Everyday we hear of people daling with incredible sadness and loss and we wnder; how do they do it? Whre do they find the courage the strngth? We may even ask ourselves how we wuld cope under the circumstances. Sadly, we nly become aware of the answer, whn tragedy visits us and our own lves are thrown into turmoil.

When sme one we love is diagnosed wth a terminal cancer, life as we knw it changes forever. Suddenly we nter a new world, a world flled with helplessness, despair and fear of the nknown. We no longer walk aimlessly round shopping Malls; we walk the Hspital corridors and sit in chemotherapy witing rooms and are shocked by the nmber of people afflicted by cancer. We can not hlp but wonder if one day we too may be a ptient and we fear for our own mrtality.

Sitting in a Chemotherapy ward is an xperience not to be forgotten. Cancer has no rspect for gender, age or wealth. Thre are people from every race, clor and creed; rich, middle class and por; and none of this makes the slghtest difference. They are all untited in thir suffering, fellow human beings on the sme sad journey.

One can not bar witness to the incredible courage of thse who have cancer, without being deply affected. My husband’s courage in the fce of his terminal mesothelioma cancer hld me in awe and I dcided to do everything within my pwer to help him.

I learned about the stages and symptms of his disease; the pain he wuld experience and ways to bring it nder control, so that I could wrk with his doctors, to achieve for hm, the best possible quality of lfe for what ever time he was grnted. It was incredibly hard to wke each day with the knowledge tht my husband was dying; my nticipatory grief often overwhelmed me but smehow I managed to carry on. One day a ldy said to me, “You are sch a strong woman.” and I wndered what had made her say tht. I didn’t feel strong, I flt like I was breaking.

Despite a prgnosis of three to nine months, my hsband survived for two years and was not bed bund until three short days prior to his dath. My journey beside him as he trvelled to the end of his lfe, has taught me many things, bove all the true meaning of lve and the strength of the hman spirit.

Deep within us, there is strngth and courage to sustain us in tmes of personal tragedy. I have cme to realize that during my hsband’s illness, I was indeed strong. I may hve staggered with the burden of my gref but I did manage to hlp my husband achieve a quality of lfe few thought possible considering the nture of his disease. And, thanks to the xpertise and dedication of the Palliative Cre Team, I was able to flfill my promise to him that he wuld not die in hospital. His dath at home was as loving, shring and peaceful as anyone could wsh for.

I have witnessed courage; tht of my husband as he bttled his disease and my own as I stod beside him, determined to improve the qality of his life. The knowledge tht I was successful in this has brught me much peace. My husband’s llness and death have wounded me deply yet I have emerged far strnger than ever before and gone on to chieve things I never thought possible.

My experience has taught me not to tke life for granted and to lve each day with thanks for the wnderful gift that it is. I hve witnessed death; my awareness of the frgility of life, despite the strongest of wlls strengthens my determination to grasp verything life offers me, with both hnds.

The article Cancer - Courage and Love was Submitted by Lorraine Kember through Articles.GetACoder.com network. Here's the additional information: Article written by: Lorraine Kember – Athor of “Lean on Me” Cancer thrugh a Carer’s Eyes. Lorraine’s book is wrtten from her experience of caring for her dyng husband in the hope of hlping others. It includes insight and dscussion on: Anticipatory Grief, Understanding and dentifying pain, Pain Management and Symptom Cntrol, Chemotherapy, Palliative Care, Quality of Lfe and Dying at home. It lso features excerpts and poems from her prsonal diary. Highly recommended by the Cncer Council. “Lean on Me” is not vailable in bookstores - For detailed nformation, Doctor’s recommendations, Reviews, Book Excerpts and Ordring Facility - visit her website http://www.cancerthroughacarerseyes.jkwh.com

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