LiamLicks: 9/9/12

Thursday, September 13, 2012

RACK CANCER

LIAM HOPING

You know the word cancer but what does the word "rack" conjure up for you? Lori Phair has written a book and entitled it "RACK CANCER: Sharing Hope" You might remember Lori from the LiamLicks blog story from May when we did the Revlon Walk on Cinco de Mayo- refresher link here
http://liamlicks.blogspot.com/2012_05_06_archive.html

Here is her pic and the link to her FB author page so you can have a visual as you read on
Lori Whitney Phair, Author

https://www.facebook.com/LoriWhitneyPhairRackCancerSharingHope
RACK CANCER-Its meaning should have hit me but did not. I thought of a rack-that stretching medieval thing of torture-okay I have read the Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy-maybe that might fit-cancer can be torture. I confess I thought of racks, both wine and shoe. Food next-rack of lamb- Racked my brain. Yes, it is rack the brain, not wrack. I checked. I logged onto Amazon, bought the book and it flew into my Kindle. The answer was in the first chapter-I had forgotten that the slang use of "rack" can also refer to women's breasts. RACK CANCER=BREAST CANCER. The book opens with a family dinner and we learn how Lori's breast cancer came to be referred to as rack cancer. It is a charming, funny, and honest glimpse into a family dealing with difficult news and a child's ability to tame a scary unknown intruder by renaming it with a word often used in family dinner repartee. Renaming it, making it theirs.

LIAM WITH HIS THINGS OF COMFORT

My favorite book genre is the memoir and this book is that and more. There are poems, there are stories, observations and a detailed history on one woman's journey through cancer and how it affects her and changes her views. Lori has included emails from the first months after her breast cancer diagnosis. These exchanges are real time talking to friends and family so they put us in the moment with her. This book is a unique and lively compilation of a few years of a life changed forever and now lived to the fullest. I highlighted a lot on my Kindle. I wanted to be able to look back and read parts really quick. Writers can crystallize our thoughts. Lori does. Validate an experience- Lori does that. Give us hope-Lori does that. It is about everyday life with cancer in it but not taking over it. Below sharing some parts-
Lori is in italics and quotation marks-probably a punctuation violation. I am interspersed (regular)

"and I will never again slam pots and pans around (and mumble under my breath "Did you have to use every pot we own?") as I clean up the kitchen after Jim cooks."
Paul cooks and cleans. After reading this passage I was determined to return to cleaning up after Paul's meals. This past Saturday I brillo'd every pan and pot, even the sink and drain. Just once so far but it is a start.

SHE LEFT ME ALONE TO BRILLO

"I saw breasts everywhere-innocent ceiling light fixtures, chocolate kisses, Friendly's happy-endings double-scoop sundaes-EVERYWHERE (I think I now know what it feels like to be a guy.)"

"I have always felt sad or angry when someone came into my life and then left. Relationships end for many different reasons. I have come to appreciate that we are drawn to certain people because we need to learn something from them."

LIAM WITH "FRIENDS ARE PRECIOUS" PILLOW

Something I have been wrestling with lately. Long term friendships, situational friendships, new friendships, renewed friendships, occasional friendships. All have a place and value. Reading Lori's take helped me better understand and appreciate people coming and going. (for more on this subject-See Life Teachers in the poem section)

and then the poems-they are easy, fast, both light and deep- here is part of a favorite of mine

The Power of Words

Words can hurt or words can heal,

So choose them with great care.

Don't toss them out like knives or spears

That soar right through the air.

Your careless words can break a heart

Or tatter someone's soul.

Despite the fact that this was not

Your plan, intent, or goal.

So choose your words with thought and care

And THINK before you spout.

'Cause once it's said, it can't come back,