DEATH TO CANCER!

[Tracy]

I need to vent. Sorry to take you along for my rant.

As of this afternoon (a phone call with devastating, unexpected news about one friend), short of miracles, my circle of friends will soon number five fewer wonderful, generous, loving, funny mothers, grandmas, sisters, aunts, cousins, fathers, grandpas, brothers, and uncles.

I have five friends who are ALL dying because of cancer. All have been given less than 9 months.

cancer. It's a relatively short, simple word, and I've sized it "tiny" because that's all the space it deserves. No, that's wrong. It doesn't deserve even that!

I am so angry and my heart is breaking, not just for the friends suffering - and I mean SUFFERING - but for their families who suffer in many ways right alongside them.

I can't seem to find any more tears, so I screamed into a pillow a while ago. It felt productive, but it didn't really help.

I've offered, to all five families, "Is there anything I can do to help?" When the words come out, they sound as useless as if I had said nothing.

I've been thinking that cancer touches so many, I wanted to start this thread for anyone else who has cried endless tears, felt helpless, maybe even screamed into a pillow. Feel free to post your anger with cancer. Maybe, it will help, if only for a second.

**for Carol, Sue, Ron, Denise, and Lyn**