Life is Beautiful

You can't quit until you try
You can't live until you die
You can't learn to tell the truth until you learn to lie
You can't breathe until you choke
You gotta laugh when you're the joke
It's nothing like a funeral to make you feel alive

Just open your eyes
Just open your eyes
And see that life is beautiful
Will you swear on your life that no one will cry at my funeral

I know some things that you don't
I've done things that you won't
It's nothing like a trail of blood to find your way back home
I was waiting for my hearse
What came next was so much worse
It took a funeral to make me feel alive

Just open your eyes
Just open your eyes
And see that life is beautiful
Will you swear on your life that no one will cry at my funeral

Alive
Just open your eyes
Just open your eyes
And see that life is beautiful
Will you swear on your life that no one will cry at my funeral

Just open your eyes
Just open your eyes
And see that life is beautiful
Will you swear on your life that no one will cry at my funeral

Nikki Sixx

I guess it is somewhat unusual to start a blog post with words to a rock song. But there is a reason behind it. Sometimes it does take being at your worst to make you be happy for what you have. Right now it is not "me" that is at my worst, it is my cousin.

Over a year ago he was diagnosed with testicular cancer. A young male, prime target for that particular cancer. After a "minor" surgery he was thought to have a relatively good chance at being cancer free. I just got a call from my Mom that it is back and this time it has spread. He now has lymph node involvement with metastasis to his stomach and lung. My experience as a nurse put a knot in my stomach, I know how bad this diagnosis is and what he is going to go through. No one is giving up but the treatment is going to be brutal. I have seen what it will do to him and what complications can develop. I am by no means religious but I am praying it works. He is 30 years old! He should be worrying about what kind of grades his children will get, not if he is going to live or die.

Things like this make me super thankful for what I have...my health, my family, my job and so many other things. So many times we let stupid things drive us crazy with worry when in the grand scheme of things, they really aren't that important. When I was playing with my son before his bedtime, I could not help but think of my aunt and uncle and what they must be going through.

If I could cure one disease, cancer would be it. Since I cant do that I am going to do what I can. I am going to sign up for the Joe's Team triathlon in June. After you pay your registration fee you must raise $500 in order to participate. All the proceeds go to the Tom Baker Cancer Center. I had actually been thinking about doing this for a while but hearing about my cousin is just more motivation. This triathlon is not about the race itself. This one is all about the cause.

I generally try to keep a positive tone to my blog but this is something that I feel is very important to express. It can always be worse and we need to remember that. Good luck Shawn and I love you! Stay positive and beat it for good this time!