Feeling the love

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July is just around the corner and that means it will be my birthday soon. I will be 35, and I say that with great pride because getting older in this uncertain world (i.e., living with a gemistocytic astrocytoma) means appreciating every day.

A few years ago I posted a rant on Facebook about being annoyed whenever a woman celebrated her 29th birthday, again. Wink, wink. Months later a friend proudly announced she was no longer going to celebrate her 29th birthday AGAIN in solidarity with her friends with cancer who count each year as a blessing. I thought that was rad.

30th birthday: best birthday ever

PHOTO: Some of my friends taking me rafting down the American River.

PHOTO: Some of my friends taking me rafting down the American River.

My first seizure and subsequent diagnosis came just 5 days after my 29th birthday. It was a crazy year with two brain surgeries, the begin of chemo, all kinds of new anti-epileptic medication, and the loss of a job and health insurance. Just madness.

But people who cared about me--and even people I didn't even know--rallied around me (and Brett) during the madness.

By the time July rolled around again, everyone I knew was rooting for me. My 30th birthday was an adult milestone, the first anniversary of surviving, and a reason to celebrate.

Brett arranged for an epic weekend. I had three parties--three desserts--and went on a rafting trip down the American River.

There is something special about having cancer that really brings the love out of people. It is a good excuse to tell people how much they mean to you. My friends didn't hold back their feelings.

I felt loved and popular. And I was OK with the world.

Liz Salmi

Liz Salmi is Communications & Patient Initiatives Director for OpenNotes at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston. Over the last 15 years Liz has been: a research subject; an advisor in patient stakeholder groups; a leader in “patient engagement” research initiatives; and an innovator, educator and investigator in national educational and research projects. Today her work focuses on involving patients and care partners in the co-design of research and research dissemination. It is rumored Liz was the drummer in a punk rock band.

https://thelizarmy.com
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