Yes, I have the “C” word. Coming to grips with it is challenging. When my sister-in-law suggested that I write a book about my experiences, I blew it off. Many books have been written about people’s journey’s through cancer. They surely didn’t need another one. So she suggested a journal. “Maybe it would help others,” she said. I believe she meant maybe it would help me. But she is also a cancer survivor. Perhaps she was asking me to be a voice she could not be. I am a writer. This is what I do. So why not a blog?
As I venture on this trip I don’t want to take, I will try to share with you what I am going through. It will be less about what is happening physically and more about what is happening emotionally. This is beyond hard. Harder than anything I ever remember going through before. And I have been through many rough times in my seventy-three years. If you choose to follow along, perhaps you are also facing the big “C,” or you have a friend or family member that is. Perhaps you will follow because it is something different from cancer. Maybe it is another physical ailment, or maybe a mental one. At any rate, if you find it helpful or relatable, I thank you for choosing to take this journey with me, walking with me, but even if you cannot walk it for me.
Before I get into the “C” chapter of my life, I must start with a big, heartfelt “A.” The A is for APOLOGY. Those of you who follow my blog will know that this blog is supposed to be about writing and promoting other authors. I have a long list of authors that I promised to post their interviews and the latest book they want to let the world know about. I have failed miserably with this ever since “C” has reared his ugly head. So I apologize to my author friends. You are not going to see your interview or your books promoted here for a long time. This is the only thing I can do right now. My mind is all consumed with “C.” Hopefully, at the end of this journey, I will be back to myself and be able to fulfill my promise to you and continue with the author interviews and book promotions. I sincerely wish you all the success in the world with your books. Author to author, I know that journey is another one altogether.
I will start my next post by catching you up on how I first found out about “C” and how I emotionally handled it. It will require a little medical information, but I hope not to bog it down with too much of that. Cancer is the antagonist in this story, and I don’t want to give him too much voice. This is my battle and I pray I come out the victor.
Writing Under Fire 