Kevin's Surgery

Anne's and my son Kevin, age 42, called and told us he will need knee surgery, and is scheduled to have it on April 23rd. As parents of grown children, one never outgrows their love for their children, nor their concern to do everything possible to help them.

As we listened to Kevin, we learned the problems in his shoulders are growing worse and one just had an MRI taken. When the results of that MRI are received, that shoulder too may require surgery, after he heals from his knee surgery. Meanwhile, the other knee and shoulder remain problems to him.

We immediately offered to help in any way we could, as our hearts ached for our son. I assured him he was up to the challenge any surgeries will present, something I'm certain he already knew, but if his mother or I could substitute ourselves on his behalf, we would do so, for no parent wants his or her children at whatever age to suffer.

But Kevin is one of the toughest and bravest people I have ever known. Aside from the 5 back surgeries he has had as an adult, when he was just 4 years old, he was running down the street of our cul-de-sac launching his kite high in the air when he ran into the back of an old truck at full force, splitting his forehead open. With blood running profusely down his face and onto his clothes, he calmly explained to us what happened, without tears. We called the doctor and rushed him to the hospital, where a surgeon put Kevin on a table so much larger than this tiny boy, that he occupied just a small part of it.

The surgeon then injected Kevin with a pain killer and stitched his forehead. At no time did Kevin cry, or panic, taking everything calmly in stride. At the time I told Anne that I as an adult (then 29 years old) could not have taken this calamity as well as he had and that I was deeply touched by his courage and calmness under such difficult circumstances.

Today, Kevin and his wife Melody have beautiful little boys Brody, 6 and Gannon, 4, each a blessing to them and to all of us who love them. Kevin and Melody are marvelous, devoted parents and know that however old those boys become, they as parents will never cease their love and devotion for them. This is how we feel about Kevin, within whom God has instilled enormous courage. His strength helps us to find our own courage and we will be there in support of him and of his family. He was a beautiful child, he is a beautiful man and the love we feel for him we feel in the deepest recesses of our hearts.

Dick