My Dad!

My dad is amazing. He's a miracle, really.  I was talking to him yesterday, telling him all of our good news about the upcoming three weeks ahead of us, and found out some pretty interesting stuff about him as well.  He got pretty sick a few months ago and went in for four different blood tests, MRI, CT Scan, and EEG.  Sounds like my year as well.  It's been a pretty expensive year of medical bills for the Burrell family.  Anyway, while talking to the Neurologist about his MRI, he found out that he's got atrophy in his spinal cord from the cancer surgery he had when I was a baby.  The doctor told him he didn't know how he functioned.  He has no feeling in his body, had to learn to do everything all over again, even had to train himself to use his left hand because he doesn't have enough function of his right.  The doctor also told him that there was a similar surgery done in Colorado on a man around the same age as my dad around the same time he had his surgery that is now in a scooter without use of his legs.  My dad is truly a miracle.  Then it dawned on me; if things had turned out differently, I'd have been an only child.  I wouldn't have the love, support, friendship, happiness, memories, or life I have now.  No sisters to laugh with, love, cry with, joke with, joke about, or call every day.  I would have been lonely.  I wouldn't have McKaylee, Payton, Daphnee, Austen, or Kenyan.  I wouldn't have a daughter named Keilie who was named after my sister Keilie that passed away when I was five.  Things would have been different.  My Dad told me something yesterday that has stuck with me, making me even more grateful for his life- that he survived.  Grateful that they were able to revive him those three times his heart stopped while getting the cancer removed from his spinal cord.  The first steps my dad ever saw me take, ever saw one of his daughters take, was when he was in the ICU.  I came in on two feet and "ran" to my daddy.  He said he almost lost it, I could walk now.  I remember every step my babies ever took.  Caden in our apartment in Houston, TX, Keilie in our home in Nibley, UT, Shelby in our home in Casper, WY, Brennon (late) and Tyson in our home in Bar Nunn, WY.  Each step taken in our home.  My own first steps, witnessed by the most incredible man in my world, in the ICU.  Oh, how much I love my Dad.  He is such an inspiration to me.  He's famous for his line, "This, too, shall pass!"  He has perfect knowledge of that one, doesn't he.  Cancer at 22, death of a daughter at 26, trials of raising 4 daughters to adulthood (no small task, I assure you), and simply life.  He was, and will always be, my first Hero!  I love you Wayne Burrell!!!