Revisiting Our Own Mortality

Oh what can I say... it's been a hard week. As a survivor, it's always hard when you have friends get diagnosed or re-diagnosed. Well, this semester has been a really bad time for that, and this past week I found out about yet another friend. In total I know 6 people right now that are fighting, most for the second time. 4 with breast cancer, 1 with thyroid cancer, and 1 with brain cancer. It's heartbreaking. But it's a different kind of heartbreaking... most people look at those of us who have been diagnosed with sympathy, they feel sorry for us, or sad for us. But fellow fighters/ survivors look at others with empathy... we feel their diagnosis almost as if it's our own... mostly because we know that it always could be. We know what they are about to go through and we hurt for them. We know the pain cancer brings to our families, the way it puts a stop on our lives, and the physical pain that comes with it. I hurt for my friends. I remember all to well the havoc that this disease wreaks on its victims. Yet, none of the people I know fighting cancer are victims. They are strong, compassionate, and amazing people. I'll never understand why these great friends of mine are having to go through so much. But each time I hear of someone else getting sick it brings me back to those days when I didn't know how much time I had left. That could happen again anytime, I will never know when or how long or how fast cancer will come back to my body and steal time from me. As such, life is precious. Life is short. Prayers and lots of love to my friends and everyone else who is in the fight.