The definition of true bravery is often misconstrued. I won’t get into everything that is labeled brave or what is and isn’t brave, that I leave for your interpretation after you read this.

Today one of my residents returned from the hospital, she has cancer. She had been hospitalized due to a reaction to her cancer treatments, and the doctors had told her that she has weeks at best to live. 

I stood motionless, unable to speak, listening to her, as she asked a co-worker and myself if we would help her plan an Irish wake, with one change, that she wanted to be there to have some fun before she passes. As she went through telling us her few requests for the wake I couldn’t help but admire her bravery in that moment. Here she was after being told she was about to die, and instead of being sad or looking for sympathy she was staring death right in the face and giving it the middle finger. In that moment I don’t know if I have met a braver person, lots of things today are called brave that are choices, but she had no choice, no out, and stood firm, unmoved in how she was going to live her life. 

This especially hits home for me, as my grandpa prepares to have surgery to remove part of his colon, which has been invaded by cancer. I can’t name on my fingers the amount of ridiculously crazy/stupid/scary times I’ve been through with Poppie, and I’ve never seen him falter or show that he was ever scared. He has always laughed in the face the danger, and it has given me strength to move forward. He does very much the same thing today, still talking to me about the things he still wants to do with his businesses, with us his grandkids and whatever else he can think of. He doesn't have a poor me attitude, he has always wanted to live a life with no regrets and to make the most of his time. 

Poppie and my resident shine a rather harsh light on the “struggles” that I face. Things that don’t threaten my life, or my well being, but I spent too much time thinking of them. I get an email telling me of errors during process on a computer and I get frustrated, my grandpa learns he has cancer and the first thing he does when he gets home is play a joke on my grandma to lighten the mood. Thinking positively is how they both have chosen to live their lives, no matter the circumstances and I couldn’t be more thankful for their example.