Christmas and canSer


Got a few friends going through the canSer blues this holiday season? Weeeeeheeheeheeeelllll ne’er fear!! the canSer Avenger is here!! AND…

She’s got a few good idears about what to give and what NOT to give your homies who are a temporary home to a one such previously mentioned parasite.

First off, let me start by saying this.  People with canSer DO NOT want scarves, hats, turbans, wigs or any other sort of head covering you can possibly conjure up in the smallest part of that non-creative mind.  First off, these sorts of items are extremely personal. Everyone likes something different and what one person picks out to give, the receiver may find incredibly unflattering. (I mean, helloooo..not everyone wants to rock a blonde mullet wig; white trash style…don’t lie…I know that’s totally what you were thinking to give..)  Secondly, those of us who dealt with or are still dealing with the harsh effects of chemotherapy already have a million of these items. Chances are, whatever you find, we’ve got three of the exact same one…one to wear, one to be dirty and one to wash. So three.

Also, please don’t give us gift cards to places like KFC, Chili’s, etc. Not that these aren’t great gifts, but really; does a person who is fighting canSer and is probably nauseated from chemo really want to eat this stuff?? Should they eat this stuff???? Nope. Not really. So save those for your other grease-eatin’ non-calorie countin’ homies this year.

Having said all that, how bout some things canSer patients would really love??

“But Jess, you already slammed out everything I got. Now I have to return stuff and my Black Friday shopping was wasted!” so you say.

Ne’er fear! The canSer Avenger is here!

AND

Your Black Friday efforts were not in vain! Take those items to your Local American Cancer Society and donate them! They will give them to a new canSer soldier who will love them dearly and you will receive a tax write-off.

Anyhoo, moving on..

#1

One Year subscription to NETFLIX

It was also one of Oprah’s Favorite Things this year, if that helps any.

Netflix is a life-saver for any individual going through chemotherapy.  Normally, one would think that the chemo is the life-saver, but that is far from the truth. Netflix is saving canSer kickers every day. Saving them from death by BOREDOM! My chemo sessions were on average, six and a half hours long. Netflix allowed me to not only have a couple of DVD movies to bring, but also instant watch thousands of movies and every single episode of My Name is Earl and The IT Crowd. Laughter is the best medicine and you will find that lots of these gift ideas provide just exactly that!

And don’t be stingy! Opt for at least 6 months and if you’re really awesome, hook ‘em up with the 2-dvd at a time option. Word.

#2

ALL of the Disney Princess movies!  (even for a guy. They like them, too, although many won’t admit it.)

I stumbled upon THIS BLOG for those of you who think that the Princess movies may be degrading to women. Quit reading too much into things. You ruin it.  Just enjoy the movies.  Every girl, no matter what age, wants to be a Princess; particularly a Disney one.   I mean, who WOULDN’T want to be one of those chicks up there?? They get it all! The guy, the palace, the crown, the cupcakes..hey. In my mind, they get cupcakes.

#3

The Michael Jackson Experience Game!

This is probably the coolest thing to come out in video gaming this year.  Word to the wise: make sure your canSer kicker has one of these gaming systems and that you purchase the game for the CORRECT system. I can’t tell ya how many xbox games I have and no xbox to play them on.

Also, don’t gimme that crap about child molestation, blah blah blah. Don’t act like you don’t know the words to Thriller or Billie Jean..You’re so humming them in your head riiiiiigght now and you know it!  Whether you want to admit it or not, the Man inspired the world.

#4

One of previously mentioned gaming systems!!

Or, if the gift receiver already has one of these systems, the xbox Kinect or PS3 Move are nice additions and are required in order to play the MJ Experience game. My personal pick would be the Kinect if that person has all these systems as it provides an overall experience. If the individual does not have a system at all, go for the PS3. It is a better overall entertainment console; as it can surf the web, play blu-rays, etc. the xBox is a better overall gaming console and has a handful of games that are full of WIN that are not available on the PS3. (Left for Dead 2 anyone???)

#5
Anything Zombie related is always fun. So let’s see…
We have..
Videogames

I have to agree with this guy’s love of zombie games; although I rather liked Left for Dead 2…just sayn.
However, he’s left out such greats as Plants vs. Zombies (which is also available as an iTunes app game for iPhone) Dead Space, Rock of the Dead; a game where mad guitar skills are used to destroy the hordes of undead, Red Dead Redemption: Undead nightmare; cowboy up, zombie killers..and the Siren series.
Movies
HERE’S a whole list of ‘em!  If there’s too many to pick from, I would recommend 28 Days Later,( although, this is arguably NOT a zombie film, as the people are consumed by the rage virus and are not really walking dead but whatever. It’s still a fun watch.)  anything by George Romero, Fido, and my two personal favorites, Zombieland and Shaun of the Dead.

Books

Or ANY Max Brooks novel, for that matter

See?  A little something for everyone in the Zombie genre. If there’s nothing here, just google “Zombie stuff” and TA DAAAAAAAA!!! Magic!

#6

A nice, quality blanket.

No really.  One has no clue how comforting it is to have an amazing blanket that is aaaalll your own. No one else but you has puked on it.

See? Now you know WHY it’s so terrific. heh.

I received one of these when I was in the hospital and it is AH MAH ZING! It goes pretty much everywhere with me.


I actually had two blankets. My homegirl, Kim gave me one as well so I had one to wash and one to take with me.

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#8
iPod
Word.
Need I really say more about this??

#9
Gift cards to iTunes
These can be used to purchase music, apps, ringtones ebooks and other whatnot for said iPod/iPhone. They’re lovely and kinda get around that whole “impersonal” issue most have with a gift card. It is actually quite thoughtful in my opinion because nothing is worse than when someone buys you a CD or DVD that you already own or really just can’t stand.

# DEKA (ten in greek, but I thought it looked like “deku” ten cool points if you know what that is from..)
Donation to The American Cancer Society in our name.
No really. That’s pretty cool. Just accompany it with some cookies or a pumpkin pie and there you have it..a gift worthy of tears.
You’re still humming Billie Jean, aren’t you..

Hugs and Sunny Surf,
Jessica & Gertrude

P.S. I left out something..did you notice? hehehe

Letter to Me


Dear Me,

The idea of this is to read it often and make sure there is some follow-through. I know I’m not perfect and may fudge on some of this, but hey…so goes the life of a pirate. In the words of Captain Jack Sparrow, they’re not rules…as much as…guidelines. Anyway, there’s just a few things I need to discuss with me, so here we go.

First off, quit settling for less than the knight in shining armor.  So far, all that has gotten you is a couple of divorces, a few extra pounds and well, okay..the coolest little dog known to mankind. But that was simply a fluke. Chances are, you would have found that pupster regardless so he doesn’t count.  Honeychild, Mr. Right will love you just the way you are. He won’t kick the bedmonster out of your bed because you didn’t give him his puppy bath this week. (maybe just to the foot of the bed.) he’ll buy you tattoo sessions for Christmas and he will send flowers ‘just because.’

And while we are on this subject, he will also support your dreams and goals. You’re never too old to finish college and you are absolutely smart enough to be a sleazy lawyer, just like you always wanted to be.  Know those bad days you have where you just need to scream and voice your frustrations to someone? He won’t mind that, either. Matter of fact, he’ll probably even take the blame for his screw-ups and when it comes to arguments with others, he will most ALWAYS side with you, even if it means you’re both wrong. Most importantly, he will be man enough to apologize for the times he is actually wrong and you won’t have to contstantly say you’re sorry for things that were out of your control. Not everything is your fault, woman, so quit apologizing for being who  you are.

Now, since we’ve hit that topic, you just can’t control everything in this world.  Having said that, it was NOT your fault that you ended up with the canSer and it was NOT your fault that things are they way they are right now. Sure it sucks to have to constantly start over but that too will soon cease. As much as you’ve taken in during your short time on this planet, you absolutely have the most amazing parts yet to come. Karma loves ya and won’t overlook your pretty face.

On that note, don’t forget what canSer has given you. If life were a VCR and you could hit rewind and edit, deep in the beautiful heart ya got, you know you wouldn’t change shit. Why? Because girlfriend, you said it best yourself…coping with canSer taught you to rely on the beauty INSIDE because you couldn’t rely on what was outside. Besides; you know you rock that bald head with class and sass. Hell, even Sinead O’Connor couldn’t pull off what you are, not even with all the money she made from a 3 dollar headshave.

3 dollars is enough to get you a sonic coke and a cheeseburger so don’t fret. It ain’t easy to rebuild your life on a mere $400 a month but that is temporary.  Karma has already waved her magic wand and touched the lives of those at the company you will soon write for and brought your magic into their rockin’ facility. You belong there and they all know it.  Just be patient, grasshopper because sometimes it just takes a bit of extra time to get the ball rolling. Ya lost just about everything and it sucks, but people who truly love you will help you get it back.  They also won’t throw it in your face and won’t be doing it so they can play the “savior” roll.  Matter of fact, they won’t think a damn thing of it because that’s just how they roll. Eliminate the toxic people and things will get even better.

Keep on keepin’ on and be doin’ what you do. Bald is beautiful and you deserve the fairytale…even if that fairytale is more reminiscent of Tim Burton than Disney.

Hugs and Sunny Surf,

Jessica & Gertrude.

Oh and P.S.   You ARE a princess…no matter what he says…WTF does he know anyway?? You know the truth. You can get it back without lying and without the toxic ones.  Hard work pays off better in the end than lying and belittling. Let Karma deal with that, momma. ;)

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