Personal Narrative: My Experience With Cancer

You never realize how evil cancer truly is until it affects you or your family. I was four when cancer first affected me, stage four leukemia. My two year old cousin Conor was on the verge of death, and I had absolutely no clue. For the first nine months of his fight all I knew that he was sick, I assumed he had a cold, not fighting for his life. When I was five my mom sat me down to tell me that Conor was not going to make it, and that my brother and I were going with her to Albany to visit him. His bones were sticking out, his head looked like a bowling ball, and his skin was a pale blue. He looked like a child in a concentration camp during World War II. Honestly if you were to think of what a dead child looked like, that was him. That was the first time I realized that my mom was right, and that Conor was not going to make it.

I have an intruder in my body. I got the news today that I have a rare heart cancer, which nobody has ever survived. As I walk out of the doctor's office, I’m dreading the moment when I have to tell my family. I took the long way home, so I could think.

More than 50,000 people died in 2015 due to cancer, homicides, and drunk driving. Year of 2015 is the year that opened my eyes to what’s going on with the world’s current society. Cancer, homicides, and drunk driving are things I see as wrongful deaths. Others may see it as a misconception.

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.

I went in to go get a physical check up as I have been a mud obstacle course that raises funds for those with breast cancer. They have them every year. Two years ago, when I went in tor my physical a hard lump was found in my left breast. My primary care doctor sent me to get a mammogram. All I could think about how those in the past said it will hurt as your breast is being squeeze to death between two plastic plates. I had to answer a long questionnaire about my life. The breast care center wanted to know if I led some wild lifestyle involving alcohol or drugs plus more.

About a year and 3 months ago my mom pasted away from breast cancer changing my whole life around. I promised to live my life to the fullest after realizing the life can be taken from you when you least expect it. Watching her healthy young life being taken away by this one disease made me realize how short life can be. You always hear your grandparents say “your only young once, make the most of it” and they are right. My mother was so close to beating cancer but after all the treatments her heart gave out on her. After her death I promised to live my life and never take anything for granted.

Some people seem to grow up knowing exactly what they desire for themselves in regard to a career path; I, personally, have never felt that way until recently. I was born and raised in the beautiful town of Munich, Germany, by the most loving parents one could possibly have. My childhood was blessed by the fact that I was surrounded by people who cared for me and loved me deeply and unconditionally.

A woolen blanket. A thick one, so thick that if you climbed under it, it would be hard to breathe. Now it is wet, a lingering dampness that won't go away no matter how much you want it to. The dampness leads to a chill, and the chill works into your bones. You would be so much warmer without the blanket, but it's too heavy to throw off. That is depression. When I was six years old, my mother was diagnosed with colon cancer. I lived every day with tears in my eyes as my mother lived in pain and could not bring herself to eat or drink. I longed for her suffering to subside and for her to rebuild her strength and act like her joyful self again. However, that never happened. On March 9th, 2009, she lost her battle with cancer. After she died, I

This experience changed me, this might change you. The experience I had was sad, and this was when I had heard that my sister Riley had got Cancer for the third or forth time. I was ten at the time and also I didn’t know much about Cancer until my mom told me how bad it was and what it could do.

“Molly, we have something to tell you,” my parents said, walking into the living room with saddened looks on their faces. I paused the movie and awaited their news. “Your grandma has been diagnosed with cancer.” I definitely was not expecting that to be the news, so it hit me like a brick wall; I was troubled and overwhelmed by the news to such an extent that I was speechless. She has been an important figure in my life for as long as I can remember and has always been there to listen and give me advice whenever I need it. Her insight into the important things in life has helped me and will continue to as I pursue my dreams for years to come.

Only 2 years prior, we had received news that my grandmother had been diagnosed with lung cancer, already in its late stages. Why is this happening? Is the only thought I could muster after having my seemingly well-grounded world shaken up. Only being barely 14, it was one of the first problems I had to be submerged in, at an age where I should be free of worries. So when we got the call we had all been dreading to receive for 2 years, we immediately went to Dallas to see her, for one last time.

One day, I was on facebook and had stumbled upon a shared video about a cancer patient, who is now in remission, talking about her story. But as the video progressed, I noticed that the point of the video wasn’t to share her cancer story; she was actually introducing the idea that there’s an existing cure for cancer.

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.

After March 4th, losing my cousin’s battle with cancer, everything just went downhill from there. Cancer being a hereditary scares the crap out of me. Everything just seemed to stop. I wasn't training for runs (for a cause). I just felt like he took a piece of me with him when he went 6-feet under. He was only 30 years old and still had a life ahead of him, but was gone too fast. Married to Melissa, who is an inspiration for being able to withstand pressure. His daughter who was diagnosed with Leukemia when she was 2-years old and has been a survivor for a few years now… baby Izzy. She was one of his inspirations to do great things. He became one of the founder of #TEAMCANCERSUCKS, joined quite a few triathlons, received a few sponsors. He

My cancer diagnosis originally affected my physical appearance with the loss of my hair, pale exterior, and overall weakness. Today, I still feel ramifications in ways that some survivors do not. I suffer most often from fatigue, having a sensitive stomach and immune system. I’m frequently washing my hands and cleaning what is around me. I also have to stay away from certain foods, like dairy and most meat products. I also receive large amounts of aching pain in my hands and back. This is a side effect from some of the medications that I had to take during chemotherapy and my many spinal taps. The pain affects my day to day life. Schoolwork becomes more difficult because writing hurts badly on most days. At the end of the day I use things