I am tired of hearing this comparison.
My sister chooses to use heroin every day. I did not choose to get a tumor. Every day she wakes up and chooses to inject heroin into her veins. I did not wake up on any day and try to get a tumor. But I got one. They found it when I nearly bled to death from the hemorrhaging.
Every day my sister decides not to get treatment for her heroin addiction, and that is her right. As soon as I discovered I was ill I went to the doctor. I managed my diet, I managed my vitamin supplements, I stopped introducing any and all estrogen-altering substances into my system or environment. I immediately started taking the recommended medication to treat my tumor in preparation for surgery to have it removed.
All through this time, my sister was doing heroin every day. Every day I woke up freaking out about my tumor, and every day she woke up and decided to use heroin. Every day she woke up and decided not to choose recovery.
I had my tumor removed. There were complications during surgery. Many complications. Recovery would be a long slow battle, but it wasn't cancer! Much rejoicing!
Every day I woke up determined to recover from my surgery. I took my pain medication as prescribed. Every day during this time, my sister chose to do heroin.
My tumor came back. I chose to go to the doctor. I underwent a second surgery. Through this recurrence and treatment, as with the last, my sister woke up every day and chose to use heroin.
My sister chooses to do heroin every day. That is her choice. I hope that one day she will make a different choice. I also hope that my tumor doesn't come back again. I wish that I had as much control over my tumor as she does over her heroin use.
I see this comparison all the time and I really don't think the analogy holds any water. They're not the same. My sister and I do not have the same disease. I didn't get to choose my tumor. But I do get to make the decision to treat my condition. She gets that same decision. I still hope that she will choose recovery.
Thanks for letting me share.
