williams story

I was told to write about something I know, but something important. So I racked my brain and decided to write about cancer. Im only 15 so I dont know how to explain it all science like, but this is how I explain it. Cancer is a terrible disese that attacks you from the inside out. I know it says it dosent attack your outsides but it does. I know it does. I watched it happen. I was only 9 when my brother got cancer. he was 11. I was too young and didnt realize what was happening. I didnt realize my brother was dying right in front of me. All I knew was, at the hospital, everyone was crying saying William was sick. I thought they were crazy. He didnt look sick to me. Then mommy and daddy gave me a big hug and told me everything was gonna be okay. They said they loved me and for right now I was to stay with my older siblings so they could figure out what was wrong with bubby. After that I didnt get to see William for two months, expect through a computer screen. he looked fine on the screen, didnt look sick at all. we had to go up to the hospital once a week so I could see mom and dad and my siblings could see William. Finally, I was able to see my brother. My mom told me about all the toys and food everyone got for him and I. I was excited about playing with the toys and watching movies and making messes with food and playing video games. like before he got sick. when he came downstairs in the hospital, he looked diffrent. he didnt look like my brother. he was pale and looked tired, patches of his hair was missing, and daddy was pushing a big pole next to him. it had a bunch of buttons and wires that looked like they were connected to him. mommy was being protective of him, like normal. but she kinda looked crazy. mommy and daddy looked sick too. they both looked pale and tired and like they had been crying. which they always were, everytime they saw Williams room, or at our little visits when I would ask when bubby was coming home, they would start crying. I never understood why. In my little mind, bubby would come home soon, the doctors would make him all better. but in my parents mind, they were worried he would never come home. but how could they tell their 9 year old daughter that her brother may never come home? I would overhear people talk about what would happen if William died. at school, all the teachers babied me and everyday asked if I was okay. everyone wore orange ribbons and shirts with Williams name on them. kids would come up and ask me if William was gonna die. I started getting mad, wondering why everyone thought he was gonna die. he wasnt gonna die, he had barley lived his life. my birthday twin couldnt die. how would I celebrate my birthday? how would this family ever be okay again? it wouldnt. my siblings and I have always been super close. when no one else was there, they always were. when William got sick, it broke us all. Daniel hid away in his room because hes a big tough man and nobody can see him upset. candi put all her engery into work and faith. cale sat around eating and watching tv. takela and travis tried to step up and be parents to me but I just wanted mom and dad. when the day came to say goodbye to William, we all kinda died alittle that day. we are so thankful he didnt die, but none of us will ever be the same again. not even mom and dad. espically not William. now when people look at him all they see is his messed up eye or the fact that he had cancer. except for his parents and siblings. we see the hyper boy from before who dosent know when to shush. we see the boy fighting everyday to be normal. but hes not. none of us are anymore. we all tried to go back to the way it was before he got sick. but we couldnt. we all changed. Daniel became a dad. takela became a mom. candi got another job. cale left. and I became a teenager and never left my room. as much as we wanted to, we couldnt turn back time. so we adapted to our new lives. so ya see cancer does attack you from the inside out. even if your not the one with cancer. it attacks the family closest to you from the inside out too. that is my story, thanks for listening.