First, let me assure you that I am healthy. I
am six years cancer-free and continue to feel well. My anger just finally
caught up with me. I hate that cancer even exists. A longtime friend asked if I
hate that I have to live with the fact that my cancer may return. I had not
thought of that being part of my anger, but it probably is.
Where there is fear there is also anger. Anger
that my husband and I have lost friends and colleagues to cancer. Anger that
anyone has to live with the fear that cancer exists; that you may be diagnosed
because there is a family history. Anger that once you’ve had a cancer
diagnosis you are statistically more likely to have another diagnosis. Fear
that the original cancer might come back. And anger that such a thought is even
in the back of my mind.
I have written about knowledge and how
knowledge can be, and is, powerful. But tied to knowledge is fear and anger. I
seek knowledge out of fear and curiosity. Knowledge also feeds fear, and maybe
it’s a healthy fear to know the facts of my diagnosis. So, I am going to
embrace my anger. I am going to let myself be angry. But I am not going to let
anger consume me. I am going to look at my anger and ask, “What can I do?” Well,
I can continue to share my knowledge along with the latest news and
information. I can work toward finding a cure for all cancer. And I will be there for a friend (or the friend of a
friend) in need.
To continue my message of “knowledge is
power,” here is a video regarding dense breast tissue and its correlation to
breast cancer.
Another P.S. – March is colorectal cancer
awareness month. If you have a family history or are over the age of 50, get
yourself screened.