We cancer folk refer to people who don’t have cancer but still give unsolicited advice about how we should feel and what we should do about it, as such😁

It ranges from people who say “cheer up, you’re not terminal” to the ones who provide juice booster shot recipes loaded with ginger/celery/kale pulp and just the thought tastes awful (Water it down for the love of fruit and vegetables)😶

But this is not another post to add to the many ranting about cancer muggles. This is a post to remind us, members of the cancer fellowship (and mostly myself) that we were also once cancer muggles…😬

Before I was diagnosed, I had friends and colleagues who got diagnosed. I spoke with them on the phone, visited them, offered my help and I’m pretty sure I said a stupid thing or two (or ten) which I thought was encouraging or helpful, but most likely made them want to slap me🫤

Throughout this journey, a lot of things have been said to me and a lot of advice has been given. I requested from day one for people to ask and say anything and everything, because the one thing I knew for sure was that I didn’t want people treating me as if I was already dead or just avoiding me because they didn’t know what to say. Yes, it’s not curable, but it’s treatable and thank everything we all believe in, I’m healing beautifully🥰

So yes, I have felt annoyed, irritated, and angry and I have gotten upset and frustrated and have lashed out. I was short-fused because of chemo, lack of food and sleep, and of course feeling mentally and emotionally crippled😑

But everything that was said to me came from a good place. Nothing was meant in a mean way and none was unkind. Some said things out of awkwardness and others just to say something, wanting to show their support😍

They don’t know how we feel. And we are grateful that they don’t and we hope that they never will! And we are grateful they are there and that they mean well especially when we are mean to ourselves.

Even when we label them (mostly in our minds) as cancer muggles🤭

And also choose a few delicate words as to where they can shove their power juice of celery😌

Again, mostly in our minds😏