Elephants and Tea - March 2020 - 1

LETTER FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Conversation

The Bubble Issue
LET'S TALK ABOUT THIS ISSUE AND THE CRAZY TIME
BUBBLE THAT CANCER TREATMENTS BRING.

Being stuck in time for a cancer patient is watching your best friends,
loved ones, classmates, teammates and coaches move on while you
are stuck in a bed with an IV in your arm. Time is frozen and there is
nothing you can do about it. Nothing.
That is what we mean when we refer to being stuck in the "time bubble."
Patients have no choice but to watch the world move forward without them, only to hopefully one day be healthy enough to join the real
world again. Even then, the world has changed, and the patient has not.
For those reading this that are dealing with cancer you know exactly
what I am talking about.
The same can go for caregivers, siblings and partners. We give up on
the parties on the weekends to be with those we love fighting cancer.
Yes, our bubble is different than the patient lying in bed, but we still
stay by their side to help deal with their cancer. If the person dealing
with cancer in your family can't be there, then you won't be going either.
Personally, we spent holidays together crammed into my brother's hospital room because that's just what we do, we are there for one another.
A side effect of being stuck in the "time bubble" is watching relationships vanish before our eyes. Those people that patients thought were
their best friends slowly begin to fade away. They may hang out when
other people are gathering to stop by for a quick visit but ultimately
conversations become shorter and the length between visits become
further apart.

JOIN THE
CONVERSATION

Over the years I have even come to know several patients whose
partners choose to move on with their lives because they are not able
to handle the pressure of watching their loved one deal with cancer day
in and day out. It sounds ridiculous but it happens all the time with
patients that are dealing with a life-threatening disease.
Those people choose to leave because they can't handle watching
someone with cancer or understand what those individuals are going
through, and deep down, I do not blame them. Cancer sucks, why
would anyone want to be a part of it?
But those that did stick around with my brother and my family to
help all of us deal with cancer created a bond that I know I'll never
forget. These people started off as friends and are now family. The love
and the connections created with the people that stayed in the "time
bubble" with us is something everyone dealing with cancer, either
patient, survivor or caregiver, will never forget.
This issue covers a lot of mixed emotions, and I'm sure you will find one
that you will relate too. You will laugh
and you will cry but like all things Elephants and Tea, we will do it together. I
hope you enjoy our first magazine issue
of 2020. l
➥ NICK GIALLOURAKIS, EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR OF ELEPHANTS AND TEA

IF YOU WOULD YOU LIKE TO SUBMIT A STORY TO BE PUBLISHED IN
ELEPHANTS AND TEA, PLEASE CONTACT NICK@ELEPHANTSANDTEA.COM

ELEPHANTSANDTEA.COM
MARCH 2020

http://www.elephantsandtea.com

Elephants and Tea - March 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Elephants and Tea - March 2020