The cells in a human body regenerate all the time because of damage caused by sun, smoking, stress, alcohol and exposure to chemicals in our environment. If all goes well, our body’s cells rebuild with DNA that is a correct copy of our body’s code. If not, the cells are written with mutated DNA and develop deformed. With each rebuild this can add up over time to be dysfunctional cells we call cancer. Cancer is a part of us. It’s the deformed part that brings attention to how we live or have lived and doesn’t know how to be nice about it. Cancer is an unwelcome part of ourselves that is birthed with in us. Its a collection of the damage that we have inflicted on ourselves or experienced lingering to be released. It’s the residual energy trapped in a body that needs to be removed but doesn’t know how to vacated on its own.
There are many types of cancer and treatments vary among them. Cancers are like people with different personalities and characteristics. Some are slow to grow while others grow like no tomorrow. Squamous cell carcinoma is a very social creature. They love to hang out with the coolest and brightest of any generation. I’ve known many of their companions included a very dear friend who is in the process of ending their relationship. Squamous is a party animal that parties on in a host until that host can go no further. It’s influence on many families over the years has been great, my friends family included. Squamous has been associated with her family going back to her great-grandmother. While her ancestors lived with Squamous as a constant companion until their deaths, my friend’s path looks to be different with the advances in cancer treatment.
In the past when cancer patients needed to release this part of them, the options were limited, extremely invasive and loaded with side effects. After going through treatment, many cancer patients end up with limited quality of life and die in the end like my father. But today, the landscape of treatments has expanded to include various genetic, antigen, inhibitor, and immunotherapy treatments. These treatments are promising and have saved many lives. I’m expecting Squamous to be moving to the scienctist’s lab when my friend is done with her treatments.
With that, I would like to wish Squamous a fond farewell. Squamous, you have lived a varied and complicated life as parasitic life form. As you have slowly sucked the live out of many wonderful people over the years, the new treatments will do the same to you. As your life comes to an end in my friend’s body, remember the good times you had with her. The many times the three of us went out to dinner. The movies we saw. You and her at many spiritual events with her different communities. I wish you a speedy and painless death, Squamous. Don’t take my glee for your demise as being cold blooded. In fact, I’m trying to be compassionate about your demise given the suffering you have caused to so many people. Even though, you have caused so much suffering, asking you to suffer in your death just means you make your leaving a host’s body so much more painful which doesn’t seem beneficial to anyone. Party time is over. It’s time to reflect on your choices, your past adventures, the pain you’ve caused, and your next role. You will become a cadaver for future study, so we humans can better understand your lifecycle and making better defences against you and your parasitic kind.
The descendants of the many artists, makers, writers, teachers, mothers, fathers, lovers, etc who have shared their lives with you will not need to worry about the same fate. The vitality of their lives will endure and mix into their creations, adventures, and general well being. We will continue with our medical advancements and you will be just a footnote in our history.
