When my youngest sister was a first-year med student, she said to me, “We’re all going to die of cancer.” Well, that was a dire prediction and maybe a bit dramatic, I thought at the time. But in just this last year, cancer has affected so many people in my circle.
Yesterday, my sister’s father-in-law passed away from cancer. My sister-in-law’s father also has cancer. My friend’s sister and her aunt both have cancer. My former principal had multiple surgeries last winter to deal with her cancer. Last summer I was diagnosed with cancer.
I had a form of breast cancer that my doctor said was “the best cancer to get if you’re going to get cancer.” I’m learning to acknowledge that, even though it was much easier to deal with than others, it was still an ordeal. Hearing of other people’s difficult experiences with cancer makes me feel guilty about the relative ease I’ve had with mine.
I want to write about so many things that happened during my diagnosis, treatment, recovery. So many issues, feelings, and thoughts about healthcare, coping, support. But for now, I’ll leave it here.
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