Many of you know that our youngest, Trey, is also known as Young Warrior. Very often mistakenly referred to as Little Warrior, he is, in fact, The Young Warrior. There are many reasons why he is known as this. Further, I would like to open a window and allow you to see what has given him this identity. The best way to do this is to break down three categories, characteristics, or versions of Young Warrior and how he personifies that name. After each I will give what I believe to be that which he is influenced most to be this way and earn his name.
First, he has battled cancer like any great warrior of any generation or culture. Whether you look at how tough he has been, how hard he has fought, how little his attitude has been affected by this disease, or how he doesn’t even entertain the thought that he is “sick”, or not, he has been a warrior throughout. A few quick examples…
1. Early on, we were told that he had a broken femur from the chemo (or the cancer, or something else). We did not know it, he did not show it, we didn’t have to do anything about it. Warrior.
2. He had a surgery last August (2011). The anesthesiologist said that he requested to work this surgery as he knew Trey to be quite the warrior (interesting word choice indeed, not fighter…warrior). The surgery went horrifically bad and he almost bled out. The anesthesiologist said, “He really lived up to his name.” I asked him what he meant…why would he say that? He explained, “when Trey began to bleed out and we clamped off his artery. It was my job to lower his body temperature, pump him full of fluids, and only slow down when he couldn’t take any more. Mr. and Mrs. Mitlo, he stayed with me all the way. I never had to slow down. I have NEVER seen this before.” Fair enough…warrior.
3. Lastly (but not exhaustively, there are countless others) a month after the surgery we were back at the hospital for a check up and x-ray. Unbeknownst to us, as Trey was flying up and down the hallway and around the room, he had a collapsed lung. Wait, that’s not the warrior part…though it could be. No, after he had a 3/4 inch tube in his chest to drain the lung, it needed to come out. There were two doctors there and one said, “Now, as we take this out, he’s going to scream.” The other confirmed, “Oh, he’s going to scream.” As they pulled it out, Trey said in a calm, controlled, if not quiet cold voice, “No”. That was it, no scream, no yell, no cry…simply, “No.” In control, like a man, like a boss, like…a warrior.
Influence: God alone.
Second and much less enthusiastically, he is very easily identified as a Young Warrior by the way he responds to our parenting. Granted, it is a bit much to ask him to fight cancer with a warrior spirit and yet be a gentle spirited obedient child at home. Examples…
1. He cannot be punished. I tell him, “You will lose your taggy (blanket)!” He replies, “no taggy.” I tell him, “you won’t be allowed to go to grandma’s (should be a torturous thought as he LOVES grandma’s).” He replies, “no grandma’s.” It does not matter what the discipline is, he simply doesn’t care or accept it. He lives beyond boundaries…warrior.
2. He relentlessly pursues that which he wants. “Can I play with your phone?” I explain to him that he cannot (for whatever very valid reason). 200 times later…he gets to play with my phone…he wins. His rules, he wins…warrior.
Influence: His lovely mother…hands down.
Third, and last, he will battle you on a one to one basis to make you lose your cool. He controls the communication, he controls the relationship, he, basically, controls you. For example…
1. Ryan Lowe is a good friend of mine/ours. He comes over and Trey calls him by another guys name. Ryan quickly corrected him to which Trey called him the other name 10 times in a row (and every time since). He followed that by saying (in regards to Ryan’s facial hair) “You got pepper on your face?” Finally, when asked how old Ryan was, he said, “47” (Ryan was just turning 30). When told that his daddy was only 41 Trey corrected his guess, “46?” What’s Ryan to do taunt a 4 year old with cancer? Make fun of him? He takes away your weapons, me makes things unfair…warrior.
2. Driving by a friend of ours business/home the other late afternoon, Trey loudly exclaimed, “Good morning Kelly.” Our daughter ‘Bella corrected Trey, “No, Trey, it’s evening. It’s goodnight Kelly.” Trey continued…now louder, “GOOD MORNING KELLY.” Bella, no weak minded girl in her own right, continued to correct him, growing in frustration each time. Later that evening as we passed Kelly Elaine Inc. again, Trey screamed, “GOOD MORNING KELLY!!!” while staring and smiling at Bella. Bella loses it. Mommy and daddy correct Bella and tell her that his is only doing it to get her to respond. We encourage her to ignore him and in that way, “win”. He will then stop we assure her. As we finish saying this, Trey says in the coolest and calmest voice, “Good moooorrrrrrnnnnniiinnnngggg Kellyyyyyyyy.” Bella loses it…Young Warrior wins. He knows where the buttons are, he pushes them, warrior.
Influence: well, that would be me…with a touch of my stinker wife as well.
No matter how you look at it, the evidence is there. That boy is a downright Young Warrior.