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Remember, too, that vegan options are available for mayonnaise, lunchmeat, ground beef, breakfast sausage, chicken patties, hot dogs, meat balls, milk, sour cream and ice cream. They're all better for you and don't have the chemicals and bad vibes of exploited and murdered animals. (Sorry, but that's the way I feel).
Couscous is especially good with nearly everything. You can get sugar-free peanut butter at Walmart (usually top shelf; Smuckers, but I make my own in a food processor). Hummus, made with ground garbonzo beans and tahini, is just amazingly good. I'm from Oklahoma, so I get hungry for beans and cornbread, which I make with whole wheat flour.
All of these things made with vegan options are better for you, more socially and morally responsible, and indicate a commitment to save the planet. It's not PC, it's not a joke, and it's happening, slowly but surely, all over the planet. And as a consequence, the rates of cancer will go down.
Quick rant. I studied abroad in Mexico (and Iceland and England) as an undergrad and made some great connections there with both other Americans and Mexican locals. One of my American friends has been an expat in Mexico City for the past 2 years. He recently was in the position to hire for his company, a professional translation and corporate international relocation company. They are hiring an American to serve as a client manager for their clients in the Southern US - they want someone with multicultural experience, fluency in Spanish, copywriting experience, and a high level of customer service focus. Basically, I am perfect for the job - lived in Mexico for 6 months, grew up in the South, majors in international affairs and Latin American studies, working currently as a copywriter/copyeditor and fundraiser, and very much wanting an international assignment.
After reviewing my resume and cover letter and speaking with me on Skype, my friend's manager OKed him to hire me, relocation paid.
But it's based in Mexico City. There was a thought that I could stay in the US, just move to Atlanta (where I grew up) and work remotely with frequent trips to Mexico. But at the last minute, they nixed it. It would be less expensive to move me to Mexico and deal with the visa then to fly me back and forth and pay for American health insurance.
My risk of relapse is too high to accept. I need to have continuous access to US health insurance so, if I was to relapse, I wouldn't lose coverage in the 6+ months I would need off from work for a stem cell transplant.
I'm devastated. My entire education is geared to a job like this... and I can't do it because of the worries of relapse. I'm also barred from the State Department (made it to the final round before I was cut at 21/22) and Peace Corps until I've hit 5 years in remission.
I'm 24. I should be able to up and move across the world for an amazing opportunity. And I can't because I don't know if the cells in my body are going to rebel.
I'm sorry about all this. I was in Mexico City playing a gig when an earthquake hit. It was awful; you couldn't even get toilet paper. I can't imagine why anyone would want to live there. (I know, you wrote you lived there six months). It's a shame, but perhaps in the long run it will be the best? Maybe a similar offer will come in Spain or some other location where the health care is better. Sounds more like a blessing to me, honestly. (I know you don't feel like that at the moment).
What earthquake were you there for? I can't get toilet paper in a blizzard here in Boston and I don't see that as a hugely negative thing. Natural disasters cause breakdowns in the commerce system, that's the norm. If you were there in 1985, it was one of the worst earthquakes seen by an urban area ever, as one could imagine when an earthquake hits the world's largest city.
Mexico is one of my favorite places in the world. I can't imagine anywhere in the US I'd rather live. Mexico City is more socially liberal than most parts of the US, the county has better labor laws for the formal economy (which of course is part of the societal problem - so many are not in the formal economy), it has a rich and vibrant culture, and speaking Spanish is a great way to shake off chemobrain.
I'd appreciate it if you didn't project your distaste for a place onto my frustrations. It's not a blessing. You have 3 times my age on you and had that time to do what you want, go where you want, and live in places that bring you joy. I am trapped in one of the US's most expensive cities because I can't lose my FMLA coverage, which would take a year to kick in if I moved, or my health insurance. The career I trained for is not an option anymore. This is not a blessing.
An estimated 35,000 people were killed in that earthquake in Mexico City alone, and more were killed in the 7.5 aftershock the following day and the 7 aftershock 6 months later. 700,000 people lost their homes. Really, I'm sorry that you couldn't find toilet paper and that sullied your opinion on a city. That's like complaining about the service during the tsunami in Japan or how the roads were impassible in the Blizzard of '78. Unfortunately, Mexico City was built over a drained lakebed hundreds of years ago before people knew better. The fact that *only* 35,000 people died in a 8.0 earthquake in a city where the vibrations are amplified by the soil is shocking.
While I know you're trying to be helpful, it's frustrating to me when people downplay how dramatically EVERY facet of my life is due to this diagnosis. I always planned on being an expat and worked very hard to get there - and now I feel stagnant because I have no mobility in my career for the next few years until my risk of relapse drops. Most 24 year olds are focusing on building their career, starting families, making life choices. My choices are dramatically reduced - I feel like for the near future, I don't have many choices. I can't do any of the things I want to do with my life, likely cannot have children, and am in so much debt after working my tush off to get through college debt-free that I am overwhelmed. All the therapy in the world doesn't change the fact that I am outright banned from even APPLYING to the career paths that I want. I can't go to grad school full time because I can't lose my health insurance. And it's not that I couldn't hack it - I can and have proven that I had the skills to do these jobs... but I can't do it because of my body and lack of support system if the **** hits the fan.
And I know it doesn't seem fair, but I get so frustrated when older cancer survivors try to comfort me by relating to their own experiences - experiences that I will likely not be able to have. I had to stop going to support groups not geared toward young adults because there was a generation gap between the average 60 or 70 year old patient worried about how cancer will affect their relationships with their grandkids or retirement, while I was dealing with losing my fertility and not sure if I would lose my job and insurance like so many of my friends did. It's no better or worse, just different. My career, education, finances, and family all have to be framed in the context of cancer. That's (hopefully) 50+ years with either the risk of relapse or my already significant long-term side effects impacting everything.
I hate to be so depressed about it, but I feel so stagnant and frustrated. The upper management in my office has driven most of the competent people out. We have 7 vacancies in an office of less than 40 - all of which have popped up in the last 2 months. For reference, the two people in charge never acknowledged that I was sick. One didn't even make eye contact with me during our staff meetings with only 6 people in the room. I'm lucky that my bosses are wonderful, have great senses of humor, mentor me, and give me a lot of creative leeway - but I'm also doing the work of 3 people, 2 of whom are at least two paygrades above where I am now and a higher title. I get paid at the same level as a receptionist, while having much greater responsibility. My bosses are pushing a promotion, but their boss knows I won't leave and has been pushing back. So, I will continued to be paid less than what I could get if I had the ability to go elsewhere. But I don't.
And at this point, I can't even afford the $120 copay to get my port removed.
Welp, I'm very sorry that you feel depressed, but do you think life was easy for me when I was your age??? Think again. Human life has always been difficult. My generation had a lot to contend with: Viet Nam, etc. My parents had the Depression & WWII. Every generation has something incredibly challenging; none are free from distress and challenges.
M, think about how you responded when people said they would pray for you. You did not take that at all well! Just let this one go as it is not a contest to see who had it harder.
M, think about how you responded when people said they would pray for you. You did not take that at all well! Just let this one go as it is not a contest to see who had it harder.
Yeah, I know; she's upset and she has every right to be. I was just trying to help.
Everyone has battles and challenges. Life is tough, deal with it. Everyone faces it. To start the whizzing match about who had it harder is petty.
Attitude is huge part of how you overcome.
Charolastra, sometimes dreams need to be put on hold for a while. It sucks, and not knowing when a chance to work a dream job comes again or a chance to live where you want to live. I been there done that. Getting to the point when the time was right made it all the better. I hope that made sense.
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