A Season Filled With Unexpected Storms,
Spring Is On the Way
by: Brad Weisberg
So,
it has been a while since I have written a new blog post. A lot like the
weather outside, life has been a bit of a whirlwind of events the past few
months. I cannot sugarcoat it, although we’re only a few months in 2014, it has
already presented us with many challenges. Shortly after the ball dropped, the
champagne was poured and we welcomed in the new year, my sister received news
that would forever change her life. After experiencing severe pain and a state
of physical freeze on her face, my sister was rushed to the emergency room. A
few hours later she learned her fate, when she was diagnosed with a rare
neurological disorder called trigeminal
neuralgia. While this news came as a shock to my sister and family, we all
have been incredibly strong and positive throughout the whole process thus far.
Conducting her life as she did before, serving as an asset as an RN at the
Moffitt Cancer Center during the daytime and carrying out her healthy lifestyle
in the evenings and on the weekend, she is definitely a source of inspiration
for others living with chronic ailments.
Traveling
down this long and winding road that we refer to as life, we sometimes are
slowed down by unavoidable potholes and other fragments. Overcoming these
hardships make us stronger and more capable of coping with future tragedies,
though they can also produce negative effects on our minds and bodies. Even if
we take all precautions to keep our bodies safe, that might not be enough.
Environmental agents and biological processes can be explained as a cause for
disease in certain situations. However, there are still many mysteries of
disease that have still not been unraveled, and continue to puzzle doctors and
scientists alike. It is no secret my medical history has been pretty complex
and mystifying for the past eight years. We can continue to search for answers
and the root causes of my cancer diagnosis, though our findings will be nothing
but unproven theories. It is unknown to me whether or not all of the medical
challenges that I’ve been facing these past few years are connected to cancer
and prolonged side effects, or if it is just my body continuing to reject me.
Answers would be nice and might bring some closure to us, though what’s done is
done, and it’s more important to learn how to adapt to the changes. While I
will not go into the specifics, it is of utmost important to develop a
consistent and effective treatment plan. Learning how to manage pain, whether
that’s physical or psychological, requires a regiment of prescription
medicines, therapeutic treatments, and exercising. Keeping your mind and body
at an equilibrium is a twenty four hours, seven days a week process. As a part
of adjusting to the changes, we must use our creativity in order to devise new
methods to carryout everyday tasks.
While
others might question it, I have always been pretty open about my health and
past experience with cancer. I do not want anyone’s pity; I do not need
anyone’s prayers or strength. I share my story in order to educate others.
Being able to provide others with the knowledge and skills needed to live and
fight disease is important to me. Through channeling my frustration and anger
and using my determination to bring relief to others, I am able to face the
facts. Seeing others live in pain and their lives being transformed by a
medical condition both boggles my mind and infuriates me. What even bothers me
more knows, that there are individuals who do not have access to the resources
and tools needed to battle disease. At times I feel selfish, and at others I
feel fortunate. Even though I must live with scars and medical imperfections,
I’m blessed. I believe that everyone should have the rights to a happy,
productive, and meaningful life. This does not mean that I condone living in a
socialistic society, and for the purpose of this blog I will leave the politics
out.
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