Talk about something that creeps up and robs the body of life. Something that assumes without permission to destroy the inner-workings of the individual, without recognizing that the body wants to continue its existence. Something that seemingly eludes thus far the minds of the brilliant, yet scares the minds of those with which it afflicts. Something that is ever so saturated in complexity and mysticism – that no certified, competent doctor or person has yet to uncover the derivations of its presence. Cancer, a killer and inconceivable taker of life and life alone, miraculously subtracts from those whom live, and whom want to continue living only to leave the residue of why. For me, indescribable and unfathomable feelings and tearful words enter my mind upon realizing the thought of cancer assuming my body. Hearing and seeing the few individuals who come under exposure because of cancer, like James O’Connor, for example, makes one realize the level of courage, and resolve people like James had to have in dealing with a life-expiring revelation.
Being that I’m a 22 year old, healthy college student, the thought of having cancer has never remotely entered the walls of my mind. But if such a diagnostic inquisition ever existed and entered the openings of my ears, I would not, like James, be so inclined to have an accepting attitude. To be truthfully clear, one has to have the courage to see beyond the words of finality from which the confirmation of having cancer subsumes and acquire the audacity of wanting to continue living no matter how rigorously arduous the task of remaining amongst the living will challengingly be. Yes, to treat cancer encompasses not only a frightening process, but a body-destroying process to, in some essence of hope, hold on to one’s life. Yes, courage is needed, perseverance, strength, patience, and an array of many other mental faculties to preserve the elongation of one’s life.
In the unthinkable sense that I’m dangerously and unfortunately placed in O’ Connor’s unseemly predicament, the rationale with which I would implement in attempting to deal with and handle my cancerous affliction is first look for outside consultation, independent of the current doctors who diagnosed my life-ending affliction. Next I would implore the new consultation of doctors for which I pursued to assist me in creating a cancer-fighting regimen with which my body could follow to prolong my life as much as possible, so as long as the regimen were not traditional chemotherapy and radiation, both of which have been proven to rapidly kill more body tissue and organs than any other cancer-fighting process. If, however, non-traditional chemotherapy and radiation serve to be implausible, then the traditional-side of chemotherapy and radiation, regardless of how painfully irritating both process are, and also receiving assurance from doctors that the process under which my body would experience under traditional chemo and radiation would no doubt be meticulously and proficiently approached and conducted with the utmost amount of unparalleled competence on the part of the doctors who would be also facilitating the treatment and who exclusively intend, for however much time permits, to preserving the elongation of my life, then traditional chemotherapy and radiation would become a considerable option for which I would choose.
Beyond consulting with new doctors about alternative forms of treatment while also recognizing that traditional chemotherapy and radiation may be necessary and the only option in treating my cancer, and taking into account that although doctors are brilliantly focused, they too can still make fallible mistakes, and also realizing that even though a life-threatening mystery has drastically paused, paralyzed and appropriated my body along with my precious thoughts, the next independently sagacious pursuit I would consider undertaking is conclusively make sure the current recommendations offered in medically attempting to slow the progression of the cancer from chronically obliterating my life completely have world-wide merit. To do so, I would thoroughly navigate all electronic networks, especially the internet, to make sure the treatments, whether chemotherapy or any other suitable treatment applicable to prolonging my life as long as possible are accurately appropriate and accurately capable.
Nostalgically, the hands, feet, and complete presence of cancer have been personally and tangibly part of my very existence. Nearly 4 years ago, the complexity of cancer plagued my mother. Talk about a time where dubiety and emotional stagnation flooded my very being – a time where the endless thoughts of my mother becoming a ghost – a meandering apparition of the past, did not once abandon my spirit or my person. On that very day when she was told those very unfamiliar, yet life altering words: “unfortunately we have some regretful new – you have cancer,” very religiously optimistic, she received what was given, and according to her, was then told she had one week to live. Upon receiving the latter, she did not once seem a bit afraid of the thought or reality of death. Now for me, that is what I called courage. To look a fatal reality in the face and still have the audacity to go on living, despite knowing the steps of time are slowly but firmly getting closer and closer, yet one continues existing. Miraculous for my mother, the prognosis was inaccurately assessed and determined, and one week later, well, years later the breath of life still remains within her person. Ultimately, the thought and fears of cancers scares us all. But like James, my mother at one point in her life, and many more who have fallen subject to cancer all know that there has to be an equivalence of courage in all of whom come into contact with cancer, and that courage has to persist beyond the fears of chemotherapy, radiation, and more importantly beyond the finality of death.
By: Robinson, Earnest
