Does Drinking Water Cause Cancer?

The day after the diagnosis my family and I had a yard sale. We had been planning it for weeks and the twins were so excited about it. They had wanted to participate in the community yard sale for many years. This may not have been the best day for me to greet strangers, but here I was nevertheless.
The kids and I went around to many of the different houses to check out any deals we could not miss out on and to check out the competition. I wanted to make sure we were being competitive in this very tight market. While we were walking around, the kids and I stopped at the community playground. I sat them down and told them that I had breast cancer.
I had to do this because we were getting our picture made later that day where I would announce to my friends and family my prognosis.  I told them that I did not know what I would have to go through, but that God loved us and He was with us always. He would be with us no matter, if I threw up, if I lost my hair and when I had surgery. Then I let them know that they were now old enough to help out when I got sick as well.
The previous year we had prayed for a little boy in their school who had cancer. We prayed for him every day on our way to school and at one point our prayers changed from healing on earth to going home with God. They knew my mom and dad died from cancer, so I had to show them that cancer does not equal death.
So, I reminded them that my Aunt Della had breast cancer and now she is doing well. We discussed other people who also had different types of cancer, but were doing fine now, such as their Gramps. I wanted them to see that I would be sick for a bit, but that we were going to trust God to guide our family.
My son wanted to know if my hair would grow back or if I would look like Dad. As we know sometimes hair just does not grow back. I let him know that we would throw a hair cutting party, and donate my hair to Locks of Love like his sister did and that the hair would eventually grow back. He was quite happy to hear that! The one thing my daughter wanted to know was if drinking water caused my cancer. Because she said, “You do drink so much water!” Well, this is true I do consume lots of water, but drinking it does not cause cancer.  She may have wished it was the case so she would have a reason to drink soda. Her question is right on with what everyone wants to know. If people could pinpoint a behavior that caused it, they could feel reassured they would not get it.
My daughter’s questions were the same as many others have as well.  “Why did I get cancer?”  or the question people want to know who do not have cancer, “What did you do wrong to get cancer?” I had one person tell me that it was type “A” personalities that get cancer and was I a type “A?”  Did I worry a lot and not sleep well? We all want to be reassured that WE will not get cancer, because WE are not like those who do. But the bottom line is, everyone’s days are numbered. I cannot put down a “Krusty the Clown guarantee”(I don’t even know what this means but my husband says it’s from the Simpson’s cartoon) that I will not die of cancer. But what I do know, is where I am going when that day comes. I do not think it will be soon, I pray it is not soon, but only God knows. Until then, I will fight the good fight, keep persevering, and doing the work God has called me to do.