The Big C and The Big D

We are all terrified to hear the Big C. The Big C refers to Cancer. People who are diagnosed with the Big C, is going to face the Big D very soon. That’s what people thought. The Big D stands for Death. The Big C is predicted to be the number one killer of the human race. Sepa sangka…sel2 dalam tubuh yang bekerja untuk kita ini akhirnya ada cara untuk bermusuh sesama sendiri dan memusnahkan “mereka2” yang baik. Dapatkah kita halang sel2 ini daripada merosakkan selebihnya sel2 baik yang bertungkus lumus buat badan kita sihat dan cergas buat aktiviti harian? It’s such a painful truth. Tidak cukup lagikah dengan hal2 di luar yang tidak mampu kita sentuh, melihat “kekotoran” dunia ini yang dipenuhi perjuangan yang sia-sia dan greediness yang menyesatkan. Omigawd….tidak cukup lagika? Bila2 masa kita tidak tau macamana any of this outside element could end our life in a second. Tidak cukup lagi dengan tu semua…rupanya diri kita sendiri pun bila2 saja akan berpaling tadah kan menamatkan riwayat hidup kita dengan tragis sekali.

I am a bit emotional when I write this. Yesterday, one of my goodfriends dropped by at my office and I told her about the bad news about one of our goodfriends. That friend’s husband is recently diagnosed with nose cancer. We all feel sorry for her. She has been the softest person among us but she’s blessed with a good life. Now life is turning its back on her. We get the news from someone else and not from her own mouth. Whether she thinks that it’s not that serious to share it with us, or she is just so affected by it that she rather not let many people know.

So when I told that friend who dropped by yesterday, she gave a different reaction. This friend is nothing new to the big C. She lost her mom from breast cancer years ago. So when I told her about the pitiful situation of our other friend whose husband diagnosed with nose cancer, she said, “It’s not that terrible. He could still recover. You never know.”

Even the Big C is not giving a clear view of HOW close it is to the Big D. According to her, breast cancer could run in her family cos her other aunt is also one sufferer. And surprisingly, her aunt is still alive until today. Her mom first discovered a small lump on the breast which was very early and it was considered only the 1st stage. You hear it so much from the TV that if you detect the disease at the early stage, your chance of recovery is almost 100%. But this is what happened to my friend’s mom. After the cancerous lump was removed, it came again silently after spreading to the chest area after only a few years of relief. And it was when things were not going better for her mom. Finally, her mom called to eternal rest after years of fight. Speaking of the aunt, who was only diagnosed with breast cancer at 4th stage, which my friend would refer her breast as “totally damaged”, which was given only 6 months to survive, is still around after 10 years suffering from it. The damaged breast was not even removed. She only visits the hospital for the monthly procedure. Yes, she is still very much with her normal life. She eats anything like healthy people. So my friend has a reason why she is not so alarmed talking about the Big C, cos the fact is…You Never Know how close you are to the Big D. You might not be that close and still have many years to live. You just never know.

But speaking of not having to deal with the Big C, don’t forget that the Big D is going to happen eventually. Then I told my friend… “Don’t you think these diseases are just excuses so that we don’t just die from sudden death?” Or maybe, it’s not even excuses at all. Actually, we need NO excuses at all. If it’s time, it will happen. The Big D doesn’t need an excuse or a reason. You can just sit there healthily and laughing and your life could be snatched from you in a split second. You never know.

I don’t know what to say. I just hope that we are given enough time to experience this life and to spend enough time with our loved ones and carry out our mission in this world. I just hope that The Big D isn’t so scary to us anymore– knowing that we are blessed so much with such a wonderful chance to be once be alive and that we have no regrets…Cos we have lived our life to the fullest. What are we waiting for, right?

We have so much things to do. We have a life and we must begin appreciating this biggest gift, NOW!! Do we have time to quit hoping because of our troubles? Do we have time to ruin other people’s lives out of jealousy and hatred and greed? Now you know how small these problems are when you think that Everything will come to an end once your have reached the end of your road.

Let’s start LIVING now, guys. We have a lot of jobs to do. :)

Note: The most interesting line that my friend said was, "It all depends on how badly do you want to stay alive. If you quit hoping, you'll lose the fight against anything that is trying to invade your body." Maybe that's the secret why the sick Aunt is still around despite late detection. Ask yourself. How badly do you want to be alive? Suddenly this is a lot more than just a The Big C and the Big D. Don't quit this fight to stay alive. Survive this till our last breathe.