My Twin...Sort Of

I had an interesting (and emotional) experience today that I was not prepared for. I'm working on a story about some new medical research (can't get specific...as there are prying eyes on this blog). I was interviewing a patient involved in a local clinic trial for a vaccine for a disease in which there is currently no cure. It's not cancer.

Anyway - the man is gay (hint hint), and was very nervous about doing the interview. So when I met him, I wanted to calm him down and let him know that I know a little about what he's going through - that I'm not just some guy who doesn't care about him. So shortly after we met, I told him that I had recently lost my partner to cancer...letting him know that I'm gay as well. That's when I got the bomb dropped on me that I wasn't expecting.

As soon as I said that...he turned to me and said that he, too, had recently lost his partner to cancer. Further talk uncovered that Jason and this guy's love died from the EXACT same cancer. HOW FREAKIN' RANDOM IS THAT?! Needless to say, that threw both of us for a loop, and by the end of the interview, we were both crying. After all was said and done, we gave each other a big hug.

He said things in that interview that I have said several times...like I wouldn't wish this hell on my worst enemy. It was like I was looking in a mirror. FINALLY someone was sitting in front of me who knew EXACTLY...word-for-word what I had been through and was currently going through. It was an amazing experience...one that I had not experienced this whole time. I've talked to other widows - some with very similar stories. However, I've never met another gay man whose lost his partner to the exact same thing. He knew exactly what it was like. They died virtually the same way. It was really chilling to hear someone else's story - and it was almost identical to mine. It literally sent a chill up my spine.

I also happened to be interviewing this person a building away from where Jason was treated for his cancer. So, after we were done, I popped over to the 5th floor of the cancer center to say hi to all my favorite oncology nurses. I love those ladies so much. They became like family during the whole ordeal, and I don't ever want to lose my relationship with them. I'm making it a point to go see them as often as I can. Some people ask me if it's weird going back to the oncology floor. At first, it was extremely weird and difficult...especially when I ran into Jason's doctor for the first time. I wanted to yell and scream "YOU FAILED!" But, I didn't. It really wasn't his fault. It's cancer's fault. Right?

Until next time--
Stuart