Have you ever experienced the phenomenon when you learn a new word and then suddenly you hear it being used all over the place. In reality that word was always there, but your ears just weren't attune to it so you may not have been cognizant of its presence. The more I share my life of cancer with other people, the more I come to realize ("hear") their stories of cancer as well. Young and old, relatives and friends - and the overwhelming majority are survivors just like me. That brings two things to mind.
For all my pre-cancer years I was acutely aware of its existence (it's a big part of my professional life), but I probably wasn't "hearing" the stories of all the people around me who were battling and winning. I wasn't in denial that this could never happen to me. And I wasn't indifferent or disinterested in their plight. But perhaps they weren't all that comfortable sharing and I didn't offer the commiserative key that opened the door to the connection that would give birth to our bond.
But what it also says to me on an even deeper level is that there have been tremendous strides made within the past few years in cancer research and therapy. Medicines are getting more targeted, side effects are getting more manageable, options are getting more prevalent. And as a result, the world is populated with more survivors with more success stories. Some still want to keep their particular experience private, and I respect that. But others are prepared to open their hearts and their minds and let the world know their circumstan-cer. I hope it helps them, as much as it helps me.
There is a certain camaraderie the grows out of the cancer club collegiality. Some folks aren't as ready to talk about their condition just yet. Others, like me, can't seem to shut up about it (hence over a year's worth of blog posts). But when the opportunity presents itself, or if you should have YOUR ticket punched and you become a carrier of a "story" - know that a lot of people out there are wrestling with the same demons, struggling with the same challenges, and succeeding with the same battles. They (we) are everywhere.
