The Elephant in the Room is Cancer. Tea is the Relief Conversation Provides.

Patients

The stories and experiences in this category are written by people currently going through treatments for cancer. Read these stories to find inspiration and know that you are not alone in your experience with cancer.

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Little Green Light

by Allison Breininger April 13, 2020

That green light became a comfort to me. It was a signal that she was there, available, ready to chat. When I clicked her name and began to type I knew what to expect.

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Patient Information and Self-Advocacy

by Joanna K. Stimmel April 6, 2020

About a year and half after the birth of my second child, I started noticing some blood in my stool. I was otherwise super healthy, I had recently switched to veganism and become an avid exerciser, and in result (or so I thought) lost all the baby weight and felt generally better than at any other point of time in my entire life.

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COVID-19 Pandemic: What You Need to Know to Stay Safe and Reduce Your Risk

by Amelia Baffa March 31, 2020

COVID-19 pandemic is an invisible enemy, its cunning, and an expert in adaption. This is a list of what you need to know to stay safe and reduce risk.

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COVID-19 and Cancer Patients

by Jennifer Anand March 16, 2020

Self-isolation. With COVD-19, that’s what I’m hearing from everyone now. Aldi was completely sold out of meat, and almost of veggies. Sam’s Club was sold out of rice. Everyone, of course, is sold out of toilet paper.

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The Time Bubble – March 2020 Issue

by Nick Giallourakis March 2, 2020

This issue covers a lot of mixed emotions and I’m sure you will find one that you will relate too. You will laugh and you will cry but like all things Elephants and Tea, we will do it together. I hope you enjoy our first magazine issue of 2020. 

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Julian

by Meagan Shedd February 23, 2020

The front desk staff person comes out to hand me more forms and talks to the man next to me, telling “Julian” to be nice to me. Julian is peering over my shoulder as I complete the paperwork.

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My Soul and My Body

by Elizabeth Jenkins February 7, 2020

It’s like I told my husband, if my book, helps just one person this is all that matters to me.  I just want people to know there is a meditation book out there not just for the cancer patient, but also for the caregivers, the medical profession, friends, family, or anyone who has been affected by cancer.  I know I am a miracle.

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Door Number Three

by Matthew Englander February 3, 2020

Thankfully three years have come and gone, but the fear of that moment has remained in the foreground.  Am I three years from dying of cancer right now? One? 25? It’s the not-knowing that amplifies the effects of the disease.  Yes, everyone will die, most are afraid of it, there is no escaping death.

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Tales from the Cancer Data Free Zone

by Hope Nesteruk February 2, 2020

I had cancer when I was 29.  Hodgkis Disease, stage IIA. Had cancer. Past tense. I did my 6 cycles of ABVD, got a clean PET, pulled out the port, and went on with my life.  I didn’t embrace the “survivor” label, didn’t raise money, didn’t even really talk about it. Sure, I followed up with oncology… for the most part.  Truth be told I was “lost to follow up” for a few years.

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Back Door Invasion – The Colonoscopy

by Dee Master January 29, 2020

Health before modesty! That was one of the fist things my urologist Dr. Colli said to me when I started my bladder cancer journey in 2013. 2012 Thanksgiving was horrific. It was extremely stressful for me Dr. Google announced to me ‘hey you have bladder cancer just the day after thanksgiving’. But back to the […]

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