MK

My father was like that too. He survived 5 years following a diagnosis of lung cancer, radiation treatments, and surgery to remove a portion of both lungs.

He lived for my son. My son and I lived in an apartment complex nearby. Shortly after his first surgery, we had a big snowfall. I got up early to prepare for work, prepare my son for daycare, and clean off my car.

I walked out into the parking lot and saw all the cars completely covered in snow and ice - except for mine. It was completely cleaned off. Despite his pain and frail condition, he gathered up the strength to drive to my home and care for us - despite our agreement that it was MY job now to care for HIM.

Dads can be so amazing. It's a shame not everyone can have a dad like ours. It gives us the strength to keep pushing on, despite our pain.

When I was a little girl my dad used to wake me up before dawn on the weekends to watch the sunrise and walk in the woods - despite the weather.

One morning it was brutally cold and the snow was deep. I was FREEZING and tired, so I said "Dad, I can't do this anymore." He said: Yes you can, you have a lot of spirit. I said: "Dad, it's too cold!" He turned to me, smiled and said "Isn't it GREAT? It let's you know you're alive!"

I've since learned that pain will never kill me - it's never listed on death certificates as the cause of death. Therefore, my pain serves to remind me I still have the gift of life.