Four friends have died from cancer during the last 18 months: George, Connie, Shari, and Lisa. Three were in my cohort and Lisa was not much older than my daughter. Each of them had a different form of cancer; all of them died before their time, facing their death with courage and dignity.
Cancer is quite common these days. According to epidemiologists, one out of three people will be diagnosed with cancer sometime during their lifetime. Although medicine has progressed in understanding causes and developing treatments, many forms of cancer still end in death. Cancer causes about 25% of deaths among adults in the U.S. each year.
In these days of remembering my friends, I am reminded of my personal vulnerability to the insidious power of cancer. It’s also difficult to feel sanguine about progress with my treatment when others are not so fortunate with their treatment.
It seems wise to have my life in good order should mortality also visit me before my time, while taking my best care to live healthy for today. To that end, Eddy and I are working out cemetery arrangements and decluttering the garage.