Look, I know it’s been a long heavy week. In some ways, believe it or not, it may have been harder on some of you than for us. How can I say that? Well, you are burdened for us but you don’t get to experience the joy of different moments with Trey. So I would like to lighten the mood a bit.
I can’t help but start with a quick one about Trey. Yesterday he was getting a bone marrow biopsy. It’s done in the clinic where he gets most of his meds done each week. However, it is so invasive that they do put him under. So, they give him some Versed directly into his port. Immediately he goes to silly town (he is a blast on this stuff). They liken it to being intoxicated and for a very good reason. He begins to talk unceasingly. He is laughing at everything he says (and everything else for that matter). He tells Mr. Mike (the Child Life Director – think “there to make the kids smile and not realize they have cancer”) how he should go to Great Wolf Lodge and ride the slides (remember, like a drunk person would). The only caveat is that he does not use one consonant. Then, they give him with the Ketamine injection (to put him under). In mid sentence Trey simply says, “AAAAAAaaaaaahhhh…..” and trails off. EVERYONE in the room, who are already trying so hard not to laugh at Trey, loses it. The moment is better because they are all trying not to laugh (being professionals after all). Mr. Mike turns away and covers his face. It is a great moment of people just being real and enjoying a silly boy being silly. Well, by “being silly” I suppose I mean, “stoned out of his mind”…literally. Good times.
Another lighter moment, that has nothing to do with anything, is from many years ago. A friend of ours was getting married. Her husband was not the most sympathetic person…at all. Towards the end of the reception I pulled him aside. I explained to him (after tearing him away from “his boys”) that he needed to now go and be with his bride. That although he was stoked for the honeymoon that she would probably be experiencing some sadness as the wedding and reception were just about over. He needed to be there for her. Let her know that this was just the beginning. “Be by her side and love her” I told him. He told me that he got it completely and understood. He then said, and I promise you this to be true…word for word, “Hey, we’re going to go pee on the ice sculpture. You want to come?” I’m glad I had that talk with him.
Lastly, many of you think of me as an excellent communicator. Some of you have described me as a great man of faith (we’ll get into that next week). I’ve been called an amazing husband and father. But, did you know how street I was? Yeah, I can roll pretty rough if you need me to. My senior year of high school my good friend Rich McCullough picked me up to go ice skating at Schenley Park. As we pulled away from my home he said, “Oh, by the way, we may get jumped tonight by some guys who hate me.” Nice to know. As we were leaving the rink he told me to not look but that they were following us. Finishing my can of Coke I thought, “What? What am I going to do? There’s a whole group of them?” Quickly I thought to tear my can in half. I could use the open metal edges as long blades to defend myself. I may go down, but I’d cut some fools on the way. The only problem was that tough guy me, in a calm cool collected near panic moment, couldn’t tear the can. Try as I may, crinkle back and forth as I must, I simply couldn’t do it. I can’t imagine how pathetic I must have looked. Praise God they chose not to attack.
Rich is now a State Police Officer, protecting young antagonists like himself so many years ago. Our friends marriage didn’t quite work out (he wasn’t the man of her dreams after all). Trey is rocking and rolling at preschool as I write this. Me, well, you know my story. You know it because you care. Thanks for that. Have a great weekend, just stay away from those ice skating thugs.