Le nathlam hí

As I stared out of my hospital room’s window towards the Hollywood Hills, I was finally at peace, oddly accepting and fine with the news I had just received. In a way, it was extremely liberating not having to stress or worry about whether or not the treatment was working anymore. Instead of worrying if I was going to live or die, this terminal prognosis simplified the equation for me. After all, I have no idea why I even feared death so much before.

Shalin Shah, #SunsetsForShalin

Thank You, Cancer

Shalin Shah is 22 years old, born and raised in Southern California. Last August, while training for his Peace Corps service in Peru, he fell extremely ill with a racking cough, difficulty breathing and intense rib pain. A CT scan found the cause of his suffering was a 6-inch mass in his chest cavity. After being medically evacuated back to the US, Shalin was diagnosed with stage IV synovial sarcoma with brain, lung and spinal cord metastasis, an extremely rare and aggressive cancer. His reflection below was written days after doctors confirmed his terminal prognosis and told him he had only six to nine months left to live. During that time he has really lived – including getting married to his high school sweetheart Frances Chen. Shalin is currently in the hospital in California. Although the doctors have given him only days to live, at this time, Shalin is fighting strong.