A Little Piece

I recently went home to Texas to help take care of my Aunt Jane. She was diagnosed with cervical cancer and had to be moved to Houston to receive chemotherapy. None of my family lives in Houston so I felt that I should travel back so that I could be by her side everyday. I was unsure how the experience would pan out. I was expecting a depressing three weeks filled with hospital visits and soothing my aunt's fears. This is roughly how the first week went. The first chemo treatment was grueling. My aunt has anxiety attacks so my focus was on keeping her calm and helping her remain lighthearted during the procedure. We were at the hospital for 12 hours and I was finding it hard to not let my exhaustion show. I thought to myself that I was unsure how I was going to make it for three weeks. Then something amazing happened. My aunt made it through the treatments beautifully, she was not heavily fatigued or nauseous. She was so happy to have me next to her that her feelings transferred to me. I began to take joy in the days I would see my aunt and her smiling face. I was able to spend time with her like I hadn't since I was a child. We talked about boys, school and friends. She told me about my grandmother and my great aunt the spinster. The hospitals changed from buildings full of death to people full of life. I think when people know their days are numbered they stop being petty and heartless with each other. I recognized the regulars and asked how their families were doing. I realized that death is inevitable and as some fight it most begin to see it as what it is, a part of life that must be accepted as other things are. Because someone is dying doesn't mean they stop living. Instead of searching for peace, they gave me a little piece of theirs.