Monday, August 3, 2009

The worst part

What's the worst part about Cancer? I think that for anyone who has cancer or has had cancer the worst part is the fear that it puts into your life. Before cancer I was afraid of very few things, mostly the things that scared me were things that you at least feel you have some control over, to help prevent accidental injuries. I didn't do anything, or live in a way that anyone would describe as risky, except for maybe my driving. I didn't take any more risk in my daily life than any average other person.

Then one day you end up sitting in some doctors office and find out that your body is attacking you from the inside out. Hearing your name and cancer with the words, "you have" in the middle is a moment I pray none of you ever have to go through. First you heart sinks, and then your throat gets a lump in it that refuses to be swallowed, followed by suddenly getting something in your eye that you can't get out and makes your eyes water profusely. I'm sure for everyone it's slightly different. However I don't care how strong you are or how tough you are it still freaks you out.

It's about a day or so after that that you start to listen to and learn about how to take care of what ever your prognosis actually is. What's great about that is many cancers are very treatable. What's bad about that is that in some cases if you've waited to long to act on your ailment, treatment may not cure the cancer. However pronlonging life, is almost always a good thing. Although, I'm sure there where times when I was on my steriods and someone tried to take away my food, that some people may not have been thinking continued treatment was ideal.

The thing I'm hoping to do is to promote the open conversation that is so lacking in the commmunity in general about checking for cancer. Granted we do hear about checking for breast cancer all the time but who's holding who accountable. I myself haven't gotten to a point yet where I'm asking my friends if they've been checking themselves. However everywhere I go that people ask me about Save The Twins I am always asked how to check and what to look for. It's amazing how little guys know about themselves and what's normal and what's not. I urge you to get a friend that you can talk to about all of lifes issues and check to make sure they are checking themselves, as well as them making sure you are checking yourself too.