Author Archives: susanbriscoe

About susanbriscoe

English teacher, writer

On Susan’s Death

Posted on September 1, 2018 by susanbriscoe

Susan Jeanne Briscoe November 13, 1966 – August 31, 2018 It is with great sorrow that we announce the death of Susan on Friday, August 31, 2018 in Montreal at the McGill University Health Centre (Glen) palliative ward. Her sons, … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 55 Comments

Recommended Reading

Posted on July 5, 2018 by susanbriscoe

Check out my reviews of recent books on death, dying, illness, and grief. So many excellent books!

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July Update

Posted on July 4, 2018 by susanbriscoe

It is already July, and the lilies are blooming! I had hoped to enjoy some chemo-free months this summer, but it seems that is not to be. My disease is progressing quickly again, so I will be starting the second … Continue reading →

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June Update

Posted on June 22, 2018 by susanbriscoe

I feel bad that I haven’t posted anything but updates lately (I have several posts waiting for revision when we get a rainy day), but I very much enjoyed the wonderful spring instead of spending time with my laptop. I … Continue reading →

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Spring Update

Posted on May 28, 2018 by susanbriscoe

I’m not on my deathbed just yet! Friends are surprised when they see me out and about at a café or art gallery, looking unexpectedly well (despite also looking grotesquely pregnant), so it seems another update is in order. The … Continue reading →

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On Trees

Posted on May 1, 2018 by susanbriscoe

It is May Day, but spring has been late to this part of the planet. The daffodils are just starting to bloom, but their trumpeting seems tentative, not blasting like some springs, and the tulips aren’t yet brave enough to … Continue reading →

Posted in On Dying and Living | Tagged , , , , , | 20 Comments

On Chemo

Posted on April 21, 2018 by susanbriscoe

I have just completed my second round of palliative chemo. People keep asking me if I’m happy about that, as most patients celebrate completion of chemo as the first step to wellness, especially when they finish with no evidence of … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 12 Comments

Roy’s Blog: Let’s Dance

Posted on April 21, 2018 by susanbriscoe

Here’s another inspired piece of writing by Roy about love and dancing and him and me on his blog.

Posted in Roy's Blog: The Long Goodbye | Tagged , | 1 Comment

On Curiosity

Posted on April 20, 2018 by susanbriscoe

The theme this month at the Unitarian Church (a non-doctrinal, inter-faith community with a long history) I go to is curiosity. I like this: curiosity sounds like such a positive, life-affirming, even playful state of being to me. It’s also … Continue reading →

Posted in On Dying and Living | Tagged , , | 9 Comments

On Imagining

Posted on April 16, 2018 by susanbriscoe

Last October (2017) I was sitting in a café with Roy and took out my journal to write. I didn’t feel like writing. The cafe was too crowded and busy, not a space for that kind of inward focus. So … Continue reading →

Posted in On Dying and Living | Tagged , , , | 24 Comments

Need a Reminder?

Posted on April 15, 2018 by susanbriscoe

It’s not hard to forget our mortality with all the things that keep us busy and distracted all day. If you want a reminder that you will die, there’s now an app for that! Here’s a discussion of the WeCroak app … Continue reading →

Posted in Other Stuff, Uncategorized | Tagged | 9 Comments

April Update

Posted on April 6, 2018 by susanbriscoe

I’ve realised again that some friends are wondering how I am. My sense of time has never been very good, and it’s even stranger now. So I am amazed that it is already three months, a quarter of a year, … Continue reading →

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A short video on dying

Posted on April 5, 2018 by susanbriscoe

Dr. Kathryn Mannix, a palliative care doctor, describes how gentle the dying process can be in this short BBC Ideas IMHO video, “Dying is not as bad as you think”.

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On Spring

Posted on March 25, 2018 by susanbriscoe

I truly didn’t think I would see another spring, but this past week we did indeed officially reach the Spring Equinox! Of course, where I live it’s hardly spring in any real sense. Mounds of snow cover the gardens, and … Continue reading →

Posted in On Dying and Living | Tagged , , , , , | 12 Comments

My Article in the Huffington Post!

Posted on March 9, 2018 by susanbriscoe

I’m pretty thrilled to have this piece in Huffpost Personal published today! Yesterday, International Women’s Day, was the anniversary of my surgery, but the conversation I recount in the first paragraph of this article happened exactly a year ago today. How’s … Continue reading →

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On International Women’s Day

Posted on March 8, 2018 by susanbriscoe

Today, International Women’s Day, is the anniversary of my surgery and diagnosis. I met my surgeon only moments before being wheeled into the operating room. (I had met her colleague once, but he was now away.) She was hugely pregnant … Continue reading →

Posted in On Dying and Living, Other Stuff | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 20 Comments

Audre Lorde on Dying Full of Fire!

Posted on March 5, 2018 by susanbriscoe

This is extraordinary poet Audre Lorde, on how to really live while dying: I want to live the rest of my life, however long or short, with as much sweetness as I can decently manage, loving all the people I … Continue reading →

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On Technology

Posted on March 3, 2018 by susanbriscoe

I had hoped my phone would outlive me. I hate wasting my time on technology, and I didn’t want to spend any of the precious little time I have left learning how to use a new device. Already last month … Continue reading →

Posted in On Dying and Living, Other Stuff | Tagged , , | 25 Comments

A Preview of Paradise!

Posted on February 24, 2018 by susanbriscoe

I thought I didn’t need a vacation from my sick leave, but I see now how much more deeply I am relaxing and recuperating from the chemo here in gorgeous Costa Rica! And just enjoying! With the crashing of the … Continue reading →

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On Travel

Posted on February 22, 2018 by susanbriscoe

When I returned from London in December, I was unwell and sure I would not travel again. Yet here I am on a plane somewhere, perhaps over Florida, on my way to Costa Rica. Last year Roy and I had … Continue reading →

Posted in On Dying and Living | Tagged , , , , , , , | 41 Comments

Roy’s Article in the Huffington Post!

Posted on February 14, 2018 by susanbriscoe

I am so thrilled with this! Roy has a beautiful article up for Valentine’s Day in Huffpost: My Girlfriend Is Dying Of Terminal Cancer, But Here’s Why I Still Feel Lucky! I know I am the lucky one to have … Continue reading →

Posted in Other Stuff, Roy's Blog: The Long Goodbye | Tagged , , , , , , | 13 Comments

On Magic

Posted on February 11, 2018 by susanbriscoe

I got very sick at Christmas and never finished writing this post at the time. But since I just took my tree down last week, perhaps it’s not too late for one last word about the moment when magically, a … Continue reading →

Posted in On Dying and Living | Tagged , , , , | 8 Comments

My Blog Title

Posted on February 11, 2018 by susanbriscoe

WordPress asked me to write about my blog title, so here that is, along with a few other title stories! What’s the Story Behind your Site Title? My decision for the site name was quite spontaneous: titles either come to … Continue reading →

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Happiness!

Posted on February 8, 2018 by susanbriscoe

I can’t imagine being happier or more excited about life. I’m one lucky woman! Even the city is beautiful under this fresh snow sparkling in the sunshine!

Posted in Other Stuff | 14 Comments

On the Moment

Posted on January 29, 2018 by susanbriscoe

Last week was a wonderful week. On Wednesday, as I cheerfully settled down to some writing, I commented to my son that few people would believe I am as happy as I am. I know on the one hand some … Continue reading →

Posted in On Dying and Living | Tagged , , | 21 Comments

On Changing the World (1)

Posted on January 28, 2018 by susanbriscoe

A year ago, I attended the Women’s March here in Montreal in a rousing moment of sisterhood with women in so many other cities of the world. I wasn’t feeling very well that day, as my still undiagnosed disease was … Continue reading →

Posted in On Dying and Living, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | 9 Comments

Roy’s Blog: Courage

Posted on January 13, 2018 by susanbriscoe

Where Roy explores what it takes to get through this, and it’s not quite Courage.

Posted in Roy's Blog: The Long Goodbye | 1 Comment

2018 Update

Posted on January 4, 2018 by susanbriscoe

I am very happy to report that 2018 has started a little better than 2017 ended. I got home from the hospital two days ago and am feeling fairly well and energetic so far. I know that won’t necessarily last … Continue reading →

Posted in Other Stuff | 15 Comments

Roy’s Blog: Game Shape

Posted on December 29, 2017 by susanbriscoe

Another post by my sweet man: Game Shape  

Posted in Roy's Blog: The Long Goodbye | 2 Comments

Late December Update

Posted on December 28, 2017 by susanbriscoe

I was admitted to the hospital yesterday (a different hospital due to ongoing communication issues with my gyne-oncology team) to get a jump start on treatment. Giving into my dad’s persistence, I had a consultation with a specialist in my … Continue reading →

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On Pain and Perspective

Posted on December 20, 2017 by susanbriscoe

So far today, I have not been overcome by fatigue. Nor have I struggled against pain and discomfort. It’s not quite noon yet, and I’ve been up since eight. So this has been a good morning. I’ve even had enough … Continue reading →

Posted in On Dying and Living | Tagged , , , , , | 36 Comments

Please Give Blood!

Posted on December 14, 2017 by susanbriscoe

Last year I received several blood transfusions and put out a call for friends and family to donate blood, especially as I no longer can. (Also to please sign their organ donor cards! I have a friend waiting for a … Continue reading →

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December Update #2

Posted on December 13, 2017 by susanbriscoe

I got through my last goodbye hug with Nathan at the open door of a taxi in the middle of a busy street in London on Monday morning. It was a hard moment. But I’m glad I didn’t put the … Continue reading →

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Roy’s Blog: Poppins

Posted on December 13, 2017 by susanbriscoe

This is Roy’s latest post, Poppins, in full. Poppins I said goodbye to Susan the other day. She was leaving for London for two weeks and I dropped her at the airport. Planning to spend some nights at her son’s apartment, … Continue reading →

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Not Love Actually

Posted on December 12, 2017 by susanbriscoe

On my last snowy night in London, with two of us tired and not feeling well, we decided to stay in and watch Christmas movies. Online searches revealed the terrible dearth of decent holiday films, and I can never recall … Continue reading →

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December Update!

Posted on December 4, 2017 by susanbriscoe

It’s time for a fun post! I realize I’ve been all serious here and haven’t shared much about the wonderful times I’ve been having traveling to visit family, taking advantage of this small window of relative wellness. So this is … Continue reading →

Posted in Other Stuff | 9 Comments

Roy’s Blog: Normal Joe

Posted on November 30, 2017 by susanbriscoe

This is a really thoughtful post about normalising death in a death-phobic culture: Normal Joe.

Posted in Roy's Blog: The Long Goodbye | Tagged | 2 Comments

A Video Conversation with the Incomparable Lesley Everest

Posted on November 29, 2017 by susanbriscoe

Lesley Everest, a cherished old friend who is a minister, transformation companion, and doula –in addition to being a miraculous cancer survivor, amazing mom, and extraordinary person– has honoured me with this interview, the first on her brand new site, … Continue reading →

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On Leaving a Loved One

Posted on November 11, 2017 by susanbriscoe

The other day while knitting, for diversion I picked one of the first movies that popped up in the first fringe netflix category I could find. It was Our Souls at Night starring the aged Robert Redford and Jane Fonda. … Continue reading →

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On Flowers

Posted on November 10, 2017 by susanbriscoe

The best part about being ill is the flowers. I received so many flowers from well-wishers after my surgery last winter and then for months afterwards, until the spring offered its own bounty outside the window. The flowers truly brightened … Continue reading →

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On a Variation of Love

Posted on November 1, 2017 by susanbriscoe

My son Nathan is away overseas on a touring contract. Right now he’s performing on a cruise-style ferry crossing between Stockholm and Helsinki every night. He was dating when he left, but he knew a long-distance relationship wouldn’t work, despite … Continue reading →

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Ask Me Anything Invitation

Posted on October 26, 2017 by susanbriscoe

It’s your turn! I’ve posted all my and Oliver’s answers to the college class’s questions about dying, so now I invite you to ask your own questions if there’s anything at all you’re curious about. You don’t have to worry … Continue reading →

Posted in Ask Me Anything! | 6 Comments

Ask Me Anything Repost: Oliver’s Answers

Posted on October 25, 2017 by susanbriscoe

Here are Oliver’s answers to the questions a class of college students in a course called Death and Dying had for him about his mom being near death. I was so proud of his courage, generosity, and thoughtfulness in writing … Continue reading →

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Ask Me Anything #10: Staying Positive

Posted on October 24, 2017 by susanbriscoe

This is the last question from the college class, and it’s an important one. How do you stay positive? Don’t you ever think this is unfair, or ask why me? I do believe that our attitudes are, to a considerable … Continue reading →

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Ask Me Anything #9: Fear

Posted on October 23, 2017 by susanbriscoe

(This “ask me anything” answer is in response to a class of young college students’ questions.) What are you most afraid of in dying? This question came up a lot and in many different ways, and it’s been the hardest … Continue reading →

Posted in Ask Me Anything! | 4 Comments

Ask Me Anything #8: Afterlife

Posted on October 22, 2017 by susanbriscoe

(This “ask me anything” answer is in response to a class of young college students’ questions.) Do you believe in an afterlife? I’m not sure about an afterlife. I don’t believe in one absolutely, in that I’m not counting on … Continue reading →

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Ask Me Anything #7: Bucket List

Posted on October 21, 2017 by susanbriscoe

(This “ask me anything” answer is in response to a class of young college students’ questions.) Do you have a bucket list? No! I’ve always disliked not only the term, but the whole idea. The only things I really wanted … Continue reading →

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Ask Me Anything #6: Speaking Up

Posted on October 21, 2017 by susanbriscoe

Do you speak up for yourself more?                      I actually do speak up for myself a little more than I used to. Since I don’t have much time, I’m less tolerant of people wasting that time with superficial nonsense, insincerity, or … Continue reading →

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Ask Me Anything #5: Regrets

Posted on October 19, 2017 by susanbriscoe

(This “ask me anything” answer is in response to a class of young college students’ questions.) Do you have any regrets? Or, is there anything you would have done differently in your life if you’d known you’d die at this … Continue reading →

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Ask Me Anything #4: Interactions

Posted on October 18, 2017 by susanbriscoe

(This “ask me anything” answer is in response to a class of young college students’ questions.) Did people distance themselves from you? Do people treat you differently? I’m not sure. Nobody close to me stayed away, in any case. There … Continue reading →

Posted in Ask Me Anything! | 2 Comments