I must have been quite a sight, hobbling from display to display on crutches to take my med-school anatomy final. I remember thinking how much I hated those crutches. Almost forty years later, I rely on a variety of crutches to manage aftereffects of past cancer therapies and (how great to write this) the effects of aging. I love each and every crutch.
A "crutch" is a source of support or assistance that is relied on heavily. In general, we perceive it as a sign of weakness. In my pursuit of Healthy Survivorship, I've learned to embrace the crutches that enable me to get good care and/or live as fully as possible.
For example, my many courses of chemo have left me with difficulties with short-term memory and multi-tasking. Many years ago, I bought stretchy plastic spiral coils to attach my keys and my wallet to my pocketbook. Ever since, I haven't looked for my keys and never worry about leaving my wallet on a store counter or airport check spot.
My pink key coil and purple wallet coil help me be a Healthy Survivor. When I look at my pocketbook, I don't see signs of weakness. I see crutches in my favorite colors, decreasing my stress and helping me live life as fully as possible.
When I was a med student, it was not that I hated my crutches.; I hated my sprained ankle. I am grateful for those crutches that enabled me to finish the semester on time and move forward.
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