Confusion

Can't really understand why I think anyone else would choose to read about my mundane life. But funny things happen to us all, and sometimes grief strikes the best of us. No grief at this moment, thank goodness. Instead a celebration - my dad is officially cured of cancer. Five long years of chemo, radiation, surgeries, and lots of complications have gotten him and my mother to this point.

A couple of weeks ago I complained about my last birthday spent sick as a dog in Greenville. Away from my family and wanting to die. And having to share my sympathy with millions of Michael Jackson grieving fans. I whined and moaned this was the worst birthday ever.

But I had forgotten my worst birthday ever. Two days before my birthday in June 2004, my parents called to tell me they could not come see me in Greenville after all because my father had been diagnosed with Stage IV bladder cancer. Being a somewhat intelligent person, I knew what that meant. As an outsider. But as a daughter of a daddy's girl, this news did me in. My father suffered through surgeries, chemo, radiation, post-op complications, and the like, and never complianed (in my earshot) about the fate life had dealt him. There was no talk of death because we all knew, with no doubt, he would beat this awful disease. And five years later, he is officially pronounced cured. So despite a raging sinus infection that had me begging my husband to put me out of my misery, I knew something else big was happening. My dad was cured and would be there to continue his ministry, and to continue being my mother's best friend, and to continue being my daddy. So after all my whining and moaning, this last birhtday proved to be the best I've ever had. I still have my father, and that's the best gift I could have ever imagined.

This is a few days late. I want my parents to know who proud I am of them. I want my mother to know how grateful I am that she is the kind of person who takes the bad, prays about it, and good things come of it. I want my dad to know I am inspired by his fight and hope to have his strength if ever confronted with such an illness. I love you both so much and wish my grandmother could be here to share our glorious news.