"It could've been me..."
Doug is sick. Only it's not the "I have a cold, I'll be better in a week" kind of sick. He's dying.
Here is a boy who I met a year ago when I went to his church for an ice skating party. He was so healthy and extremely athletic. I remember watching him throw the football great distances during a pick up game of 500. He was also an incredibly nice guy. He made me popcorn and hot chocolate after ice skating while we played video games in his den. He was going into broadcast journalism at Ball State. He was graduating in the top of his class. He had everything all set.
Then in the spring, Doug was diagnosed with cancer. He began missing tremendous amounts of school for treatment. He spent his senior prom laying in a hospital bed in Chicago rather than sharing a limo with his friends and dancing the night away. He somehow made it through the graduation ceremony before being brought back for treatment the next morning.
Over the summer, Doug and I hung out at a grad party. He had colored the remaining bits of his hair "Cubbie blue", much to the chagrin of his Sox-loving friend Brice. He seemed to be getting better. There was even talk of him starting Ball State this spring semester, but then things happened.
Brice and I had lunch this past Saturday, and I inquired about Doug. He said he hadn't heard anything lately, but he would find out and call me as soon as he heard. The following morning, my phone rang a little after 12. It was Brice with some grim news.
Over the holidays while the rest of us were spending time with our loved ones openning presents and worrying about what to wear to the next holiday party, Doug was in the hospital on a respirator. He had been heavily sedated to the point of unconsciousness since shortly after Thanksgiving. The cancer spread to his brain, and there is not much anyone can do to help. Also, the doctors detected a second cancer growing and spreading. Brice said that the doctors cannot even place odds on this situation, and that scares me.
You know what else scares me? I realize that could have been me. There were no indicators before it all happened, it just did. He was a guy with many friends, a social life, good grades, a future...and then this just destroyed everything. I am worried about that. I don't want to leave school or my friends. I don't want to spend my weekends in a hospital. Megan just reminded me that no one does.
I want to be able to grow up and fall in love. I want to get married and have children. I want to be a successful teacher who is involved in everything her kids want to do. I want that, but more importantly, I want time to do all that. Megan reminded me that God has a plan for everyone. I know she is right, but there are still some times when I wonder what mine is.
Here is a boy who I met a year ago when I went to his church for an ice skating party. He was so healthy and extremely athletic. I remember watching him throw the football great distances during a pick up game of 500. He was also an incredibly nice guy. He made me popcorn and hot chocolate after ice skating while we played video games in his den. He was going into broadcast journalism at Ball State. He was graduating in the top of his class. He had everything all set.
Then in the spring, Doug was diagnosed with cancer. He began missing tremendous amounts of school for treatment. He spent his senior prom laying in a hospital bed in Chicago rather than sharing a limo with his friends and dancing the night away. He somehow made it through the graduation ceremony before being brought back for treatment the next morning.
Over the summer, Doug and I hung out at a grad party. He had colored the remaining bits of his hair "Cubbie blue", much to the chagrin of his Sox-loving friend Brice. He seemed to be getting better. There was even talk of him starting Ball State this spring semester, but then things happened.
Brice and I had lunch this past Saturday, and I inquired about Doug. He said he hadn't heard anything lately, but he would find out and call me as soon as he heard. The following morning, my phone rang a little after 12. It was Brice with some grim news.
Over the holidays while the rest of us were spending time with our loved ones openning presents and worrying about what to wear to the next holiday party, Doug was in the hospital on a respirator. He had been heavily sedated to the point of unconsciousness since shortly after Thanksgiving. The cancer spread to his brain, and there is not much anyone can do to help. Also, the doctors detected a second cancer growing and spreading. Brice said that the doctors cannot even place odds on this situation, and that scares me.
You know what else scares me? I realize that could have been me. There were no indicators before it all happened, it just did. He was a guy with many friends, a social life, good grades, a future...and then this just destroyed everything. I am worried about that. I don't want to leave school or my friends. I don't want to spend my weekends in a hospital. Megan just reminded me that no one does.
I want to be able to grow up and fall in love. I want to get married and have children. I want to be a successful teacher who is involved in everything her kids want to do. I want that, but more importantly, I want time to do all that. Megan reminded me that God has a plan for everyone. I know she is right, but there are still some times when I wonder what mine is.