Life During Wartime

I follow a journalist on Twitter (@johnelworthy  if you want to give him a follow) and he mentioned in a tweet that he was going to stop using the phrase "x died after a battle with cancer". I was most pleased with this and told him so as sometimes I wonder if I have accidentally joined the army since getting my diagnosis.

Cancer is surrounded by war metaphors. Cancer is an "enemy" to be engaged in "battle" that you "fight" using the "weapons" of chemotherapy and radiotherapy. I really don't know where it comes from but its lazy, innacurate and really tweaks my tail. Its a disease and I'm being treated for it; I'm not fighting the second battle of Ypres for crying out loud.

And of course the soldiers in this battle, that would be me, are always "brave" and "heroic". No we aren't. Bravery is rescuing a wounded comrade under fire. Heroism is running into a burning building to save the life of a child. You have a choice to be brave or heroic, having cancer isn't a choice it's just something that happens to you. Sure as a cancer patient you can be stoical and I think I am* but brave, not a chance.

Anyway the enemy will be engaged once more at Addenbrookes at 1300 hours this wednesday. Synchronise watches men! This is life during wartime



(Any excuse to post a Talking Heads video)

* Mrs Dracunculus may disagree as she has to put up with my grumpyness