Losing the Battle
Today has been a depressing day as I read some news that, although not unexpected, was to some degree shocking. A day that was dreaded is almost here.
I have mentioned my friend and former co-worker Jen Smith a few times in my blog, going back to a post I wrote when I sold my house five years ago. One of the things that helped me cope with the pressure of paying two mortgages and knowing that a bridge loan total was increasing every month was seeing Jen handle the devastating news of finding out she had a cancerous lump in her breast, which then turned into Stage IV breast cancer. Jen was fighting for her life while I was just losing money. How can you even compare the two? It made me put my problems in proper perspective.
Jen had everything in the world going for her. She was young, intelligent, healthy, beautiful and friendly. She was married and had an infant son. Soon her world was completely changed -- divorced, medical intervention after intervention, coping with the knowledge that she was fighting against time.
She decided to resign from her job and concentrate on living. She did all sorts of things, including meeting celebrities like Taylor Swift and Ellen DeGeneres. She wrote two books. She went on all kinds of trips with her son and her family. She became a tremendous advocate for seeking a cure for breast cancer. Her blog became an inspiration to many.
Medical treatments became part of her daily life. When traditional methods did not work experimental treatments were tried. As her body was ravaged by cancer and weakened by medical interventions, she carried on living life to the fullest. Sadly, her time on this earth is almost up.
Fighting against the odds and living longer than she expected, Jen just found out that the latest experimental treatment she tried did not work. She has been referred to hospice care.
So today is a challenging day mixed with prayers and tears. Sometimes life is so unfair.
I have mentioned my friend and former co-worker Jen Smith a few times in my blog, going back to a post I wrote when I sold my house five years ago. One of the things that helped me cope with the pressure of paying two mortgages and knowing that a bridge loan total was increasing every month was seeing Jen handle the devastating news of finding out she had a cancerous lump in her breast, which then turned into Stage IV breast cancer. Jen was fighting for her life while I was just losing money. How can you even compare the two? It made me put my problems in proper perspective.
Jen had everything in the world going for her. She was young, intelligent, healthy, beautiful and friendly. She was married and had an infant son. Soon her world was completely changed -- divorced, medical intervention after intervention, coping with the knowledge that she was fighting against time.
She decided to resign from her job and concentrate on living. She did all sorts of things, including meeting celebrities like Taylor Swift and Ellen DeGeneres. She wrote two books. She went on all kinds of trips with her son and her family. She became a tremendous advocate for seeking a cure for breast cancer. Her blog became an inspiration to many.
Medical treatments became part of her daily life. When traditional methods did not work experimental treatments were tried. As her body was ravaged by cancer and weakened by medical interventions, she carried on living life to the fullest. Sadly, her time on this earth is almost up.
Fighting against the odds and living longer than she expected, Jen just found out that the latest experimental treatment she tried did not work. She has been referred to hospice care.
So today is a challenging day mixed with prayers and tears. Sometimes life is so unfair.
posted by lightning36 at 4:16 PM
16 Comments:
Sorry to hear...she'll be in my prayers!
she sounds like a fighter. she can beat this
Sorry to hear that...
@ angerisagift -- It's game over. She has tumors throughout her body and they have been growing. Only a true miracle from above could save her. She has already beat the odds by living this long.
It has been pretty sad watching because she has become acquainted with other stage IV cancer patients. They are all fighting, then die off one by one.
a sad read. How sad for Jen and her family.
Heart goes out to her Lightning.
miracle happens.
This is just not a matter of getting some miracle cure. She has cancerous tumors throughout her body. Much of what cancer did not destroy inside her body was destroyed by the many treatments and methods used to stop the cancer from spreading. Cancer is terrible.
true, my grandfather die from it. the cure is worse than the disease.
Sorry sorry to hear, very, very sad.
Prayers for Jen. And her family and friends.
Just a very tough situation.
Such a waste. Sorry, 36.
That is a very sad story. Bad things happen to the best people sometimes.
I am so very very sorry to hear this news. Thinking of you, my friend.
So sad, sorry to read this. :(
That is horrible. At least she was able to fight for a long time. A friend of mine had his wife die last year after she fought it for 10 years.
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