A free-verse poem about someone I knew and her cancer. |
Cancer Could Not Break Her Spirit! The doctor explained her pain was due to malignant, metastatic cancer. Like a thief it invaded her body, stayed hidden awhile, and then rampaged through her internal organs. The doctor handed her a death sentence. Cancer this advanced is a fearsome foe, a fire-breathing dragon that would consume her body piece by piece. It cannot be defeated; there is no cure. There are only delaying tactics. Give up, and it takes you quicker. This is David versus Goliath … and this time Goliath will win. The doctor scheduled her for chemotherapy, whereby they pumped a highly toxic mixture of agents into her body with hopes the toxins would harm the cancer more than her. The toxins made her sick, sapped her energy, took away her appetite. She only hoped it was kicking her cancer’s butt even worse. The oncologist gave her a prognosis of three to six months. He didn’t know her fighting spirit! Nothing in her life had ever beaten her down, and cancer would be no different. She’d spit in its eye and resist for all she was worth. Month after month she took the toxins. The doctor was surprised when a year came and passed. She lived life to the fullest and cursed the cancer for being such a bully. She took anti-nausea pills and bought herself a nice wig to wear. She continued living as normally as she could, making concessions grudgingly. She never felt sorry for the tragedy that had befallen her. It was all part of life. You accept the bad, just as well as the good, she’d say. You grit your teeth and persevere. She fought like a warrior against overwhelming odds. She died an honorable death, still carrying her sword and shield. On her last day, nineteen months after diagnosis, she told those gathered around, “My cancer may have killed me … but it never could break my spirit.” She remained a gallant warrior to her end. Her body was diseased, but her spirit remained strong and defiant. She made the cancer work extra hard to kill her, and she died smiling at the life she’d had. Please check out my ten books: http://www.amazon.com/Jr.-Harry-E.-Gilleland/e/B004SVLY02/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0 |