Taken

My cousin Crystal died Saturday morning.

She was 48.

After a brutal battle with breast cancer, she could fight no longer.

The final days of her life were spent in a bedroom with her sister, my cousin, Roxanne, who is also dying.

The doctors say she will likely die before Christmas.

Breast cancer.

Most women with breast cancer have some type of surgery as part of their treatment. There are different types of breast surgery, look in  breast reconstruction Sydney for the surgery you need, and it may be done for different reasons, depending on the situation. For example, surgery may be done to:

Remove as much of the cancer as possible (breast-conserving surgery or mastectomy)
Find out whether the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes under the arm (sentinel lymph node biopsy or axillary lymph node dissection)
Restore the breast’s shape after the cancer is removed and other cosmetic procedures as the Kybella on double chin which also help with this.
Relieve symptoms of advanced cancer
Your doctor may recommend a certain operation based on your breast cancer features and your medical history, or you may have a choice about which type to have. It’s important to know your options so you can talk about them with your doctor and make the choice that is right for you.

Both of my beautiful cousins will die from breast cancer.

I spoke with my aunt at length on the phone today.

She alternated between tremendous strength and overwhelming sadness.

She begged me to be careful. She spoke of breast self exams and mammograms.

We talked of her loss…both of her children.

Both.

Crystal has two children, both in their early 20s, neither of whom have children of their own yet.

As I try to comprehend what they are feeling, I can’t help but think of my own children.

And my aunt’s words echo in my ear…breast self exams and mammograms.

“Vigilent,” she said, “you must be vigilant.”

She spoke of cancer that had reached Crystal’s bones and finally her brain.

I think of my aunt and what she must feel when she’s trying to fall asleep at night.

Both of her children. Taken from her.

We should not outlive our children.

My heart is truly heavy.