Life Happens...

Martina McBride says it perfectly "Cancer don't discriminate" It doesn't care if your a single mother, a CEO of a huge company, an actress, a king, a child or an adult. It can happen to anyone. I remember the first time cancer showed up in my life. I was 20 years old and found out my friend Ashley had cancer. I remember thinking it was impossible, she was only 21 years old!! She was too young. But like I found out the hard way your never too young. I lost my dear friend only but a few short years later and it was one of the hardest things I have ever watched. Years of fighting and many many prayers couldn't beat it and the cancer finally took her life. I remember her upbeat attitude and her beautiful outlook on life. I remember thinking I could never be that brave. Since then cancer has popped up here and there. Neighborhood friends, My parents friends, and acquaintances. Some have survived and moved on in life while others weren't able to beat it and have passed on from this life. Each time I couldn't help but think about how hard it would be and I couldn't even begin to imagine "what it must be like" to go through that as a family. But this last December I got a little taste of "what it might be like" when it hit a little too close to home. When my dad told me he had cancer I remember going totally cold and numb. I had never felt so empty. I will never forget that feeling. The cancer is called Hairy Cell Leukemia which is cancer of the blood. Luckily for him and our family it is the cancer you want to get if you have to get cancer. After researching it a bit my nerves were calmed a little. But its still never an easy thing to hear and go through. My dad was put on Chemo over Christmas. We were hopeful that the one treatment would work but it didn't. He had been put on the wrong dosage and for an entire week he only got a day dosage of the chemo in his system. So he just recently finished his second round which we are hoping will do the trick. But hoping is about all you can do. Hearing the word cancer in my family is something I didn't think I would ever have to deal with. We are really optimistic that the chemo will kill all the cancer and he will beat this. Don't take life for granted and don't let a day pass you by without being grateful for your health. Because our health is what gives us life and life is what gives us meaning :) I love you all!!!