A family friend won his battle against colon cancer this past summer. Last night, we found out that the cancer has metastisized on both of his lungs. His doctors say it's not treatable. He is 27 years old (the same age as A and I)...a newlywed...a son...an uncle. I don't know him that well, but I know that his wife and family love him dearly and cannot imagine a life without him. I know that he must be scared, exhausted, and angry with the hand he has been dealt.
Hearing about his new diagnosis doesn't make the pain of our recurrent losses hurt any less. It didn't take the sting out of receiving a pregnancy announcement this morning. It does, however, give some perspective to our struggle. I want so deeply to have a child, and I am anxiously awaiting our second opinion appointment this afternoon. I am grateful, though, that the news we receive at this appointment will not change the fact that A and I are healthy and suffering from no apparent terminal illnesses. We will not receive a death sentence this afternoon. We may not get the news we want, but we will have each other to hold, comfort, live beside and breathe with as we move forward on this journey.
What a beautiful way to turn something so heartbreaking into something useful. I felt the same way when a college acquaintance of mine passed away this month after a 3.5 year battle with leukemia. She was four days shy of her 25th birthday. It reminded me to be more patient with my body, even when it feels broken.
ReplyDeleteThere's pain all over the world, unfortunately. No matter what happens to us, it's very easy to find someone who has it worse. And it's helpful to have this perspective on life. I'm so very sorry about your friend.
ReplyDeleteGreat insight. Sorry to hear such sad news about your friend.
ReplyDeleteGood luck on your appointment today.
Very true about the perspective. Such a sad sad story. I hope your appointment went well today.
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