Cancer

Today I am grateful for my job and for the drug Tamoxifen. I have taken it for nearly five years. It is a proven medication for people with my kind of breast cancer and can help prevent recurrence.

Speaking of cancer, that is the word I have chosen for today. It isn't an upbeat word, but it does get people's attention, especially after they or someone they care about has been diagnosed with it. There are no gaurantees for any of us who have already had it and fear it returning, or those who are fearful of getting it in the first place. Cancer is wily and remains a mystery. There is no cure. It may seem like progress is being made, and in terms of treatment, it is. More is being learned, but a cure remains elusive. Cancer remains deadly to hundreds of thousands each year.

If you want to read an excellent blog by someone currently looking advanced stage cancer in the eye, read Lisa Bonchek Adam's blog. I have referenced it here before. Here is her latest post. In it, Lisa talks about CT scan results that brought more bad news than good, and a clinical trial she has to stop participating in. Her voice is genuine and real, her words straightforward. Simply put, she tells it like it is.

Here are a few words from the post mentioned above:

As many of you already know, my first tweet of each day is a mantra I’ve written: “Find a bit of beauty in the world today. Share it. If you can’t find it, create it. Some days this may be hard to do. Persevere.” I love to start my day with that saying each morning. It centers me.

Meaningful words for anyone to apply to this day. All any of us get is today. Lisa Adams is dying of cancer. She knows her days are limited. How many of us take this day for granted?

Gratitude practice helps me remember the gift of today. I will look for the beauty in it.

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