In a few days, I'll celebrate another birthday. This birthday will make me older than my mother (pictured) was when she died. She died when I was 21, and I remember one night (though it was probably actually many nights) failing to sleep and thinking about the future without my mom. In my dorm room, …
The other day, I finished reading Smoke Gets in Your Eyes. I discovered the author, Caitlin Doughty, around the same time I received my cancer diagnosis. I watched her video about talking to children about death. Now, I had an optimistic outlook on my cancer treatment, but I had to tell my kid, and my …
I've thought of a dozen topics to write about only to run out of steam by the time I get to my computer. At least this summer I don't have chemo. My hair is growing back. Slowly. I hate short hair, but I'm glad it's coming back. I might have lymphedema. Might not. I've got …
How do you think a unicorn starts its day? As a kid, I wanted to be a unicorn. Sometimes I would wish to turn into one. Ah, childhood. I don't suppose I can be a unicorn and a writer. Unicorns can't type. As far as I know. Tomorrow will be a year since my surgery. …
The year is approaching its close. January 1, 2013 I met with a surgeon. I didn't have a cancer diagnosis yet. In fact, the surgeon said that with my case history and profile, I had less than an 8% chance of having anything cancerous. Five surgeries and months of chemo later, I am not officially …
One thing I want to do is make hand made books. I've got no market for handmade books and one book takes a ton of time, so they aren't practical. But they're fun, and I'll probably make more. Years ago, I started a story about two rabbits, Ink and Mirabelle. This weekend, I finished one …
Today I finished chemo. One surgery remains. The toxins will leave my body, my hair will grow back, and I'll get to call myself a survivor. But aren't we all survivors if we make it to another day? I don't know, but I find survivor a strange thing to call myself. Many people are kind …
When I was an infant, my grandmother (pictured over there) would put a blanket on the floor for my naps. Her German Shepherd puppy, Jill (also pictured), would curl up around me and nap too. At the time, my mother was depressed and suicidal. Perhaps she wasn't the best mother those early days, but eventually …
Publication! My publisher, Plum Tree Books, is launching two children's books that I illustrated! I've been distracted and more unorganized than usual because of a cancer diagnosis and chemo brain, but I'm trying to get my life and my attitude back on track. I'm excited about my publisher's work and I want her books to …
I've started several blog posts that I haven't finished. Percocet took over and I couldn't think. And everything I write seems ridiculous. Trite. Meaningless. I don't have anything to add to the cancer narrative. I can't add any original observations. I've started reading two breast cancer memoirs. I finished the first chapter of one of …
Marta Pelrine-Bacon 