Our Francesca Fiocchi’s interview with Adriana, suffering from breast cancer, aroused great interest on social media. Since the interview was published, Adriana has come across many readers who are facing a similar struggle and challenge to hers. A small community of hope has been created. Her optimism has inspired anyone facing cancer, as she did, or any other illness. For this reason we decided to entrust her with a diary dedicated to all those who live the same experience as her. Happy reading; and we wish all those who read it a wonderful happy ending. Merry Christmas from your Adriana!
to write to Adriana: [email protected] will answer you with joy
by Adriana Tosca
… Lemons, mineral and natural water, vegetable stock cubes, wine (my treat… )
I’m writing the shopping list and I stop to think.
There are those who do not give up chocolate, succulent first courses, cakes, eating meat and cheese, the ritual of the aperitif after work, going to the gym, one trip a year, shopping, shoes in heels, getting your nails done, going to the plastic surgeon, going on weekends away, going to the cinema or the theatre…
All I have left is the wine.
Could I risk becoming an alcoholic? Perhaps, everything can be, everything can become something else! Like my tumor. It has changed and will continue to change but in both cases it would be a matter of surviving the sacrifices.
This morning I was in the hospital for my dose of “salvation poisons” and while I was trying to settle into that infernal chair and resist the pain, an attendant came in to empty the bins. I noticed her because she was wearing a different uniform, her face was pale, no one said hello to her, she looked at me because I was the only one not sitting composed and… she smiled at me with extreme embarrassment. Not because I was sitting sprawled but because she sensed my suffering and was moved… At that moment I wanted to collapse.
She was about to leave and suddenly I tried to get her attention by saying: «Finally a lady who smiles!».
“Don’t the others do it?”
“No”.
And I smiled back. Making people feel important doesn’t take much. After all, perhaps, who knows, my ordeal is no worse than yours…
But she gave me a smile. Those who wear a different coat or uniform are very often not capable of doing so! Why are you busy doing more important things??? How long does it take to smile? Less than two seconds.
