Thursday, April 3, 2014


MOMENTOUS EVENTS
By Randy Rawls

        As the old cliché says, sometimes things happen for the best. I feel like I'm in one of those times. First, I was diagnosed with head and throat cancer. Not something I was happy with, but—no one asked my permission. The chemotherapy so far has been nasty, but effective. I don't mean nasty in the way that some people have felt it. No, I've been blessed with minimal side effects. Loss of weight (regained), loss of appetite (regained), loss of taste buds (regained) and a truly ugly rash on my arms and legs (still there). Sunday, Ronnie and I move to Jacksonsville, FL where I'll continue my treatment at the U of FL Proton Therapy Center. There'll be more chemo and proton radiation. Hopefully, my body will handle that as easily as it handled the radical chemo at Boca Raton Regional Hospital.
        The second occurrence is much more pleasant. Ronnie and I were married today (Wednesday, April 2nd). Yeah, we've been together for fifteen years, but it just seemed like the right time to make it official. First, cancer, then marriage to the woman I love. Don't know where the cancer will take me, but I have confidence in facing it with Ronnie by my side.
        Would we have married if cancer hadn't come along? Don't know, but, to repeat myself, sometimes things happen for the best.

6 comments:

Sylvia Dickey Smith said...

Well, I'll be darn. Congratulations. As Bill learned--never say never. May the two of you have many more happy years together.

And get well soon!!!

And I still think I should have received a phone call to tell me!!! (and yesterday was my brother's birthday--so I won't forget your anniversary.

Happy for you two!!

Anonymous said...

Wow, Randyman, you sure know how to lob a grenade. A ton of congrats to the two of you and best wishes for many more happy years together - after you kick the butt of that cancer thing, of course.

Marilyn Meredith a.k.a. F. M. Meredith said...

Randy, I've been praying for you.
Have a grandson fighting cancer that mestatiszed--hasn't started his chemo yet, but did have an operation to take out a bunch of stuff. Cancer is abominable. Congratulations on the marriage.

Unknown said...

Thank you, Sylvia, Earl, and Marilyn.

Marilyn, don't let your grandson get down. The biggest thing I've learned about cancer is that it can be beaten. It is not the kiss of death it once was. I'm pulling for him.

Unknown said...

Mr. Rawls, all the best with your treatment protocol. Attitude is powerful! And congratulations on your nuptials.

Kathleen Kaska said...

Congratulations, Randy, and best of luck to you and your wife.