Cancer in the Family

    Everyone in life has dealt with someone dying, whether it be from a disease or natural causes. In my particular story, cancer is the disease that has killed a large portion of my family. When I was a year old, my father was diagnosed with esophageal cancer. The first doctor that my mother went to opted out of treatment entirely. So, we got a second opinion and they began chemo immediately. Soon after though, my father began to get much worse. They gave him six months to live after diagnosis. He died in 1994 at the age of 34, when I was two years old. My grandfather was the next person to pass. When I was about three years old, my grandfather passed away from lung cancer. Being a heavy smoker, it was expected that he would eventually get sick unless he quit. Only about a year after my father passed, my grandfather passed away. My family was devastated. Two deaths of two very important people so soon and close together. I am not really sure how my grandmother dealt with it. Losing her only son and husband within the span of a year. Unfortunately, I was never given the chance to really get to know either of them, but I learned as much as I could through the years. In 2005, our family was devastated again. My grandmother was diagnosed with colon cancer and breast cancer. She was the closest thing that I had to my father and grandfather and I was always very close to her. She was everything perfect in a grandmother and she will never be forgotten in her community for her kindness and loving attitude. She survived both cancers for three years, but in 2007 wasn't able to fight anymore. The cancer overcame her and won. I will never forget the amazing woman that she was. The hardest thing that I have had to deal with perhaps is knowing that they won't be able to be there for the most important events in my life. Although, I know that they are watching down on me from Heaven everyday of my life. That's what keeps me going.