A Rough Night: A Vent

Last night, I received an email from my cousin about my aunt who is battling cancer. One of the doctors in charge of her care came to the family (very unexpectedly) the other day and told them that she's never going to walk again, that her liver is not going to regenerate (they took a huge chunk of it out along with the tumor they removed back in January), and that they might want to consider stopping treatments for her. Needless to say, my family was floored. They had not been expecting this. My cousin finally got in touch with the surgeon who did my aunt's surgery, and he reassured her that the doctor was completely out of line and that his opinion was not shared by the other doctors on my aunt's team. While that is sort of reassuring, it amazes me that some doctors have no finesse, no bedside manner not only with patients, but with families as well.

After I got that email last night, it weighed heavily on my mind, even after I went to bed. I had a dream about my aunt. I think we had all felt that she was progressing strongly for something as tramatic as she has been through. It's just hard to wonder if she is getting better or if we are fighting against the clock. And please keep her in your thoughts and prayers. I feel that gives her strength.

I decided over the weekend to walk in my local Relay for Life. My church is putting a team together, and so I found the perfect opportunity to do something about my frustrations towards my aunt's struggles. I'm thankful that I'm in a more fit position than I was last year at this time in order to participate in something like the Relay for Life. By clicking here you will be redirected to my American Cancer Society's Relay for Life fundraising page. I really think that in some way, we've all been touched by cancer. If you do decide to donate, I ask you to send me a name to put on a t-shirt that I plan on wearing at this year's Relay for Life. I want to FILL this t-shirt with names, of people who have survived and of those we remember that didn't. So far, I feel that my friends have been great in responding to this request. I ask you to do the same, dear readers. And, of course, I'll be posting pictures of my shirt after the walk in April.