Thursday, December 27, 2007

If I knew I was dying....

After the loss of two lovely J-Land people in the past couple of days, I've been thinking:

If I found out I had cancer, would I blog about it?

It depends partly upon how much of a chance I had of beating it.

If it looked like the odds were against me, I'd probably keep it to myself.

I'd email a few select, special Internet friends so they could pray for me.

I'd keep it out of my journal.

And I'd leave it to my daughter to let the world know if, or when, the worst happened.

How would the rest of you deal with such a situation?

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25 comments:

Anonymous said...

I don't blog but will someday. I don't think I would blog about it.  I can't stop thinking about Kim and her family. she was very brave.  I did everything but blog about my mother earlier this year when she had her final illness.  I emailed all her friends and family everyday with a long report for over a month. I kept them plus all the replies for her. I had no idea she would not make it out of the hospital. I was so exhausted that Parts of it I like to go back and read, to remember the good parts of her final days. The bad parts just make me cry.

Anonymous said...

Gosh I don't even think I would want to know if I was going to die.  LOL.  I have to have just the right amount of hope every single day to go on.  I had a tough childhood and I somehow seem to be in a stage where I demand a good and happy adult life.... so if I am going to die, I hope nobody tells me let alone anyone else.  Plus, I still believe in miracles and dang it, the Lord is gonna have to fix me.  I can't die.  I have too much stuff to do.  Three kids to raise.  Books to write.  Travelling to do.  Pictures unpainted.  I still want to make a song.  I just can't die.  I have a long list of stuff that has to get done.  Hugs,
Lisa  

Anonymous said...

I don't really know how I would feel but I do know it was a wonderful release for kim it seemed. Lahoma didn't really talk that much about her sickness. She was wrapped up in her son. I just hope I never have to find out. Sad

Anonymous said...

First, I would blog daily about it.  Not just pass on the *end* news, but tell every detail that I know, so maybe I'm not your best resource...unless you're ok with that.  Also, I think I would blog all if it were ME  in that position.  There is so much support out there.  So many people love you in Jland.  Let 'em have their chance to help.  It makes folks feel better to offer support.  How could you be so selfish as to keep your illness to yourself?  How rude!!!  Oh, wait, it's a fictitious illness.  I forgot.

Anonymous said...

I believe since my journal is private that I would blog about it.  I have my seasoned readers who would probably read between the lines and be able to figure out something was going on so I may as well share it with them.  

Anonymous said...

I probably would not blog about it.  I'm not that good at writing and I usually like to suffer alone.

Anonymous said...

I do not have a blog at this time. My daughter introduced me to journals soon after I lost my youngest sister to breast cancer. Kim's link is the first one she gave to me. Kim had just been diagnosed, I started with Kim's first entry in her journal because I feel that is the way you get to know a person. I read to the latest entry she had at the time. My daughter gave me more and more links of others who had cancer. I read them all with great interest and lots of tears. Those journals lead me to others who were like myself and was grieving the loss of a loved ones. Though I was a caregiver to my sister, I found it hard to talk about the cancer itself, until my sister asked me one day what I thought about the cancer, it was the first time I had allowed myself to cry in front of her. All these beautiful people who are willing to share with us have given me more than I will ever be able to give them or their families in return.
Cancer is a devastating disease that so many of us find hard to talk about. We can sweep it under the rug but that isn't going to make it go away.
Actually, I believe this is a question that would be extremely hard to answer unless we find ourselves in this situation. I am truly thankful to those who have allowed me to be a part of their lives through their blog. Loving support can lift spirits on the darkest of days.

Debbie

Anonymous said...

Wow... I just.... I don't know what I would do. It's a question that we all hope we never have to answer. I guess I would play it by ear, but one thing I know I would do is give someone access to my journals/blogs so that they didn't just one day go dark.

Anonymous said...

I'd react the same way as you would.  I don't have a daughter towrite about it afterward, but Paulette has assured me she will do an entry to let J-Land know if anything happens to me.  So sad about the passing of our friends this week.
Sam

Anonymous said...

I really don't know what I would do. It is nice how folks rally around with support and prayers in times like that. Helen

Anonymous said...

I am 64 years old and was diagnosed with breast cancer in Sept of 2001 (be SURE to get your mammograms) and spent most of 2002 in chemo and radiation.  I found great support at the breast cancer website.  The best internet chatting for me was with other women undergoing the same experience.

No one knows how they will react.  I didn't react the way I always thought I would.

I am thankful for every day of good health and feel so fortunate to be in remission for five years.

Every day is a blessing and should be enjoyed to the fullest.

Anonymous said...

I would journal about it here... it's how I deal and cope with things!


Sharon

Anonymous said...

I might mention it as far as doctor appts....how I am feeling...but wouldn't dwell on the cancer itself...I think I would try to minimize the whole situation...write about things that make me happy...things that make me laugh...things I enjoy doing...and maybe cannot do anymore....but the question is food for thought....specially if you haven't been in that situation yourself...what would we do if the shoe was on the other foot???....Happy New Year....hugs...Ora

Anonymous said...

I have thought about this. I have lupus and I never blog about it, never have, never will.

Cancer scares the bejeezuz out of me. It stole my mother from me when I was 11 years old. It worries me that I could get cancer and have to leave my boys behind. I doubt I would blog about it if I had it....I might if it was a beatable cancer. But, if I did not stand any chance of beating it, I would not post about it.

Anonymous said...

I don't have a journal or a blog.  I have had breast cancer, two recurrences, chemo and radiation.  Cancer is not who I am.  I've found that some people really don't know how to react to "The Bad News" and it makes some very uncomfortable.  I usually don't talk about it and try not to dwell on it.  I 'm grateful for every sunrise.  To answer the question, I would not blog about it, but would be more than willing to answer any questions for those that do know.  Vicki

Anonymous said...

I would journal about it. I journal about my deafness and so many have said I give them an insight to a world they would of otherwise never known. I truly believe knowledge is power. The more you know about something, give of yourself, the benefits tend to outweigh the bad.

I have to admit there are days I would rather believe I was no different than anyone else who could hear. The internet gives me that ability....but it helps me see things in a way I might not realize had I kept things inside. Sometimes we don't know how to word how we feel or what is going on in our lives until we see it before us in black and white......

If cataloging our journey with whatever we have to deal with helps , just one person (even if it's only you, on a selfish level) it's worth its weight in words. (Hugs) Indigo

Anonymous said...

I would journal about it only because I would pray that I could help someone else feel a little better about it if they too were suffering from this.  I know if I did find out  I had cancer I would be reading all the journals I could find from those who suffer from this.  In hopes I may see something that may help me deal.  

Anonymous said...

Good question. I'm not sure how I'd handle it. I probably would blog about it though.
Pam

Anonymous said...

Knowing me, I would blog about it.  Reason being, there are so many things that my friends here in Jland have helped me with, that I know it would sooth my soul to share what I was going through with those that cared to read and be there for me.  
I would definitely share.  But, then, my life has always been an open book, and I doubt Cancer would change that.

Jackie

Anonymous said...

I don't know how I would handle it...what worries me is...how will my friends here know if I passed?
love ya,
carlene

Anonymous said...

Honestly, I dont know for sure what I would do unless faced with it for real. But, with that said I have a pretty good idea that I would shut down this computer and live every moment I could in the real world. I sometimes wonder if I am wasting away my hours by sitting here..but I do enjoy it, so I guess it isnt a waste. If I had little time left I would not be on the computer much if at all though, I think thats how I would be anyway.

Anonymous said...

I would write it out, so my daughter could read my thoughts whenever she felt ready to. It sure is a personal decision, isn't it?

xoxo

Anonymous said...

I think I would write about it....blogging is a good way for me to relive stresswhen I can't drive. I think it would help me deal with it and just maybe help others with it. writting is my life. and someday if God deems it to be so I might have my nephew make my life into a movie {he is studying to be a film producer}.


Patty

Anonymous said...

I would blog about it.  All of the good thoughts and prayers from others would be healing to me.  And less shocking to my online friends.
Traci

Anonymous said...

NO I would not
i was once diagnosed w terminal  cancer and i only let close friends know about it,
pardon my capitalizing and puncuation, i feel better just rambling on,
I did ask many of my internet friends know and they did pray for me,I had made up my mind to let it run its course, but in the end i gave in and got treatment and ive survived it, not without side effects, too numerous to spaeak about, but I thank god for my friends that i had on aol that did pray for me and gave me the support i needed.
you all know who you were so names     GOD BLESS EACH OF YOU, AND MY PRAYERS ARE ALWAYS W YOU ALL
JESSE  JKIRBY007@AO0L.COM