 |
| Man, Look at that smile! If you listen closely, you can hear him LAUGH!! |
A dear friend passed away recently. He battled cancer for over 20 years. They would treat it, get it to go away for a bit and it would return. I don't even know how many times it came and went. At least 4 or 5 I am sure! He was a Brown's fan and he fought like a Dawg!
He also laughed like a Dawg too! I will always remember his big booming boisterous laugh! Not loud "in your face" laughter, but a laughter of someone who loved life! I will always remember my friend's laugh.
Strange enough, the cancer didn't even kill him. He had a huge heart, and I guess the cancer just wore it out. Someone with a "normal" sized heart would have probably succumbed to the cancer years earlier.
I will also remember a great lesson he taught me early in my nursing career. Even before I was officially a nurse! I was in nursing school and he needed shots of neupogen once a week. One week he didn't have anyone to give it to him, so I was called into duty. I had not even given a shot to a real person in school yet. But he made me laughing the whole time I was preparing the shot and while I was giving it. He made it so easy for me, and I can never repay him for teaching me it is OK to laugh at almost anything, but especially if you have cancer!
There have been more than a few times in my nursing career I had to do something I wasn't comfortable with or dreaded. I would think of John and laugh and it would make things easier. Part of the reason I try to live a happy, care free, laughable life is because of the inspiration he gave me over 20 years ago! I don't even think I ever thanked him! Thanks John!
I am not sure what happens after death, but I IMAGINE my friend is sitting on a bench with his father and telling jokes and laughing! I know his family misses him dearly! I hope and pray they hear his laughter in their dreams!
Now Go Out and Hug a Dawg Today!!!
