Thread by @johnpavlovitz

Why I Joke About My Tumor

Yesterday, I posted that I was trying not to let my tumor go to my head.

A woman named Cynthia said that she finds funny posts about my tumor diagnosis "disturbing."

Dear Cynthia (and others who share her discomfort),

Having a tumor in your brain is terrifying. Even if it's benign and even if the procedure is less invasive than it could be and even if recovery should be complete.

It's still brain surgery, which is not what you want to hear you need.
It's a source of incredible stress for the person and those who love them and alters all of their plans.

I'd much prefer not to have this diagnosis, to have a hole cut in my sinus and anesthesia on my brain, or go weeks without being able to drive or exercise or work, but since that is reality, I'm going to embrace it.

I share posts like this because humor helps me cope, and because I want people to know that you can still have joy in the face of really unpleasant things.

There are obviously people dealing with far more terrible circumstances, but this life is not a competition and we don't have to invalidate our pain because it feels less serious than someone else's. Fear is fear and worry is worry and stress is stress.

This is the road me and my family are on and though it's not ideal, we're going to walk it well. We're going to embrace the present and we're going to even enjoy this time.
I hope you understand. If not, you can mute this account or stop following.

Enjoy today. We're not promised tumor-row. 😉

In situations like these, it's important to keep a healthy sense of tumor.

I hope Cynthia and others can see the irony in a healthy person policing someone with a brain tumor, for not being sensitive to those who "have it worse."