Damned Near Killed Him

It is a rare opportunity that we have to hear firsthand from the perspective of those who are dealing with cancer-the lamentable impact of radiation, the nauseating effects of chemotherapy and the ruthless toll it all takes on the body, on the family, on the sense of self. Most often these are the things of private reflection and introspection. Not so for Sandy Glum.

When Sandy, an elementary school teacher, was first diagnosed with cancer, she summed up her relentless tears and diminishing hope with the words Wesley spoke to Buttercup (Princess Bride), "Life is pain, Highness." Fearful of being a "whiner" and aware of the need to be strong and courageous for her young family, Sandy muses on her multiple failing attempts to do so. Her self-deprecating accounts unfold the most endearing and captivating honesty during what is agreeably one of the most vulnerable of life experiences. With tongue-in-cheek she pores over the bizarre rites of the cancer patient (from PICC lines to hair loss), the distressing alteration of relationships, the confounding wrestle with mortality and the significance of faith in the light of it all.

Be prepared to laugh and cry all in the same moment as Sandy bares herself-body and soul. These writings are taken from her blog Damned Near Killed Him and are compiled by her friend, Sandy Oshiro Rosen (Bare-The Misplaced Art of Grieving and Dancing), who also adds the forward.