I'm having trouble thinking of someone who has not been touched by cancer in the form of a parent, grandparent, friend or distant relative. My grandmother, a woman I miss on a daily basis, think of often, and attribute many of my accomplishments, lost her battle to cancer after several years of kicking its ass. My mother was diagnosed over two years ago, and is doing better today than anyone thought she'd be doing. My aunt was diagnosed in 2004, and while she told the "C" word where to go she was raising 2 great girls and working full time (no joke). A family friend defeated a form of Leukemia that few manage to fight off. And currently, my grandfather is rocking at telling his cancer where to go.
Of course there are more family friends, numerous current and past neighbors, kids I went to school with, and parents of friends of mine that have also had to fight this disease. I have seen so many people experience both the patient side and the care giving side. After you've done one side, you never want the other. The reality is that many people have experienced both.
It's kind of how I am with car accidents, really. I am completely terrified of car accidents (though I enjoy driving, kind of). I was almost in an accident last monday (I wasn't driving) and it was incredibly difficult to hold it together. I cried the whole drive home (after getting in my car) and didn't sleep at all that night. I had nightmares and kept seeing flashes from the various accidents I've been in. I've often said that I really don't think my psyche could handle surviving another serious car crash. It's just too much to already know that I walked away from two could-have-been-deadly crashes.
With cancer, I feel like I've been "lucky" in some ways. My mom's cancer is rare, fast, aggressive and hard to beat. But she did with flying colors. And almost 2 years of clean PETs are unheard of, yet she just keeps rockin' each one. My grandma lost her battle in the end, but I had some of the most amazing conversations with her while she was still alive through her illness. Ones I wouldn't trade for the world. My aunt fought cancer like it was no biggie, trudged through it like a rockstar. So many people I know have survived...so eventually that has to end, right? I hate hearing of new cases because if they pass away it makes me realize that I'm going to have to experience that again, too. If they survive, it makes me feel like the good luck is going to run out sooner or later.
Let me know what you think of the song. How do you view cancer? Is it scary or just part of life?
Of course there are more family friends, numerous current and past neighbors, kids I went to school with, and parents of friends of mine that have also had to fight this disease. I have seen so many people experience both the patient side and the care giving side. After you've done one side, you never want the other. The reality is that many people have experienced both.
Not only did this video make me cry, but it also made me realize the fear that I have towards cancer. I hate thinking about it, I hate talking about it, and I hate knowing that there are people everywhere dealing with it in some form or another.
It's kind of how I am with car accidents, really. I am completely terrified of car accidents (though I enjoy driving, kind of). I was almost in an accident last monday (I wasn't driving) and it was incredibly difficult to hold it together. I cried the whole drive home (after getting in my car) and didn't sleep at all that night. I had nightmares and kept seeing flashes from the various accidents I've been in. I've often said that I really don't think my psyche could handle surviving another serious car crash. It's just too much to already know that I walked away from two could-have-been-deadly crashes.
With cancer, I feel like I've been "lucky" in some ways. My mom's cancer is rare, fast, aggressive and hard to beat. But she did with flying colors. And almost 2 years of clean PETs are unheard of, yet she just keeps rockin' each one. My grandma lost her battle in the end, but I had some of the most amazing conversations with her while she was still alive through her illness. Ones I wouldn't trade for the world. My aunt fought cancer like it was no biggie, trudged through it like a rockstar. So many people I know have survived...so eventually that has to end, right? I hate hearing of new cases because if they pass away it makes me realize that I'm going to have to experience that again, too. If they survive, it makes me feel like the good luck is going to run out sooner or later.
Let me know what you think of the song. How do you view cancer? Is it scary or just part of life?
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