Cancer Kills

As we all know, cancer is a very deadly disease that can snatch the ones you love right out of your arms. Cancer was something that I never expected nor wanted to have to deal with or experience in my life; it took the life of my grandmother, Terry, and I haven't been the same since. My grandmother fought cancer for roughly six years and she fought hard. The chemo completely drained her of all her strength, making it extremely hard for her to keep living. She lost a huge amount of weight, her eyes were hollow and sunken into her head and she was very sallow. She was so weak that she could barely hug me and my sister or hold our hands or anything.

I first found out she had cancer when my mom and dad brought me and Shayna downstairs and they were silent at first. My dad looked like he was about to cry, which is a big deal for him. My mom just looked at me and said, "girls I'm so sorry, Nanie has cancer and we don't know how long she has before she passes." I remember just being in utter shock and Shayna just bursting into tears at my side. I just went up to my room to draw, write poetry, anything to get my mind off the possibility of my grandmother not being here when I graduated middle school, high school, college! My Nanie had fought cancer for about four years before my parents told my sister and I about it.

My Nanie battled cancer for what seemed like ages but when she died I just felt as though I hadn't spent anytime with her. I remember the day she died like it was yesterday. She was laying on the couch in her living room and my dad and grandpa were watching The Amazing Race on CBS. My dad was holding her hand and so was my grandpa. When she died my dad said that her hand just went limp and he knew that was it. At least she was sleeping when she died so she went peacefully.

My Nanie has been gone for about three or four years and I still think about her all the time. She meant so much to me and my family.

I think that there will be a lot of new research happening so that I can track this topic for a while. Cancer is an ever-changing disease and it has taken far too many people's lives. People shouldn't have to suffer from this awful disease the way my Nanie did. I'm hoping to find loads of current information about cancer so I can understand the struggles my Nanie went through as well as other people who have or had (survived) this deadly disease.

There is so much ongoing research on cancer that I should have no trouble finding information on this topic however if anyone finds anything they think might help me in my search, please don't hesitate to send that info to me via my blog. I would greatly appreciate it. I know that I have chosen a fairly difficult topic to research but it will be worth my time and all the effort I put into this project. I'm researching this topic in memory and honor of my grandmother and I know it will be worth while. There is a good part to this story though, my mom's mother had breast cancer for maybe a year I believe and she is now a healthy woman thanks to the quick diagnosis. Now the disease did cost her both her breasts but I think that, had she chosen not to get the mastectomy, she may not be here today.

Again, if anyone finds any info that you think may be useful to my research please send it to my blog, I will be very greatful! Thanks!
~Taylor♥