The Powerful Storm Cancer Brings

The Storm

the chaos of cancer

the confusion

the cruelty

the chemo

with the winds of change blowing sideways

like a cold driving rain

with bolts of lightning

filled with lament

mixed with thunder

and the darkness of reality

as the storm whistles

like a drunken sailor

dancing far into the night

the caustic nature of cancer

obscuring all inner vision

with coulds

and shoulds

maybes and mights

trying to nurture possibilities

into probabilities

with hope being the ring

that we try to catch

knowing that hope

without action

is but a four-letter word

as the merry-go-round

goes round and round

one circle closer to tomorrow

cancer is the enemy within

a stealth invasion

challenging

changing

a formable foe

with tentacles extended

as we fall

face forward

into the unknown

the unready

and power through the storm

walking together

side by side

heart by heart

through the deep darkness

into the bright light of healing

for love has no borders

it is the engine of survival

and the light

is not at the end of the tunnel

but in the sparkle of the eyes

as the journey toward tomorrow

continues in the confusion of today

with courage and confidence

The following poem was written recently for my partner Sousan, who was diagnosed with breast cancer in late November, as cancer was discovered in both breasts. She had a double mastectomy on January 16th and is undergoing 12 rounds of chemo. She will continue with Herceptin (trastuzumab) every three weeks for one year.

The journey is like living through a storm, which is the title of the poem.

Unfortunately, I am no stranger to cancer. Ten years ago, I lost my previous partner to Glioblastoma, a raging storm!

I am able to keep my emotional balance by writing, which, for me, makes cancer less daunting.

This post was written and submitted by Neil Scott. The article reflects the views of Scott and not of CURE®. This is also not supposed to be intended as medical advice.

For more news on cancer updates, research and education, don’t forget to subscribe to CURE®’s newsletters here.