Elizabeth Edwards. Her cancer has returned. White House spokesman Tony Snow is asked about this, how it might, if it might have an affect on the campaign. The very next day, Snow has an announcement of his own. A colon cancer survivor, he has a suspicious growth in his stomach. He's having it surgically removed on Monday and will be out of work for " A few weeks. "

As I write this, I'm watching the Uconn-North Carolina State womens basketball game. NC State coach Beth Mowins has breast cancer. It's the story within the story of tonight's NCAA Tournament contest.

I wrote a three page letter to my cousin the other day. Her 32 year old son is a cancer survivor. Had leukemia twenty years ago, and has been experiencing lots of pain in his legs lately. Had tests done. Turned out to be something bad, but it was the A word, not the C word. Arthritis.

But J. has another problem. Her doctor picked up some problems with her lymph nodes...

Just exactly at what point in time do we call this a plague? This cancer that's eating away at every family, every single family. When do we start using the E word?

Epidemic?

Are we in denial? Are we not seeing what's in front of our noses?

Cancer. Cancer. Cancer.

There, I've said it. Spoken the unspeakable. Uttered the unutterable. I've said it and I'll say it again:

Cancer.

If this isn't a plague, what the fook is?