http://youtu.be/2jFPNbtflG0
The Lion King, Trey’s favorite movie. Hakuna Matata is exactly what he tweeted one year ago today. This is the day we waited for hours until 1 p.m. At 1 p.m. we had a conference scheduled with the doctors to get the results of the biopsy, MRI, etc. That morning seemed to drag on forever. Keith Cochran and Ron Norton broke nervous waiting. Oh, those two. They saw us through many days. And that day, they stayed with Trey all day, even while we were meeting with the doctors.
March 6 was the day Jay and I learned to pronounce stage 4 pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Kind of rolls off the tongue. What didn’t roll was “terminal” or “no cure” or we will make sure he has the best “quality of life”. And of course the worst – “11 months”. After all those words and my chest sinking in, there was the realization that someone had to tell Trey. Precious Dr. Sara Federico looked at us and said, “Do you want me to do it?” I can honestly say that was the ONE time I got angry and thought, well you can’t fix this so you tell him. I didn’t say that though. That was shock.
I remember walking in the room and Trey immediately looked at me and said, “Mom, you’ve been crying. What’s wrong?” I just crawled up in bed behind him so he would not see me cry as Dr. Sara knelt down on the other side of his bed. Everyone was still in the room, nurses, doctors, Jay, Keith, Ron, Cecelia. Dr. Sara explained to him what was going on and she asked him if he had any questions and he said no. She said are you sure? He then said, “I’ll either be healthy here or I’ll be healthy in heaven.”
Thus the tweet Hakuna Matata. Yes, what a wonderful phrase. Our Almighty God gave my son the peace that surpasses all understanding. Something that I’m not sure I’ll fully comprehend how he had it this side of heaven at his age.
So many people talk about him, but they didn’t know him. I actually feel so jealous for you. What you see on the testimony video – that is who Trey was. What you DON’T see is his sense of humor and boy he had it. Everything from swinging on his IV pole to pulling the C card when he would go places to get a rise out of someone.
Short story – We were in Florida in the Nike outlet. The cashier said boy, you need to put some weight on! You too skinny! Those close bout to fall off you. (She went on and on and Trey just let her talk.) Finally, Trey, with a straight face just looked at her and said, I have cancer. That clerk could have crawled under the cashier’s desk. We all walked out and then burst into laughter. He did that too many times to count. I know, sounds mean, but that’s how he dealt with it because to him, it was no big deal.
Not only was it not a big deal, but most importantly, he was ready. He was ready to see Jesus. He had everything in order. There were no doubts, no fears, and no regrets. Friends and I were talking on Sunday about the horrific event of the man that died recently when his home was sucked into a sink hole. I’ll admit, I laughed at first at the thought. Then, I got a chill and realized that it was an event that God knew would happen, we should be watching and paying attention. I told my friends immediately that these are the kinds of things that we need to pay attention to during these days because we need to be ready. Just like Trey was ready. And the song came to mind, as songs for me always do…People get ready, Jesus is coming to take from the world his own – You’ll be goin’ home.
Are you ready? Can you get away with the way you are living and say you are ready? #livelikejesus “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone.” Matt. 24:36
Now, everytime The Lion King is on tv, Collin will yell, Mom, it’s on tv! And we will watch it. We remember when out of the blue, with his friends watching the movie he started singing the beginning of the movie (of course he was medicated). You know, the part that is in a different language!
Hakuna Matata. My boy is home.
living the life of christ 