How Cancer Turned My World Upside Down

VALENTINE’S DAY 2015

I am a woman in love. I am woman in love who has a brain tumor in my head. My boyfriend Tyler and I began dating in October of 2011. He was the man of my dreams. I was a senior in high-school. When I first saw him, my stomach felt like it had butterflies fluttering around in it. Tyler is a couple of years older than I am. I feel connected to him in ways that I never felt connected to anyone before.

During the next 26 months, we fell in love and became each other’s forever valentines.

I became sick in December of 2013. Shortly thereafter, We found out why. Together, we heard the horrible words. “You have CANCER.” I slumped. Tyler caught me. He has held me up ever since. He is my rock. My safety net. The reason I can go on and fight the Cancer Monster.

After that awful Brain Cancer diagnosis, I grew depressed and dark. We started fighting more and more. We couldn’t understand how each other felt and we were not on the same page. My Fear: Losing my best friend and lover. The Cancer Monster wanted to take Tyler from me. I wanted and needed Tyler to love me. I now take pills to stabilize my moods to prevent the fighting.

Our future that we planned together has been altered. Now, the Cancer Monster is coming for me. I am defending myself with Chemo. It makes my body sick and weak. Even if our eternity together is shorter than most, our love is forever and ever. Not even my death can take that from us. So we continue to walk hand in hand and live as normal lives as we can. Tyler is my rock and my strength. I know in my heart of hearts, I can beat the Cancer Monster.

Hey Tyler!! Happy Valentine’s Day, babe. You’re my forever and always.