A Date to Remember...

Forty-two years ago today, one of my children died. It wasn't unexpected. Bobby had been diagnosed with acute lymphocytic leukemia in the Fall of 1964 at the age of three. He had actually survived longer than the average child with this disease. In those days, leukemia was a death sentence.

We had five sons and Bobby was the middle child. He endured a lot; as did we all. He was a great kid! Full of life... never let the disease get him down... until he had nothing left to give.

My family survived this loss. As those who have experienced the loss of a child know, it isn't easy. Many marriages break up after such a traumatic experience. People grieve in different ways...

We had four other sons to cherish and care for; and to try to reassure that they would not live in fear that a similar thing might happen to them. Actually, not long afterwards, one of my sons developed symptoms that frightened him. I had to take him to our doctor who kindly spoke with him and told him directly, that he had no cancer. I'm sure that throughout their childhood, this fear lurked.

Forty-two years is a lifetime for some people. A lot has happened to our family since that morning of July 15, 1967; but people often grow stronger when faced with adversity. And God took care of us...

That morning in the hospital, a doctor came into the room with a gift for me. He realized that my child would probably not live much longer. He also knew that it was my birthday...