Treatment and Decision
Published on
By Dani Castro
Kassia was determined to concluded her treatment quickly and successfully. After she overcame the frustration of not being able to breast feed the babies (due to the chemotherapy), she rolled up her sleeves and made a decision. During this time I heard one of the phrases that most impacted me. In the midst of this turmoil, Kassia said: “I have two choices: I can cry around and feel sorry for myself, or I can live. I choose to live.” And it was done so!
During the almost three years living with cancer, Kassia made plans and lived. She travelled to Japan with her older daughters, she travelled to Brazil, she travelled to Portugal, she travelled to Mexico… she travelled around home as well… Kassia always loved to travel! The cancer would not prevent her from doing what she loved!
And she lived in the small things and simple moments as well!
She lived when she comforted a friend who was facing issues in her marriage…
She lived when she got excited about a friend’s son being born…
She lived when she advised another friend about the best course of action to deal with her child’s issue at school…
She lived when she thrilled about this friend getting a new boyfriend…
She lived when she looked, worried, for a job for another friend…
She lived when she invited her friends, in the middle of a week, to have chicken wings at a local pub…
She lived as she welcomed with a smile on her face, her distressed friends who visited her, and who came out feeling more relieved than when they came in…
She lived.
Kassia had a short life. But she knew how to live!
And to the amazement of those who observed her always positive attitude, she justified: “I don’t want my daughters having the memory of a sad mother… I do that for them!”