Melinda Marchiano

     Wow.  It dawned on me.  I had cancer.  That was the first time that anyone, Dr. Dan, nurses, friends, or family, had ever used that word to refer to my illness.  I think that it was probably avoided and aimed more toward Hodgkin.  Hmm, that sounds like a cute, little puppy with floppy ears, compared to “cancer.”  They probably didn’t want to scare me, and I thank them for that.  I knew I had cancer.  I was getting chemo for goodness sakes, but never before had that word been directed toward me, describing me.  And, from that point on, a little tape played in my head– periodically rewinding itself, before repeating again.

     “I have cancer.  I have cancer.  I have cancer.”

      Still, after all that, my very next thought was, “Are you sure?  Cancer?!”