CANCER CONVERSATIONS

Introduction

Cancer Conversations was added after being diagnosed with cancer in early April 2021. My wife was out of town, so we talked a long time on the phone. I went to bed not feeling fear but just being very concerned. I didn’t know what to expect, but would soon be learning more from my doctors about my diagnosis and treatment.

Cancer is a new journey for me having previously dealt with heart/lung issues, back surgeries, and multiple joint replacements over the years. With cancer I don’t know what to expect so friends, we will unearth and discover together.

Surprisingly, I’m finding out that in some ways having cancer might be less painful than having loved ones with cancer. I’m not trying to minimize or diminish my cancer; I’m just learning at this early stage it appears to impact me less painfully. This may change considerably as I walk down this new path in life.

With my own cancer, it feels I have choices and alternatives and might have some control over the situation. For my loved ones, this was not the case. I will never, ever forget my feelings of helplessness and despair as they faced cancer.

Cancer Conversations is rooted in poems written very quickly sometimes with no inclination what I was about to write. The poems represent real-time recording of everything I was experiencing at the time, good, bad, or neutral.

In my life, I’ve had many family members and friends with cancer, many survived but some lost the battle. Having lost a young son, an ex-wife, a wife, and my mom to cancer, I’m much too familiar with the devastation and immense pain it causes. The pain and anguish are so massive you feel like you yourself might die escaping the dark black tunnel of grief. If you have lost a loved one, try reading “Losing a Loved One” at:  www.mensgroup.org/study-guide-losing-a-loved-one.

The conversations apply to both men & women. My hope is that these conversations challenge you to face directly your personal trials including cancer. I also desire to provide support for anything you are going through and can be reached via www.mensgroup.org/contact.

Blessings to you,

Marsh

Conversations

CLICK AN IMAGE FOR EACH CANCER cONVERSATION