Elephants and Tea - December 2021 - 16

Grief, It's About
Time We
Had a Talk
BY KATE CRAWFORD
Grief, it's about time we had a talk. You've made it pretty
clear you aren't going anywhere, but we need to set some
ground rules. You accompany me everywhere I go and
make your presence known. You join me on my morning
commute to school. You stand in line with me at Trader
Joe's. You tap me on my shoulder when I am trying to pay
attention in class. You invite yourself out with my friends
and I. You sting every time someone compliments my
engagement ring. You glare at me in the mirror. You make
it impossible to fall asleep at night. You make it difficult
for me to meet new people and reconnect with others. And
most importantly, you remind me of everything I've lost.
I started grieving three weeks after I got
engaged to the love of my life. Normal, right?
Will and I were on top of the world. We were
so happy and looking forward to our next
chapter as husband and wife. We built an
amazing life together, and cancer just happened
to be a part of it. Will got down on one
knee shortly after achieving remission (again)
for osteosarcoma. Cancer never took center
stage in our story until November 2019.
Will was diagnosed with Myelodysplastic
16
ELEPHANTSANDTEA.COM
DECEMBER 2021
Syndrome (MDS), a preleukemia, which was
suspected to be treatment induced. I'll never
forget sitting across the table from him at one
of our favorite restaurants, sipping a cocktail,
and going on and on about wedding plans
when he interjected with, " I think I need
a bone marrow transplant. " He proceeded
to tell me he read his notes from his latest
appointment and they detailed, " probable
MDS. " Naturally, Will took to Google to
figure out what this meant. We all know the
KATE CRAWFORD IS A
PEDIATRIC SARCOMA
SURVIVOR AND COFOUNDER
OF THE POWER
OF WILL, WHICH WAS
ESTABLISHED IN HONOR OF
HER LATE FIANCÉ, WILL ,
FOLLOWING HIS PASSING
FROM OSTEOSARCOMA.
THE POWER OF WILL
SEEKS TO SUPPORT AND
ENHANCE THE LIVES OF
SARCOMA PATIENTS AND
THEIR LOVED ONES. KATE
IS CURRENTLY A FIRSTYEAR
LAW STUDENT AT
CASE WESTERN RESERVE
UNIVERSITY WHERE SHE
PLANS TO FOCUS HER
STUDIES IN HEALTH LAW.
SHE ASPIRES TO SERVE
BOTH PATIENTS AND
PROVIDERS AS A HOSPITAL
COMPLIANCE OFFICER.
KATE ENJOYS INDOOR
CYCLING, MULTIPLE CUPS
OF COFFEE, AND INDULGING
IN REALITY TV!
http://www.ELEPHANTSANDTEA.COM
Elephants and Tea - December 2021

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