Dooley Noted: 9/27/2016
On this day three years ago, my father was celebrating his 72nd birthday.
He was going through chemotherapeutic and radiation treatments, making him sicker than he’s ever felt in his life.
We watched as he lost his gorgeous head of hair.
We watched as he lost his joy for life, clouded by the medication attempting to save his life.
Since he had a very aggressive form of squamous cell lung carcinoma, we were warned that he may not tolerate the treatment and might succumb to it.
But we knew our father.
It only took a little bit of time before his hair started to resprout.
We saw the color return to his face.
That year at Christmas, we all stood around a CT image to search for a tumor we would not find.
As the leaves start to fall here in New York City, it appears as if things might be dying.
But sometimes, things don’t die.
Sometimes they quietly fight to stay alive, in a somewhat calm, hibernating state.
And before you know it, they bounce back with a full set of leaves.
The tree is just as beautiful as it always was, even if it has experienced a little bit of weathering.
Today is my father’s 75th birthday.
Cancer has left its mark, but we still have him here. My father has given us his gift of perseverance, and he has taught me that things aren’t dead just because they look like they’re dying.
I hope you persevere today.
I hope if you’re in a dark time, you realize that it’s not over yet.
And I hope you can wish my father a happy birthday from all my friends here on social media.
As always, it’s your call.
– Dr. Kathy Dooley
