Sunday, September 14, 2008

Changes in Attitudes

Something I've noticed about myself since June 2007 - I'm good with the venting thing but when blowing steam turns to rage I believe a change is needed.

Case in point - Dori and I have been following some West Coast women who are battling blood cancer. The first, who shall remain nameless, is using her cancer blog now as a platform for a candidate she prefers. In my opinion, her personal attacks and name-calling took away from her corner of the Web.

The world is negative enough, so why fuel it? The blood cancer community should be just that - a community. I wish her well in her recovery, but choose not to spend my political time on a cancer blog. Maybe she'll start a political blog and get back to the cancer journey ... I'll be back if she does.

The second woman we've been following, Lea, reminds me of Dori. She's honest, inspirational and amazing. Nine months post transplant, Lea has had a rough go, but she's recovering with grace. She remains focused and upbeat through the fear she's experienced. She ran the first Nike Women's race in San Francisco, where Dori and I will be next month. I will be thinking of Lea's spirit and character as I finish my training and run 13.1 on October 19. I've added Lea's CaringBridge site as a permanent link. Keep firing away, Lea, and thank you for your calming, resolute example.

Remove one bookmark. Add another. That's my little vent today.

"If we couldn't laugh, we would all go insane." Jimmy Buffett

3 comments:

Ronni Gordon said...

I'm still kind of new in these parts, but I understood early on that politics do not mix with the kinds of things we are writing about relating to healing after blood cancers. Interesting that you speak of a blood cancer community. I didn't know something like that existed, but since I started blogging and finding all of you wonderful people and checking the LLS discussion boards, I realized that there really is a community.

PJ said...

That's one reason I started a second blog, Jim. Not necessarily for politics, although maybe some of that, too. What I'm finding though, is that the cancer journey isn't separated from the rest of my life. There's a lot of intertwining.

The one thing political I will say (and maybe develop it into a post later) is that I'm deeply disturbed and offended by how the presidential campaign is playing itself out. It seems uglier than cancer, if that's possible. I'm just waiting for someone to yell "food fight!"

Jim said...

PJ,

I'm glad you started your excellent new blog. The cancer thing does want to weave in other areas. Accepting that, I believe many people affected by cancer come to cancer blogs for information, community, hope and comfort. Not Obama, Biden, McCain or Palin bashing.

Ronni,

I didn't connect to the cancer blog community until earlier this year. Watching Dori connect to others facing similar experiences and reading Patient Siggy (bookmarked on the blog; highly recommend a read) triggered my search for common experiences.