Let me begin by saying how much I hate you. Words cannot express the depth of my loathing. That fact alone shortens the length of this letter.
Statistics indicate that you will invade the bodies of half of all men and one-third of all women in North America over the course of their lifetimes. One in four Canadians will likely die of cancer.
Our normal cells grow, divide, and die - just as they should. Your cells, cancer, continue to grow and divide. You are different from normal cells. Instead of dying, you outlive normal cells and continue to form new abnormal cells. You're like that smelly kid on the school bus who follows people around and attaches to them like a barnacle. But you're worse. That kid can shower. That kid can get a life and move on. You? You stick around. You hide under cover of darkness. Growing. Spreading. Metastasizing.
Sometimes you are discovered early enough that you can be eradicated. Other times you can only be treated. Still other times, humankind is helpless to your assault. You have a certain kind of power. You eat away at the body with vigor. Still, you are not as dominant as you think. There are many things you can never do.
What Cancer Cannot Do
Cancer is so limited...
It cannot cripple love
It cannot shatter hope
It cannot corrode faith
It cannot destroy peace
It cannot kill friendship
It cannot suppress memories
It cannot silence courage
It cannot invade the soul
It cannot steal eternal life
It cannot conquer the spirit.
-Anonymous
We will win, cancer. Oh yes. We will. We will continue to hate you and fight you with everything in our power and more.
Nicole blogs at Much More Than a Mom. Incidentally, her father is currently battling cancer and feeling great. She inherited much of her stubbornness from him.
This post is part of a series of monthly blog exchanges. Karen is blogging at Nicole's place today, with An Open Letter to Poop. Click here to check out the other open letters this month, and to get more info on the blog exchange.
12 comments:
Nicole, I know of what you speak. My prayers are with you and yours. Fight hard, friend.
Thanks, Lynsalyns. I appreciate it.
Sadly, most people know of what I speak. Therein lies the problem.
I'm sure many can relate - which in a way sucks, but in a way can be very comforting.
thanks for sharing this Nicole.
Here's to stubbornness and advocacy. It's a powerful combination.
If your dad is anything like you he's a fighter. I wish good things for you both.
I love your attitude - we will win!
Very good letter, if only cancer could know how much they are unwelcome!! Both my grandma, my aunt and my MIL passed away from cancer!! Too bad it couldn't just go away!! lol
I'm leaving a message here for Karen in response to your Letter about poop over at Much More Than a Mom. You didn't exactly say what you are going to do about not having poopy diapers anymore, or what agae your child is, but I feel inclined to tell you about our success with Diaper free: The Gentle Wisdom of Nar=tural Infant Hygiene: http://www.natural-wisdom.com/
We hardly ever have poopy diapers anymore and all we do is take her to the bathroom as soon as she wakes up from any amount of sleep. The first poop in the morning is usually the largest, but we almost always get poops after each nap as well. If we are out on the town we try to find bathrooms, but if we can't this is when we will have a poopy diaper. Just some thoughts to perhaps help you with the horriblenss that is poop. Good luck!
Well said, Cuz... well said. :)
I agree, cancer sucks rocks.
Wow..... It seems like I know so many people these days who have cancer and most of them are in their 30's. I'm am so sorry to hear about your father.
I totally agree! I have cancer (had? have? not sure I guess) and it does suck, but I will win. I'll be thinking good thoughts for your family. Cancer sucks!
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