Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month

Recently, I've vented about some of the difficulties I've had health-wise. And, as soon as I typed them in my blog, I felt badly about it. Namely, because I don't like to complain. My circumstances are not that bad, especially when you consider others who have it so much worse.

If you've been reading this blog for any length of time, you will remember that my Mom has MS. She's always been a fighter and provided my sister and I with unspoken advice of never to complain. She taught us to think of others who struggle. One moment I remember so clearly as I was growing up, is when she taught me about being a human being of value. She told me, "Empathy is so much more useful than Sympathy." It seeped through my stubborn Aries subconscience and stayed with me all these years.

So, I try not to complain. Especially since my older sister, Tanya was diagnosed with colorectal cancer last year. She turned the big 5-0 this past November and her doctor added the good ole colonoscopy exam to her annual physical. It's a good thing they did because she was at stage 4. When I found out, I felt as if the wind was completely knocked out of my soul. She has always been the healthy one.

This past year, I have seen her go through uncharacteristic bad health. And, I have seen her handle her illness with such incredible faith, grace and humility as well as humor. I sit in amazement at times. She has been in such pain and never complained. No, she instead has chronicled her journey via her blog: Every Problem Has a Gift for You in its Hands. It is truly a fascinating journey as she digs deep in herself and explains what she goes through and her feelings about it.

Oh, and by the way: She is going through her last round of chemo and radiation and had surgery to remove the cancerous tumor (but not before she had a tumor naming contest on her blog beforehand) and to insert the colostomy bag. She is cancer free! So, do yourself a favor: Read her blog. Be good to yourself and get a colonoscopy if it's time to have one or if colon cancer runs in your family. The colon test is NOT painful....honest. Believe me, I wouldn't lie to you.

Hey, it's a fast way to lose 5 lbs, right?

More Musings Later-