Jeanna - You know the joys of having a wonderful love in your life! And that is something to treasure and appreciate every day. It's true that unless someone has experienced what the cancer patient has, they cannot understand or empathize. Perhaps it's more than that - IMO that part of the brain which allows us to comprehend what others are feeling is missing or turned off somehow or never learned. The ability to feel others' pain has a flip side in that we are better able to also experience and appreciate the intense joys that come our way. And that's a good thing.