When Cancer is Near

I'm not a stranger to cancer striking close to home. My grandmother was diagnosed with lung and pancreatic cancer a few years ago. She passed away in June 2009 from the lung cancer, strange as that sounds for anyone who knows anything about pancreatic cancer. Her lung cancer spread to her hip and became bone cancer. I remember being sad at her diagnosis, but not heartbroken. My main beef was that if she died, we'd have to take care of my grandfather who was part of the 95% of Italian men who can't run a washing machine. Seriously, there was a study done on that recently. As it turns out, he died about 9 months before she did, very suddenly from either a stroke or heart attack. We're not too sure as there was never a autopsy done.
My mother in law had a second round of breast cancer last fall. I remember it stressing me out, but again, I wasn't crying over it. I guess I didn't have any reason to be sad as it never occurred to me that it could have been bad. Thankfully, she's fine. Surgery and some hormone drugs for 5 years and she's right as rain with a few scars.
I think with both of these women in my life, they were/are older and so it's like in my mind, older people get sick. They get diseases, it's life. I don't mean to sound callous about it, but I think that was my rationalizing.
Today, however, I learned that a girl, okay so she's a woman, but that makes us sound SO OLD, from the Bible study I participated in this summer was diagnosed with breast cancer. She's one of the sweetest people you'll ever meet. Joyful in the Lord is a good phrase to describe her. She's always smiling, always joyful, there's a twinkle in her eye that only comes from someone who seeks God constantly. She's also 27 years old. 27. Three years younger than me. Someone my age, with a one year old. Someone who could be me. Someone with a husband, a baby, dreams, desires, a future and now this. Cancer.
They are hopeful about it although they won't know more
She decided to have a double mastectomy which will happen right after Thanksgiving. They're doing that to make sure it can't come back if they ever have another baby. Her cancer was fueled by pregnancy hormones. This was a hard decision for them because she'll never be able to breastfeed again. I know that's not the end of the world, but it's still a huge thing to wrap one's mind around, and I know she had a hard time deciding that. They're hopeful about her prognosis. Not too sure about fertility, but when you've got a young family, I think survival is more important than biological children, which they think as well, but still, what a decision to have to make. Every decision they make concerning her treatment impacts the rest of their lives.
My tears have finally dried up, my prayers will not until she gets through this awfulness.
She and her husband started this blog to document and encourage and inspire as they walk through this trial. They are both amazing Christians and I've already been so encouraged in my own life by reading a few of their posts. Treasures In Heaven