Tuesday, April 21, 2015

Lessons I've Learned Along the Way #19 (cancer/don't wait)

Do what you can, while you can.  Don't wait until it gets better, because it may never get better.

This became one of my mantras, after my dad, Jack, was diagnosed with lung cancer.  While it may sound like a pesimistic outlook, it proved to be one of the best decisions that I ever made.

At the start of each "phase" (suspicion of cancer, diagnosis, treatments, decline) I asked myself- if this is the best he's going to be for the rest of his life, what should we do now, that we may not be able to do in a few weeks or days...

We took more pictures, we made more visits, my brother's family came in from Thailand sooner instead of waiting, we went hunting, we worked on his gun, we watched Harry Potter...  ;)  

Had we waited till he felt better, looked better, got off his oxygen, or till "the worst was over", we never would have done these things.    

Please.  If you have a loved one who is ill, don't wait till they are better.  Do things now, while you can.  And if God gives healing and your loved one overcomes their illness, celebrate!  And then do more things!  

If my dad had been healed, I would still cherish the photos that I took and the memories that we made, during his illness.  But if I had not had the courage to take the photos or if I had not created new memories, because I was waiting till he was better... I would be filled with regret today.

Do what you can, while you can.

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