I didn't want to say anything until I'd read at least ten pages, and now I feel kind of silly even bothering to post this.
My grandpa has pancreatic cancer. It’s hit his liver and is spreading to his lungs. Chemo didn't touch it, and surgery did all they could, but the prognosis was supposed to be six months. Now? It's looking more like less than a month.
Part of me is almost relieved, you know? Just wanting it to be over so he doesn't have to suffer.
I haven't really processed it yet. I'm one of those people who hits the wall much later, once everyone else has already finished mourning.
And during this time, nobody gets why I'm not crying, why I seem so cold, or why I'm not grieving alongside the rest of the family.
Instead, I just bounce around the house. Busy with everyone, but really alone.
My grandma passed away two years ago from colon cancer. It had spread everywhere; she was gone only 17 days after the diagnosis.
She never wanted to burden us with her struggles, but we found out later she'd been dealing with symptoms for years.
She didn't even know what was happening until the very end. The doctors and our family all agreed there was no point in telling her—it would have just crushed her, not for herself, but for our sake.
My other grandpa died six months after she did. He'd been on dialysis for years, things got complicated, and then cancer moved in and ended it.
Back in 2004, my mom had surgery for breast cancer. One breast removed, plus chemo.
Then, two years later, they took out her uterus and both ovaries as a precaution. She was 44 and didn't want kids anymore anyway, and they suggested it since excess estrogen was the main culprit behind the breast cancer.
Everything has been clear since then, thank God.
My great-grandmother also lost her battle with cancer—uterine cancer.
Sometimes it feels like it's just a matter of time before it hits one of us.
As for preventative screenings... I don't know. Is it too early? I'm only 20. My parents are finally thinking about it now,
but trying to explain how it all works while I'm dealing with my grandpa being sick... I honestly don't even know where to start.
Now I'm sitting here feeling guilty because it feels like "I'm only thinking about myself."
My grandpa has pancreatic cancer. It’s hit his liver and is spreading to his lungs. Chemo didn't touch it, and surgery did all they could, but the prognosis was supposed to be six months. Now? It's looking more like less than a month.
Part of me is almost relieved, you know? Just wanting it to be over so he doesn't have to suffer.
I haven't really processed it yet. I'm one of those people who hits the wall much later, once everyone else has already finished mourning.
And during this time, nobody gets why I'm not crying, why I seem so cold, or why I'm not grieving alongside the rest of the family.
Instead, I just bounce around the house. Busy with everyone, but really alone.
My grandma passed away two years ago from colon cancer. It had spread everywhere; she was gone only 17 days after the diagnosis.
She never wanted to burden us with her struggles, but we found out later she'd been dealing with symptoms for years.
She didn't even know what was happening until the very end. The doctors and our family all agreed there was no point in telling her—it would have just crushed her, not for herself, but for our sake.
My other grandpa died six months after she did. He'd been on dialysis for years, things got complicated, and then cancer moved in and ended it.
Back in 2004, my mom had surgery for breast cancer. One breast removed, plus chemo.
Then, two years later, they took out her uterus and both ovaries as a precaution. She was 44 and didn't want kids anymore anyway, and they suggested it since excess estrogen was the main culprit behind the breast cancer.
Everything has been clear since then, thank God.
My great-grandmother also lost her battle with cancer—uterine cancer.
Sometimes it feels like it's just a matter of time before it hits one of us.
As for preventative screenings... I don't know. Is it too early? I'm only 20. My parents are finally thinking about it now,
but trying to explain how it all works while I'm dealing with my grandpa being sick... I honestly don't even know where to start.
Now I'm sitting here feeling guilty because it feels like "I'm only thinking about myself."