The Change

So I'm sitting at Relay for Life resting from the many laps I've done. It really takes something like this to get me thinking. So many people coming together for a cause. It's uplifting.
I always end up asking myself why I ended up the way I am today. A big part of me changed when I was young. At the age of seven they found i had melanoma. Nothing hurt more than being a playful young kid enjoying my childhood, then being forced to grow up and fight the battle raging within me. I blame cancer for taking my childhood. My innocence.
Feeling hopeless at the age of seven. Wondering If this is what I'm to look forward to for the rest of my life. Sickness. Hospitals. Pain. Medication. A lot of what happened to me when I was younger is a blur, I've tried so hard to block it out. After most of the hospital visits were over I felt like I was on a different level than everyone. This is what set me apart. This is why I am who I am today. Sure It set me apart early but it lead me to being more than I could have ever imagined. I don't want any sympathy, there are endless amounts of people still fighting today from the unfortunate fate of cancer. I stand here today a 11 year survivor free of my troubles. There were rough patches. But I am strong because I have been weak.