will there ever be a cure?

Kyle hated the last post.

So did I.

Blech.  Double blech.  Triple blech.

So I though I would end on a positive note and introduce you

to Josh.

Have you met him yet?

You will REALLY like him.

We sure do.

Josh is our "tall son" who measures in at a cool 6'5".

(He's single ladies...at least I think he is-but he's not allowed to get married for something like 8 more years).

When his hair gets long it goes curly...he has some great brown 

eyes and he can play the piano, by ear.  Although getting him to actually play for you could be a problem.

People think Josh is shy, he's actually NOT shy at all.

I would call him "reserved".   Until you get to know him.

Then ask his friends, or family, who REALLY know him--not.shy.

He's like his father in that he's not a man/boy of many words.

But he's super (duper) smart and can match wits with almost

anyone on any subject.

He's a very sane, and rational thinker, which comes in handy (and is quite good for survival) in a house of 4 women...who may not always be very sane OR rational.  (What can we say? Hormones?)

He's got a tender heart (like his father too), but is also QUITE witty and sarcastic.  (Which we love).

He's one of the best kids I know on the planet.

Kyle is shown here with him at Josh's High School Graduation

last May.

Kyle is ALSO sporting a green shirt, which just happens to be

the "liver cancer" color.

Who knew?

He will also NEVER be wearing this shirt to chemo.

Ever.

Green is NOT a good color for chemo.

(See a previous post about "What color should I wear to chemo..." in case you're in the dark about that.)

Speaking of liver cancer and sons...(were we speaking about liver cancer?) Oh yes, I think we were...Speaking of it(and sons), Kyle worked on a committee with a sweet lady named Ann (it could also be spelled Anne--sorry Ann/Anne if you're reading this, I'm not sure on spelling.  Who knew Ann/Anne could even be a hard name to spell?)

Dorien, on the other hand...?  I could tell you 45 years of stories about wrong spellings. And bad pronunciations.  Bad name to grow up with, for the record.  (DOOR*E*N, in case anyone is wondering!)

Anyway, where were we?

Oh yes, Ann/Anne.

Ann/Anne happens to be one of the (THE) sweetest ladies I have met on this journey.  She "gets it".

She KNOWS.

Her son died from liver cancer last spring.

She REALLY gets it.  Sadly.

She came to visit us and tell his story and share some love.

It was a hard, and WONDERFUL visit.

Really wonderful.  She had wisdom and insight.

She is a great resource.

Her son?  He battled right up there with the best of them and fooled ALL the doctors.  

Way to go Tyler!

They gave him four weeks to live at diagnosis, he gave THEM 14 months.

Way to kick some SERIOUS cancer A$$ Tyler!

Way to keep those doctors on their toes!

We love good stories like this one.

I could write 3 posts about her visit, but will leave you with this story for tonight.

One day they were speaking and Tyler said to his mom (Ann/Anne) that he was SURE there would never be a cure for cancer.

His mom was somewhat shocked at this and asked him "Why?"

He replied that he thought it was because cancer teaches people

about LOVE and SERVICE and people ALWAYS need to be reminded of

those lessons.

On BOTH the giving end.

And the receiving end.

They are GREAT life lessons to keep learning.

(Though it would be nice if there was an easier way to learn those lessons)

But he had a point.  A really good point.

The amounts of LOVE and SERVICE we have witnessed in one month far surpass ANYTHING we've seen in our lifetimes.

Combined.

Times two.

Will there ever be a cure for cancer?

Who knows.

But it DOES teach us all great lessons.

This is what I'm ending with for today.