After Facing Testicular Cancer, I Realized I Was Feeling Depressed – So I Asked For Antidepressants
Continue readingProgress with Prozac
Surviving As A Caregiver
Though I’m a young adult cancer survivor, having been diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma at the age of 24, I first heard the words ‘you have cancer’ said to my mother 2 years before my own diagnosis.
Continue readingHi, My Name Is Aerial And I Have Anxiety.
The difference between Aerial today and Aerial from a decade ago is the management of my mental health. I have my “go-to” list that helps me get through moments of angst, like the middle of the night panics when all my friends are sleeping and my husband is snoring the night away.
Continue readingPeace Amidst Chaos
There are many things in life that we prepare for. We study or practice and hope that when the time comes, we are ready for whatever faces us. So, when something extreme happens to us, like being diagnosed with cancer, what preparation from our lives do we fall back on?
Continue readingFinding Grace Through Grief
The lesson I’ve learned from all of this tremendous grief is to show yourself some freaking grace. Give credit that your loved ones know how you feel, that the appreciation you have is known, and that while you’ll always wish for more time, it’s okay that things were left where they were.
Continue readingSurvival Is Insufficient
Now there is scientific research showing that the young adult cancer population, aged 18-39, is the most isolated age-group who experiences cancer, and that this isolation is linked to all sorts of quality of life issues. It affects survival rates, reintegration into normal life, and a host of other things. There is data showing that surviving cancer is not enough, we must also be helped to thrive. There is data showing that survival is insufficient.
Continue readingWhy I Stayed Away From Survivors
It wasn’t just denial and triggers and caricatures that got in the way of me connecting. It was the idea of being friends with people who were much more likely, statistically, to die earlier than normal, and to have very difficult things happen to them. It was the risk that everyone I knew was weighing with me: how closely do I want to be entwined with that kind of hard?
Continue readingLacuna Loft Featured In Smile Politely
Lacuna Loft was recently featured in Smile Politely, Champaign-Urbana’s online magazine. The whole interview process was a lot of fun (Thanks Katie!) and we hope that the article helps to share some of the cool stuff that we are doing here, over at Lacuna Loft!
To check out the article, click here!