How do you say goodbye to a spirit bigger than most, and loved by all? By remembering what he did and who he was. He wrestled. He was a man who pinned opponents to the mat with power, strength, and fire, yet always ended with a handshake, eyes steady, dignity intact. He rode. A man who rode bulls for a living, chasing dust and danger, his raw talent and fierce determination recognized long before the buckles came. He lived. He was a man who lived with integrity, stood up for others with the heart of a hero and felt the power of the Holy Spirit when he gave his life to Jesus. He loved. He was a man who loved his son and his family with a passion second only to the love of our Savior. He was a friend who simply showed up every time he said he would and even when you didn’t ask him to. A man who gave his whole heart, his time, and his hugs to those lucky enough to love him. So how do we say goodbye? We wrestle. W...
I began radiation after four trips to the radiation oncologist's office and two visits with the reconstructive surgeon. I had to completely drain the left (healthy) tissue expander, so it will have to go through the expansion process again. After the expander was drained, the radiation oncologist tried mapping my chest with the machines. Then he came over and asked, "Do these have metal in them?” "Yes. That's how they use a magnet to find the port to fill them, or at least that's what I was told,” I replied. “I cannot do radiation with metal nearby because the beams can hit the metal, scatter, and we cannot control where it goes,” the doctor said softly. I took a deep breath, trying to process. “So I need to remove both expanders in order for you to do radiation?” “Yes. I’m so sorry. Did they (the original team from out of state) not tell you this could be a concern?” “No. That team works closely with the reconstructive surgeon, and this is their standard procedur...