"Well they showed you a statue - told you to pray. They built you a temple and locked you away. Ah! But they never told you the price it would pay. The things that you might have done.... Only the good die young."
Billy Joel - Only The Good Die Young
It had been eight grueling years since the Grim Reaper and Scott Edwards had first made acquaintance. To his family and him, it felt like a hundred. At the still tender age of twenty two. Most assumed his dalliance with the Reaper was at its end. It wasn't! The Reaper had grown incensed with Scott. He had tried and tried to make Scott his and was rebuffed every time. "This time nothing is going to stand in my way. I will get this bastard if it's the last thing I do." The Reaper's thoughts were as firm as ever as he packed his bags for yet another visit to the young Mr. Edwards.
"Let's get something to grub on. I am starving." It started as just another typical Saturday night in small town Kansas. The scene was familiar, four guys cruising the main drag, killing time, yelling at girls and then one of them decided they were hungry. "Where do you want to eat?" the driver quipped to his hungry passenger. "Let's go to Taco Hell. I am broke and the eats are cheap." Scott and the other passenger in the backseat suggested McDonald's, but in the end they were overruled. Taco Bell is located on the south side of 6th street in Emporia. Scott and his friends were traveling west on 6th and were going to have to turn across traffic in order to get there. The turn proved tragic.
As I stated earlier, most had believed the affair between Scott and the Reaper to be over. Unfortunately, it was now getting ready to reach its highest level! "Jesus Christ, watch out!" It happened in an instant. A drunken eighteen year old had slammed his Camaro into the side of the car Scott was riding in. "I'm going to kill you! You hurt my friends!" The driver of the car Scott was in fell into an instant rage when he looked into the back seat and saw his two cohorts motionless. Unfortunately, his frantic yells were a mere whisper to Scott as he faded in and out of consciousness. All the near misses, all the treatments, all of the heart ache, all of the surviving. None of that mattered to The Reaper. "I can't find a pulse!" When the paramedics arrived Scott and his friend in the backseat were trapped in the wreckage. Neither were breathing. "There it goes. He is breathing again." When the paramedic lifted Scott's head, he resumed breathing. The two were pulled from the wreckage and subsequently air-lifted to a hospital in Wichita. After a lengthy period of rehabilitation, Scott was released.
Just like that, Scott Edwards had used up another one of his nine lives. But things were different this time, much different. The Reaper didn't walk away empty handed that fateful night. Scott's friend, the one who was sitting next to him in the backseat, had absorbed the ultimate brunt of the crash and ended up passing. The waste of a promising young life, by such a selfish act, would loom over Scott and the rest of Madison for many years to come.
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Monday, June 27, 2011
The nine lives of Scott Edwards...Part 5
"Well, since my baby left me, I found a new place to dwell. It's down at the end of lonely street at Heartbreak Hotel. You make me so lonely baby. I get so lonely, I could die."
Elvis Presley - Heartbreak Hotel
The Grim Reaper and Scott were now six years into their game, and even though the Reaper had failed in his previous attempts to take him. He had succeeded in leaving a path of destruction in his wake that resembled the plight of a dead man. "Scott, I love you and I always will, but things are so much different now." The plan was simple, after graduation Scott and his high school sweetheart Lizzie were going to attend college together and most likely get married after. The Reaper altered that course! "It is time for me to move on. Things have become too hard between the two of us. You will always be a part of me." Lizzie was in her second year of college while Scott was cooped up in Madison recovering from his illness. She had stood by him through all his misfortunes, but now it was time for her to go her own way. As she was leaving, she turned to him and said one last thing. "Scott, I wish nothing but the best for you and I want you to know, no matter what course our lives take. I will always love and care for you."
She was his first love and those are always the hardest to overcome. The years of fighting off the Reaper had taken its physical toll on him, but the pain he was feeling after Lizzie left him was unimaginable. He loved her and she loved him, that was never the question. It was circumstances beyond both of their controls that drove a wedge between them. By now he was use to the pain cancer had caused him, but the agony he was feeling this time was different. Maybe it wasn't going to be the cancer that killed him in the end. Maybe it was going to be the loneliness it caused, or a broken heart.
Despite the breakup, his physical condition continued to improve. His family decided to take a long awaited vacation to his Aunt's house in Texas. Upon arrival in the Lone Star State, everything seemed normal. Scott and his family had just finished a day at the beach and upon their return to his Aunt's. Things went wickedly awry. "Scott, are you OK?" His mother, who long ago developed a sixth sense for his well-being could tell something wasn't right. "I must have ate something that didn't agree with me. I am going to lie down for a while and see if that helps me feel better," he told his mom.
The Grim Reaper had wasted enough time with the young Mr. Edwards. So much in fact that he decided to follow the Edwards clan to Texas in order to finally finish him off. "I can't find his pulse!" The seizures were something new, and then they stopped suddenly. It was now time for the Reaper to make his final move. "Please Scott, come back to us. Don't let it beat you." His mother was hovering over his limp body whispering words of encouragement to him. "You can do it my love. Come back to us," the whispering was now accompanied by a stream of her tears dripping across his cheek. "He's breathing again!" Scott's father yelled. An ambulance showed up shortly afterwards and whisked Scott to the hospital. The doctor's prognosis was encephalitis-condition that occurs with a weakened immune system-somewhat common with a lot of cancer patients. Fortunately, the medical experts were able to bring his condition under control and Scott was released from the hospital a few weeks after the incident.
At twenty years of age; Scott Edwards had been diagnosed with cancer three times, received two bone marrow transplants, survived a bout of encephalitis and lost the love of his life. When he returned to Kansas from his near fatal trip to Texas, he was a changed man forever. All he wanted to do was continue his college studies and proceed with life. Well, the Grim Reaper is afforded the luxury of wearing many hats. He was growing tired of Scott's ilk. The next time they were to meet, he would be disguised as a drunken eighteen year old in a souped-up camaro.
Elvis Presley - Heartbreak Hotel
The Grim Reaper and Scott were now six years into their game, and even though the Reaper had failed in his previous attempts to take him. He had succeeded in leaving a path of destruction in his wake that resembled the plight of a dead man. "Scott, I love you and I always will, but things are so much different now." The plan was simple, after graduation Scott and his high school sweetheart Lizzie were going to attend college together and most likely get married after. The Reaper altered that course! "It is time for me to move on. Things have become too hard between the two of us. You will always be a part of me." Lizzie was in her second year of college while Scott was cooped up in Madison recovering from his illness. She had stood by him through all his misfortunes, but now it was time for her to go her own way. As she was leaving, she turned to him and said one last thing. "Scott, I wish nothing but the best for you and I want you to know, no matter what course our lives take. I will always love and care for you."
She was his first love and those are always the hardest to overcome. The years of fighting off the Reaper had taken its physical toll on him, but the pain he was feeling after Lizzie left him was unimaginable. He loved her and she loved him, that was never the question. It was circumstances beyond both of their controls that drove a wedge between them. By now he was use to the pain cancer had caused him, but the agony he was feeling this time was different. Maybe it wasn't going to be the cancer that killed him in the end. Maybe it was going to be the loneliness it caused, or a broken heart.
Despite the breakup, his physical condition continued to improve. His family decided to take a long awaited vacation to his Aunt's house in Texas. Upon arrival in the Lone Star State, everything seemed normal. Scott and his family had just finished a day at the beach and upon their return to his Aunt's. Things went wickedly awry. "Scott, are you OK?" His mother, who long ago developed a sixth sense for his well-being could tell something wasn't right. "I must have ate something that didn't agree with me. I am going to lie down for a while and see if that helps me feel better," he told his mom.
The Grim Reaper had wasted enough time with the young Mr. Edwards. So much in fact that he decided to follow the Edwards clan to Texas in order to finally finish him off. "I can't find his pulse!" The seizures were something new, and then they stopped suddenly. It was now time for the Reaper to make his final move. "Please Scott, come back to us. Don't let it beat you." His mother was hovering over his limp body whispering words of encouragement to him. "You can do it my love. Come back to us," the whispering was now accompanied by a stream of her tears dripping across his cheek. "He's breathing again!" Scott's father yelled. An ambulance showed up shortly afterwards and whisked Scott to the hospital. The doctor's prognosis was encephalitis-condition that occurs with a weakened immune system-somewhat common with a lot of cancer patients. Fortunately, the medical experts were able to bring his condition under control and Scott was released from the hospital a few weeks after the incident.
At twenty years of age; Scott Edwards had been diagnosed with cancer three times, received two bone marrow transplants, survived a bout of encephalitis and lost the love of his life. When he returned to Kansas from his near fatal trip to Texas, he was a changed man forever. All he wanted to do was continue his college studies and proceed with life. Well, the Grim Reaper is afforded the luxury of wearing many hats. He was growing tired of Scott's ilk. The next time they were to meet, he would be disguised as a drunken eighteen year old in a souped-up camaro.
Friday, June 24, 2011
The nine lives of Scott Edwards...Part 4
"I wake up every morning at nine and grab for the morning paper. Then I look at the obituary page. If my name is not in it, I get up."
- Benjamin Franklin
It was the summer of 1990 and the future for Scott Edwards appeared bright. He had just completed his Senior year of high school; his girlfriend of three years and he were discussing which college they wanted to attend; most importantly, the Grim Reaper was nowhere to be found! Unfortunately, like so many other times in his life, things were about to take a turn for the worse.
He had seen the look before, the doctors' look of sorrow that is. "Scott, I am so sorry to tell you this, but you had a relapse and you're going to need another bone marrow transplant." His monthly doctor's appointment was supposed to be routine, and why not. He had already beaten the Reaper twice, the game between the two of them was over in his eyes. To the chagrin of many, the Reaper wasn't through with him, not by any stretch.
It seems almost out of a bad horror movie, the date his second bone marrow transplant was to take place, that is. Friday, December 13th, 1990 is a day that will forever be ingrained in Scott's memory. "Why in the hell did they have to schedule my surgery on the Reaper's favorite day of the year?" He made this statement to his mother moments before the nurse was getting ready to wheel him into the operating room. "Scott, you will beat this! You have already done it a couple of times and you will do it again! Just remember that all of us love you!" Scott's mother Karen was frantic. The Edwards clan had been down this road before, but it was different this time. The insurance money was basically depleted from all of his previous treatments. Long gone was the specialist from the Mayo clinic. This go around would be performed locally; it's not that his current surgeon wasn't skillful, but it wasn't the Mayo clinic and everyone knew it.
The second transplant proved treacherous for the young Mr. Edwards. When he finally woke from the procedure, everything was amiss to him. "Scott, can you hear me? Scott it's your mother. Please say something." The comforting voice of his mother was an echo to him. His eyesight was filled with images that he would later describe to me as flying cockroaches, the pain was excruciating. "Scott you're going to make it. Hang in there, the doctor is on his way." His mother's echoes were of little solace to him at this point. The Grim Reaper finally had his boot on Scott's throat. The only thing left for him to do was apply the necessary amount of pressure.
For one reason or another, the Reaper decided to let him go. Most believe that he got distracted, or maybe he had a previously scheduled appointment that he was late for. After spending the next two weeks recovering from the Reaper's grip, he was discharged. As his mother pulled into the driveway of their home, he couldn't help but crack a smile when he saw a couple of his schoolboy chums waiting anxiously to cheer him up. For a while it worked, he actually felt happy, but it turned out being a false sense. "Jesus, watch out. I am going to throw up." He then jumped off the couch, darted between his family and friends and opened the door to the bathroom. The vomiting was intense. When he finally finished, he looked down at the muddle and noticed that pieces of his intestines were floating on the water. Scott Edwards was eighteen years and eight months of age at the time. If the Grim Reaper was going to have his way, he was never going to see nineteen.
- Benjamin Franklin
It was the summer of 1990 and the future for Scott Edwards appeared bright. He had just completed his Senior year of high school; his girlfriend of three years and he were discussing which college they wanted to attend; most importantly, the Grim Reaper was nowhere to be found! Unfortunately, like so many other times in his life, things were about to take a turn for the worse.
He had seen the look before, the doctors' look of sorrow that is. "Scott, I am so sorry to tell you this, but you had a relapse and you're going to need another bone marrow transplant." His monthly doctor's appointment was supposed to be routine, and why not. He had already beaten the Reaper twice, the game between the two of them was over in his eyes. To the chagrin of many, the Reaper wasn't through with him, not by any stretch.
It seems almost out of a bad horror movie, the date his second bone marrow transplant was to take place, that is. Friday, December 13th, 1990 is a day that will forever be ingrained in Scott's memory. "Why in the hell did they have to schedule my surgery on the Reaper's favorite day of the year?" He made this statement to his mother moments before the nurse was getting ready to wheel him into the operating room. "Scott, you will beat this! You have already done it a couple of times and you will do it again! Just remember that all of us love you!" Scott's mother Karen was frantic. The Edwards clan had been down this road before, but it was different this time. The insurance money was basically depleted from all of his previous treatments. Long gone was the specialist from the Mayo clinic. This go around would be performed locally; it's not that his current surgeon wasn't skillful, but it wasn't the Mayo clinic and everyone knew it.
The second transplant proved treacherous for the young Mr. Edwards. When he finally woke from the procedure, everything was amiss to him. "Scott, can you hear me? Scott it's your mother. Please say something." The comforting voice of his mother was an echo to him. His eyesight was filled with images that he would later describe to me as flying cockroaches, the pain was excruciating. "Scott you're going to make it. Hang in there, the doctor is on his way." His mother's echoes were of little solace to him at this point. The Grim Reaper finally had his boot on Scott's throat. The only thing left for him to do was apply the necessary amount of pressure.
For one reason or another, the Reaper decided to let him go. Most believe that he got distracted, or maybe he had a previously scheduled appointment that he was late for. After spending the next two weeks recovering from the Reaper's grip, he was discharged. As his mother pulled into the driveway of their home, he couldn't help but crack a smile when he saw a couple of his schoolboy chums waiting anxiously to cheer him up. For a while it worked, he actually felt happy, but it turned out being a false sense. "Jesus, watch out. I am going to throw up." He then jumped off the couch, darted between his family and friends and opened the door to the bathroom. The vomiting was intense. When he finally finished, he looked down at the muddle and noticed that pieces of his intestines were floating on the water. Scott Edwards was eighteen years and eight months of age at the time. If the Grim Reaper was going to have his way, he was never going to see nineteen.
Sunday, June 19, 2011
The nine lives of Scott Edwards...Part 3
"Who says life is fair, where is that written?"
- William Goldman, The Princess Bride
The day was finally upon the young Mr. Edwards and he was scared, very scared. "Everything is going to be OK. God is going to guide you through this. When you wake up, the healing process will start. Remember something my love. Your family loves you more than anything and you're a survivor." The last minute words of comfort from his mother were endearing; but now it was time to face the Reaper head on. His bone marrow transplant was mere minutes away from starting. "Are you ready for this Scott?" The prep nurse asked. He took a deep breath, looked at his family and said, "Looks like it's now or never. Let's do it." The nurse began to wheel him away. As he was leaving, he turned his head to his family members and said. "I love you guys and when this is over, all of us are going to St. Louis for a Card's game."
Bone marrow transplants are extremely risky procedures; the first trick is finding a match. He was fortunate in that regard; his younger sister Alana ended up being a perfect match. Now, the two months prior to the procedure he was basically quarantined from everything. See, the body's immune system is highly susceptible and extreme caution had to be exercised. Fortunately, he was in the hands of professionals and the procedure went off without much complication.
After the procedure was completed, he was required to stay in the hospital another two months for monitoring. On the 50th day of his stay he was finally given the go ahead to return home. Scott had spent his time in recovery at the Mayo clinic in Minneapolis. Upon his release, he was picked up in a new rental van by his father. As they traveled through Iowa on the way back to Kansas the air conditioning gave way. His constitution at the time was of such a delicate nature that the hot flashes he was experiencing when the AC went out caused him to think briefly about his old nemesis the Grim Reaper. In the end, he sloughed the thought off as just another bout of bad luck.
Upon his return to Madison; he was greeted with a hero's reception. Half the high school was camped out in front of his house waiting for him. A number of his cohorts at Madison High were holding signs that read, "Way to Go Scott!" and "We are Proud of You!" It had been quite some time since a smile had appeared on his face; the wait was now over. He thanked everyone for their show of love and then headed into his house for some much needed rest.
Everything was OK now, the bone marrow transplant was a success, he was feeling better and his well- being was gradually improving. Most importantly, his dalliance with the Reaper had finally come to a conclusion, or had it? Unbeknownst to the young Mr. Edwards at the time, the Reaper was still lingering. See, he was sure he had Scott boxed in; but once again he managed to slither out of it. Most would think by now that he would have grown tired of Scott and moved on to more tranquil prey. Not the case, the Reaper plays by a different set of rules than everyone else. Besides, it was only halftime in their game. The second half still had to be played.
- William Goldman, The Princess Bride
The day was finally upon the young Mr. Edwards and he was scared, very scared. "Everything is going to be OK. God is going to guide you through this. When you wake up, the healing process will start. Remember something my love. Your family loves you more than anything and you're a survivor." The last minute words of comfort from his mother were endearing; but now it was time to face the Reaper head on. His bone marrow transplant was mere minutes away from starting. "Are you ready for this Scott?" The prep nurse asked. He took a deep breath, looked at his family and said, "Looks like it's now or never. Let's do it." The nurse began to wheel him away. As he was leaving, he turned his head to his family members and said. "I love you guys and when this is over, all of us are going to St. Louis for a Card's game."
Bone marrow transplants are extremely risky procedures; the first trick is finding a match. He was fortunate in that regard; his younger sister Alana ended up being a perfect match. Now, the two months prior to the procedure he was basically quarantined from everything. See, the body's immune system is highly susceptible and extreme caution had to be exercised. Fortunately, he was in the hands of professionals and the procedure went off without much complication.
After the procedure was completed, he was required to stay in the hospital another two months for monitoring. On the 50th day of his stay he was finally given the go ahead to return home. Scott had spent his time in recovery at the Mayo clinic in Minneapolis. Upon his release, he was picked up in a new rental van by his father. As they traveled through Iowa on the way back to Kansas the air conditioning gave way. His constitution at the time was of such a delicate nature that the hot flashes he was experiencing when the AC went out caused him to think briefly about his old nemesis the Grim Reaper. In the end, he sloughed the thought off as just another bout of bad luck.
Upon his return to Madison; he was greeted with a hero's reception. Half the high school was camped out in front of his house waiting for him. A number of his cohorts at Madison High were holding signs that read, "Way to Go Scott!" and "We are Proud of You!" It had been quite some time since a smile had appeared on his face; the wait was now over. He thanked everyone for their show of love and then headed into his house for some much needed rest.
Everything was OK now, the bone marrow transplant was a success, he was feeling better and his well- being was gradually improving. Most importantly, his dalliance with the Reaper had finally come to a conclusion, or had it? Unbeknownst to the young Mr. Edwards at the time, the Reaper was still lingering. See, he was sure he had Scott boxed in; but once again he managed to slither out of it. Most would think by now that he would have grown tired of Scott and moved on to more tranquil prey. Not the case, the Reaper plays by a different set of rules than everyone else. Besides, it was only halftime in their game. The second half still had to be played.
Thursday, June 9, 2011
The nine lives of Scott Edwards...Part 2
Everything seemed routine. Scott's mother was dropping his brother and him off at the movie theater in Emporia. They had just finished his weekly doctor's appointment "I have some shopping to do and I will be back for you guys after the movie is over." It had been a year and a half and the Grim Reaper was nowhere to be found. The thought at the time was twofold. Either he had moved on to terrorize someone else or maybe he was lying in wait, biding his time to strike at the young Mr. Edwards again. Unfortunately, the latter ended up being the case. "Scott, please come with me." Hearing his mother's voice in the darkened theater that Saturday afternoon as he was in the middle of watching 'Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure' is a moment forever etched in his memory.
Scott Edwards was 16 years of age and in his second year of recovery from lymphoma when the Grim Reaper decided to knock on his door for the second time. How could this be? Life was starting to look-up for the young Mr. Edwards! He had a nice car, a hot girlfriend, his grades were good. Life was normal. "Scott, we have to go now." His mother didn't have to say another word, the tonality in her voice said it all for her. The Reaper was back on his trail.
A litany of tests by the doctors in Emporia had uncovered a number of discrepancies. They had done all they could for him. It was time to see a specialist in Wichita. When you're as sick as Scott was, time is of the essence. His mother and he made the two hour trek to Wichita immediately after receiving the news. By now he was somewhat used to the turmoil; his recovery from lymphoma had hardened him well beyond his sixteen years. But this time, things would prove much more deliberate. "Scott, I have some difficult news for you and your family." The specialist in Wichita was having a hard time with his words and Scott was losing his patience. "Doctor, don't beat around the bush with me. Please tell us what is wrong with me." The doctor gathered himself and said, "Scott, you have leukemia and it is going to require a bone marrow transplant."
The ride back to Madison was somber. "Everything is going to be OK! You beat it once! You will beat it again!" Karen Edwards was a strong, loving mother and she was doing everything in her power to keep her composure. Underneath it all. he could tell she was terrified. "We are going to stop in Eureka and see our minister," she stated. Eureka is a town located 30 minutes from Madison. The Edwards family attended services every week at a church there. If there was ever a time for "a man of faith's" comforting words, it was now. "What did I do to deserve this? Have I done something wrong?" He felt confused by all the turbulence that was in his life and he wanted an answer. The minister's reply was gracious, yet he found little solace in it. "It's not your fault. God has a path for everyone. He has chosen a difficult one for you my son. Rest assured, in the end you will follow whatever path he decides to lead you on."
The news of Scott's relapse hit Madison like an Olpe running back. Everyone was proud of him for beating lymphoma a year and a half prior. But this time he was staring down a much greater foe; leukemia coupled with a bone marrow transplant. The odds were high and the stakes were rising. The consensus at the time: the Grim Reaper was angry! Scott had escaped his clutches once before and he'd be damned if he was going to let it happen a second time.
Scott Edwards was 16 years of age and in his second year of recovery from lymphoma when the Grim Reaper decided to knock on his door for the second time. How could this be? Life was starting to look-up for the young Mr. Edwards! He had a nice car, a hot girlfriend, his grades were good. Life was normal. "Scott, we have to go now." His mother didn't have to say another word, the tonality in her voice said it all for her. The Reaper was back on his trail.
A litany of tests by the doctors in Emporia had uncovered a number of discrepancies. They had done all they could for him. It was time to see a specialist in Wichita. When you're as sick as Scott was, time is of the essence. His mother and he made the two hour trek to Wichita immediately after receiving the news. By now he was somewhat used to the turmoil; his recovery from lymphoma had hardened him well beyond his sixteen years. But this time, things would prove much more deliberate. "Scott, I have some difficult news for you and your family." The specialist in Wichita was having a hard time with his words and Scott was losing his patience. "Doctor, don't beat around the bush with me. Please tell us what is wrong with me." The doctor gathered himself and said, "Scott, you have leukemia and it is going to require a bone marrow transplant."
The ride back to Madison was somber. "Everything is going to be OK! You beat it once! You will beat it again!" Karen Edwards was a strong, loving mother and she was doing everything in her power to keep her composure. Underneath it all. he could tell she was terrified. "We are going to stop in Eureka and see our minister," she stated. Eureka is a town located 30 minutes from Madison. The Edwards family attended services every week at a church there. If there was ever a time for "a man of faith's" comforting words, it was now. "What did I do to deserve this? Have I done something wrong?" He felt confused by all the turbulence that was in his life and he wanted an answer. The minister's reply was gracious, yet he found little solace in it. "It's not your fault. God has a path for everyone. He has chosen a difficult one for you my son. Rest assured, in the end you will follow whatever path he decides to lead you on."
The news of Scott's relapse hit Madison like an Olpe running back. Everyone was proud of him for beating lymphoma a year and a half prior. But this time he was staring down a much greater foe; leukemia coupled with a bone marrow transplant. The odds were high and the stakes were rising. The consensus at the time: the Grim Reaper was angry! Scott had escaped his clutches once before and he'd be damned if he was going to let it happen a second time.
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
The nine lives of Scott Edwards
"'It's a hard knock life for us, it's a hard knock life for us. Instead of treated we get tricked, instead of kisses - We get kicked. It's a hard knock life."
Jay-Z - Hard Knock Life
He can recall it like yesterday, the hot summer day of 1985 that is. To most, it was just another lazy summer day in small town Kansas; but not for him. See, it was on that day when he first received the news that would change everything for a young Scott Edwards and his family. For reasons that make sense to none. That was the day the Grim Reaper first set sights on a normal, healthy, fourteen year old lad from small town Kansas.
The Edward's family lived three houses up from me and it was commonplace to take shortcuts through each other's yards on our routes home. It was a hot summer day and I was outside trimming the bushes when he decided to pull a prank on me. "Boo!" At the time, I had my headphones on and was in the process of trimming the bushes at the Astle abode when Scott decided to sneak up and give me a scare; he succeeded.
"You scared the hell out of me Scott. Jesus what's that on your neck?" This was the first time I remember seeing him sick. It was impossible to miss the lump on his neck and pale features. Looking back, I now realize I should have taken a more tactful response to my query. Judging by the somber look on his face when he answered, I knew right away that he was in big trouble. "I've been diagnosed with lymphoma," he replied. "What's that?" Back then, I was clueless to what lymphoma was. All I could surmise at the time was that something was wrong with my friend Scott. "It's a form of cancer," he replied. "You can't have cancer! Cancer is for old people, you're way too young for that kind of stuff!" Ignorance was bliss in my quip. At the time I thought cancer was an ailment restricted to old people. "How do you get rid of it?" I asked, "I've been getting chemotherapy treatments and the doctors think it will go away," he replied.
Back then I was clueless to what chemotherapy actually was; all I knew for sure was that my buddy Scott didn't look very good. "You want to play some basketball or something?" I thought some hoops would be a good way to loosen the somber mood he was in. Scott was a sharp-shooter and rarely lost a game of HORSE. "I am sorry, I would like to play, but I'm not supposed to be outside. The sun is damaging to my condition. I just saw you and wanted to say hi." After his reply, he then turned and walked solemnly back to his house.
News travels fast around small town Kansas: "Scott's cancer has gone into remission." For a brief period, most believed Scott was going to be OK and life would return to normal for the Edwards clan. Unfortunately, the feeling was short lived. The Grim Reaper is a heinous bastard and he was infuriated that Scott was able to dodge him. The truth of the matter was quite disheartening. The game between the two of them was just beginning.
Jay-Z - Hard Knock Life
He can recall it like yesterday, the hot summer day of 1985 that is. To most, it was just another lazy summer day in small town Kansas; but not for him. See, it was on that day when he first received the news that would change everything for a young Scott Edwards and his family. For reasons that make sense to none. That was the day the Grim Reaper first set sights on a normal, healthy, fourteen year old lad from small town Kansas.
The Edward's family lived three houses up from me and it was commonplace to take shortcuts through each other's yards on our routes home. It was a hot summer day and I was outside trimming the bushes when he decided to pull a prank on me. "Boo!" At the time, I had my headphones on and was in the process of trimming the bushes at the Astle abode when Scott decided to sneak up and give me a scare; he succeeded.
"You scared the hell out of me Scott. Jesus what's that on your neck?" This was the first time I remember seeing him sick. It was impossible to miss the lump on his neck and pale features. Looking back, I now realize I should have taken a more tactful response to my query. Judging by the somber look on his face when he answered, I knew right away that he was in big trouble. "I've been diagnosed with lymphoma," he replied. "What's that?" Back then, I was clueless to what lymphoma was. All I could surmise at the time was that something was wrong with my friend Scott. "It's a form of cancer," he replied. "You can't have cancer! Cancer is for old people, you're way too young for that kind of stuff!" Ignorance was bliss in my quip. At the time I thought cancer was an ailment restricted to old people. "How do you get rid of it?" I asked, "I've been getting chemotherapy treatments and the doctors think it will go away," he replied.
Back then I was clueless to what chemotherapy actually was; all I knew for sure was that my buddy Scott didn't look very good. "You want to play some basketball or something?" I thought some hoops would be a good way to loosen the somber mood he was in. Scott was a sharp-shooter and rarely lost a game of HORSE. "I am sorry, I would like to play, but I'm not supposed to be outside. The sun is damaging to my condition. I just saw you and wanted to say hi." After his reply, he then turned and walked solemnly back to his house.
News travels fast around small town Kansas: "Scott's cancer has gone into remission." For a brief period, most believed Scott was going to be OK and life would return to normal for the Edwards clan. Unfortunately, the feeling was short lived. The Grim Reaper is a heinous bastard and he was infuriated that Scott was able to dodge him. The truth of the matter was quite disheartening. The game between the two of them was just beginning.
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