Dear Cancer,
When my friend Laura's dad passed away in April because of you, I was angry. When my friend Bekah took a job at MD Anderson to take care of people walking through cancer, I was beaming proud. When I sat at the August American Marketing Association Luncheon and heard the MD Anderson Marketing Team talk about their mission of "Making Cancer History," I applauded them.
All of those times, you were an enemy. But distant and far away. If I was the North Pole, you were the South Pole. I'd heard about you, but really really liked my distance.
And then, just three weeks after that AMA Luncheon, I was told you had been inside of me for 2-4 YEARS. WHAT!!! You were supposed to be at the South Pole. And I was supposed to be safe and sound at the North Pole, young and 26 and worrying about my grandparents getting cancer - NOT worrying about myself!
In addition to being angry at you, I'm feeling very betrayed by my thyroid for giving you a home all this time. I should not be surprised by you. Because that is what you do - you take over, you devour, you steal nutrients and energy. You've been enjoying all these delicious meals I've been having all these years without me ever knowing!
They said you've been growing slowly. Thanks for that.
There's a verse that makes me think of you:
"The thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy, but I have come that they may have life and have it more abundantly." John 10:10
You've come to steal my joy, kill my thyroid, and destroy my life. But my Jesus has come to give me LIFE and give it to me abundantly. No matter the number of my days, or when Jesus chooses to heal me, HE has remained faithful to His promise and given me that abundant life. (More on that in the next post.)
I have bad news for you: your days are numbered. You'll be leaving your comfortable thyroid home on October 20. And sweet lil thyroid will be leaving with you.
You've taught me a lot. You've made me cling to Jesus. You've tried to shake me, but my Jesus says "I will never be shaken" so there's that. (Psalm 62:1-2). You've brought far more doctor appointments to 2015 than I kind of ever wanted my whole life put together. You've got this direct line to all my friends or something - I've felt so incredibly loved and cherished by each of them. You've tried to insert fear into my life, but somehow it's all been knocked down by an overwhelming peace from Jesus.
So, I'm ready for you to go. And we are never ever getting back together.
Mary Grace