Thursday, October 21, 2010

Reality Check

I received some news yesterday that helped me put everything into perspective. If you've been reading this blog, then you know I haven't been feeling all that great lately both mentally and physically. I've been in a depression and staying true to this journey has been extremely hard and trying. I have wanted to quit, to give up, to just throw my hands up in the air and hide in my bed. You have no idea how much I've been wanting to do that.

That is until I received an e-mail yesterday that woke me up. The message was from my Uncle Mike aka Uncle Mugsy. He has been battling cancer and recently found out that it is growing again. This news sucks beyond all belief!! I cried and sent him all the love and prayers I could. And then I started thinking about how amazing he has been throughout this fight.

I first need to explain what a huge impact my Uncle Mugsy has had on my life. He and my father were not only cousins but best friends. He was always around during my childhood and he showed me by example how extraordinary a father and a man could be. He showed me that strength can be paired with kindness. He proved without a doubt that his daughters came first before anything!! And they knew it, those lucky girls. His also showered his nieces with all that kindness and love. He gave me my first pair of diamond earrings when I was 9, he always made Shepherd's Pie when I came over (my favorite dish!!), and even though no one in his house drank milk, he always made a run to the store to get some for me if I was coming over. He listened to me ramble on about my new apartment when I was moving 400 miles from home and he told me how proud he was of me the first time we saw my name in the credits of a TV show I worked on. He has always made me feel special and I've always known that he is there for me no matter what.

That same strength is still shining through during his battle with cancer. He hasn't given up! Despite it all, he is still living his life. He travels to see his daughters and grandchildren. He walks his pup, Penny, every day. He traveled with his daughters to Europe earlier this year for the trip of a lifetime. And he fights. Oh how he fights!!

If he can fight against the big, bad "C", then I should be able to find the strength to fight my battle. I need to crawl out from under the covers, pick myself up and remember what my hero does every day...and FIGHT!!

Love you lots and lots and lots, Uncle Mugsy! Thank you for the example you've always set for all of us when it comes to strength of character, strength of heart and the strength to fight every battle that comes our way!!

4 comments:

Shawna said...

Well that made me cry Trishee!! He is an amazing man and you can't lose following his lead. Love you mucho!

Mike said...

Darling Tricia, I am truly humbled! I have never thought of myself as any kind of "hero". I'm just a regular guy trying to make it one day at a time. I've always believed that it's easier to give up than it is to fight, no matter what it is you are battling. We've all had more than our share of adversity in this rat race called life, but it's how we deal with that adversity that makes us a winner or a loser. I don't care for losing, so I choose to fight as hard and for as long as I can. I have thought long and hard about giving up more than a few times while going through this whole cancer thing, but I love life too much to just lay down and quit. I'd love to live forever, but I know that's not possible, so I just try to live each day as fully as I can. We come from some pretty good stock, with lots of fight in us, and I know in my heart that we are Winners, not losers. If I can be an inspiration to you in your personal battles in life, I am deeply honored to be that inspiration. I love you so very much and will always be there if you need me. As I said before, I think you are very brave to post this blog for all the world to see. Keep doing your best and keep the faith. You are definitely a WINNER!!!
Molto amore,
Uncle Mugsy
XXOOXXOO

Leslie said...

OMG, totally bawling over here. Wonder why I come from this family of fighters yet I struggle every day to keep from giving up! I love you and thank you for being you!

Unknown said...

Leslie!! Honey, you are a fighter as much as the rest of us. Struggling everyday not to give up is a huge part of the fight. The fact that you make it through each day makes you as much of a fighter as anyone else.

Love you lots and you know that I am always here for you. Call me to vent, scream, laugh or cry. Mwah!!

 

design by suckmylolly.com