Sunday, April 26, 2009

Day 74 - Miracle Drug

New week, new blog-a-thon. This weeks theme is favorite songs. With lyrics, and why it's your favorite song. This is HARD. I have so many favorites, but I'll pick just one for the day.

Today, I pick U2's "Miracle Drug." Four years ago, my sister was diagnosed with breast cancer. From the beginning, Julie became her own best advocate for her care. She wanted to know everything she could about the disease, how to treat it, what her options were, etc. At the same time, she found it extremely important to find alternative homeopathic treatments to boost her success rate.

Julie was dynamic in her determination and dedication in researching the disease. Just before Julie's diagnosis, I had seen breast cancer patient Suzanne Somers on CNN. She had treated herself with Iscador, a mistletoe extract that is used for certain types of malignant tumors. Julie and I became research buddies, with her reading through research and studies on the supplement, and me working the computer angle on how to locate and purchase the foreign-produced herb. My sister decided on the best course of treatment for herself, and included Iscador in her homeopathic therapy.

Beneath the noise
Below the din
I hear a voice
It's whispering
In science and in medicine
I was a stranger
You took me in

The songs are in your eyes
I see them when you smile
I've had enough I'm not giving up
On a miracle drug

Of science and the human heart
There is no limit
There is no failure here sweetheart
Just when you quit

I think we you or a loved one is sick, you look for anything that might be a miracle drug. When I saw this song in concert, I bawled my eyes out. We'll never know if Iscador sent Julie's cancer packing, but my sister has been cancer-free for over four years. I'm sure Bono meant "Miracle Drug" in respect to world peace, love, and finding a cure for AIDS, but it has its own special meaning to me.

5 comments:

Unknown said...

That was very touching, brought tears to my eyes....

Jennifer said...

How interesting both our posts were about cancer. Beautiful story.

Joelle said...

Leave it to me to know this answer....

The song, "Miracle Drug", was inspired by The Edge. He has a very ill child, who is about the same age as our girls. The song is about finding a Miracle Drug for his child. When you listen to the opening of the song, you can picture a child who is not developing "normally", and can imagine the anguish that the parents are experiencing.

toni said...

Jo, I was initially thinking that's what the song was about.

But, I couldn't verify that anywhere. I look this stuff up before I write it. I found a lot of sources saying that it's about Irish writer Christoper Nolan. Nolan was born with severe handicaps. Bono went to school with him as a boy, and it's about the strength (and drugs) his mother gave him, enabling him to go on to be a poet and writer.

Joelle said...

Interesting....I am pretty sure I read that from a fan web site. So, I would go with your source and story over mine.