December, 23 2019 was supposed to be a day that changed my life.  I had been struggling with sinus issues for six months, and I had already had one sinus surgery that didn’t work.  I was going under the knife with a new ENT doctor with the intentions of possibly removing my adenoids or tonsils, and the other possibility was a septoplasty in an attempt to get me clearly breathing again.

 …I woke up in the recovery room groggy and bewildered to where I was.  I took a couple of deep breaths through my nose; my brain slowly processed that the air was flowing freely into both nostrils.  No blockage.  I could finally breath freely!  I dosed back off and waited to be rolled back to my room.

Once in the room my nurse made me comfortable while I waited excitedly on Ann to show her I could breathe freely.  The anesthesiologist popped his head in the room, “Does he know yet?” The nurse shook her head in a silent “No.”  A shoulder shrug and he left the room.  This left me a little confused, but I was still ecstatic I was freely breathing. 

About 10 more minutes passed by, the door opens and Ann enters the room in tears.   My confusion grows as Ann crisply walks across the room to my bedside.  She pulls the chair up and comes as close to me as she can.  Holding back tears and sniffles: “Ben, I’m so sorry.  It’s cancer.”

December, 23 2019, the day that changed my life. 

Cancer.

To quote my “Thunder” blog my family experienced “A dagger of shock, electricity, and power thrown by none other than Zeus himself into the heart of my family.” At the time we didn’t know how to respond. We were floored by the shock of this electricity.  The shock continued to build in the coming days until we released a loud, boisterous clap of thunder that ALL of you heard. 

It’s been two AMAZING years since you have heard that boom of thunder and come together to #feelthethunder and #fightforben.  I was right. December 23, 2019 was a day that changed my life.  I was dealt the shitty hand of being diagnosed with a terminal illness, but also a movement of love and support was created and all of you entered my life.  You aren’t reading this blog because you want to feel sorry for me; you are reading because you want to be part of the Thunder Squad and bring love and support to my family and I.

My life changed because you are now such an integral part of my day-to-day function. I had no idea that day what lay ahead, and I had no idea how many people wanted to rush by my side and bring their thunder to help me fight this disease.

This is a not a post to say “Woe is me, I have had cancer for two years and its sucks really bad and we are running out of options.”  This is a post to say “WOW is me; I have had cancer for two years and I’m surrounded by hundreds of amazing people lifting me up with love and thunder.” 

So, as you celebrate Christmas with your family in two days, please remember you have already been given the best gift in the world: LIFE.  Don’t take it for granted.  Live every day to its fullest and make you sure you bring the THUNDER daily. 

I love you all with all my heart and want to thank you for everything you have done for me the past two years!  #feelthethunder

Love,

Ben

(Sorry if there are spelling and grammar errors and sentences that didn’t make sense.  I was writing this while trying to make my grandma’s cinnamon rolls for Christmas breakfast with my mom.  Check them out in the blog picture.  They definitely bring the thunder!)