LeCaptain Talks LeCancer

 WARNING: THIS BLOG CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR THE NEW SEASON OF DEAD TO ME  AND THE MIDNIGHT CLUB BOTH STREAMING ON NETFLIX I sincerely can't tell if there is more representation of cancer in the media these days, or if I'm only just noticing it more because I, myself, have it. I'm watching the new and final season of Dead to Me , starring Christina Applegate and Linda Cardellini, which just dropped today. By the end of the first episode, we learn that Linda Cardellini may have cancer. In October, Mike Flanagan dropped his latest spooky series called The Midnight Club , which follows a troupe of terminally ill teenagers who've chosen to live out the rest of their lives in hospice care, together. Every night at midnight they sneak into the basement and tell stories over stolen wine and the glow of a raging fire. The first ten minutes of the series show a young girl receiving a cancer diagnosis. If you know me, you know I dabble in the dark (humor) arts, and I certainly don...

 I saw Wicked  on my birthday. I've seen this show 5 times. I know what happens. I know all the songs. I've seen all the special effects. There are no surprises. And yet, I cried. I cried at least 6 times.  During the opening number, Galinda the Good Witch started singing a line I have always particularly liked the melody of:  And goodness knows, the Wicked's lives are lonely Goodness knows, the Wicked die alone I swiftly felt my chest seize and my throat clench. All of a sudden my eyes were burning with tears. Then the tears were soaking my face. I was full-on silently sobbing. This happened at least 5 more times throughout the rest of the show. (Don't even get me started on Defying Gravity .) It wasn't the lyrics that made me get so emotional. It took a moment for me to realize that it was the thought of being up on that stage, performing. Something I haven't done in nearly 3 years.  Have I thought about getting back into auditioning? Of course. Does it give m...

If you came here hoping to read wild conspiracy theories about how chemotherapy is a tool meant to keep the sick sick, you've come to the wrong place. The "truth" in the title of this post refers to what going through chemotherapy treatment is really like, from one person's experience. Going through chemotherapy involves setting a lot of alarms. It involves taking a lot of pills. It involves eating a lot of beige food. It hopefully does not involve a lot of vomiting, if the load of pills you've taken are doing the job they are meant to do.  People going through cancer treatment are often depicted as sickly and pale, with sunken eyes and a scarf around their bald head. Now, I'm not saying that there aren't people who look like this when they go through treatment, because it really does a number on you, but this just seems like the extreme version.  The truth is, a round of chemo doesn't end once they disconnect the IV and send you home. It doesn't e...