Mister Editorial - 1, Cancer - 0

A personal update

Dear Comms-rades,

My oncologist says I can now call myself “cancer-free.”

• Meaning, I’m finished with chemotherapy and can begin recovering.

• ❗❗❗❗

• I guess this also means that I’m a “survivor”?

As a storyteller, I find myself in an unusual position: I’m at a loss for words.

Because I’m still processing. (We’re still processing; my wife was in the thick of it, right next to me, every step of the way. She fought cancer too.)

• I hope one day to write and share more about this fight, this near-death experience. It’s all too soon and just so heavy.

Thank you

Thank you for being so patient with me over the past eight-plus months. I said that my output would slow down as I fought the good fight, but the truth is, Mister Editorial was a welcome distraction.

I’m full of gratitude for this community.

• It wasn’t until I made the grim announcement about my cancer that I realized that, indeed, a community has formed around Mister Editorial. That epiphany is something I’m also coming to terms with.

I’m shaken by the outpouring of well wishes and support. Since my announcement and up through this week I’ve had so many people reach out over email, this newsletter, Twitter, LinkedIn, and other ways expressing concern and providing support. Some of you even opened your purse and pitched in for meals and gifts (and subscriptions!). [Insert expression of a bottomless well of gratitude but can’t find the words to match the feeling.]

What’s next? Well, I’m not totally out of the woods. I’m dealing with side effects and I need to do medical things for another five years. But the hard part is over. And now I can concentrate on some of the bigger Mister Editorial projects that were sidelined.

For now, though…I’m stumped for words. But rather than wait until I’ve sorted it all out, I wanted to share the good news with all of you, so we can celebrate, together.

Forgive my inarticulateness. It’s all too much and you all are too much and I appreciate this community.

Thank you thank you,
Shaun