Family Values

My family is just like yours- pretty average. We see eachother on major holidays and send eachother Birthday cards in the mail. Fortunately, everyone gets along (for the most part) and there has never been any serious disfunction. Up until last year, my family had never faced any serious trials or tribulations; and then within the course of one year, a trifecta of tragic events occured, starting with a car crash.

My cousin, Chris, was your typical 17 year old boy, living in Miami. He was into sports, cars, and women- always a bit of a trouble maker. I was at work when I got the news that there had been a horrible accident, and doctors were doubtful that he would survive. Chris was in the car with a few of his friends, vandilizing and being irresponsible as teenagers do. The instant moment that changed his life, he had his head out the window, when his head crashed into a cement mailbox at 40 mph. He lost about 40% of his brain mass and was in a coma for about half a year.

A few months later, I got a text from my mother saying that she had found a lump in her breast. I told her it was nothing to worry about, as she had found one in the past and it was benign. When the results came in, I was awoken by a call from my father around 8 am. I felt my heart sink to the pit of my stomach, as I prepared myself for the news I knew was about to come. I held her hand through every 4-hour session of chemotherapy, as there was nothing else I could do.

Midway through my mother's treatment, we got the news that my grandmother (my mom's mom) was found to have tumors. She too, went through extesive chemotherapy and radiation. After my mother completed her treatments and began her recovery, my grandmother was getting progressively worse. The tumors had spread to her pancreas and she was given months to live. Death is an interesting process when it takes toll on a person slowly. The last time I saw her she was frail, grey, and lifeless; as if she had already died and the only thing keeping her alive was a beating heart.

My Grandmother passed away this summer, leaving my Grandfather broken. My cousin is slowly making progress every day- he went from a complete vegitative state, to a wheelchair, to now walking with the assistance of a walker; and my mother is back to her normal health, and more alive than ever.

After that year, I have never looked at life or family the same way again. Life is a beautiful thing, but it is also very fragile. It is important to hold family close, because they are the only ones that are guarunteed to be a part of your life until the end. I am a beleiver in that everything happens for a reason, so although that year was extremely trying, I am glad that it happened. I think that I now have a much more positive outlook on life, and I now embrace each and every day in ways that I never did before. Never wait for the holidays or a birthday to celebrate, because every day is a special occasion!