MIRACLES DO HAPPEN, even with final stages of Cancer!
I have been so busy lately, with life, new projects, the everyday things that seem to get in our way that members of the human race have to find away to overcome, and not let it take us over completely. I don't have a monoply of understanding this.
I am new to blogging, and have many projects I am working on, counting on, or intend to work on, and at times of late, my attention span has been distracted, and sometimes confused of what I hope to write on next. Sometimes, as I am sure others feel the same way, I get overwhelmed of what all I want to do and say, and finding time to do it with a great deal of thought, making sure my words are understood, before my fingers hit the keyboard of what I want to express.
With all the things I want to write down and share, it really became apparent to me today (like the whisper of a breeze) that I wanted to write about my brother Ward, and how miracles really do happen. I really wanted to write about something positive, and hopeful, as well as helpful.
Pretty much, everything with me has a story, and this one has a fairy tale ending, especially if you belive in miracles and life. And it is a true story, and I am in hopes will give others hope, especially if the reader, or others they know of, have cancer. No matter the final stages!
I will never forget the phone call that day from Ward. It was less than a year ago, and in the morning, and I was having a terrible day, due to my lack of knowledge with computers and frustration with my computer. I bitched and moaned to him about this, not even realizing that his news was so much more important than my computer problems, subjecting him to listen to my whines and whimpers of my trivial complaints. After I finally shut up with my woes, he finally, and as gently as he could, told me that he had cancer, and that it did not look good, that his liver was twice the size it should be, but, he felt in his heart that he could beat this. In other words, he was close to final stages of colon cancer. I lost my breath, as if being kicked in the chest, and my head started spinning. This could not be happening, not to Ward, who was my big brother, the one who always brought me back to reality, the everything to me. I could not respond. I tried not to cry, but I am not good on that. My tears were like faucets turned on high, and he had to comfort me, which was wrong, as I should have been comforting him during this call. I think that by the time the phone conversation ended, we both ended up comforting one another, after I found my voice.
Once I found out the name of cancer, and where he stood in his stages, I started my research, and everything was just gloom and doom from what I read. There had to be more, something encouranging, and I did find some positive stories on this, the time some cancer victims lived longer than expected, but it was few and far of in between, which is one of the main reasons I am writing this blog.
My brother Ward, at the time was 54 years old (he is now older) and is a health freak. He did not smoke, ran 10 to 15 miles a day, very seldom drank, and went to a paid gym all the time. He rode his bike ( or his many motorcycles) all the time. He was (is) a father of 3, and made sure they ate well, as he ate well himself. Part of the health thing.
Everything changed in his life, and to a large degree, all his siblings as well. How could we help him, what did we need to do to keep things positive, and on what level while we all faced reality of this? He was determined to fight this and win. He looked at everything concerning cancer, and new things to do to fight this battle, such as drinking a certain tea, any alternative to save his life to go on, no matter if others did not believe it would work or not. What did he have to loose to find new alternatives, new ways, new theories. He went through so much Chemo, and so much pain, and so much sickness, and always believed in his heart that he would win this battle. He tried anything and everything, and always had the most positive attitude of anyone I have ever seen. And he always did it with so much humor.
There is so much to this story, but the bottom line is he accomplished what he said he would do. He beat it. While statics say that he only had 2 years, and with those years, probably fraught with pain and depression, he beat it. His last visit a month ago, to see if he could have an operation to remove this cancer, was not needed, as he is cancer free. Double checks were given, as even the doctors did not believe it. Total remission, and a complete miracle. Medical history!
If anyone could beat this, I was not surprised that it was Ward.
There is a great deal more to this story on him and our family and I have several links that I have saved that I want to add to this blog, (and will once I learn more how to do a BLOG.)
I do want to add his site via link that he started at one time, and I think as he got better, he really did not post much more concerning this devastation, concerning his cancer. But still a great read and an important one. Filled with humor and love!!
Wards site
The whole point to this blog and this subject, is that there is hope and there are miracles. And Ward proved it. And I believe others can as well. I love you Ward, thanks for being you and being a miracle to give others hope.
Your loving baby sister, Katie
Loving A Brother~You & Me~Ward
I love you Ward, Always!
My fear is loosing you.
Love does that,
Makes us cry,
On loving and loosing
Especially those loved so well.
Why you? With me?
Because you taught me
To face up! Your face & voice
Toward life and to face reality
And what we can be, and strive for.
And try hard to recognize.
With you and me, something special agrees with
Games, music, dates, family, love
Tears and years,
Which are part of we,
You and me.
I so wanted to write more
Of you and me-Especially
At bedtime-When dreams begin
But, I think you know
The Story, Of you and me.
There is no end.
Katie Fairchild
@June 23, 2005
Katie,
ReplyDeleteYour story about your brother speaks volumes of your love for him. What a miracle... And your poem was simply beautiful!
Thank you Mid,
ReplyDeleteso much for your sweet comment, and BTW, Ward called me today that he had read the blog, and to remind me that I had gotten his running on foot wrong, as it was less than 5 miles a day, but he did run miles each day, or tried to when time permitted. But not as many as I had mentioned.
Other than that, everything else was true, as I made sure of that.
Huggs, Katie
My dearest Katie. You're right. I cried. With sadness and then with joy and then with sadness again knowing that Ward's cancer has returned. You know that my heart, thoughts and prayers are with you both as you and I struggle with this terrible disease that has afflicted our treasured loved ones. Mine will triumph over it - and are you listening God? - yours will too. Have faith and know that you are loved and thought of and not alone.
ReplyDelete