This is an odd post for me, since I usually just post pictures and lighthearted posts, but I just found out a friend of mine from Ricks was recently diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. Coming a few months after I found out about my melanoma (which was fortunately caught early, since it was an aggressive cancer), I am wondering why so many of my young 30 something friends are dealing with such major issues at such a young age. It used to be (at least it seemed when I was younger) that cancer was an "old folks" disease (not that my dad is old, of course--he is now a survivor of two forms of cancer). Now I'm learning not so much.
It's amazing how trials, especially health trials change your perspective on life. I watched my grandfather fight and eventually die from colon cancer. My grandmother wore a prosthetic bra for many years after having a mastectomy due to breast cancer. As I mentioned, my family has watched my father battle cancer twice, and after receiving my own diagnosis, my mother had surgery to have three melanoma (melanomas?) removed.
In the end, I guess this post is to say a few things:
1. Don't take your health for granted. Paying bills and providing for a family are two very important things, but they aren't worth losing time spent with the ones you love. When trials come (as they eventually do to all of us) you won't remember time spent watching T.V., playing computer games, being at work, etc.
2. Don't avoid going to the Dr. if you have those nagging thoughts that you should go. Best case scenario, you are out a deductible (which I KNOW can be high and a stress on a tight budget). In the event it's a worst case scenario, isn't that deductible worth saving your life?
3. I am so grateful for the gospel. I hate feeling helpless, as I have every time I have found out about trials others are facing--I don't always have the right words to offer comfort. In fact, many times I feel awkward and am concerned I might do more harm than good trying to offer my support. In the end, even Dr.s don't always have the answers--but the Lord does. Until I had any answers about my own melanoma (i.e., had it spread, what treatments would I need, etc.), I really didn't want to talk to anyone. I didn't want to talk about unknowns since it made me stress more than I was already. But I spent a lot of time on my knees and received priesthood blessings that gave me comfort when I needed it the most. And when I find myself in those awkward, helpless moments, I am grateful that the Lord is in control--I can turn to him and pray on behalf of those I love and know that He can help in ways I wish I could.
Here's wishing you all a healthy, stress-free holiday season--and if that's not possible, I wish you peace.
3 comments:
Thanks for letting me in on your blogs. I've tried to find you. We had no idea that you had melanoma. That is a scary thing to go through. Glad you caught it early. Hope you are feeling well by now. We love the pictures you send. I capture them for MY PICTURES and we put them on CD's and print them in town for Grandpa's picture books. Love ya.
Just read your message again and I want to tell you that it is a v ery sweet, thoughtful message.
Love to you.
my grandma died of colon cancer when she was 36. since she initially got sick at 30, it's been giving me all sorts of nightmares lately! I think my doctor is going to think I'm the biggest hypochondriac in the world, but then again, I don't feel comfortable ingnoring *anything.* oh, and this will sound bad all alone, but did I ever show you my butt? ;-)
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