CancerGirl is born

I came up with my superhero alter ego CancerGirl after a meltdown not quite a week after my diagnosis. I was alone, confused, and overwhelmed with the amount of information I was trying to learn about my cancer, doctors that had yet to return my phone calls (oncologist, genetic counselor, surgeon), and the insurance company's paper maze of coverage. I was trying to read one of the myriad medical books I had purchased and was unable to concentrate on anything but the tumor that I could nearly feel getting larger while I waited on everybody to decide when my disease was convenient for them. I finally decided that I needed a new approach. My lifetime of patience while holding on the phone with my insurance company and self-sacrificing politeness when dealing with receptionists and doctors had come to an end. No longer would I give a half-hearted yet pleasant, "Oh okay, sure, that's fine," when faced with someone who wanted me to wait days to pick up my medical records. No longer would I not ask questions because the doctor seemed rushed and other patients were waiting. No longer would I feel that I was fine with being brushed aside. That old me, too polite to voice her concerns and too patient to demand efficient service was gone. In her place was CancerGirl: a superhero unafraid of speaking her mind, demanding her rights, and getting results. A woman who took control of her disease and did not shy away from any fight.

Who knows why I needed a kick in the ass from a kick-ass superhero to feel that I could handle my situation? I'm sure Freud would have a field day with a breast cancer superhero alter ego. But I don't think it matters who or what helped me stop feeling like a victim. Everyone at some point in their lives feels like a damsel in distress. This damsel is just happy that her superhero swooped down and saved her so quickly after cancer tied her to the train tracks.