EIGHT YEARS AGO TODAY: I was getting prepped to spend an afternoon in surgery with Dr. Kurt Garren. Kurt did an incredible job and has become a good friend. Thanks, Kurt!

 

I headed home, got a shower, and went to the hospital where I would start my journey as a cancer patient. After a 4 week rest, I started 9 weeks of chemo and daily radiation treatments, which seemed like an eternity! Eight months off work spent getting through the "next day.” When you are in the middle of this battle, it’s all about the day you are living. It is overwhelming to consider anything but the day in front of you.

 

First of all, all praise to the One True and Almighty God. Not the "man upstairs" or any other cute name. His name is Jesus and He healed me! Secondly, my incredible wife that drove me to and from every treatment, tried to find foods I could eat and made me eat when I whined like a baby. She never let me quit. She did let me feel sorry for myself for a few minutes, then helped me back to a place of trusting in the Lord. Tough love in action, and I am blessed daily by her!!! Our children that dropped everything to support us, words can not express my feelings and love. 

 

What has happened in the last 8 years? As a result, I've been able to walk Sara Campos down the aisle, place her hand in our incredible son in law Hugo's and enjoy their children, Mateo and Lucia. I've enjoyed many hours with Christin and Scott Yuppa and their three children. They live the closest so we get to hang with them more than all the others. Aaron met his beautiful wife Cleo and they have now been married for nearly two years. I enjoy shooting pictures with them and just hanging out. As a bonus, I get to spend the rest of my days until Jesus comes back with my high school sweetheart, Marlene Graban Coury. October we will celebrate 39 years of marriage.

 

I have to give a special shout out to my siblings, Tina, Tony, and Bobby. Up till now, cancer had never been in our family, so we all traveled this road together. They cared and they were very present in the journey with us.

 

To all of you that supported us with visits, prayer, anonymous cash donations, and other things I did not even know about, THANK YOU!