Unforeseen
I lie in the imaging room.
A machine hisses and whines.
Radioactive isotopes light up my brain.
My mind flips through a life deemed over.
For almost a year I keep silent.
I hide from others and myself.
I labor through each day.
My secret stays guarded.
I grow tired of hiding.
I feel like a fraud.
I finally share the news.
My children are the catalyst.
I hope I can show them resilience.
Finding meaning at purpose is also my goal.
Illness provides and odd sort of renewal.
I could not be more surprised.
My life is not over.
It is being reshaped and repurposed.
I am discovering new goals and roles.
I am silent no more.
Used by permission of the author.