Last weekend we had our annual Memorial Day Crushers’
baseball tournament in Richmond .
I wish I could tell another story like I did about our tournament last year
when we came from behind on Saturday and won the thing on Sunday Click here to read that story but
unfortunately it just wasn’t in the cards. We lost the first game on Saturday,
won the second, lost the first on Sunday and then won the second. We didn’t hit
the ball…it just wasn’t our best or favorite tournament. Better Crushers days ahead!
Sorry, I can't say centerfield without listening to this song! Enjoy!
I’m more sensitive to sun right now, so for
that game I watched from out there under some shady pine trees. While we were
sitting out there, Melody told me a story about their trip to King’s Dominion. (Several
of the Crushers and families hit King’s Dominion on Friday before the
tournament.) My kids went but Kevin and I stayed behind—I knew I wasn’t up to
all that walking with my fatigue right now and I wasn’t sure how much I wanted
to tempt fate getting on the Dropzone. I am already beating one thing that’s
trying to kill me, I probably ought to stick with one thing at a time.
Well Mel told me that they got on the Flight of Fear coaster. She
was riding with her son Eli and one of our kid’s dads was riding behind them. Eli
was scared to death and Mel was trying to ease his fears by doing what most people
would do…in that watchful mom voice she told him it was going to be just fine
and she was right there and he was safe and yet he still was scared to death. Well
Waylon (Campbell) must’ve heard what was going on and after the thing took off, he raised
up his hands and yelled at the top of his lungs, “Wooooo Hooooo Eli! Isn’t this
GREAT? This is so much fun!” Well lo and
behold if Eli didn’t become fueled by Waylon’s excitement and optimism and he
must’ve thought hmm…maybe this is fun after all…and from that point on it was
all smiles. Melody couldn’t believe it.
As soon as she told me that story I told her that I had to write about it. That story immediately reminded me of life. How
many times in life do we face scary things…unknown things…things that we aren’t
sure whether we want to try because it’s a leap of faith or things we have to
do because we have no choice?
When I made my note to tell this story, the text I sent
myself was “Everybody needs a Waylon in their life.” Everybody needs someone
that can recognize when you are fearful or struggling and then stand next to
you, throw their hands up in the air and scream “Isn’t this great?! Isn’t this
fun?" Do you know I have fun when I go to chemo? True story. There hasn't been one single time that I haven't laughed and smiled and made someone else laugh or smile. Chemo isn't fun, cancer isn't fun but in all things, we have an opportunity to make the best of the hands we are dealt.
If you don’t have a Waylon in your life, then maybe you
could start being a Waylon. If you see someone struggling…throw your hands up
in the air and holler “Isn’t this great!”
I have learned so much throughout my journey over the last
four months. I have so many people standing with me fighting this battle and so
many of them are very similar to Waylon. No, nobody is hollering exactly, “Isn’t
this great” as I’m going through this but rather, they are saying “We got this!”
I went down to the ballpark last night to pick up Papi (he
was watching a ballgame with Waylon and Kelly and the rest of the
gang!) This is probably the first time I have been among so many people in one place that I know since I was diagnosed. And I didn’t have my wig on or a hat or anything
else. I just had my sparse blonde spikes which I am rocking a lot more now
since it has warmed up. I don’t always feel confident when I’m out in public
without something on my head. I know strangers sometimes glance a little too long and
I would be lying if I said that didn’t make me feel a little weird sometimes.
There are strangers...and then there are my friends. I walked in that ballpark and my
friends made me feel like a rockstar! You would’ve thought I got out of limo at the sidewalk instead of the 1996 Honda. So many people ran up to me
and hugged me and told me how great I look and told me how I was kicking ass
and told me that they would never in a million years know that I had chemo just
a couple hours ago if they didn’t know! And as I looked around, I saw pink Team
Amanda bracelets everywhere I looked. All I could think as I looked around is
although you all didn’t literally have your arms up in the air hollering “Isn’t this
great”, by supporting me in the way you do, you have lessened my fears and
anxiety in ways you may never understand.
Through this journey I have had so much support from friends
and family, from people who do not even know me, from ladies who have gone
through this and have helped and encouraged me, from my nursing staff, from
schools, ball teams and churches. You all are being Waylons. You turn my fear
and anxiety into excitement and hope. You turn my bad days into good days.
I have two more chemos! TWO MORE! Can y’all even believe
it?!
#wegotthis
-lightningbug
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