SIX

6 years ago today, a doctor that I had known for all of one week gave me an opportunity. He punched my golden ticket. While I didn’t quite see it that way on the afternoon of February 24^th, 2006, I was given an opportunity to help, to serve, to guide, to mentor, to coach, to care, and to give hope. On that afternoon, I was diagnosed with leukemia. I can honestly say that the worst part about my leukemia experience was simply in hearing the news and conveying it to loved ones.

The tough part was finding a way to reconcile the fact that someone like ME could get something like THAT. But once I was able to digest that news, the doors flew open and the opportunities became abundant. As I look in my mirror today, it was little more than a speed bump. And I think I have been able to do some pretty damn good things with it… and meet some amazing people.

So while the cancer world may have thought it threw me something I couldn’t hit, I launched it 450 feet to dead center….. and am doing a very slow, celebratory, and defiant – yet thankful trot around the bases. And smiling. 

The key is not in how you live WITH it, it’s in how you live ABOVE it.

Happy diagnosis day to me.