Perspective

Well, I have now been awake for almost four and a half hours. The fact that I woke up to my alarm without the snooze button at 5:45 am today is a miracle in itself. This morning I was supposed to time my commute to the hospital again. However, my cousin Craig surprised me and went along for the ride. Craig was that college student anyone would have loved to be. His intelligence came easy and he had a real passion for learning. After graduating from college, he applied to Medical School. His first couple attempts didn't end up well, so he decided that the Peace Corps was a great alternative. Finally after his year in the Peace Corps, Medical School became a reality.

Craig continued his passion for learning all the way through his classes, internships, and residencies. He quickly discovered his passion for delivering babies. About a year into his medical practice, he noticed that his joints were hurting from standing on his feet for long stretches of time. Like any twenty-something, he ignored the pain and thought nothing more about it. A couple more years passed by before the pain became too much to ignore. Craig went to the doctor and explained his symptoms. The doctor became very concerned and started a plethora of tests and scans. Before the month was over, Craig had been diagnosed with a rare bone cancer. His career as a doctor had ended about as quickly as it had began. His passion and calling was no longer something he could physically continue.

This story about Craig has been something that my mother has told me numerous times over my lifetime. Each time I heard it, I remember thinking how sad it was, but it wasn't until today that I fully understood. Craig volunteered to ride with me to give me the shortcuts and back roads to cut my commute in half. After surviving the cancer, Craig began doing medical research at the University of Texas Southwestern Schools. His passion could not be taken away, even after losing his ability to practice medicine. Now he must use crutches for mobility and has had too many bones and joints replaced to list. While we were riding in the car today, I saw the way he lit up when talking about his experiences at the hospital. His journey has been a tragic love story. Yet, he doesn't show his disappointments or let his complaints about his ending get in the way of living now. He has recently become a professor at a small college in Dallas teaching Anatomy and Physiology.

Craig became an inspiration to me today. He is a true example of being content with whatever life throws your way. Just like my patients for this summer, Craig had to find his hope and excitement for living life again. He found other ways to fuel his desire to be a part of medicine. He devoted years to medical research and is now investing his time into other future nurses, doctors, and therapists. God reminded me today that sometimes Plan B can be just as sweet.