To those people who love baseball, I have heard the analogy that stepping into the batter’s box to face a pitcher is a microcosm of life. The pitcher, like life itself, is determined to throw a pitch that you cannot hit and thus defeat you by striking you out. The batter is determined, at the same time, to take the challenge thrown to him, hit a homerun, and enjoy the fruits of victory and the accolades of the crowd...in other words, to be successful against life’s challenges. One thing we can be certain of, life (the opposing pitcher) will be throwing us curveballs and unexpected pitches as long as we live. How we face life’s adversities will determine the level of success we enjoy. I have stepped into the batter’s box on numerous occasions and have had a measure of success. With support and prayers of family, friends, and church I hope once again to hit the ball out of the park.
In the fall of 2008, I began my
ignominious relationship with the “Big C,” cancer. You haven’t really lived until you have a
doctor look you in the eye and say, “You have cancer.” It definitely changes your perspective and
priorities. The diagnosis was hairy cell
leukemia…a disease where the white blood cells drop to near zero. White blood cells are those which offer
resistance to outside diseases and germs.
But with God’s help and the skilled crew at MD Anderson Cancer Clinic, I
was able to beat the disease and look forward to a remaining life of health and
happiness. Until 2010 that is, when I
noticed this irritating spot on my arm that would not heal. I decided to visit my friendly doctor who
suggested a biopsy which returned with the C-word again…a melanoma. A little surgery, from which I still bear the
scar, took care of the problem, and I was on my way again.
The next five years saw a smooth health
cycle, but by mid-2014, my white blood count was going through the roof. Sure enough, further testing determined I had
contracted Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia.
With CLL, the white blood cells do the opposite of what happens with
hairy cell leukemia…the count goes through the roof. This time, the doctor said, I would not have
to come in for infusions but rather take a pill a day. I decided that was great, until I went to the
MD Anderson pharmacy. As the pharmacist
was preparing my ticket, I noticed the price…$11,100.00 for 28 pills! I nearly bolted out of the pharmacy, but she
said, “Your co-pay is $50.00!” Thank God
for good insurance!
Within a few months, the CLL came under control, the expensive pills were cancelled, and life went on, but in the summer of 2015, I noticed an irritating spot above my right eye. By this time, with my history of cancer, any blemish was biopsied, and, sure enough, I needed to have surgery for basil cell
carcinoma.
Fast forward to 2020, and a new challenge
popped up. In my routine annual exam, my
PSA count was discovered to be high.
With examination and biopsies, it was determined I had prostate cancer. By now I was using Willowbrook Methodist as
my primary medical resource because of our move from Baytown to Spring. The prostate treatment consisted primarily of
radiation, which was successful after about six months.
Now we come to the fall of 2025.
In my annual physical, it was discovered my white count was indeed going
south again (hairy cell leukemia.) At
first, my blood count was just slightly receding, so with blood tests monthly, the
direction of the count was monitored.
The result of this was I began chemotherapy treatments for hairy cell on
Monday, February 10, 2026.
Interestingly, I am taking the same type of chemo…Cladribine and
Retuximab, as I took in 2008. I have
been down this road before, so I expect a good outcome.
To get back to the original analogy at the beginning of this essay, Old Man
Cancer has just pitched his sixth pitch toward me. I have been successful with the first five; I
expect to hit another home run this time.
The facts are…at the age of 82, I am still mobile, fairly alert, and of
reasonably right mind. In spite of all
the “bumps in the road of life,” with the help of God, His people, an
incredible wife, a loving family, and supportive friends, I can truly say that
I am a highly blessed man.
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