This is going to sound cliché, but there is nothing like a Cancer diagnosis to smack you in the face and throw some perspective into your life.
I’ve realized in the past few weeks that I have ZERO (and if I could go in the negatives here, I would) patience for people with negative attitudes. I’ve always been a pretty positive person and through this life-altering phase I’m in, I’d like to think I’ve remained as such.
When my Mom battled breast cancer, Lauren and I got matching pink ribbon tattoos on her last day of “big Chemo” treatment. I chose to get mine on my wrist so I always carried that perspective with me. I was so so so proud of my Mom (and still am!) and I knew that no matter what kind of shitty day I was having, it would never compare to the awfulness she went through. And if she could get through that, then I could get through anything.
I’ve also always been a pretty patient person. In fact, my family will tell you I’m one of the most patient out of the bunch. But lately, I get real irritated (and I mean real irritated) with pessimistic people. I get that I don’t always know what’s going on their life, but somehow I wake up each and every morning with a smile on my face and while still fighting the beast that is STAGE IV CANCER. To illustrate my lack of patience, I’ll use my last MRI scan as an example. When I asked the nurse who was putting my IV in how she was doing, she responded with “Well, I’m here…” SERIOUSLY!? (Time out – let me take a second and PRAISE nurses because your job is insanely difficult and you are all little angels). Now back to the rant – did she really just say that!? I was waiting to get a cardiac MRI to see how the CANCER…IN MY HEART was doing (not to mention I had to be shoved in a tube for 1.5 hours) and she was just annoyed she was “here.” Know your audience, lady. Somehow I have all this going on in my head and in my body and I can still manage to muster up a positive attitude.
Alright, rant over.
I guess this is my way of saying, be grateful you’re “here.” Be grateful you wake up every morning. Hopefully you get to spend each day doing something you love and/or spending it with people you love. If you don’t, then make a change. Don’t wait for a cancer diagnosis to provide some damn perspective. Negative attitudes are the pits and no one likes a grumpy gills.