ruthhtur

My Experience with Cancer

I was first diagnosed with NHL in 4/2008 when I got a routine chest x-ray as I prepared to go abroad to Japan to check for Tuberculosis. Instead of TB, I had a football sized tumor right behind my sternum, compressing my lungs despite my regular exercise schedule. I went through 6 rounds of R-CHOP and was officially in remission in 10/2008. This year I was accepted to the JET program in Osaka, Japan, and my very last check up before I was scheduled to depart, my cancer was back. I have been undergoing RICE chemotherapy and am ramping up for a stem cell transplant in the coming weeks.

Hobbies

Music, travel, culture, food, swimming, kitsch, seeing my beloved friends.

Books

I love to read, but don’t consider myself necessarily well-read. Especially in terms of choosing life-changing books. Suggestions welcome.

Music

I love finding music. I love folk, indie, world, pop, you name it. Bon Iver, the Avett Brothers, The Old Believers, Conor Oberst, My Morning Jacket, Okkervil River….

My Kind of People

People who do not bullshit me, or try to feign interest, or who are fake in any facet. I am not negative, but I am not positive for the sake of soothing other people– Authenticity, honesty, and being genuine are some of the most attractive traits that I see in others. Also, passion! I love people that have a real zeal for life even if it is about dorky stuff.

Reason for Being Here

Support! I am 24 and have had recurrent cancer. I recognize that I’m not very wise, but feel like I have a lot to say about what I’ve been going through. I hope to someday provide support for others that have known cancer intimately, and in the meantime, I hope to gain a little bit of intelligence so that I can deftly defeat the asshole that is NHL.

Words of Wisdom

Tell people what you need so that they can best support it– don’t try to be ‘strong’ for the sake of being strong– sometimes admitting that you’re not “ok” is the strongest thing you can do.

Know Me

I am a sarcastic, cynical lady with no hair and a love of gourmet food. I aspire to be well-traveled, thoroughly interesting, and balanced. Also I’m dedicated to making cancer stigma understood and eradicated, and to heighten awareness. I love indie folk, my honey is a chef, and we have a self-conscious Boston Terrier.