If you grew up in the final quarter of the 20th Century, then chances are that the literature of Judy Blume had some kind of impact on your childhood. Maybe Blubber helped you deal with getting bullied. Maybe It’s Not The End of the World, As Long as We’re Together made your parents’ divorce a bit easier to handle. Maybe Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret allowed a better understanding of your transition into adulthood. Whichever of her books it was that spoke to you, it’s almost impossible that the prolific New Jersey-born author, 74, didn’t affect your life in some way. As such, this colossal community of fans will be sad to hear that Blume has been diagnosed with breast cancer.
Blume announced on Wednesday, in a blog post titled “!@#$% Happens,” that a routine ultrasound undertaken on June 12 led to a core biopsy, which identified the presence of “invasive ductal carcinoma” (breast cancer). Blume also reports that her specific case was caught “Very early,” and is “Very small [and] Well differentiated. All good news.”
The author indicates that she underwent surgery at the end of July — suggested by a section of her blog post titled “July 30,” in which she states, “This surgery went well, one night in the hospital, very little pain.” Blume also reveals here that she underwent a hysterectomy 17 years prior following a diagnosis with cervical cancer.
Blume rounds out her blog post with the following very encouraging passage:”Now it’s one month post surgery — I’m still in NY and feeling stronger every day, walking a couple of miles in the park each morning and going out to early dinners with [husband] George. Have seen movies and a couple of plays, as you know if you follow me on Twitter. I’m able to read again without falling asleep. Which doesn’t mean I don’t need a nap every day. I’m not working on my book yet (have just been given permission to type an hour at a time with arm exercises in between) but I’m thinking about getting back to it after Labor Day, kind of like starting school … Medical diagnoses can leave you feeling alone and scared. When it comes to breast cancer you’re not alone, and scary though it is, there’s a network of amazing women to help you through it.”In addition to the works listed above, Blume is also responsible for the popular “Fudge” novel series, which consists of Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing, Superfudge, Fudge-A-Mania, and Double Fudge. Fans of this series might also be familiar with the adapted ABC television program that debuted in 1995.
[Photo Credit: Janette Beckman/Getty Images]
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