views.

  • Cancer can be a time to get involved in the politics that directly affect you.

  • Governmental funding has contributed to most of what we know about cancer.

  • Our health is dependent on our neighbor’s health--we need to care about and for each other.

  • Taking care of the sick is the first sign of civilization, and everyone deserves healthcare.

  • Slow progress is still progress--and cancer research is moving forward.

  • Have two years of living expenses saved for a health catastrophe--and if you live in a Republican state, consider saving more.

  • VOTE!

Cancer Souvenirs

We talk about souvenirs and the stuff you keep from cancer treatment.

  • Is it a cancer souvenir or is it just trash waiting for me to process?

  • Use souvenirs as performance art-- it can be therapeutic

  • Don’t be afraid to throw things out: the cancer won’t come back if you let things go

  • Ask for the things you want to keep

Cats and Cancer

We talk about having or not having pets during cancer, and the healing power of animals.

  • People will try to stop you from getting a new pet during cancer; maybe they are right, and maybe they are wrong.

  • Borrow or petshare if possible.

  • Research shows great things about people with pets, and placebo is ⅓.

  • Animals you shouldn’t be around: rodents, reptiles, chickens, ducks, pocket pets.

  • Pets provide a reason for living and walking.

  • Taking care of someone else can be taking care of yourself.

  • Be realistic about how much you are able to care for a pet.

  • Have a good back up pet plan.

Cancer Caregivers

We discuss the difficult job of caring for a cancer patient.

  • Embrace the dynamic relationships

  • Take a walk with your caregivers--we should all be walking more

  • Know what you need and want and communicate that

  • Don’t be afraid to walk alone

  • You can’t control others--you can only (mostly) control yourself

  • Take advantage of technology during coronatimes: phone calls or FaceTime is the next best thing to an IRL caregiver

  • Be kind to yourself and others

  • Be clear and honest

  • Don’t be a manager or an entertainer

Metastatic Prostate Cancer with Doug Sparling

We talk about art, suffering, and meaning-making with Doug Sparling of “Cancer as Art” fame: https://www.amazon.com/Doug-Sparling/e/B00W52MZDQ/ref=dp_byline_cont_book_1

  • Embrace your inner artist and change your perspective

  • Ask your doctor about the cheaper generic medications

  • Emotional trauma makes for amazing friends, so find your community

  • Cancer may (or may not) make you a better person, but it will make you a DIFFERENT person

  • Get on Twitter for connections--YOU ARE NOT ALONE

  • To live is to suffer. To survive is to find some meaning in the suffering. Find meaning in the suffering.

Breast Cancer Symptoms

Hospital visits are down, and so are cancer diagnoses: we talk about breast cancer symptoms.

  • Common symptoms: breast lump, pain, discharge, dimpling, swelling, change

  • Telemedicine has expanded, and can be awesome

  • Fatigue or weird dreams can be a warning sign: what is your body telling you?

  • Get checked if you think something is wrong: push if necessary

  • Communicate with friends and family about health and symptoms

  • Moisturize when you wash hands

  • Be brave: the hospitals are still there for you

Cancer Related Financial Toxicity

We talk with Elizabeth Santiago about her cancer, survivorship, and Family Reach (find more info at familyreach.org).

  • Cancer and financial toxicity is not your fault.

  • Family Reach provides money to cover life expenses with low barriers to entry.

  • Insurance and crisis finances is a whole new language, and Family Reach has financial planning resources to help you learn.

  • Take time off work to focus on recovery: your job can survive without you.

  • Leverage your transformation to make positive changes and help others.

Coronavirus and Cancer Treatment

We discuss cancer treatment and coronavirus, as well as general immunocompromised infection prevention.

  • Wash your hands and don’t touch your face

  • Isolate if necessary

  • You should always have enough food in the house for two weeks, and rotate through on the regular

  • Practice fasting—it’s good meditation, minimization, and prep for the unknown future

  • You are responsible for your own health and also the community health—take care of yourself to take care of others, especially the immunocompromised

  • Don’t freak out—channel the energy into preparation and don’t get stuck in a pinch

  • Perception is the reality

  • Embrace your cancer fearlessness

Forcing Forward After Cancer

We talk about moving forward into the future after cancer treatment and into recovery.

  • Everything hurts more after cancer: resist the urge to live in the trauma or play the victim.

  • Acknowledge the shittiness of the situation, but don’t live there.

  • Cancer + Fertility + Uncertainty = ??

  • No one picks their cancer, but behaviors can influence cancer.

  • Cancer starts in the in between epithelial transferal liminal spaces--where things mix.

  • Prepare for the apocalypse if it helps.

  • Channel your inner zen master.

  • Forcing forward can be good--it’s a sign of hope.

  • Maybe plan a little bit less for the future. Sit back and enjoy the ride.

  • Maybe you have to have plans and goals--if that’s what keeps you going.

  • A dream without a plan is just a wish.

Occupational Cancers

We learn about child labor and other tales from our grim past of cancer and chimney sweep history—jobs can cause and have caused cancer.

  • The latency period means best case it takes a generation to figure out what causes cancer.

  • Kaiser Permenente Childhood Stress Study should be REQUIRED READING for parents so they know which childhood traumas to avoid: https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/childabuseandneglect/acestudy/about.html

  • Your job doesn’t give a shit about you: don’t work more than you are getting paid for.

  • If you are an executive, don’t work more than 40 hours and don’t expect any staff to work more than 40 hours.

  • Trauma is subjective.

  • Trauma changes your cells and DNA.

  • Be aware of how trauma fucks people up.

  • We are all responsible to minimize trauma in our own lives and the lives of others.

  • Ease up on the caffeine and smart phone / tv / technology distractions.

The Cancer Maven

Today we talk to the Cancer Maven, aka Leanna House, aka the Leanna of ThanksCancer, and just how amazing it is to be a survivingconqueringwarrior vanquishing cancer and kicking ass!

  • Embrace your needs and don’t be shy about communicating clearly.

  • You ARE as amazing as you hope and fear you are.

  • Don’t take yourself so seriously.

  • Pay it forward: consider giving to a cancer patient.

  • Love all your parts.

  • Don’t be afraid to be a narcissistic bitch.