Anonymous
My twin sister, my beloved, was diagnosed with stage 4 adeno carcinoma
with brain and bone matastases in May of this year following a seizure. She was a
hair stylist and a smoker of 30 years. The combination of daily exposure to the
industry chemicals and acrylic nail dust and smoking was attributed to the
cause. She has had both brain and lung surgery and they just found 3 more
brain tumors on her most recent CAT scan. Her chances of 5 year survival are
0-5%. I’m in Iowa and she’s in Ventura, CA. We are the kind of twins that can
think of the other and the other calls and says, “What’s up?” No one can imagine
what it’s like unless they have lost a soul mate of nearly 50 years. I’ve never
loved anyone longer or stronger. When people ask if she smoked and hear
that she did, they say, “Oh. Well, then,” …like that makes it easier!
Nicotine and the chemicals in cigarettes are the most addictive drugs out
there. More so than heroine or cocaine… and it’s legal! Talk about stress
being a reason not to quit, she is still smoking. Nothing more stressful than
being told you have terminal cancer. SHE’S TRIED! I hate the thoughts of
her leaving this world beating herself up over smoking. She finally told her
doctor how upset she was over not being able to quit and he said, “That’s
the very least of your trouble right now. Put that on the back burner and
forget it. It’s not going to make a damn bit of difference at this point.” She
knows it’s too late for her, but she wants to quit for her 2 sons, the youngest
is a senior in high school. So that they can say, “At least she quit.”
My job is just to love her unconditionally. No problem.