Personal Narrative Essay: Do You Have Cancer?

I had been really struggling with my leukemia during the month of January. Bruises covered my body and my weight had dwindled down. The worst part of all of this was keeping the secret from Landon. He saw a difference in me no matter how hard I tried to hide it. One day Landon and I went to grab a bite to eat at Cecil’s Diner. That was where I decided I needed to tell him. We were walking back from the diner, arm-in-arm, hoping not to be blown away by a nor’easter. I incited the conversation by asking, “People think I am weird, do they not.”

Everything in life can be associated with a color, happiness is a bright and inviting yellow, while sadness could be a dull and dismal grey. One afternoon, my twin brother, Chris, and I were sitting on the couch, smiling and laughing with one another. Vibrant shades of yellows and oranges surrounded us and made me feel safe and at ease. Our parents walked into the living room with somber looks on their faces, my mother looked upset. That was the day I found out my mother had been diagnosed with Breast Cancer. The Russell’s lifestyle was challenged now with a horrible plague my mother was burdened with. The prominent color present in the house went from a warm red to a darker shade, a color I associate with the threat of death. Something about that didn’t sit well with me.

One of the most difficult things I’ve ever experienced has been my battle with cancer. When I was 21 I was preparing to submit my mission papers. What was supposed to be a simple physical exam, turned into an unexpected battle. In October 31, 2013 my doctors diagnosed me with papillary cancer. I had surgery, and a couple weeks after had radiation treatment. Months later I was told I was cancer free, and I received my mission call. I was assigned to serve in the Colorado Denver South Mission. Unfortunately a week after I got my mission call, I was told that my cancer was back, and had actually spread to my lymph nodes; its next target would be my lungs, thus making my goal to serve a mission seem further from my reach. I went through the process

I woke up on Christmas morning to the sweet smell of coffee coming from down the hall. I jump up with excitement put my red fluffy slippers on and make my way to the kitchen telling myself that today is going to be an unforgettable day.

When I was nineteen years old, my father got diagnosed with cancer. Up until then, I was a happy, content teenager working in a local gym in an attempt to aid people with reaching their goals and promoting good health. With the progression of my father’s cancer, however, my life changed drastically. I remember the day of the diagnosis as if it were yesterday—these are feelings you can never forget, no matter how hard you try. By the time the physicians were able to locate the origin of my father’s cancer (the left kidney), it had already metastasized to his lungs. After the initial surgery in which the affected kidney was removed, he went through chemotherapy, which caused his body to go into a coma. Despite the fact that he was able to slowly recover, the second round of chemotherapy had the same effect on him—only this

Being a cancer survivor presents many persistent challenges. Despite those challenges, I graduated high school with honors. Hope for an uncertain future comes in part from the salvation I find in being a college student.

I had been feeling so tired for weeks I just thought it was because of my busy schedule but, all I wanted to do was sleep. I then became week and started losing weight I figured it must just be stress or the fact that I was coming down with a cold. I had the worst cough that just wouldn’t go away combined with the discomfort in my chest I thought it was time to call the doctor.

This will be for anyone who has cancer. It is beneficial because it will help anyone who has cancer. Just one dose and then BOOM! It has cured your cancer. Who wouldn’t want this? It won’t matter what type of cancer you have. It will work on any type of cancer. I would work on this treatment 24/7 until it will work properly, but I’ll probably take a couple breaks.

On an unusually warm February day last year, my brother and I sat on the back porch enjoying our lunch. We laughed while prodding one another with jubilant harassments. As we conversed and consumed our meal, our parents returned from my dad’s doctor’s appointment. Because my dad was experiencing swelling in his neck we all suspected that he had an infecting in his glands, or some other minut illness. When my parents joined us, I jokingly asked, “So are you dying Dad?” The moment I uttered those words, I knew I said the wrong thing. Pain gripped my father’s face. He sighed. My parents told us that he has cancer in his throat,his glands and on the back of his tongue. I immediately left, overwhelmed by grief, worry,and anguish. Then the Lord imparted some knowledge upon me. Cancer is a terribly destructive disease, but since Jesus is a loving God, He brings people into our lives to help alleviate to pain.

Ten years ago I was celebrating my 49th birthday and on the verge of a life changing decade. After months of mammograms, tests, and biopsies, I heard the dreaded three words "you have cancer". You know that cliché movie scene where the character is sucked to the ceiling and watches the doctor from above and all she hears is a muted "blah, blah, blah"? That was my reality. I lived in what felt like a dream state for several years after hearing those words. One cannot be and will not ever be the same after a cancer diagnosis, in particular after your two favorite body parts are cut from your body. Fast forward to today, my 59th birthday and after many surgeries and procedures, I am living my "new normal". After my deconstruction and reconstruction, many

At seventeen years old, I have experienced more than most people at that age or even in their lifetime. My unique life experiences have made me the person I’ve become and caused me to grow up faster than I should have had to. My focus during strenuous times was to try to stay positive as much as possible. These experiences I have been told, provided me wisdom beyond my years.

Imagine how great it would be if every human was warned they have cancer right in the moment it starts, it would save thousands of lives. The most dangerous thing about cancer and the reason why thousands of people die from this terminal disease is because generally the symptoms don’t show in the first two stages when the disease is developing and once the disease is strong that’s when the symptoms start showing. Finding the cure for cancer would be one of the greatest scientific discoveries, but that’s going to take some time. While we keep searching for this cure the closest thing we can have is something that will help us save most of the people, and my invention is going to do that.

Cancer!? Yes, that is right I was diagnosed with cancer at twenty four years old. I knew right away that things in my life would no longer be the same from this day forward. Let me take you back to where it all started.

Despite having an abnormal lump in my medulla oblongata, cancer felt unreal to me. For my entire life, my parents and oncologist had danced around the word “cancerous”.

“You have cancer,” are three words that no one ever wants to hear or be told. These three words provoke emotions that are unexplainable. I, personally, have never been told these cruel words, but a loved one has. My mom, best friend, and hero was diagnosed with breast cancer two years ago. We were at the airport getting ready to board our flight to Colombia, where we had not visited in twelve years. The excitement of seeing our family after such a long time was quickly interrupted with the news we received. I may not have been the one diagnosed, but that does not mean that my life was not greatly impacted.