Cancer sucks. Ā How many times have you heard that? Ā Me..I have heard it way too much this young in life. Ā The first time I heard it where it really hit hard and real was with my Mom – Pam – breast cancer. Ā She beat it cheering the mantra of Tom Petty “I won’t back down”. Ā The second time I heard this and my heart skipped a beat was a few days after getting back from our dream trip. Ā Jet lagged and high on relaxation…my Dad – Barry – utters the words “I have kidney cancer’.
Clearly not being in the medical profession and having very little knowledge of anything medical, this sounded like the all your worst nightmares coming true. Ā I did know that people survive with one kidney (thanks to those fears of someone stealing your kidney). Ā But none the less it was not good news. Ā Having two parents dealing with cancer never is.
So my extremely prepared and plan it forward parents had already scheduled the appointments, surgery was on the horizon and here we go! Ā Being eternally grateful for a flexible schedule I knew I would be there for all of it. Ā The problem was there was time…so much time to prepare. Ā In 2012 Barry had an emergency appendectomy. Ā Before this surgery, there was no time to prepare. Ā No time to think of the worst, just reaction to what was happening. Ā So Barry had time to think this time. Ā He had time to plan, he had time to prepare. Ā And I can not tell you what he was saying to himself, I can only guess what they internal pep talks were. I just know a motivated man when I see one.
The day of surgery was no joke. Ā We arrived early…he is whisked away…and I lose it. Ā Then they pull a fast one…and tell me I can go back if I want. Ā So I get back there and my Dad is losing it and I lose it all over again and my Mom start losing it and the medical staff is doing their best to comfort us. Ā Barry was the only one that was given drugs to help! Ā Bottom line…scary stuff. Real. Ā And everything went just as we had prayed it would. Ā Kidney out = Cancer gone.
But all of this is not the moral of the story. Ā What I really want to talk about is the strength of my Dad. The raw motivation to not back down. Ā He said going into it that he would be playing The Old Course in 10 weeks. Ā And he showed cancer who is boss. Ā Here are some pictures that speak for themselves.
Now anyone that knows Barry, knows that golf is a not just a hobby or pastime. Ā Golf is life. Ā And I think you can see on his face how happy he is on the course. Ā Especially The Old Course. Ā The home of golf. Rich in history as I hope we will be one day. I am so happy that my Dad is who he is. Ā That he had the motivation to beat cancer and keep playing. Ā I know that golf is not his only motivator in staying healthy, I think we may have a little bit to do with it. Ā I am so glad that I get to love on my parents for longer. Ā We are not done yet. Ā Cancer leave us alone! Ā We are just getting started.
