What parallels exist between boss battles in games and cancer treatment milestones?

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Cancer milestones can feel like “boss battles” in games, with follow-ups acting as recurring checkpoints
The writer describes cancer treatment and monitoring as a series of milestones that resemble boss battles, with the “final boss” being cancer itself. Like a game, there are clear stages and moments that can bring relief, but unlike a game the outcome is not something they can fully confirm as permanently defeated. They also frame hospital waiting as time they can still spend on games, such as playing Final Fantasy VII: Remake Intergrade.
Regular appointments mirror repeated game checkpoints
They report seeing their oncologist every three months and their surgeon every six months, while getting a mammogram and, if needed, an ultrasound once a year. In their comparison, these ongoing follow-ups function like recurring moments where the next “stage” is checked, even when the most recent scans are clear.
Clear scans provide a “defeat” moment, but recurrence remains uncertain
Their latest scans have come back clear, and they say this gives them some relief “for now.” They explicitly note that, unlike in Final Fantasy, they will not know whether the “bosses” will stay defeated, and the threat of cancer returning “looms always.”
The cancer journey includes ongoing threat, not just one final win
They describe cancer as a journey full of milestones or “boss battles,” rather than a single event with a guaranteed end. They also add that for some people cancer returns regardless of lifestyle choices, and that stressing or worrying will not change that reality.
Waiting rooms become part of the “game” experience
They compare the timing of their scan call to finishing a boss battle in Final Fantasy VII: Remake Intergrade, saying they were called right after wrapping up that fight. While follow-up appointments are unavoidable, they say they can play games while waiting, including playing on a Switch and chasing tricky Pokémon, turning waiting time into something they still enjoy.

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What parallels exist between boss battles in games and cancer treatment milestones?

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