I'm eagerly anticipating new meetings with CancerCare's oncology social worker-mediated groups.

Here I am going to serve as publicity flak.

1) they gave me two wigs -- 

the insurance-covered place is certainly splendid, but I wasn't feeling going by train to Port Jefferson just then

they gave me two because there was the one that... was just really great but not the low budget option

about wigs: 

if you know me, you might be surprised I didn't shave my head, or plan fifteen different progressively shorter and more colored hair styles

but, I learned, as one of the only ppl at the buddhist monastery in Bodh Gaya who did not shave head: it takes much longer to grow back from ground zero

about scarves:

moving company in 2015 managed to lose the box containing ALL OF MY SCARVES

fortunately, mom was moving and sent me lots of her scarves she didn't want: pretty enough that passerby and friends were like, "that's a style choice, not chemo"

2) they have a great thrift shop

yeah, I mourn the demise of the Memorial Sloan Kettering UES thrifts and pop-up shops, but CancerCare's -- whoa, reversible leather jacket, $40; cashmere-lined leather gloves, $6;  sweater coats (hey, it gets ridiculously cold in hospitals)

I'm pretty sure I could have claimed cancer and poverty, but as a lifelong thrift shopper (from age 9?), with parents who owned consignment stores and shoe stores, it is incredibly satisfying to carry home as much as one can carry of quality clothes for under $200.  It was the Hadassah(?) in LA that provided me with all those Armani Suits, first cancer. 

3) as an organization, they step in: hey, you need help (important pandemic time)