The Cancer Monologue | Teen Ink

The Cancer Monologue

December 26, 2010
By Katie1234 GOLD, Velva, North Dakota
Katie1234 GOLD, Velva, North Dakota
10 articles 0 photos 77 comments

Favorite Quote:
"When life becomes more than you can stand; fall to your knees"
"To be normal is to be boring."
"You cannot make men good by law."
"Christians believe that Jesus Christ is the son of God because He said so."
"To be a Christian means to forgive the inexcusable, because God has forgiven the inexcusable in you."


I know I swore I wouldn’t give up on living, but the doctors won’t even tell me I still have a chance anymore! When the nurse comes in she smiles, but it never reaches her eyes! My family doesn’t even visit me anymore. They don’t want to remember the sick me! My husband hasn’t even brought my own son to see me in two months! Last time I saw him, my son didn’t even know I’m dying. What will my husband tell him when I’m gone? This pain is only getting more excruciating! Who knows how little time I have left?

There was so much that I had planned on doing in my lifetime! I was going to go sky diving and bungee jumping! I was going to run the marathon! None of that even matters now! After all, I can barely walk. No one has even called my parents yet. I’ve tried to bring myself to call them. I’ve tried to tell them I’m dying, but I just can’t do it! I haven’t spoken to them in three years! And now I’m expected to tell them I’m dying? I want to believe that by some miracle I might get better, but it’s kind of hard to have faith in something like that when you are bound to a single room! It’s four simple walls! As far as I’m concerned it may as well be a card board box! It leaves me feeling so trapped! These walls slowly close in on me more and more everyday! I’m beginning to forget how to breathe!

I constantly find myself wondering if this life is even worth living anymore! But this isn’t really life, is it? This isn’t living! No matter what my family and friends would like to believe, I’ll be gone soon! As dim as that may seem to you, is it really that bad? The suffering will be done! It’s time for me to go home now! I’m done being miserable! I’m ready to leave this sad place! I’m ready for a real life. I’m going home!


The author's comments:
I wrote this monologue because cancer has been something I've seen a lot of in my family. I just wanted to write a monologue about how upsetting it is to the patient, rather than the family.

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This article has 19 comments.


Rylee said...
on Dec. 3 2017 at 4:05 pm
Is this from a published play?

on Dec. 12 2016 at 6:49 pm
Do have any other sad monologues this one was really good I would be interested in reading some if you have any

on Nov. 3 2016 at 6:00 pm
I love the line: "I'm beginning to forget how to breathe"

Majid said...
on Nov. 2 2016 at 7:49 am
Hi Katie.. I'm an upcoming actor ... can please perform this monologue in one of my auditions coming up?

laco16 said...
on Apr. 20 2016 at 11:18 pm
I love this! I need to find a monelougue that shows a form of sadness and I need to present it in front of my dramtic arts class and I was curious if this one will be alright to use as an example. It just touches all the requirements and I'd be honored to use it. Thank You. :)

JDBaker said...
on Apr. 4 2015 at 12:27 pm
Thank you for writing this piece. I would like to use this for a college campus group activity for Easter and I want to cite your name for the monologue. Would you please be able to leave your last name so I can give you credit for your work?

Elin said...
on Jan. 22 2015 at 11:34 am
Hi i love this monologue I was just wondering whether it would be possible for me to perform this monologue in a competition?

DramaticMegs said...
on Apr. 16 2014 at 12:10 pm
Lovely and well written monologue! Though I do see what the other person meant about the exclamation marks, some were unnecessary. But besides that, I loved it

chtralerzz12 said...
on Jan. 15 2014 at 7:36 pm
Hi! I really like this monologue and I would like to use this for a performance in my theatre class at school. We need to cite the work, so can I please have your last name? And does this character have a name? Thank you so much!

Katie1234 GOLD said...
on Jan. 23 2013 at 3:43 pm
Katie1234 GOLD, Velva, North Dakota
10 articles 0 photos 77 comments

Favorite Quote:
"When life becomes more than you can stand; fall to your knees"
"To be normal is to be boring."
"You cannot make men good by law."
"Christians believe that Jesus Christ is the son of God because He said so."
"To be a Christian means to forgive the inexcusable, because God has forgiven the inexcusable in you."

Thank you for taking to time to critique my piece. I would greatly appreciate it if you would be more specific.   Thank you!

on Dec. 15 2012 at 5:14 pm
LadyButtercup BRONZE, Limerick, Maine
1 article 0 photos 27 comments

Favorite Quote:
“To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that is all.”

Katie, Very nice work. One of my good friends just found out her grandmother has stage 3 lung cancer. So this was even more understandable to me.  This was very raw, you could feel the pain. So touching. Thank you for sharing this with us all.

Katie1234 GOLD said...
on Dec. 15 2012 at 2:28 pm
Katie1234 GOLD, Velva, North Dakota
10 articles 0 photos 77 comments

Favorite Quote:
"When life becomes more than you can stand; fall to your knees"
"To be normal is to be boring."
"You cannot make men good by law."
"Christians believe that Jesus Christ is the son of God because He said so."
"To be a Christian means to forgive the inexcusable, because God has forgiven the inexcusable in you."

I do apologize for such a late reply.

Katie1234 GOLD said...
on Dec. 15 2012 at 2:27 pm
Katie1234 GOLD, Velva, North Dakota
10 articles 0 photos 77 comments

Favorite Quote:
"When life becomes more than you can stand; fall to your knees"
"To be normal is to be boring."
"You cannot make men good by law."
"Christians believe that Jesus Christ is the son of God because He said so."
"To be a Christian means to forgive the inexcusable, because God has forgiven the inexcusable in you."

I have a few. What exactly are you looking for? 

eternalTulip said...
on Nov. 9 2012 at 11:18 am
this is overdramatic and has way too many exclamtion points.     !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  

amb123 said...
on Aug. 15 2012 at 12:21 pm
i really liked your monologue . do you have anymore monologues? . perphas one cancer related ? i will audition to this monologue, let see how it goes...

on Feb. 1 2012 at 7:25 pm
xLiveLoveMusic, Ardmore, Oklahoma
0 articles 0 photos 2 comments
Thank you!

Katie1234 GOLD said...
on Feb. 1 2012 at 4:05 pm
Katie1234 GOLD, Velva, North Dakota
10 articles 0 photos 77 comments

Favorite Quote:
"When life becomes more than you can stand; fall to your knees"
"To be normal is to be boring."
"You cannot make men good by law."
"Christians believe that Jesus Christ is the son of God because He said so."
"To be a Christian means to forgive the inexcusable, because God has forgiven the inexcusable in you."

I do not have a problem with you using this. I am actually quite honored. However, there are a lot of creeps in this world. Certainly you can understand the dilemma with placing my name on a public site. I will post it at the end of this comment, but it will be deleted in 24 hours. I hope you get it for your competition in time.

on Feb. 1 2012 at 10:22 am
xLiveLoveMusic, Ardmore, Oklahoma
0 articles 0 photos 2 comments
hi there. Im using this piece for a drama competition, and I need your last name. It is for competition purposes only I promise. Just need to give you credit for your work. Thank you.

Katie1234 GOLD said...
on Sep. 15 2011 at 7:46 am
Katie1234 GOLD, Velva, North Dakota
10 articles 0 photos 77 comments

Favorite Quote:
"When life becomes more than you can stand; fall to your knees"
"To be normal is to be boring."
"You cannot make men good by law."
"Christians believe that Jesus Christ is the son of God because He said so."
"To be a Christian means to forgive the inexcusable, because God has forgiven the inexcusable in you."

Thank you very much. I wrote when members of my family passed away from cancer. I was so sick of everyone else complaining, when they still had a life ahead of them. 

Thank you for taking the time to comment on this.


Naomi518 GOLD said...
on Sep. 14 2011 at 11:58 pm
Naomi518 GOLD, Windsor, Connecticut
11 articles 15 photos 59 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light" ~Albus Dumbledore

you commented on something of mine so I decided to check out some of the things you wrote and this one particularly caught my eye because my grandma is currently dying of cancer. It's a matter of days now.

 

I don't know if you're writing from expirience or something inspired you, but I really like this. Whenever I write things about my grandma (to be posted soon, hopefuly) I give them a sad tone. But this to me seems like anger and I really like your different approach. You have opened my eyes to a new perspective. Thank you!