Cancer does not ask if you are ready to go, nor does it care that you have a family who needs you. It takes who and what it wants without any hesitation. It is a spoiled brat that waits to claim even the ones who have beaten it once. Cancer affects anyone dogs, cats, moms, and dads there's no one it cant take. While we can never understand why it happens, we can only sit back and watch as it claims more and more lives, helplessly.
Personally I have currently lost three family members to various forms they were aunts, Grams, Moms and Sisters. Its never a good time receiving that call. You sit there and prepare yourself for this news but honestly you're never ready, ever. Someone's life was taken away, and there is nothing you can do about it. You have to learn about life without them. The worst part is you know when its their time, you can feel it and still cannot prepare for those murderous words.
Many people are affected by this, and believe most people have gone through this loss. Some had sometime to live and fight, while others caught it too late and had to throw up their white flag. The doctors give you an amount of time that they BELIEVE you will survive to, but in my experience a year is a 4months and a week is only 2 days. But that is how life works. Constant obstacles tossed on your path to slow you down, taking the people you love and need the most. Your memories? Your lives? It's a bully that cares about nothing.
Cancer can affect animals too, and happens more often than not. It takes your beloved Labrador Retriever Oso, or even your Alpaca Abercrombie. Cats, horses, ducks and even fish are fair game. Easy pickings for this silent killer. But the difference between people and animals is that animals cannot speak to us to say, "hey I feel sick" or "check out tis rad lump on my leg" you have to be hypersensitive to your pets actions and regularly check them for lumps like you would do for yourself as a human. Or just hope for the best.
As families of lost loved ones to cancer the only thing we can do when their gone is release balloons, or "celebrate" in their honor when all you really want to do is watch them blow out 59 candles on the double chocolate cake they loved so much. Or tell them you love them hoping that they can hear you and never knowing if they do. You look to the sky whenever something happens good, or bad as if you were saying "did you see that?" What can we really do? The wounds never heal, ever, and time does little to help it because at the slight mention of a name your heart in in shambles. It will always hurt and you will always want to talk to them but like I said you just get used to living without their beautiful souls physically being with you. I wear my Titi Melissa's bracelet everyday, and I always think of Grams and Aunty Patty.
I attend various walks for my family members who have beaten cancer but especially for mine that I lost. Cancer walks are a great experience and can be extremely positive environment to be in, I highly recommend you sign up or even just show up and enjoy this experience with survivors and to honor the ones lost.