The latest edition of People Magazine has an interview with Presidential Candidate Mitt Romney's wife Ann. While she writes about being diagnosed with MS, she remarks, ' I thought, 'Couldn't I just have cancer and die?' Her remarks are raising some eyebrows among cancer specialists and survivors, including Leroy Sievers, who writes this powerful response, and I can see why. Since when did cancer become a quick way to die? Cancer is something the goes on for years, that slowly destroys your body and chips away at your spirit piece by piece. During my dad's time with cancer, he was depressed, constantly ill and in pain and unable to eat more than a bit of soup every day. He needed major amounts of pain medication just to get through the day. He tried to enjoy his last few months with his family but he couldn't because he was too sick to do anything. And while I'm sure MS isn't a walk in the park either, does that sound like a more desirable illness? Hardly.
What are your thoughts on this?
1. when one is first diagnosed with MS it is a huge shock....things that were said in the shock of that moment should be viewed as such. i dont think ann romney meant that cancer is an easy or preferable way to die. i have MS and even though i expected the diagnosis i'm sure what i said in that moment was not my best either.
cancer has been in my family and well i know what it can do-since i was 8 and a favorite aunt died i've known. both of these diseases are horrific....
Posted at 6:51PM on Aug 15th 2007 by france