The year, 1980. I’m a spry 6+ years old. I hardly knew there was such a thing as Olympics. Heck, I didn’t even know that there was any sport outside of basketball in 1980. However, there was some sport called hockey that everyone was talking about. Not only were they talking about this sport, they were talking about a group of kids beating the Russians. Along with this chatter, people were excited about the call from the play by play guy announcing this apparent huge win. At just barely 6 years old, I didn’t have a clue what the excitement was all about.
Fast forward a few…several years. I didn’t gain a full appreciation of hockey until high school, I believe my senior year. Sure I knew what the sport was, and that Wayne Gretzky was the greatest player on the ice…and that there was a lot of fighting in the sport, but after that, I was a hockey idiot. Thanks to the sister I never had, Brenda, I became hooked on hockey. I learned the significance of that historic day, February 20, 1980. More importantly, I came to appreciate the call that forever changed hockey’s American lexicon, and the phrase that will never get old. “DO YOU BELIEVE IN MIRACLES?!?!?!?” Thank you, Al Michaels, for such a wonderful and timeless question in your commentary of the hockey world’s biggest upset.
Today, that simple commentary during a hockey game has been running through my head so many times. So many times, that I can almost hear Al in my head. Every time I hear the call, I simply come back and answer yes. Yes, I believe in miracles. Wait…make that with excitement, YES!
After meeting with Dr. Dickman, having another MRI, then meeting again with Dr. Dickman, he strongly encouraged there be no surgery. Janda and I agreed based on the assessment of how difficult a surgery and the risk involved in the surgery. Along with assessing the risk, we took into account the fact that the mass has significantly decreased in size from August to the MRI done on Monday.
Sure, the biopsy performed by Dr. Beer did cause the mass to get smaller, but not as small as what Dr. Dickman, Janda and I saw. The size difference was so noticeable that Janda and I could see it prior to Dr. Dickman pointing it out. Basically, we saw God’s miracle!
Despite the mass being smaller, there is still a fight to be fighting. I will now be looking for a radiation oncologist. I will now be going through a cyber knife treatment. We will be driving to and from either Denver or Salt Lake City for the treatments. No, we don’t know what this looks like or how long of a process it will be. What I do know is much less than what I don’t know. BUT, I can confirm I will be able to live with the same quality of life as what I am now. Any cyber knife treatment will be just as invasive, but less intensive in the long run. Lastly, we don’t know when this will start.
What a HUGE blessing this news has been and will be. I look forward to getting back home. I look forward to sharing this with those who have not heard. I especially look forward to hugging everyone when I see them. Most importantly, I look forward to asking people the same question Al Michaels asked America back in 1980.
DO YOU BELIEVE IN MIRACLES?!?!?!?!?
Aaron
If you're interested in reading through his journey so far, you can check out his caring bridge entries HERE.
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