Isn’t it funny how you see a picture and think – that is me – that is my life. Well this picture represents the year for my family and me... We started out strong, we got worn down, but we did not break or fall apart. To put it simply - what a long 2008. This has been an emotional roller coaster of a year. For those who have been following along, my dad has been wrestling with the fact that he was diagnosed with stage 4A squamous cancer in January. When I say that he has been wrestling with it, I should also include my family as well. Throughout this process, we have all worried about dad's health. We each tried to help and cope in our own individual ways. This was not something that you can look at and say he should have done this or that and everything would be okay. No, cancer is not like that – it attacks anyone and everyone. So we were left standing, looking blankly around, asking why. Dad was left there surrounded by all of us - doing the same but promising to fight this.
Throughout my dad’s treatment I have tried to relay to you what has happened – the good and the bad, the challenges and accomplishments. This email is no different, dad took another step in this journey – in dad’s follow-up visit the doctor said he is happy with what he is seeing. There is only one little spot left on his tongue that he is going keep an eye on, but the medicine is still working and it is small. Dad is eating better as well… so what is next, well the next visit is in 2 months. Baby steps… baby steps. Hopefully the spot will be gone, the feeding tube will not be needed, and we will all keep taking our baby steps.
So in conclusion, all this leads me back to the coffee cup. Last week, after all those weeks of trying to keep that sagging cup upright, we switched cups - and now we have a newer, taller cup. Our spirits were lifted when dad got great news about his cancer. Life is good… in fact life is great!
Michael
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