Chasing Life: A Spoonie's Review

So as I said before, spoonies are slowly getting more exposure in the spotlight! With books being turned into movies and tv shows it seems like it's a new trend for viewers to watch medical shows from the patient's view.  ABC Family just premiered their new show called "Chasing Life" 

Can I just say how much I love this picture? It's so true!

If you don't know what the show is about here's what the show's website says:
"Chasing Life follows twenty-something April a smart and quick-witted aspiring journalist, who is trying to work her way up the ladder at a Boston newspaper by trying to impress her hard-nosed editor. When not pursuing the latest scoop, April tries to balance her ambitious career with her family – her widowed mom Sara, rebellious little sister Brenna and her grandmother. Just as things start to look up at work, home and on the romance front with co-worker Dominic, April gets the devastating news from an estranged uncle that she has cancer."

The first episode does a lot of backstory so if you're wanting to see the whole medical side ASAP sorry, you're not going to see much yet. For the most part, Chasing Life is pretty accurate medically. Before becoming spoonies our life was "normal" at some point. We had our crazy family, a drive to follow our dreams, trying to excel at our job (or school), waiting for "the one" and having our crew or best friends to keep up with.

But then, all the sudden, our life comes to a screeching hault. Be it all the sudden getting sick, having an annual check up, or the bizarre incident April has at a blood drive. Life stands still when our body changes and/or getting a life altering diagnosis. In some situations such as April's, everything is FINALLY coming together, we're in the middle of living life. You think nothing can stop you, that everything is finally is in place, life quickly laughs at you and says, "here you go!"

And our reaction to all this? Obviously different people have different reactions, but overall we go through similar steps and the show does great at that. We deny what is happening at first, thinking if we ignore it everything is going to be okay. Then, something happens to where you have to accept that something is going on with our body. This is where you either feel the need to tell those close to you, both so they know and help you, or keep it to yourself, put your brave face and keep on keeping on. April (like many of us) goes back and forth between the two. A mixture of not finding the right time and not wanting to be a buzzkill to those she cares about.

But hey, it's a TV show, they gotta add some drama! Trust me spoonie life isn't that great. You're mainly back and forth between hospitals, doctor visits, and treatments. You don't get out much because you don't have the energy and as much as everyone thinks how awesome it would be to be stuck at home all day you're wrong. Remember summer vacation when you were little? It sounded great but by the 2nd week you're bored to death? Well, it's like that. So April's estranged uncle becomes her doctor, her home and personal life become quiet interesting.

Anyways, like I said, the show is pretty accurate when it comes to her medical journey. By the end of the episode she accepts that she has cancer and is ready to fight. And fight she will! She becomes determined to give it all she has but she has no idea what the road is like in front of her.

Now, I obviously don't know how the show is going to be but it looks very promising. The previews they showed before the show aired made it look really good and the first episode didn't disaapoint.

Have any of y'all seen the show? What do y'all think? Let me know! 

Until next time,
Aly

Movie Review: The Fault in Our Stars NO SPOILERS!

Okay so I guess I'm sorta doing this from three different views. As a movie go-er, someone who has read the book before seeing the movie, and of course, as a spoonie (chronically ill person) And as promised, no spoilers.

If you don't know what the movie is about, it's about 2 people who meet in a cancer support group. Hazel, who is a girl is a very blunt and to the point person and Augustus is a boy who has a natural way of lighting up a room. The movie is about their relationship with both each other and their health. 

As a Movie Go-er

So... I told my parents I REALLY wanted to see this movie and right until we sat down in the theater, they had no idea what they we're sitting down to watch. Just noticing this as we sat down I quickly googled the movie and let them read the overview. They gave me a quick nod but that was it. As soon as we exited the theater my parents commented and said it was a great movie. 

The movie seemed to go at a good pace, not too slow but not too fast, being able to keep up with what's going on. You're laughing and/or possibly crying in good amounts of time. Long enough to feel but not too long to influence your overall mood and also able to catch your breath and dry your tears. The story line gives you pretty much anything you would want to see in a movie besides some live action battles, that is, with weapons such as swords and guns.

Acting wise, they did a great job! Shailene Woodley and Ansel Egort had amazing chemistry. They pulled of the whole "made for each other" couple look flawlessly! And everyone in the movie pulled off their role pretty well. Although, I would have liked more emphasis on Hazel's dad.

This is the kind of movie that kinda gets you to reflect on your life and be thankful for even the littlest of things. Somethings might not make sense to those who don't have any health issues but the movie is pretty accurate on the life of living day to day. As a movie go-er I would rate this movie pretty high. 4 out of 5 stars (but that's probably because of the book reader in me)

Yes, I know just solely critiquing a movie I suck at it lol But I highly recommend reading the book first, it explains all the little details and enhances the movie to a degree. (Read more in my book reader review)

As a Spoonie/someone who is chronically ill/caregiver

Ok so I'm going to try and make this short but that's probably not going to happen... but I will TRY lol

As a spoonie this hits home and it hits hard. Both as a spoonie and those taking care of them (mainly parents) My health condition isn't life threatening just life changing, but I knew EXACTLY how the cancer kids felt. Some of the things that outsiders would think were dramatize is actually not and the spoonies will know this. There are a couple of scenes that will only make a spoonie and those involved in their life cry because of emotional connection. 

And believe it or not my fellow spoonies, we can learn something from the movie. Something I learnt is that, even though we may want to push people away so they don't have to share our pain or feel hopeless, the people who push through those walls aren't going to give up. In fact us pushing them away makes them that much more determined to stay in it. Now this part is a little over exaggerated but that's because it's a movie.

I know this is very vague but I promised no spoilers! (stay tuned for my review of the book though!)

Although it's not shown as much, from a caregiver point of view it's pretty accurate. I actually feel they tamed it quiet a bit in some areas. But you see the emotionally pain that happens, the want to make everyday a even better day and even trying to keep the focus on just your spoonie by avoiding telling them about something going on.

As the "Book Reader"

As we all know, no movie is going to be 100% in book accuracy nor is it going to be better than the book. So some of the little details that help fold everything together is going to be left out. Such as, "Where the heck did her playground go?" Yes, you're gonna say "that's not how it happened" or "that didn't happened over there it happened here", and yes, even, "THAT'S NOT HOW IT HAPPENS AT ALL!!!" in some scene, but that's what happens when you turn a movie into a book. The director and writers have creative control of the whole movie.  Some parts I wish got narrated more so that the audience who *gasp!* didn't read the book can understand better.

Which is where my friend, the book reader has the upperhand, we know exactly is going on in the movie. And surprisingly knowing (or at least thinking) that we know what's going to happen begining, middle, and end, that doesn't hold us back for the parts that make you emotional. If anything, it gives you a little heads up.Honestly, my only complaint as a reader is that they got the ending wrong. In a nutshell the two stories link up, but when analyzed, the locations, how information is found out, etc. changed. There are scenes that happened in the book that should have happened in the movie. But because of some of the locations and information changes it didn't, Regardless, I feel, the director did a pretty good job of accuracy, despite kinda ruining the ending.

So have any of yall seen the movie?! Tell me what yall think! If you're posting a spoiler PLEASE give a heads-up! We don't want someone who hasn't seen or read the book get their bubble popped!

Love, spoons, and healing thoughts,

Aly

Black Box: A Spoonie's Review

So part of being a spoonie I believe, is watching a lot of tv/movies and a lot of people like to watch things they can kinda relate to. So when I heard ABC put out a new show about a Doctor with a mental illness I knew I had to check it out. (for those that don't know I suffer from depression/anxiety which is being controlled by medication.) Don't worry there won't be any spoilers! We all know there are countless numbers of medical shows and their accuracy varies. Some are too dramatic others focuses mainly on the medical team's life and recently, there has been more publicity about spoonies.

IMDb and different site's give a summary but it gives some spoilers so I'm just going to give my summary which will not. Catherine Black is a famous-big city neurologist. But she has a secret, she's bipolar aka manic depression. Only her psychiatrist, her brother and his family knows. She faces the daily struggle of making sure she takes her meds, and hiding a big part of who she is to those around her both professional and personal life. 

For whatever reason (most likely ratings) American commercials for tv shows have become very vague. So I wasn't able to form an opinion until I watched it and so far, so good. here are some reasons why I think it's a good show

1. I can relate. The most obvious reason is I can relate to a degree. I can relate to making sure I take my pills. I have stopped taking my meds just cuz I felt like it off and on (yes I know, shame-shame). I faced the battle of hiding my illnesses or how extreme it is from people around me and feeling like I'm hiding a part of myself. I was afraid of loosing people who means the world to me if I told them what was wrong with me. I face the fear of when I have kids that they'll suffer what I suffer from.
2. Patient advocacy. As someone who faces a lot of medical problems you learn how different people handle medical care. You'll see Doctor Black's "bedside manner" along with her peers, boss and even the relationship between each other. Now, I feel this is a little dramatic but hey, what show doesn't have something sexual or a strong competition between people? I LOVE the way Dr. Black interacts with her patients! So much that I wish she could be my neurologist. Part of the reason she's so great with her patience is the fact that she can relate. I mean how would you feel if you walked into a consult room and it was covered in drawings because a 18 year old couldn't stop? She handled it amazingly. She doesn't get upset and even compliments his work.  In each episode so far it is Dr. Black that get's through to those "crazy" patients. I imagine a lot of doctors are afraid to say something to their peers if they feel they're doing the wrong thing or gave the wrong diagnosis unless asked. But not Doctor Black she has the guts to say what she thinks. Even with procedures! She looks at what is better for a patient and doesn't act like people on Grey's Anatomy all excited to take a patient under. She only does what's best overall.
3.  It brings attention to mental health. Again, my mental illness pretty much looks like nothing compared to someone is bipolar. But it proves the very hard to explain truth that our illness(es) doesn't define a person but at the same time it greatly affects their life.It shows the battle of a person trying to live as "normal" of a life as they can. She passionately explains off and on of famous people with mental illnesses and the battle someone with her condition faces the tug of war on if they should take their meds. People with mental illness can become an artist all the sudden or much happier. With Doctor Black it helps inspire her to do research and have a stronger passion for what she does. But she also faces the challenges of if she should put a patient on medication or go through a surgery that will take care of an issue. I am not bipolar and as far as I know, I don't know anyone who does so as far as how she is when she has what we call a "flare" But it does show with her and her patient how intense a mental illness can be.
4. It's not too intense and not too light. Do you remember the show ER? I do, I was a little kid at the time so my presumption of it might be inaccurate because of it with that being said I felt it was a kind of intense show. Black Box is not. But it's also not a super goofy show like "Scrubs" it's right there in the middle where there are some intense moments followed by interesting characters to lighten the show up. 

With that being said, spoonies (myself included) are hoping that this show along with other things in the media will help break the stigmata on any chronic illness. That people will no longer be isolated if and when they all the sudden develop signs of an illness of any type. We hope spoonies will be treated more normal and not define by our illnesses. It's going to take time but the little steps that are in action will hopefully help. 

But back to specifically Black Box, it's a good show so far and looks promising. I wouldn't say it's a family show, it probably falls in the PG-13 category do to sexual content but also the subject matter. Unless a kid is raised knowing about mental illness I imagine it would be difficult for them to understand and process what is going on. Which could possibly harm our cause of awareness. Personally, I'm hooked and can't wait to see more! If you watch the show tell me what yall think! Doesn't matter if you're a spoonie or not I wanna hear from yall!

Stay Strong,

Aly

Pinterest review: "Soft Peanut Butter Cookies" by Rachel Schultz

So earlier this week my dad mention that he's be craving peanut butter cookies. I giggled because I was too. The problem was we lost our normal recipe awhile back and ever since then been experimenting with recipes. So I looked on my Pinterest and found Rachel Schultz (click on her name to go to her blog) recipe. So let's get started!

Here is what Rachel's cookies look like

 And here are ours

They both look a lot alike which was a good and promising sign! Then, we tried them and oh my goodness we're they amazing... Even my dog got in on some peanut butter cookie action! The only downside is they're messy a little messy. The cookie falls apart but is totally worth the softness!

Then I had some today, obviously it's best fresh out of the oven but unless you can eat 24 cookies in one sitting, you're going to have leftovers. That being said they taste just as good with or without milk. The only thing that changed is there's a little salt after taste. Now, I know some people like their peanut butter cookies to be more natural or salty, if so this recipe is for you! If not, then I suggest maybe adding a little extra sugar or cut out the salt. Also, according to a comment on her blog if you use 2 eggs instead of one it'll stay together better and not be crumbly. But other than that this was a pinterest success!

And here's Rachel's recipe make sure to check out her blog and thank her for sharing!