'Chasing Life' or Coping with a Cancer Diagnosis

I have been watching a new show on ABC Family called 'Chasing Life'. I was drawn to it for two reasons - its based in Boston and its about someone with cancer. I always like to check out the shows based locally - to see how good or bad a job they do. This one doesn't even attempt Boston accents which is good (because they never get them right) and is entire unrealistic in that a three generation family lives in a townhouse on Beacon Hill, which probably lists for a few million.

Here is the 'official' show description:

"Chasing Life follows twenty-something April (Italia Ricci), a smart and quick-witted aspiring journalist, who is trying to work her way up the ladder at a Boston newspaper by trying to impress her hard-nosed editor. When not pursuing the latest scoop, April tries to balance her ambitious career with her family – her widowed mom Sara, rebellious little sister Brenna and her grandmother. Just as things start to look up at work, home and on the romance front with co-worker Dominic, April gets the devastating news from an estranged uncle that she has cancer."

But I digress. What I do like about it is that the star, April, is coping with a diagnosis of leukemia. While yes there is the drama of a boyfriend, a BFF who is a drama queen, a bunch of family crap which can be entertaining, the issue of coping with a cancer diagnosis resounds with me.

I have watched the first two episodes and she has only told her BFF about her diagnosis and can't seem to find the right time to tell anyone else. She can't find the words, she can't find the time, she doesn't  know what to say. Her mother, sister, grandmother, co-workers, and boyfriend do not know.


While I fear the show is playing off what I feel is the latest trend that it is 'hip' to have cancer coming out of Hollywood - there seem to be more and more movies and shows about this - I can relate to this one. I dreamed about how she is dealing vs how I dealt with sharing my cancer news. As someone who went through the issues she is facing, I feel the show is realistic in its depiction of the issues. Usually if someone hasn't walked the walk with coping with cancer, they cannot talk the talk.

I plan to continue watching the show and am optimistic it will not deteriorate into fluff or stupidity. I am a few episodes behind which are safely stored on the Tivo until I get to them.

Supplements and Dr Oz and other medical inspirationalists

The decline of the TV doctor....Or more specifically false advertising of miracle treatments...


Dr Oz and others have gotten rich by using 'flowery language' to promote supplements for weight loss. Green coffee extract? Didn't Oprah make him famous in the first place? That's another show for medical information... Dr Oz is currently spending his days at the US Senate defending his language and promotion of supplements that do exactly nothing and making scam arts rich.

The problem with these fad supplements are several:

• Supplements are not tested and approved by the FDA and can contain toxic ingredients and can interact with prescription medication. The message here is do not use them without talking to your doctor.
• Scammers and others quickly hop on the bandwagon and get rich off the people who believe in what they see on TV.

"Just because you see a supplement product on a store shelf does NOT mean it is safe or effective," the FDA website says. "When safety issues are suspected, FDA must investigate and, when warranted, take steps to have the product removed from the market. However, it is much easier for a firm to get a product on the market than it is for FDA to take a product off the market."

While Dr Oz is grilled in Washington, we just need to remember what we have been told previously. Don't believe what  you see on TV or read online.

Supplements and Dr Oz and other medical inspirationalists

The decline of the TV doctor....Or more specifically false advertising of miracle treatments...


Dr Oz and others have gotten rich by using 'flowery language' to promote supplements for weight loss. Green coffee extract? Didn't Oprah make him famous in the first place? That's another show for medical information... Dr Oz is currently spending his days at the US Senate defending his language and promotion of supplements that do exactly nothing and making scam arts rich.

The problem with these fad supplements are several:

• Supplements are not tested and approved by the FDA and can contain toxic ingredients and can interact with prescription medication. The message here is do not use them without talking to your doctor.
• Scammers and others quickly hop on the bandwagon and get rich off the people who believe in what they see on TV.

"Just because you see a supplement product on a store shelf does NOT mean it is safe or effective," the FDA website says. "When safety issues are suspected, FDA must investigate and, when warranted, take steps to have the product removed from the market. However, it is much easier for a firm to get a product on the market than it is for FDA to take a product off the market."

While Dr Oz is grilled in Washington, we just need to remember what we have been told previously. Don't believe what  you see on TV or read online.

A Post on the Olympics

My blog wouldn't be complete with out a post on the Olympics. At this point, I am waiting for the gamesmaker or Professor Dumbledore to show up and a few deatheaters hanging in the shadows.

I have seen all the pictures of the tiny athlete village beds, the athlete stuck first in the bathroom and second in the elevator, and the nasty colored water which I wouldn't want to use to flush the toilet, never mind personal hygiene.

I have sort of followed the events - I simply do not have that much time in my life to watch that many sporting events.  I have watched a few things that I find interesting and rarely seen.

But what I do miss about them, is being able to do many of the sports that they show. I must say I have never been anywhere near as good as any Olympian or other professional but I could  hold my own for many of them.

I have cross country skied, I have down hill skied, I have even run the gates a few times in slalom and giant slalom. I did like to ski the moguls but was not into losing contact with the snow for jumping. I used to ice skate and spent many hours in a practice rink. I was in shows but not in competitions. I also used to snow shoe, winter hike and all those things that involved being outside in the snow.

February 1, 2003 was one of the last days I went down hill skiing. I remember the date because the space shuttle crashed and we would learn little details from each other on the chair lift. I had a great day of skiing but my right knee with its partially torn ACL and my then boyfriend now husband both protested the event. I greatly curtailed my down hill adventures after that.

I continued my cross country and snowshoeing through the following years with my boyfriend/husband. A badly sprained ankle three miles into the woods of NH didn't help my body any.

Five years and two weeks ago was my last attempt at significant winter adventures. My husband and I headed to an annual trip outside Lake Placid in the Adirondacks. On the way out of the woods, my back would give me so much pain I was doubled over and had to head back.

Now my adventures are limited to short snow shoe treks from the house. With RA and fibromyalgia and back issues combined with everything else, has turned me into the viewer and not the participant. I have gotten rid of much of my outdoor sports gear as I realize that I should not physically even try any of them due to potential danger to my body and increased risks of falls because of my ailments.

However I wouldn't mind a few deatheaters flitting on through combined with the gamesmaker who could throw in a few twists to make things more interesting. But between pouring rain, fog, and 60 degree temperatures I am not sure the Olympics need anything more.

I'll keep watching. I'm not sure when they even end. I just know they go on and on and on and I can watch them until they end....

'Chasing Life' or Coping with a Cancer Diagnosis

I have been watching a new show on ABC Family called 'Chasing Life'. I was drawn to it for two reasons - its based in Boston and its about someone with cancer. I always like to check out the shows based locally - to see how good or bad a job they do. This one doesn't even attempt Boston accents which is good (because they never get them right) and is entire unrealistic in that a three generation family lives in a townhouse on Beacon Hill, which probably lists for a few million.

Here is the 'official' show description:

"Chasing Life follows twenty-something April (Italia Ricci), a smart and quick-witted aspiring journalist, who is trying to work her way up the ladder at a Boston newspaper by trying to impress her hard-nosed editor. When not pursuing the latest scoop, April tries to balance her ambitious career with her family – her widowed mom Sara, rebellious little sister Brenna and her grandmother. Just as things start to look up at work, home and on the romance front with co-worker Dominic, April gets the devastating news from an estranged uncle that she has cancer."

But I digress. What I do like about it is that the star, April, is coping with a diagnosis of leukemia. While yes there is the drama of a boyfriend, a BFF who is a drama queen, a bunch of family crap which can be entertaining, the issue of coping with a cancer diagnosis resounds with me.

I have watched the first two episodes and she has only told her BFF about her diagnosis and can't seem to find the right time to tell anyone else. She can't find the words, she can't find the time, she doesn't  know what to say. Her mother, sister, grandmother, co-workers, and boyfriend do not know.


While I fear the show is playing off what I feel is the latest trend that it is 'hip' to have cancer coming out of Hollywood - there seem to be more and more movies and shows about this - I can relate to this one. I dreamed about how she is dealing vs how I dealt with sharing my cancer news. As someone who went through the issues she is facing, I feel the show is realistic in its depiction of the issues. Usually if someone hasn't walked the walk with coping with cancer, they cannot talk the talk.

I plan to continue watching the show and am optimistic it will not deteriorate into fluff or stupidity. I am a few episodes behind which are safely stored on the Tivo until I get to them.