Support team;

These are my children at ages 6 & 4. This is how I remember them when I reminisce.
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My family is the most precious gift God has given me. My wife is a beautiful, statuesque, Loving caring, giving, faithful, dedicated, christian, intelligent, courageous and friendly person. Her voice is like music. Soft, subtle and pleasant to listen to. If you spend a few minutes in her company, you will come away with not only a favorable impression of an acquaintance. But, realizing you just met a truly unique person. I can't help but love her. She's simply irresistible. When I met her I got butterflies in my stomach. I was 28, and I felt like a school kid who had just met his first crush. I was on a motorcycle and already had a hard heart. But she melted it on the spot. I spent the next week in complete anticipation of meeting her again. My heart was racing, my palms were sweaty. adrenaline pumped through my system. It has been almost 30 years later. And I still get then same feeling every time she comes into the room. She knows all my secrets and she loves me anyway.

We have 2 children together. Our eldest, a son, is a 23 year old college graduate. He is an extremely intelligent, non-assuming man. I often refer to him as the single most intelligent person I have ever known. And I know more than a few extremely intelligent people. He is tall, slender, fair of face and incredibly compassionate. For the last 4 summers he voluntarily gave his time to be a counselor at a Youth Christian Summer Camp. He endeared himself to literally thousands of children. Plus he volunteered and went to Nicaragua and three times to Mexico to provide camp experience to children who's families could not afford such a luxury. At 6'5" he is an imposing, but gentle soul. His mathmatic skills are legendary. In the 6th grade the school sent him to take the PSATs, because they could not measure his ability. As a 6th grader he scored in the 97th percentile of high-school juniors nationally. In the 7th and 8th grade, his classmates nicknamed him "Professor", and teachers would look at him for confirmation and approval when they put complicated equations on the board. When I was taking Calculus in college (I went after leaving the Navy) he learned how to use my Texas Instruments Graphing calculator (without the 300 page manual, and only a 2 minute intro from me) and assisted me with my homework. He was 8 at the time. No college Professor ever asked a class, "Did your children help you with your homework?" If they had, I would have been undone.
Our 20 years old daughter, is equal to her brother's intellect. But lacks his love and intricate knowledge of math. She is the only woman I know who rivals her mother's beauty. She inherited all of her mother's stellar attributes, with the single exception of height. But, what she lacks in height, she more than makes up for in heart.
Despite having an extroverted, former Navy Senior Chief, turned Biker, for a father, she is a quiet, loving, compassionate person. She has a heart of finest gold. And she would give you the clothes she is wearing if you had need of them. Literally! She is a senior in college, majoring in Psychology. So I don't pick on her anymore. She's too smart for me, and doesn't take my guff anymore. She is my darling daughter. Boys beware I'm a card carrying NRA member. And you won't be good enough for her. No one will. (Have gun, will travel).
The only thing either of my children got from me was my witty sense of humor. All of their other fabulous traits came from the maternal side of the family.
Both of our children have a heart for the Lord, and have both been to the Arizona Pima Indian Reservation and down in Mexico on mission trips to build homes or make repairs and improvements to facilities for others less fortunate than them, and who they never knew before hand.
"What does all this have to do with the Cancer story?"you ask.
As a matter of fact; EVERYTHING!
If not for their loving care, tireless assistance, Herculean support, heroic love, and total dedication to healing and caring for me. This blog would never have existed, there would be no KrippledWarrior. And the only way you would hear of my story would be in an obit page somewhere. It was my wife and children who hovered at my death bed. Praying for my survival, an coaxing me back from the brink. Not only did they unselfishly give their time and love. They made me the center of their lives and world. It is almost a cliche to say "I owe them everything!"
But that is the essence of my story. I have enjoyed support and prayer from thousands. And I will be eternally grateful to those people. But only Christ's sacrifice for my salvation surpasses the sacrifice my family has made for me! Before this episode, I would have given my life for any or all of these three people. But now, I can't think of emotions strong enough to express my gratitude and love for them! Joan, Kyle & Amanda, Thank you. I love you all.
KW