In the film “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” my favourite lines are those spoken by the father who is intent on proving that so much of what we have today comes “ferrom er the Gerreek.” Well, here I’ve proved him right, in writing this blog, I have borrowed so much “from the Greek”, with an odyssey, Theseus, the minotaur and the made-up goddesses, Euphemia and Anaesthesia .
However, I must emphatically state that if Greek mythology has helped out a little, the traditions of Greek drama are strictly not invoked. My encounter with cancer is not a tragedy: I am not a victim of the gods, punished for my hubris, a come-uppance for my over-weaning pride. Even though for me the most important acts took place in a theatre, cancer is neither drama nor mythology. No. Cancer is biology. Cancer is mathematical: its abnormal cells divide and multiply in a similar way to normal ones. Its ways are predictable and understood only as a result of methodical scientific research and skill. Statistically, I had a 1 in 22 chance of being diagnosed with breast cancer because of my age. Apparently, genes, hormones and maternal age further upped the chances; all mathematical and biological.
Nor was my purpose in writing the blog that key element of Greek drama, katharsis, releasing the emotions, but about giving an account of a diagnosis, treatment and cure, primarily for friends who had pieces of the jigsaw but no-one had the whole picture. I hope too it is of some use to anyone in similar circumstances. If anything, the purpose is about trying to understand one small part of this massive monster we know as cancer, to possibly understand a bit more of the whole beast.
I could not have talked to anyone face to face about anything here beyond a few sentences. The blog has been like an empty room where I can show you my blessings and where you help me count them, where I safely leave some words and where you find them, and to those leaving kind encouraging messages in return, there could be no better gift.
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