Cancer

Not wanting to state the obvious but i hate cancer! I am not even 30 and already have known too many people who have died from it. Scientists can do amazing things these days, yet are still unable to 'cure' this one disease. How fair is it that all doctors can do is provide a treatment which, in a lot of cases, makes people wonder if it is worth the struggle.

They tell you to avoid smoking etc as these things cause cancer or 'increase the risk of...' . Well, to be honest, i think half of what we hear is rubbish simply because they don't really understand it.

My Grandad died of throat cancer yet never smoked a day in his life! We just had to watch him gradually waste away. At only 8 years old (the age my daughter is now) i couldn't understand why all his food was liquidized and why he was getting so skinny.
The only thing i knew about death was about Jesus and that he was resurrected. I could not get my head around the concept that death meant gone forever.

My other Grandad passed away from a stroke just before my brother was born. I remember the ambulance coming and taking him away in a wheelchair wrapped in an orange blanket. That was the last time i saw him. It was made even more awful because i then knew i was going to have no Grandads soon. Within a year this was the situation.

My Great Auntie died of leukemia. She fought hard and did get better for a while but she couldn't fight it off the 2nd time.
My Auntie had cancerous growths in her womb and had to have a full hysterectomy. Thankfully she was absolutely fine afterwards.
Mom had to have a melanoma ( hopefully spelt correctly) removed a few years ago and even i had to have part of my cervix removed when my daughter was small. I cannot stress enough how glad i am that i got past my embarrassment and went for my smear test!
My partner's sister has recently been given the all clear following 2 years fighting breast cancer. That was tough for all of us to be truthful.

My Nan's case was the worst though. She was the wife of the Grandad with throat cancer. (I always used to call them Nan and Grandad midlands as that's where they lived.) She had suffered from rheumatoid arthritis for as long as i can remember and was at the doctors on a weekly basis. She began to lose a lot of weight and was feeling numbness in one leg. Everything happened so quickly.

Friday she found a lump on her breast. She went straight to hospital and my Auntie called to tell Mom. Of course we travelled up that night. Noone seemed overly alarmed so we came home Sunday.

Driving back from school Tuesday one of my Great Auntie's called and told us she had passed. A post-mortem showed that she had cancer throughout her body. She was taking paracetamol for the pain of arthritis but must still have been in so much pain. Despite knowing that nothing could be done for her i am pleased that she did find the lump. It meant that we could be together one last time before she went.

My mom's cousin had a brain tumor and thankfully recovered but she has never been the same. She lost some memory and her personality changed completely.

One of the mums at school, i have known for 13 years, has breast cancer. So many people don't talk to her now as if they are worried about what to say. I have tried to be the same as always. When she is there at school every day collecting her children i am amazed by her strength.

The wife of a lad i went to school with is in the last stages of her fight. They got married in the hospital as she was too sick to leave. Any day now he will become a widower at 29.

My neighbour's mum died less than a year ago from lung cancer caused by asbestos (mesathemioma?). I did not know the woman well but, having been there for my friend throughout, i know she suffered horribly. They could only postpone the inevitable for her so she tried to make the most of her remaining time.

Then there are the people i don't know personally but have heard about. Kylie Minogue, the Nolans and now recently Sid Waddell. He is the best and funniest darts commentator around and i already miss hearing him on my tv. Wishing him a full recovery. Obviously many don't win the battle such as Steve Jobs, the Apple founder. Thoughts go out to his family and friends.

Then there are our little friends on Twitter, Jack Marshall and Harry Moseley. Jack is a smiler with heaps of fight. He's only 6 and as a terminal brain tumor. Harry is 11 and also has an inoperable brain tumor. Both are truly inspirational children and have raised both money and awareness. Sadly Harry is in a coma and the doctors can do no more for him. He went home today to spent his last hours/days with his family.

It breaks my heart.

Cancer is indiscriminate. It doesn't care how rich you are, how old, man or woman. It is just cruel and brutal.