CANCER? OY VEY! A FAMILY STORYBOOK

I’m going to write a storybook for families about living peaceably with cancer
It’ll go something like this:

See Annie and Will:  two kindhearted souls, spirits pulsing with positivity

See Annie and Will awakening from sweet dreams

See Annie visiting her doctor on the day of her annual physical

See Annie (that would be me) having my yearly chest x-ray

See me receiving a call saying—You have pneumonia

See me replying—what?  I have no cough or fever

See me taking antibiotics and repeating the x-ray, two weeks later

See my internist seemingly stymied since the x-ray looks no better

See me taking medication for Valley Fever

See my internist hovering close by as x-ray number three relates no change

See my sons saying—Mom, please see a pulmonologist—ASAP

See our eyes growing wide to hear this specialist say Annie needs a CT

See our shock when a PET scan, shows a large tumor, revealing a sarcoma

See our intelligence digesting that sarcomas are exceptionally rare

See us appreciating our medical brain trust offering the best of care

See our team of docs suggesting that sarcomas invade the lung almost never

See our lives filling with specialists, tests, labs, chemo, hospitalizations, nurses,

See our minds growing fearful while our hearts fill with love-infused courage

See my long dark hair falling out in clumps until my stylist buzzes the rest away

See my collection of knit caps and colorful scarves growing, day by day

See my eyebrows waving bye-bye, as individual strands land on my perfume tray

See my lashes flying free at the merest of breezes

See me stepping back if anyone coughs or sneezes

See pounds slipping away while I’m eating whatever seems pleasing

See me losing my appetite along with weight dropping off me

See hair and weight loss being the least of side effects stalking me

See me tending to technicolored bouquets while one hand holds onto my walker

See our trio of sons rallying round as precious grandkids draw flowers in vases

See our door bell ringing with delicious, nutritious meals prepared by smiling faces

See hope floating amid light-as-air matzoh balls simmering in savory chicken broth

See my positively focused attitude needing to shed a river of tears, now and again

See my spirit swimming through rapids, not losing sight of hope ‘round the bend

See a life raft of love created by beloved family and treasured friends

See our life raft fashioned of texts, emails, cards, gifts, calls and visits pouring in

See my spirit buoyed upon that life raft whenever chemo thwacks my spunky grin

See my husband nursing me with all the love his heart can hold

See Will carrying Ensure to my bedside followed by warming my towels

See our positive choices remain focused upon winning the good fight

See Will cradling me in his sheltering arms, night after night

See me fall asleep feeling blessed while longing for chemo and surgery to be passé

See me dreaming cheerfully of my lust for life bursting free at the rainbow’s end

See me awakening singing, Tomorrow, tomorrow—it’s only A DAAAY AWAAAY!