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Cancer World
"Not living, just visiting CancerWorld."
By Jake Silberg
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to this Commentary!
Jake Silberg, a 15-year-old freshman at Columbia High School in Maplewood, New Jersey, was diagnosed with Burkitt's lymphoma, a fast-growing and rare type of lymphoma, while he was traveling in Italy last summer on vacation. He says “I’m forced to make myself stand out, instead of trying to fit in, like a normal teenager.” (Sunday 23rd on KCBS)
My life is split into two alternate realities.
I just finished three months of cancer treatment, and that whole part of my life—visits to the hospital, stays at Ronald McDonald House— all fit into what I’ve been calling Cancer World. Outside of that is my old life. All that is Normal World.
Cancer World takes some getting used to. Experiences that should be truly frightening become commonplace. Like my intrethecal procedures. My doctor sticks a needle into my spinal cord while I’m lying curled up on a table knocked out from anesthesia. Then, I’m injected with poison. That’s the reality of Cancer World.
Now that I’m finished with treatment, I no longer have to brush my teeth and use a special mouthwash and mint lozenge four times a day to get rid of germs. I can now shake my friends’ hands, and hug my family.
My father was explaining my treatment to one of his colleagues. He said, “When we’re living in CancerWorld—“ but then his colleague cut him off and interjected, “Not living, just visiting CancerWorld.”
For Youth Radio, I’m Jake Silberg.
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