This is so beautifully written Jo. You are so lucky to have found such an excellent team to accompany you through this treatment. I was so fearful for you (knowing the little that I do about the health system in the USA), but you are obviously receiving the very best care by a wonderful team. Those nurse navigators sound awesome and you are finding a way to manage this brilliantly - while still looking after your chronic pain. Good luck with the rest of the treatment. I hope it all goes well. Lots of love ❤️❤️❤️
Thanks so much, Mary. I feel very lucky with my team. I've always had good people, just bad systems, but it seems with cancer insurance is a much easier process here! Hopefully that continues. Thanks so much for your love and support my dear friend! Much love in return ❤️❤️❤️
Warmest wishes from the other side of the planet Jo. Sorry to hear that you have had cancer and so happy to hear that your care has been so good. Astounded that through all of this you can so eloquently juxtaposition the management of two different medical conditions! We shared the aurora with you too 😊. Take care.
Thank you for this very honest, yet hope and gratitude-filled post. A cancer diagnosis is never one we expect. It sounds as though you are still open to finding joy and beauty all around you and within you. I know it will serve you well. Sending you all the good juju for your journey. Stay well Joletta.
Thanks for your honesty. May your heart be filled with peace and love. Take good care of you - at this junction in your life. You're a great inspiration.
Thank you so much Shelby! Wish I was seeing you soon for the wedding. To make up for it we'll have to celebrate when I'm through all this treatment stuff! Miss you and love you 💜
Sending love Jo, that’s a big shock for you and yours. I wish you all the very best.
I have been with friends through the process, and in the UK at least we don’t have the money worries for treatment, and the cancer treatment pathways are less damaged than most other chronic condition pathways here. But we have many of the same stressors and issues as you have, and different ones. It’s difficult isn’t it!
But that difference between navigating the systems with different conditions can be eye opening, stark, infuriating and induce a sense of betrayal in some ways.
Please look after yourself, if there is anything I can do, even a zoom to vent, please yell!
There are indeed many stressors, beyond just the diagnosis itself, that I don't think we talk about enough! And many are induced by the system, which can make the 'healthcare' process feel uncaring, even when you're lucky enough to health professionals within it who are caring and compassionate.
There's also a lot I think we can learn from what they do in breast cancer for care in general! One example is the nurse navigators, who are amazing. And I sure wish we could just treat all patients with trust, belief, compassion, even when their diagnosis is unclear or uncertain and their pain can't be imaged or otherwise proven.
So many things I'm thinking about with all this!
Love you my friend. Hope you're doing as well as possible.
Thank you dear Joletta for sharing things that I don’t hear many folks talk about. Goes straight to my heart. Sending good vibes your way. Beautiful fall photo!
We had a gorgeous fall here. Winter arrived last night, though, and everything is covered in snow at the moment! I love our winter wonderland, too, though, and am trying to find the beauty and joy in everything I can!
This is so beautifully written Jo. You are so lucky to have found such an excellent team to accompany you through this treatment. I was so fearful for you (knowing the little that I do about the health system in the USA), but you are obviously receiving the very best care by a wonderful team. Those nurse navigators sound awesome and you are finding a way to manage this brilliantly - while still looking after your chronic pain. Good luck with the rest of the treatment. I hope it all goes well. Lots of love ❤️❤️❤️
Thanks so much, Mary. I feel very lucky with my team. I've always had good people, just bad systems, but it seems with cancer insurance is a much easier process here! Hopefully that continues. Thanks so much for your love and support my dear friend! Much love in return ❤️❤️❤️
Warmest wishes from the other side of the planet Jo. Sorry to hear that you have had cancer and so happy to hear that your care has been so good. Astounded that through all of this you can so eloquently juxtaposition the management of two different medical conditions! We shared the aurora with you too 😊. Take care.
Thanks so much, Charlotte! Appreciate your kind words and your support so much 😊
And I'm so so glad I got to go to New Zealand before all this! The aurora was such an incredible thing to see, I'm so glad we shared it :)
Thank you for this very honest, yet hope and gratitude-filled post. A cancer diagnosis is never one we expect. It sounds as though you are still open to finding joy and beauty all around you and within you. I know it will serve you well. Sending you all the good juju for your journey. Stay well Joletta.
Thank you Anna 💜 Appreciate the good juju!
Thanks for your honesty. May your heart be filled with peace and love. Take good care of you - at this junction in your life. You're a great inspiration.
Thanks so much Gayle, I so appreciate your kind words 💕
Beautifully written! Hugs my resilient friend! Miss you XOXOX
Thank you so much Shelby! Wish I was seeing you soon for the wedding. To make up for it we'll have to celebrate when I'm through all this treatment stuff! Miss you and love you 💜
Sending love Jo, that’s a big shock for you and yours. I wish you all the very best.
I have been with friends through the process, and in the UK at least we don’t have the money worries for treatment, and the cancer treatment pathways are less damaged than most other chronic condition pathways here. But we have many of the same stressors and issues as you have, and different ones. It’s difficult isn’t it!
But that difference between navigating the systems with different conditions can be eye opening, stark, infuriating and induce a sense of betrayal in some ways.
Please look after yourself, if there is anything I can do, even a zoom to vent, please yell!
Thank you Niki! Appreciate you so much 💜
There are indeed many stressors, beyond just the diagnosis itself, that I don't think we talk about enough! And many are induced by the system, which can make the 'healthcare' process feel uncaring, even when you're lucky enough to health professionals within it who are caring and compassionate.
There's also a lot I think we can learn from what they do in breast cancer for care in general! One example is the nurse navigators, who are amazing. And I sure wish we could just treat all patients with trust, belief, compassion, even when their diagnosis is unclear or uncertain and their pain can't be imaged or otherwise proven.
So many things I'm thinking about with all this!
Love you my friend. Hope you're doing as well as possible.
Thank you dear Joletta for sharing things that I don’t hear many folks talk about. Goes straight to my heart. Sending good vibes your way. Beautiful fall photo!
Thanks so much Michelle! 💜
We had a gorgeous fall here. Winter arrived last night, though, and everything is covered in snow at the moment! I love our winter wonderland, too, though, and am trying to find the beauty and joy in everything I can!
Hi Joletta, I'm wishing you the best on this next stage of your path. Looking forward to the post on pain and vigilance too. :)
Thanks so much, Elspeth! Appreciate you :)
That post is nearly complete! Would love to hear your thoughts on it once it's out.