Author Kelly Corrigan visits Utica

In November I had the opportunity to see Kelly Corrigan, the author of the book “The Middle Place” in Utica at a dinner hosted by the ABC (After Breast Cancer) Group and Faxton-St. Luke’s Hospital. This book is about Kelly’s breast cancer diagnosis and how she dealt with everything that was going on in her life including her father’s diagnosis with cancer.

My friend Kathy asked me to go and see Kelly speak during October, but for some reason, the dinner was delayed until November. Kathy bought Kelly’s book for me, but I didn’t know if I wanted to read another book about breast cancer, because I had already lived it and was so “over” BC. (You are really never over it if you’ve been diagnosed.)

Well, I had a lot of work to do for the class I was taking, a huge freelance project, and all of the other things that were going on in my life… I put the book away and didn’t get to read it before I went to hear Kelly speak.

We arrived at the Radisson early that night and the majority of the audience seemed to be breast cancer survivors or friends and family of survivors. My friend Kathy went into the big dinning room and chose the table we would sit at. And… I somehow got the closest seat in the house. Right up front – no one to block my view (which I like).

Kelly got up to speak just as we were being served our dessert (sorry Kelly). Her great personality shone through especially when she yelled out, “Make sure I get a dessert!” I felt like I was in my living room listening to one of my best friends. I got to see the subtle expressions and body language she used when she spoke and read from her book. The excerpts she read were funny and sometimes a little sad, but totally real– and I really enjoyed it. I wished I had made the time to read the book (and actually located it before the talk, because I could have had her sign my book). I went home after the dinner and told myself I needed to find the book and read it – I had to make the time for it.

I woke up the next day with a very sore throat and a start of a cold. I decided to call in sick, so I could rest and not spread any germs. I hunted up Kelly’s book and started to read it. I laughed out loud at the part when her husband called the little boy a “f****r” because the boy said she looked like a monster (she had cleaned it up for the talk and changed the boy to a girl and the swear word to “witch - with a B.”) Her writing was very personable and I felt like we had been friends for years. There were many things we had in common – and I wanted to write to her, but figured that she has touched so many people though this book - they probably have all written to her already.

So, I’ll write about the experience in my blog and suggest to anyone who reads this posting to pick up Kelly’s book “The Middle Place.” You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you won’t want to put the book down until you are done.

Thanks Kelly for coming to Utica – and for sharing your story!


Here are a few YouTube videos featuring Kelly Corrigan:

The Middle Place - Chapter 13 – About Going Bald

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PfpTchv15Xs

This one “gets” me because losing my hair was one of my main concerns too. If I didn’t lose my hair, I probably would not have been so “out there” with my diagnosis. With surgery and radiation you can hide your sickness. When you have chemo, you can’t. You lose your hair, you become bloated from the steroids, you don’t sleep well, you hurt everywhere and best of all… you are sicker than a dog. You don’t realize what even the hair in your ears does until it’s not there anymore (especially when you are washing your head and he water drips down into your ears.) My hair is back – but I won’t forget how I felt when it was all gone.

Kelly’s mom moving her book around in Borders

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vOo_ynxzD2g

This makes me laugh – if I had a book published I know my mom (and dad) would be doing the same thing.

Kelly reading her essay “Transcending.”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_4qwVLqt9Q

Just a nice video I thought you might like to watch.