Reporting from The Other Side

29/09/23

No one talks about how hard it is to be on the other side. 

Maybe because the alternative to surviving is death itself, and no one is around to tell you that story. Yet, this idea of surviving is so heavily positive-washed, bleached sunshine yellow by the optimism of everyone around the – choke – survivor. 

You must be so grateful, you did this! You managed to beat cancer. You’re so blessed, focus on all the things that you have overcome.

All of this is true. Surviving any kind of disease (or trauma) is an incredible feat, especially when you survive it with most of your bodily functions and mental faculties intact. 

So much is written about what it takes to persevere through cancer treatment. I know, I’ve contributed to this cavern of literature endlessly as well. I have consumed this literature ravenously, trying to remind myself when I was in the thick of things that cancer is not the end; that there are so many ways to get through things, to get across to this utopian other side. 

This piece was first published on RIC Journal. Click here to read the full story.

Cover image sourced from here.