The ugliest word ever.

Cancer. That is it. You thought it was a cuss word. It may as well be. I am so SICK to death of hearing the word cancer because it is so vile to me.

My mom had breast cancer in 1996. She had a radical mastectomy and reconstruction and is doing well so far. (I watched the surgery on the Discovery Channel, it's amazing anybody survives that thing!!! Horrible. I learned 2 valuable lessons that day...1) don't ever watch a surgery you know somebody had on television and 2) you can use a crowbar for more than just pulling houses apart.) My mom's stock went up big time after I saw that on television (cable). Not only did she survive a hideous surgery, but she survived having her pain meds stolen by a random evening/overnight nurse at a Chicagoland hospital. How did she know what they gave her was a Tylenol with a 3 scratched into it.....the woman worked in a pharmacy for over 13 years. I think she knows the real thing. And yes, she did turn her in after she left the hospital. See, mom is smart!.

My dad is a cancer survivor. He had tongue cancer diagnosed in the 1990's (not sure exactly when). He had 1/3 of his tongue cut out and still has problems with swelling, but is cancer free.

I just found out my grandmother has breast cancer. She's over 80, so they are not doing anything for her, her health is too fragile already.

My great-aunt has advanced liver/kidney cancer.

I am part of a prayer group and everyday I get emails of people and tragic stories of kids and moms and young dads and grandmas and grandpas with cancer.

I have a sweet friend who is still struggling with skin cancer.

I found out yesterday that a very respected National MOPs leader has stage 4 ovarian cancer.

That word. I hate it. I am no longer standing still about it either. I am diligently praying against it in my own life. The chain stops here...it will not affect my family. I pray that your family is not affected by it or that it goes no further if you have already been beaten up by it.
I also have begun changing the way I eat and exercise to prevent that potential stronghold. I have never smoked, but was exposed to 2nd hand smoke all my childhood, but I refuse to let that win. I will ask my doctor for a mammogram next time I see her in April. I will schedule that darn Pap even though I don't want to do it. I will get rid of what I know will/can hurt me.
I declare war on cancer in my own life. I am not afraid of you, cancer, you have no place here!

Join me in the battle. Look at your life and see what you can change to prevent cancer and then pray with me that that word will fade from our vocabulary.