Stage 3AN1 rectal cancer—gone. Now I’m healing, dreaming, and building The Cancer Chronicles Sanctuary: a space for real, in-the-moment stories, self-care tips, and light for anyone facing a cancer diagnosis. Ways You Can Support:

* Cheer us on and help spread the love* Donate to the GoFundMe or via Venmo @Jenni-Tooley* Share this post* Become a free or paid subscriber at JenniTooley.com

Together, we can make cancer a little less sucky.Love ya!Jenni:

Nine days post-ileostomy takedown surgery, deep in the bowels of recovery, and yet another denial letter from Social Security Disability shows up in my mailbox.

This episode is part truth-telling, part vent, and 100% real-life cancer recovery. I recorded it outside in the dark—cats meowing, frogs singing- hoping my bowels didn’t pick that moment to reve up again.

Because yes, there's a lot of pooping over here

But this episode isn’t focused on that.

This one is about what it’s like to go through a full year of cancer treatment—chemo, radiation, surgery (times two)—and still be expected to prove to a broken system that you're "sick enough."

That your healing isn't linear.

That your mental health matters.

That your body needs time, and so does your nervous system.

And that you deserve to access the benefits you’ve already earned.

I talk about:

* How I finally got real on my disability forms (diarrhea and all)

* The toll this year has taken on my body, mind, and spirit

* PTSD, anxiety, and the invisible layers of healing

* Why I keep showing up for this process even though I want to unhook from it completely

* And how abundance and love—real abundance and love—exist beyond these systems

This is a gentle reminder (for me, and maybe for you too): Just because the system is broken doesn’t mean you are.

✨And if you’re in the middle of your own fight—whether it’s with paperwork, poop, or the weight of it all—you’re not alone.

I see you. I feel you.And I’m rooting for you.

With love and cat kisses,Jenni 💗

Www.jennitooley.com

Community keeps this space alive I’m committed to keeping The Cancer Chronicles and everything at Jenni Tooley Presents accessible and free of paywalls.

If this episode moved you, helped you, or made you feel less alone—please consider:

💸 Sending a tip or donation

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* Zelle: jennitooley@gmail.com

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💖 Become a paid subscriberYour monthly support on Substack helps me keep creating, healing out loud, and offering this sanctuary to others.

We rise together. Thank you for helping me keep this space honest, raw, joyful—and truly supported.

Once again thank you to ChatGPT for making these show notes. I would not have been able to do this without that tool.

I’m tired so take a listen and know that you are loved.

Venmo: @jenni-tooley PayPal/zelle: jennitooley@gmail.com

Episode Summary:

Welcome back to The Cancer Chronicles. It’s Day Five post-surgery, and I’m still here in the hospital, riding the slow-motion rollercoaster of recovery. In this episode, I share the real, raw, and surprisingly hilarious journey of waiting for my body to… well… poop. (Spoiler: it’s a whole thing.)

We talk about NG tubes (hard pass), reverse ileostomies, passing leftover barium (yes, still), and how surviving doesn’t always mean thriving—but sometimes that’s okay. I reflect on the wisdom from a friend and veteran combat medic: “You will survive all the situations.” I walk you through how what he said is helping me find perspective, even in the weirdest, most uncomfortable moments.

Also: a life metaphor involving pomegranates. Yes, I said pomegranates. Blame the meds.

This episode is equal parts hospital-room confessional and late-night love letter to anyone who's in the thick of it—whether you're healing, helping someone who is, or just navigating the hard parts of being alive.

Wherever you are, however you’re doing: you’re not alone. And you are loved.

What You'll Hear:

* 🎯 Why I’m still in the hospital after ileostomy reversal

* 🥄 My journey from IVs to a fully loaded baked potato

* 💩 Poop talk (because that’s healing too!)

* 🧠 “You will survive all the situations” — and why that simple phrase shifted everything

* 💕 What love feels like when you're lying in a hospital bed

* 🌊 How I visualize love as an infinite river

* 🍷 Life as a pomegranate (yep—this makes total sense in context)

Mentioned in This Episode:

* The Barium Enema episode — listen if you dare. Or just… take my word for it.

* My friend Chris, a combat medic whose words snapped me back into perspective.

* My dad, who reminded me that sometimes intestines need a nap too.

Support + Connect:

💗 Find all things Jenni (podcast, zines, updates) at👉 www.jennitooley.com📣 Subscribe to The Cancer Chronicles Support Hub and be part of this living, breathing sanctuary.

Closing note:If you’re in a situation (or five), I hope this reminds you that you’re not broken. You’re not alone. You are surviving—and that, my love, is a damn beautiful thing.

💌 Until next time,Jenni