Cancer Sucks

Cancer sucks..what else can I say?  I've had encounters with many influential people in my life and cancer.  My dad died when I was nine from lymphocytic leukemia.  He died two weeks after being diagnosed.  I never got to say goodbye, I never knew what was going on.  Nobody told me.  Both of my grandmothers had breast cancer at the same time, both survivors.  One of those grandmas had colon cancer a few years ago, and an Aunt of mine had ovarian or uterine( some girly part) cancer a few years ago.  Minus my dad, everybody survived their cancer journeys.  A very dear friend of mine, Shannon, recently was diagnosed with Stage 2A Breast Cancer.  Shannon has 4 kids like myself.  Two of her girls are besties with my two little girls.  We do many things together.  I enjoy my Shannon time.  When Shannon told me she discovered a lump in one of the tatas, my heart sank and I knew.  I just did.  I never once told her that BC I wanted to be the good positive friend.  I also wanted her to have her ducks in a row so that when it came time for diagnosis to come around, she didn't have an enormous amount of things going through her head such as treatment options, children concerns.  I wanted her to hope for the best and prepare for the worst.  Shannon's diagnosis came and she took it with pride.  Words can't even describe how incredibly proud I am of her for how she has dealt with the cards she has been given.  I wish that I could take it away from her and make her life normal again.  I can't.  Instead I can be by her side when she needs to me to be and make her understand that I am here for her.  I know, just like I knew that she had breast cancer, that she will be OK.  She will get through this.  I also want her girls to understand.  I never understood what was happening with my dad.  The one time I got to see him days before he died, nobody ever told me that would be the last time I saw him alive.  Had I understood, I might have closure right now and I don't.  I never will. I want Shannon's girls to understand what breast cancer is, what's happening with Shannon, and be sure they know that yes, she will be OK.  I think I need to look for some children's books that teach.  After having been through what I did with my dad, I can't preach how important it is that the kids understand.  Shannon is an amazing mother and woman.  Her strength, bravery, positive attitude, and courage is going to enable her to breeze through her journey and show those girls what an amazing woman she is.  Those girls are going to understand years down the road how strong their mother really is.  I am so very honored to have Shannon as my friend.  We are going to do the Komen Breast Cancer run in September to support her.  I am leading the team.  I am really looking forward to the event which will also be near the end of Shannon's journey with breast cancer.  I look forward to celebrating the day that she is breast cancer free with her.