Worse than Cancer? Radiation, Day 6

February 1st — I still dislike radiation but maybe I don’t hate it. There are some things worse than cancer that can happen to you in this world. In fact, there are some things worse than illness that can happen. The sister of a fellow cancer patient who is undergoing radiation is a very friendly and warm older black lady. She’s always chatty and sweet while she waits for her sister to finish her treatment. She’s also very religious and blesses everyone on a daily basis. I turn away no blessings. Today she began talking about how she and her sister were raised by an abusive alcoholic mom who used to beat them. That brought the two sisters closer because they were always defending each other from their mom. She was actually telling this story to the woman who has radiation after me but I eavesdropped because it’s a small waiting room. I was surprised enough by that revelation but wasn’t prepared for what I heard next. This woman continued her story but I was only half-listening because I was reading about Angelina’s affair with one of her handsome language coaches (involving black waterproof sheets and sex toys according to the Waldorf-Astoria maid who had to clean up after them. All while Brad was in the Hamptons with the kids.) I overhead this woman saying that her seven year old daughter accidentally got one of her husband’s hunting rifles back in the early 70s and shot and killed her five year old sister. I gasped and involuntarily hugged the storyteller when I heard that part of the story. She said the girl has always had guilt about that incident and the mom will forever blame herself until she leaves this earth. She said she thinks about that incident every day and finally had to turn it all over to Jesus so she wouldn’t go crazy. Hearing that story before I went into radiation made my trials seem somehow easier to bear.