Tag Archives: strength

Enough

Posted on December 22, 2023 by Jennie Spotila

I’ve been waiting until I felt well enough to post about my breast cancer surgery and recovery, about the treatment I will begin in January. I have words to say about experiencing the healthcare system as a person with cancer … Continue reading →

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“I have cancer”

Posted on November 20, 2023 by Jennie Spotila

I told my husband last week, “It’s just as hard to tell people you have cancer as it is to find out you have cancer in the first place.” So, let me take a deep breath and say: I have … Continue reading →

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29

Posted on October 7, 2023 by Jennie Spotila

I got sick on October 6, 1994. Writing a memoir that spans almost three decades requires a lot of self-reflection, not only about what I’ve been through but about the choices I made, what I got wrong, and what I … Continue reading →

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Do We Ever Stop Counting?

Posted on October 6, 2021 by Jennie Spotila

I have been sick for twenty-seven years, today. My sickaversary gives rise to different feelings every year. Burdened. Triumphant. Heartsick. Contented. Marking the day, here with you or on my own, feels important. October 6th is the day my life … Continue reading →

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I’ve Missed You

Posted on August 17, 2019 by Jennie Spotila

I’ve missed you, my lovelies! I dropped off the grid for awhile in hopes of making progress on my book. I wrote some words. I also saw some beautiful things, and visited beloved friends and family. My husband and I … Continue reading →

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The Best Holiday Ever

Posted on November 23, 2018 by Jennie Spotila

Getting a puppy was not in the plan. My husband and I already had a dog (Fargo) and a cat (Lucas). The plan was for my parents to pick out a dog, and I just went along to help since … Continue reading →

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“It is no bad thing to celebrate a simple life.”

Posted on October 7, 2018 by Jennie Spotila

It’s been twenty-four years. Twenty-four years since the morning I woke up with a sore throat, went to work, and got so sick I could barely walk home. Twenty-four years since I became incurable. And this year, I hardly noticed. … Continue reading →

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“Take Care Of Each Other”

Posted on January 26, 2018 by Jennie Spotila

“Take care of each other.” Those were the closing words in Anne Ortegren’s suicide letter. Anne’s death came as a shock to many of us, myself included. Anne was a friend and long-time supporter of my work. She made a … Continue reading →

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Better Late Than Not At All

Posted on November 23, 2017 by Jennie Spotila

Last night, I was really struggling to come up with anything to be grateful for. I can’t say that no one in our family died this year. I can’t say my husband is getting closer to returning to work. I … Continue reading →

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23 and ME

Posted on October 6, 2017 by Jennie Spotila

May the depths you have reached hold you still – John O’Donohue Twenty-three years ago today, I woke up with a sore throat. I went to work, and within a few hours I had a high fever and could barely … Continue reading →

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