DON’T BOTHER ME? An Introduction...

Yes, don’t bother me, I’m busy having cancer! Being ill is a full-time occupation and I already have quite a bit on my plate. As any working person can tell you, it’s hard enough being at a job where one toils to earn an income, but it is equally difficult to have an illness where one spends the bulk of said income so one can remain relatively well. I could easily substitute “cancer” with “AIDS”, “Multiple Sclerosis”, “ALS” or any other disease, but this is my story and I have cancer.

It's difficult to juggle my work schedule with my medical appointments and there are some weeks when I don’t know if I am coming or going. I realize that I am fortunate to have an understanding employer who is accommodating of my needs and supportive of my mission to get well. I am also lucky to not have a family with children that I need to care for. I cannot even begin to imagine how much of a struggle it would be to have to fight for time off to make appointments and then think of how I will be able to get my kids up, send them off to school after feeding them breakfast and then coming home to make sure they did their homework, get them dinner, shuttle them to and from whatever after-school activity they were participating in, get them cleaned up and then get them to bed.

Yeah, those people? Those people are superheroes and I bow to them and I suggest you do the same.

I know have it easy by comparison, but it’s still difficult! It takes a ton of concentration to keep all of this in balance and moving forward; I cannot add another thing to my day and I cannot bear to be distracted. I’m also sure that things will change as I am writing this on the fly, so don’t be surprised if something unexpected happens. I know that nothing really surprises me anymore and that is also a bit exhausting.

So please, don’t bother me! And for crying out loud, stop bothering them!