There is one day every year that scares me. No, it is not the day where I find out my final grade for my math test, it is the day my mom finds out the result of her test. Not an academic test, or her dermatology test. It is a day where the hours are longer and any minute, anything could change. When my mom was in her early 20's, she was diagnosed with stage 1 Melanoma on her leg (early I know, but still cancer). They removed a softball-sized area of her calf, and now she has a gnarly scar that looks like a lightning strike. Since then, she has to go in for yearly visits with her doctor where they check her body to make sure there are no odd looking spots that could turn into/may be cancer. This day every year terrifies me, because part of me knows there is a possibility that she could be cancerous again.
I have been blessed with the opportunity to have my mom in my life for 19 years and every year this day hits, I feel like my mom is stronger than ever. She may be freaking out on the inside, but she never shows it. She is the one that could have cancer, and I am the one who is scared.
My mom is my best friend, and I am extremely vocal about it. Everyone who knows me has heard about my mom or heard a story about my mom at least twice. I could never imagine a life without her. A few years ago, when I was finally old enough to start remembering things and understand what cancer is, my mom had a cancer scare. They told her they found a spot that they thought 99% sure was cancerous. The doctors told her they would call her in a few days to tell her the results of the test, but things were not looking too great for her and to start planning ahead. Those days were the longest days of my life. The day finally came in which they called to deliver the news.
It was a dreary March afternoon, everyone in our house was as dead quiet as everything outside. When the phone finally rang, everything stopped. I heard my dad crying downstairs (if you met him, he shows as much emotion as a rock) and panicked, thinking the worst possible thing could have happened, that it was back. Turns out, he was crying because the doctors screwed up and my mom was totally fine (which then started my fear of going to the doctors). Even though my mom was completely healthy, this will forever be the scariest day of my life.
My mom is my hero, plain and simple. She has taught me so much, more than any other person could have ever taught me. Thank you for sending me pictures that make me laugh on a bad day, or letting me order Jimmy Johns on your credit card because I despise caf food, and also dealing with that Uber driver after my friends damaged his car (that one is the most important). But on the real, thank you for being my best friend. Thank you for always being my #1 fan, for being the best you can be, and for always loving me, even when I hit your car in our driveway. One day, I hope to be as strong as you, and one day I hope you become funnier than dad.
