Band-aids, yes. ICU, no!

Family Rule #3: No serious, life-threatening illnesses. Or injuries involving internal organs, deformities, and/or large spurts of blood.

This is based more on my fears of the unknown than on anything I’ve actually experienced. Needless to say, I’ve been pretty lucky—while I’ve been alive, my parents and siblings have had only a few minor medical procedures. That’s not to say we haven’t had some scares. Before I was born, my dad neglected his seatbelt and went through his windshield. My mom has also been in a few car accidents. Both my dad and brother had some cancer scares that turned out to be benign. Again, I’m pretty lucky.

That said, from about the age of 12 to about 22, I was convinced I was going to contract some sort of horrible illness and die slowly in 30s. Mostly, I think this was a product of an overactive imagination, a dash of hypochondria, and a tendency to project my feelings into others’ family tragedies.

In grade school, our neighbor died of cancer. In middle school, a close neighborhood friend of mine was diagnosed with cancer, and she passed away while in high school. In college, another close friend of mine lost her father to cancer. My coworker not only struggled with cancer herself, but is married to a man who has a rare form of cancer. My friends are ending up with babies in the NICU. My grandma’s on permanent oxygen and even still her body is suffocating itself.

I know that sickness and even death are just part of being alive—part of the plan, if you will. I just don’t want them to be part of my plan. I’ve witnessed the life-changing learning, the strengthened love, and the intense growth that can come from dealing with an illness. Like anything else, profound blessings can be found in the company of profound trials. However, I have also seen the everyday tension, the gnawing uncertainty, and the loss of simple dignities that also can accompany major illnesses and injuries.

Therefore, if my family is able to obey family rules #1–3, I will count my stars among the luckiest and most blessed.