Thing three was supposed to be it…

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But I guess that fate isn’t liking my family right now. I just learned that my aunt Sharon has cancer. It’s at the base of her tailbone, and in a place that they cannot operate to remove it. Too many blood vessels and nerve endings from what my parents say. She was opened up tonight because of blood clots, and that’s when they found the cancer.

Sharon has been sick since I’d say somewhere in the October/November 2004 timeframe, maybe earlier. She had lost a lot of weight, had extreme nausea, and had pain so bad that she hardly slept. She maybe got one or two hours of sleep a night this entire time. She had been to see doctors all over the place, had tests galore, and no one found the cancer. Some of the doctors all but said to her that it was in her head. Until today.

They operated to remove a blood clot, and found it. How all the tests, all this time didn’t find it is beyond me. It’s criminal. They can’t even start chemotherapy or radiation until things heal from the surgery today. Something like six weeks they might have to wait.

My aunt is in her early forties. She’s not old. She’s the youngest of five siblings. Stuff like this isn’t supposed to happen. At least not until you are older. And she’s probably one of the absolute nicest people you would EVER meet. I doubt you could find anyone that had a bad word to say about her. She is always kind, and has a knack of sending the best greeting cards for pretty much every occasion. And she never forgets either. We can always count on a card from Sharon. Even if we forget to send one back.

Sharon, Steve, Scott, Sarah and Stacey, please hang in there. Jen, I and the girls are thinking about you.

I know I’ve been asking a lot of you folks lately, but please, keep Sharon in your thoughts, and for those so inclined, even your prayers. Whatever you can do to help. Donate to the cancer society. Tell your family you love them. Try to enjoy a day like it might be your last. Don’t take this life for granted. I know I do sometimes, and this week, more than anything, has taught me to realize that we don’t have very long, and it can all be gone in an instant. Make the most of the time you have. Please.