The Courage Of My Convictions

I have had a lot of time now to think and reflect on my situation and what I want to do going forward. I think the time is now to really step up and put some serious thought into what I want to do with the rest of my life.

Over the last few days I have given a lot of thought about applying to University to continue my education. I have decided that the best thing to do with my life now is to help people. I think the best way to do that is to go back to school and finish my education and then apply to Medical School. I have decided I want to be a pediatrician. I know that must seem like a really big stretch for the once deaf kid with brain cancer but the fact is I want to help the youngest members of our community and I want to specialize in children's cancer and be a pediatrician that serves as a cancer specialist.

I know first hand how scary it is to stare death right in the face, try not to blink, and then give him the finger as you fight for your life. I can think of no better service then to help those kids who are living what I lived first hand.

The more and more I think about it I realize that God gave me a second chance to live in grace and my motivation will be the gift that I have been given and the far too many children who suffer with this incredibly ruthless illness.

People have said that its a lot of studying, its a lot of financial burden, and its a lot of school but to that I say, I DONT CARE!!! This is what I need to do and what I want to do and when the workload seems too heavy, when the costs seem to high, when the stress is unbearable I will be able to reflect back on just how insignificant all of it is in the light of what I have already been through. Truth is, nothing is more stressful, more work, or more of a burden than the fight to beat Cancer. As far as I can see, University and Medical school should be a cakewalk in comparison.

Failure? Not an option...simply put. I WILL accomplish this goal and my motivation will be everything I have been through and the images of all those children who were in the ward with me, who I saw in the halls, who were hooked up to Chemo...those images, the suffering in their eyes, the look of courage and their desire to fight will be all the motivation I will need when it all seems to much to shoulder.

In their name, in their memory, and for myself, I will see this through so for all you people out there who think I am crazy for taking this on...I took on Cancer and I won...I LiveSTRONG and I WILL see this through...mark my words!

LiveSTRONG