The excellent Second Life blog of Chestnut Rau (who covered SL events for this blog with just as much excellence) hasn't been updated in quite awhile, but for a very good reason: In real life, she was diagnosed with cancer, but rather than turn inward as many are likely to do, she began blogging about the experience via her real life name, in a new blog called Edie Beats Cancer. Spoiler alert: She beats cancer, and learns some things along the way. Among them, to wit:
I do not have time or patience for any bullshit that does not pass my “cancer filter.” Does your earth shattering problem compare with cancer? No? Ok then a little perspective is in order methinks.
Hope you go here and wish her a full and permanent recovery, like I do now here.
Tweet
Hamlet, I have been thinking about how to respond to this post since I first learned of its existence.
Thank you for your good wishes. Still, I do wish you had done me the kindness of talking to me about sharing my story with your huge readership before you did so.
Yes, I posted my words on the internet and everything after that is fair game. Realistically, I have no true right to feel violated by this post and yet I sort have exactly that feeling. There are plenty who judge me for holding a light up to my life at so sensitive a moment and there are others who simply think I am an attention seeking drama whore. So be it.
I am a writer. Writer, write. When I got my diagnosis I was reeling and I immediately started to write about what was happening as a way to hold my footing on the ship of cancer, which was rocking me hard. I shared the link on twitter in a moment when I felt so alone I thought I would drown if someone didn't grab my hand. The response was immediate and overwhelmingly positive.
Having said all of that, you are not Perez Hilton and I am not Lindsey Lohan. Your readers deserve more from you than this post and I deserve to not have my life turned into spectacle.
Posted by: Chestnut Rau | Friday, October 12, 2012 at 03:43 AM