Below is an email from a college teammate in response to prayer request to our team. I thought it was worth sharing:
Kelly,
..and To All My Fellow Beloved Teammates, Coaches, Family and Friends,
My story is not a typical one, so I wanted to share with you what happened to me and my testimony –
I’ve never really told this entire story, so bear with me….
My story started out on a typical Saturday morning in September, where I met 3 of my fellow cyclists in Mount Pleasant and we rode to West Ashley to gather with another group of 50 or so. From Mt. Pleasant to Folly Beach and back was around an 80 mile trip. I managed to put about 300 miles a week into my riding and was in “three-a-day shape” when I noticed that this day was different…I wasn’t at the front of the pack anymore. Instead I was more toward the end of the pack and my breathing was getting harder. That week I had a regular yearly physical with my doctor and within an hour after leaving his office and heading back to work I got a call from the doctor, I didn’t realize that my life was about to change.
Within an hour I was on the table getting stuck and attached to every kind of medical device I could imagine. I remember the “Specialist” was an odd looking character – he reminded me of the “Doc” in the movie - Back to the Future. The Next morning at the hospital in Charleston, as I tried to clear my head from all the medication/etc., he told me I had Leukemia, specifically AML (acute myeloid leukemia). I decided that he was a little too weird with that long stringy hair for me, so I elected to have my chemo induction at Vanderbilt which was to start immediately. We had family in Nashville and Kim (my wife) and I were familiar with Vandy’s 1st rate cancer treatment centers.
After 44 days in what I called the “Tower of Hell” and two back-to-back major chemo inductions, I was released. You see, the “Tower of Hell” was not only Vandy’s top cancer treatment facility, but it also doubled as the main trauma center, and right above my top floor room was the main heliport. Between the Helicopters and the nurses coming and going all night I never really got any rest.
During that time Two Awesome Things Happened!! The first was a totally awesome banner from the team with balloons and everything all indicating their Best Wishes to me and that they missed me at the reunion. I cried when I saw the overwhelming support they showed me in a video and on paper – It was like knowing you have an ARMY of fellow fighters with you – AND KELLY, THE SAME THING GOES FOR YOU!!!!!. We Are YOUR ARMY with GOD Leading the way!
The Second Most Awesome Thing happened when HE CAME TO ME. It was the middle of the night between chemo inductions. I was hot and running a fever, when all the sudden I felt a presence in the room with me! I was suddenly cooled by this calming presence and felt like I could float off the bed. He spoke to me through my mind and told me that everything would be OK. I realize then and there that a miracle had happened.
HE and the team, my family, and all the prayers from all my loved ones and friends cured me.
I just went past my fifth year and after five years they say you are cured – But, I knew I was cured that night.
SURRENDER YOUR TOTAL TRUST IN JESUS CHRIST and that HE ALONE WILL GET YOU THROUGH ANYTHING YOU CAN IMAGINE. When you realize this – “Fear not, for His Rod and Staff will Comfort Me (Ps 23:4). It Will!
PLUS don’t forget - You’re got “One Heck of an Army Behind You!
GOD BLESS AND MAY THE HEALING HAND OF THE LORD TOUCH YOU AND FULLY HEAL YOU –
I pray in Jesus’s name – Amen
Chuck Jones #55
76’-80’ Curci’s Cat