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Going For The Throat: 6 Word Thyroid Monographs
Going For The Throat: Written by Robyn Davis Hahn
I was listening to NPR the other day while driving to work when I heard an interesting story. (This is a statement I can make several times a week). On Talk of the Nation, the creator and editor of Smith Magazine discussed their 4th book, a collection of 6 word memoirs from submissions to the site written by authors known and unknown. Immediately, this popped into my head:
never the same again. thanks thyroid
Their idea is not unique. If you google “6 word” you will find blogs, contests, college exercises, and the like all attempting to boil down the essence of an idea, autobiography, feeling, or story down to just 6 words. It’s the ultimate short story (my favorite literary art form), a concentrated haiku, a condensed digest, and I am in love.
it all revolves around my throat
The origin of this enterprise is a bet. (Seriously, could the story get any better?), In the 1920’s, colleagues of Ernest Hemingway wagered that he could not write a story in just 6 words. Of course, Papa rose to the occasion, and wrote what he allegedly considered to be his best work: For sale: baby shoes, never used.
I couldn’t wait to get pen to paper (or rather, fire up the MacBook) and have thought of little else since. Dear Thyroid is a literary thyroid disease and thyroid cancer support site, right?, We have so many fantastic, creative, distressed, soulful, funny, uncertain, and courageous community members–and I am in awe of your letters every week. Having written a letter myself, I know the catharsis, and the effort that go into them, and we all heal a little with each addition.
I didn’t know I was sick
How would you describe your disease in 6 words?, Or how your life has changed? Maybe it’s a feeling or emotion that you can’t shake, or a quiet relief for an official diagnosis.
little white pill, please heal me
My challenge:, create your 6 word thygraph (thyroid monograph) and either post it in the comment section, on the forum, or email it to me (robyn@dearthyroid.org). Submit one, or a hundred. Submit one every day! Next week, Katie, Liz, and I will each choose our favorites, and I’ll ask my husband to choose one as well (a non-thyroid patient perspective). From these four semi-finalists, one will be chosen at random for a Dear Thyroid T-shirt.
let the thyroid literary games begin!
Tags: 6 word literary contest, conveying symptoms, endocrinologist issues, improving patient doctor relationships, literary contest, patient responsibility, Robyn Davis Hahn Health Care Writer, speaking with doctors, thyroid health, thyroid patient issues
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174 Responses to “Going For The Throat: 6 Word Thyroid Monographs”
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Thyroid give me my life back
Hashimoto won’t you go away please
Heal thine body almighty powerful roid
Hashimoto’s sucks more than vampires do.
mind, body, soul, thydisconnect no more
Thylovely Thyugly
Thypill Thydaily
Thywish Thybegone
Thylovely, Thyugly, Thypill Thydaily, Thywish Thybegone
Thyroid cancer you challenged my life
Butterfly, Please let me live normally.
Fog addled seeks little butterfly lost.
WOW! Keep ’em coming! So much talent in our community!
thycan treated. tired, listless, forever be?
I’m not crazy, I’m thyroid challenged!
Thyroid, I WILL kick your ASS!!
thycalm–thyrage, make up your mind!
Blood hyper / symptoms hypo / mind thyco(tic)
Butterfly wings flap, thyrricane created, destruction.
OMG, THIS IS OUTSTANDING!
Your thyroid can ruin your LIFE!!!
Have hyperthyroid…will never ‘sleep’ again! 🙁
Feeling NUT-SO? Get your thyroid checked!
Sorry, my MIND will not SHUT-UP!
Out of thyroid meds…and mind!
Swoon. I already know I will have trouble picking a favorite.
You guys are fantastic–keep it up!
NO, it’s not in my head
one little gland jacking me around
I feel so damaged all the time
These are so brilliant! Don’t stop writing! Loving every entry. As Robyn said “swooning” big time.
The level of raw honesty is exquisite, sad and needs to be written. The humor is hilarious and much appreciated.
All of these entries are flawless.
Keep em’ coming.
Eyes keep closing, brain function ceasing
hashimotos: roller coaster ride from hell
Life as I knew it…GONE!
HELP!!! OUT OF CONTROL THYROID HERE…
Every time I refresh the screen, it’s like several new presents are under the tree.
In the spirit of today:
I love your thygraphs! More! More!
Thyroid, thyroid, on the wall …. fat!
Doctor, walka mile in my shoes!
wondering what healthy thyroid parenting is?
sane woman with an insane gland
Though brain muddled, thygraph mania rules!
This is oddly fun and exciting! I liked my last one. I think I’ll put it on my FB status….
I know Amy, now I cant stop thinking about it…i think my best one is “I’m not CRAZY, I’m THYROID CHALLENGED!!
emotional time bomb tick tick tick…
Way back when…I could SLEEP!
LOVE THIS– completely agree wondering what healthy thyroid parenting is?
Each entry is more fabulous than the next. I’m bouncing off the walls. DON’T STOP WRITING!!!
I’m Anxious about being Anxious!
Thybrain can only handle six words
What if it falls apart again?
And 2 more:
Poke cut radiate scan wait repeat
Best cancer to have my ass
Cancer killing me or saving me?
Thyroid gone.Cancer gone.How long?