cANCER SAVED MY MOM
2016-2017
In 2016, one day my parents pulled my sisters and I out of bed to go take a photo for our Christmas card that year. Me being a photographer, my dad put it in my hands to take the photo of us. And after a day of bickering and being brats trying to get a nice shot, we went home. Before going to our rooms they pulled us to the table and sat us down. We expected stern words about our behavior.
My mom then pulled up a picture of the biggest gallbladder ever. She then explained to us that it was almost twice the size it should have been and that it was hers.. It could have burst at literally any second and would have been fatal. She had gone into surgery to get it taken out a couple weeks prior to this moment. We had no idea this happened. All we noticed was she was working from home more. She then told us that they only found out about her gallbladder because when she went to get her first annual colonoscopy, the doctors found serious colorectal cancer. When they did an MRI and scan to see the tumor, they noticed the size of her gallbladder and frantically sent her into surgery to get it taken out. Cancer saved my mother’s life.
By the time she told us, She had already started radiation therapy and chemo. My sisters and I cried, obviously, and asked questions. Later on my mom came to me and asked if I wanted to come with her to her doctors appointments to photograph them. To document her experience with cancer and to show others it is beatable. She did not think for even a second she wasn’t going to come out of this. She has always embodied strength and bravery but this was a true testament to that.
My mom then pulled up a picture of the biggest gallbladder ever. She then explained to us that it was almost twice the size it should have been and that it was hers.. It could have burst at literally any second and would have been fatal. She had gone into surgery to get it taken out a couple weeks prior to this moment. We had no idea this happened. All we noticed was she was working from home more. She then told us that they only found out about her gallbladder because when she went to get her first annual colonoscopy, the doctors found serious colorectal cancer. When they did an MRI and scan to see the tumor, they noticed the size of her gallbladder and frantically sent her into surgery to get it taken out. Cancer saved my mother’s life.
By the time she told us, She had already started radiation therapy and chemo. My sisters and I cried, obviously, and asked questions. Later on my mom came to me and asked if I wanted to come with her to her doctors appointments to photograph them. To document her experience with cancer and to show others it is beatable. She did not think for even a second she wasn’t going to come out of this. She has always embodied strength and bravery but this was a true testament to that.
