The Kindness, and Xanax, of Strangers

Sally' Hoskin's December 26th column in the NYTimes is fun to read, as cancer essays go. What I especially like about her description of being evaluated for her second bout of breast cancer are the many messages of Healthy Survivorship:

• The second time is not "same song, next verse." It is a whole new experience, in some ways easier and other ways more difficult.
• Support from a group doesn't have to take place in a formal "support group."
• You get to choose how you will handle it, and you get to change how you are handling it as often as you like.
• Anxiolytics have a place in the life of some Healthy Survivors. It doesn't mean you are weak; it means medication can make a temporarily stressful situation more tolerable.
• Life goes on during and after treatment.
• Humor helps.
• Support helps.

And now, my only stick-in-the-mud comment: Healthy Survivors don't take prescription medications from strangers' ziploc bags.

Comments

[deb]

Thanks for notifying us of the article "The Kindness, and Xanax, of Strangers" by Sally G. Hoskins, neurobiologist and science educator in New York City. True to form. Good read.

[Lori]

Thanks for the link and info, Wendy -- and for weighing in about meds in Ziplocks.

I wanted to comment on your previous post re: prevention vs treatment research dollars, but couldn't seem to make the time to write a thoughtful answer (Brett's in town). In any event, briefly, both are needed, both are necessary. I lean more toward cause and prevention, but at this point there are so many millions who need treatment...and that trend will continue for decades, in spite of preventive measures.

Great food for thought, and thanks for providing it-