Late Night TV

So there's a tornado watch out right now. It's 1am. And I'm up. Still.

Been a long day today...preparing for my move (a little, ok?), worked my eight hour work day, the standard.

Thursdays always seem to be a little long for me. I'm usually not into bed until 12 or so after visiting with Blue online. But tonight’s a little later for me.

(THUNDER)

So...I got to thinking...bout this whole storm thing going on right outside my sliding glass door.

First of all...I love storms. Give ‘em to me. I'm kinda a weather geek of sort. I dig this stuff. Too bad Corey took the camera with him to college. I'd get some GREAT lightning shots tonight.

But back to the storms.

You know, when it comes to these kind of events, lots of people are caught off guard. I mean, have no real plan. Living here in the Mid-West, it's tornado country. We usually get the standard 8-10 warnings a year, this year being about the norm, I suppose. But still, people are always caught not being ready.

Not having enough batteries. Or a flashlight that works. A radio in case of power outage. General stuff.

Not me. I'm decked out in FULL TORNADO WARNING GEAR (picture it, Skip!). Got my boots on, my BatMan utility belt, my surf board (in case of flooding).

Seriously, though. Time for the parallel. Ready?

When you KNOW that there is going to be severe weather in your part of the country...like EVERY YEAR...why on earth can you not be prepared for it?

The same ideal is true about your relationship with God. And end of times.

Are you ready? Got YOUR utility belt?

I ready. Hope you are too. =]

Just some after 1am ramblings. You get the message.

Ok...off to stand in the rain. In tribute to Chill's video today. Love ya brother!


Love. Peace. Harmony.

Bryan

My Son, My Hero

And then a hero comes along
With the strength to carry on
And you cast your fears aside
And you know you can survive
So when you feel like hope is gone
Look inside you and be strong
And you'll finally see the truth
That a hero lies in you


My son and I have a very unique relationship.

I have always allowed both of my children personal freedom. What I mean to say is that I never "push" beliefs or circumstances on them. I give them the freedom to choose what paths they want in life. Of course I am a responsible parent. I never would put them in danger or harm. But just the same, I've always felt that the best of life's lessons are learned through personal successes and failures. And believe me, they have experienced both.

"Sure, son. You can stay up and watch television. Just know that 6:30 am comes early. And you CANNOT miss school under ANY circumstances."

You get the gist of it.

So - the reason for this post.

My son was a believer in Christ. Throughout his childhood, he was always the first one to volunteer for anything. Spending time at the soup kitchen. Helping children faced with adversity. You know...too good to be true. But he was.

When he "graduated" from 8th grade, Corey won almost every award there was to win. Best in Science, Best in Math...I'm here to tell you...it was getting a little embarrassing hearing my son's name being called every five minutes to come up and receive his award. While it WAS gratifying, I started to feel a little sorry for the other students. I'm sure you can't blame me for feeling this way.

But the MOST important award he won that night was "Most Christian". Corey and my daughter Kirsten went to Catholic school. So with this being said, the Bible and His word was a part of their everyday life. And my son practiced it. Everyday. (BTW - my daughter does, too...)

Then Corey's freshman year started. He was doing very well at his Catholic high school. Straight A student. With a personality even! Teachers and students alike loved being with Corey. And Corey LOVED high school.

One day during late Winter semester, Corey came home with a pain. One that's very difficult to explain, but I will try nonetheless.

Corey hurt in his testicles. Now, if you a man reading this...you immediately doubled up.

The pain was intense. He often described it as if someone was constantly kicking him there. I'm having difficulty even typing this, because I can only imagine the feeling. Which would be extremely uncomfortable.

He was diagnosed with Epididymitis. Which is an infection in the tubing of your testicles. I began to learn so much about a mans body immediately. I wanted to help in any way that I could.

What I did learn, is that there is no cure for his type of Epididymitis. He would have to learn to manage the pain. I tried everything. From alternative medicine (acupuncture, message, aroma therapy) to standard medicines (morphine, anatryptaline, et all), nothing was helping. He lay awake all day and night, and all I could do was hold his hand...and pray. Which, of course, I did.

Corey went through 6 ultrasounds. 3 MRIs. And two trips to Oklahoma City to see a doctor that had treated several patients with the same disease. This doctor started a case study on Corey.

Through all of this...I started seeing Corey lose something that at one time was a staple in his life. He started losing his faith. At least on the outside. I can remember one specific night waking up to him crying in the living room. It was about four in the morning. And I overheard Corey asking God "Why?" He was 14 years old. He was wanting to die. He repeated it over and over. "Please take me!" "Why me? I've been so good!" "I want to die right now!"

I held him. I gave him his pain killers. I gave him the anti-depressants the doctors prescribed. He finally went to sleep.

This went on. And on.

So I had been going to this support site, looking for answers from other men who suffer the same fate. Men of all ages. I had been posting Corey's story for the rest of the world to see. And to get a little comfort from the outside world.

Since only about 50,000 men worldwide suffer from this, there is not enough support from the medical community, nor the pharmaceutical community to put funding into research. So many more men suffer today. But not my Corey.

You see...I had been praying all this time. And one night, an email arrived from someone who had seen one of my posts. This gentleman had the same condition. And found a doctor in Chicago who had performed a microsurgery on him. One that was not a published one. It was trial and error. And the man had been cured. With little side-effects.

I felt I had nothing to lose. So I talked to Corey about it. He agreed. And two surgeries later...his pain was gone. Every now and then, when stressed, a little bit of the pain comes back, but my son is back to living again.

For the nearly three years he was bed-bound, he lost his high school. He lost his social life. And I thought he had lost his faith.


I kept praying.


So in the last year (since he's been cured), he's managed to graduate from high school, and was accepted with scholarship to Ohio University. He is studying Music Production. And I know he'll do well. I'm so proud.

All of this time, I never told him not to lose his faith. I mean, I continued to pray for him. Of course Jesus is a part of my everyday life, and I was always around my son. I secretly hoped it would maybe "rub-off" on him. LOL

My son calls me everyday from college. Our relationship is unique. We are best friends. Other fathers are envious. I don't blame them. Maybe it all goes back to the "making their own decisions" thing. I don't know.

So today, my son called. As usual.


He told me he went to a Bible study today.


I'll let that sink in.


Yeah. It DID feel good. Didn’t it?

Corey told me that he never lost faith. Ever.

Then he thanked me.

For not "pushing" him too hard. And letting him come back to Jesus on his own.

It's easier to take ownership in something when you're not forced to do it. And I always knew he'd be back. Now he is.

Bless you Corey.

Thank you for making me so proud of who you are. And where you've been. And where you're going.

You're my hero, Corey.


I love you, son.


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