Another Candle

It's hard to deny the immense progress in treatment of Cancer, especially when diagnosed early. But for the countless of us who heard three nerve piercing words "you have cancer" your life is never the same. We want a cure and we want it NOW. As if your life isn't shuck up enough from the first diagnosis, many of us hear a replay and that encore of words simply sucks wind out of you. In my case, my initial diagnosis resulted in me undergoing surgery to remove a kidney and its nemesis tumor, which was the size of a loaf of bread. 6 months later, I'm going on with life, happy at the new lease on life, only to learn it metastasized into other organs - the news was devastating but you carry on because life doesn't stop because of a diagnosis.

Like all life threatening diseases, cancer morphs you into a human lab, where different chemotherapy treatments and radiations are infused in your body for a chance to heal. But for how long? Is the poison given to treat this devil of the dis-ease worth it? Is the physical, mental, sociological and financial burden worth it? I often loss countless hours a day thinking about this. Is the predictive five (5) years of living -- pardon me, we're Survivors, Yippe.... five years of survivorship worth the fight?

I get excited when I hear and/or read of someone (complete strangers included) who underwent cancer treatment and won the freaking fight. I actually want to do cartwheels - but in moments like this, when the relative of my best friend losses the battle, my heart melts. I try to be brave and be supportive but at the same time, I'm haunted by own fight and mortality, and anger raves from the bottom of soul. 

The POTUS and VPOTUS have initiated ProjectMoonShot to find a cure for cancer but 2020 seems light years away. Cancer research has been around for decades and I cannot fathom how the American Cancer Society or the National Cancer Institute each raise a yearly average of $4.8 BILLION  and there isn't a cure for this dis-ease.

We wear ribbons of various colors and slap magnets on our cars to bring awareness and raise funds for the myriad of cancers. Every month is dedicated to making mankind aware of the various types of cancers. We've eradicated many communicable diseases but can't find a cure for cancer!? I believe this somewhat incurable dis-ease is due to the tremendous profit in treating the disease, not in finding a cure. Prescriptions are the vein of existence for these pill pushers, big Pharma companies and they do a great job at giving patients a false sense of hope. Hope that we'll be cured.....for five (5) years.

Survivors are often bankrupt of life. We survive with potential body image issues due to the butchering done to our bodies as Doctors remove diseased organs, tissues, lymph nodes. We're never the same and accepting the new normal is not always palatable. Some judge us and say we give up on life or disgruntle but walking this journey is not one most of us battle due to irresponsible lifestyles. It's a result of years of poisoning our bodies with preservatives, antibiotics, food colorings, air pollutants, etc., and pharmaceutical companies reaping infinite profits by selling antibiotics & pesticides to farmers, which destroy our ecosystem and then rip us off again with prescriptions for the litany of health problems we develop. 

Christy, I never met you in flesh but we share an unwelcome bond, cancer. Cancer didn't win and you didn't give up on living. The ugly battle is over and you'll rest in peace. No more pain. No more tears. No more body invasion by chemicals. We're missing you in person but you'll forever live in our hearts.

In peace and PERFECT Health,

JuanaBeJoyful - A fellow warrior