We Are Deep In the Heart of Texas

Nomadic seasons of farming adventures with nature thrown in to include; a pinch of family, snippets of friends, counting our blessings, paying IT forward, home school, and the spicy things I decide to rant about.















Wednesday, October 27, 2010

"SWITCHES" For My Friend Kat

In memory of David, who died last night: husband, father, friend, educator and all the roles a man could own.

The Story of Switches written in 2007.


'Once I was listening to a doctor explain to his young patient and family about cancer.  How some people were able to fight the disease and survive while, others do not do as well? He made the analogy of people and their lives being a series of switches:

This doctor took the time to draw on a white board a series of switches in a line which represented a person’s life.


He went on to explain everyone is born with a number of switches on a switch board. If one person smoked the lung cancer switch (choice) came on or off based up another series of switches say: diet, heredity, spirituality, weight, exercise, environment, medication, exposure, stress, mental ability to cope, or lifestyle.


He told his patient that while he did not know why her cancer switch was turned on to begin with; he would help her and her family try to find the switch to turn it back off. And he needed her to tell him what was important to her so he could find the right series of switches to flip.


The amazing thing is, this 10 year old girl understood the doctor’s analogy. Tyra went on to tell the doctor what she felt was important for her to get better.


I sat in the room in awe of her, her maturity and understanding. I watched her with her mom and was there for some of her therapies. She went into remission for awhile I would hang with her when I could not sleep. My daughter and she became fast friends along with the other children on the ward.


One night, she told me, “I am not afraid to die but,” she did say, “I am afraid of my Mommie being alone.” I asked her if she talked, to her mom about it and she just shook her head no and we dropped the subject.


Just after Easter 2004, Tyra slipped into a coma, her body shut down and the little girl died. I went to her funeral out of state, it was then I asked her mother if I could name the child I was carrying after Tyra.


Her mom, Mary asked what happens if you have a boy. To which I replied, “I will switch the name to fit a boy.” Zephyr Aryt, is the SWITCH that represents Tyra’s life and we all go on.'


Kat, My over the pond sister.  I too grieve and mourn with your family today.  You are a part of my soul and have given me many switches..........


Rest in Peace David


LOVE,
Mal

7 comments:

Melodie said...

So very sad....

Vickie said...

Oh how sad...poor Tara and David, and how very sad for their families... This was a touching story. Thanks for sharing...

Judy's Corner said...

Thanks for posting, Mal... I did not know until I read your post... I had not made my way through to all of my faves yet, to see it on Kat's post.

Jim said...

Mal, so sorry for your loss. Yes, life goes on through others. They will not be forgotten.
Jim

Kids and Canning Jars said...

WOW. Sorry for your friend. Your story is amazing!!!! Chills. It makes me think of this
"We laugh, we pray, we cry, and we stand at the ready." You are a wonderful friend.
Melissa

mixednut555 said...

Thank you, my Friend. I am so touched, sobbing like a baby. You amaze me.
David was a very special person, he lived a life that was hard, having polio so young, but I can tell you that every email and phone call I received today from his friends said the same thing over and over...that David always made them smile, that David's courage and cheerfulness in the face of so much adversity, touched them in ways they will never forget and that he told ALL of them how much he loved and appreciated ME and all I did for him, that I was truly an angel in his life. Now he is the angel in our lives...I miss him so much already and it is just hours since his death. Thank you for being there for me, Mal. May you be blessed 10 fold in the measure you have blessed me.

Nekkid Chicken said...

just weeping now kat -- you touched my heart again........

Thanks Melodie, Vickie, Judy, Jabacue and Melissa