I feel surrounded by death right now. It is everywhere, even inside me.

I'm feeling crushed by the weight of everyone's mortality.

Today, I heard a story about a young child dying unexpectedly. I nearly had a panic attack.

This evening, I attended the calling hours of an acquaintance from high school. He was barely 30. He battled three separate, devastating cancers for 5 years. Each time he thought he had won his battle, another war was just beginning. I could barely make it through talking to his mother.

Tomorrow afternoon, my friend is going in to have surgery to remove a cancerous thyroid tumor. She waited so long to have it looked at and they fear it has now spread. I can't look her in the eye right now because I'm afraid of what I may see.

My dad's colon cancer has likely returned, only they can't find where it is. Knowing this rocks my very core.

My baby died for whatever reason two weeks ago. Technically, I gave birth some time this weekend to a child I will never know.

I think I just need time to get over all the bad stuff that has happened lately. One or two things at a time I can handle. But this is getting to be a little ridiculous.

Part of me wants to think about it and analyze what I am feeling. On the other hand sometimes I fear if I think about it I might collapse under the weight of it all.

Also, to add to my neurosis, sometimes I feel like I am jinxing myself with my fears. If I think about what something would be like, for example losing my husband or my children, I fear that by simply thinking about it I may bring it upon myself.

I've lived this way for all my life. I know it is irrational. But with all the horrible things happening right now, I feel like I should just put myself into a drug induced stupor for the time being.

I'm always the one to say "It will be alright. You can get through this."

I just need to remember that right now.