Two months ago, my brother, Bob, was diagnosed with follicular lymphoma, a type of B-cell lymphoma, and bone cancer. Needless to say, it turned our world upside down. When we received his diagnosis, it literally knocked the wind out of me. Prior to that day, I did not even imagine that it could be cancer causing the lumps in his neck. I optimistically thought it could be benign, fatty tumors, but sadly, I was way off base on this one.
To watch my brother cry was heart-wrenching. Not only am I his sister, I am also his appointment coordinator, his support system, and his cheerleader. He was scared, and so was I. Even all my years in nursing did not prepare me for handling the devastating effects that cancer can bring.
Through these dark days, it was time for me to stay positive. Its time to stay courageous and help him to do the same. To help stay focused, I immediately started to journal my brothers journey dealing with cancer. I have always used journaling as my way of coping with life’s ups and downs. After a while, I recognized that through journaling and jotting down our experiences could perhaps help other cancer patients and their families. It is my way of taking a negative and turning it into a positive.
