The Fight Continues...7 Months

If you don't have the update on Nick yet, go and read it first.

This week I was looking forward to finally catching a shave from my main man Nik. I was having dreams about being beardless even. But...things happen. As much as I was disappointed, multiply that by one million and you arrive at Mark and Nik's level of disappointment. I put off blogging about it because I didn't really know what to say. Two people I hold close to my heart just had theirs all but ripped out not by what is...but what might be.

Tonight I was sitting at work, after a day filled with a lot more positives than negatives. I took a little break and just kind of poured over the day and the past week.

I talked to Mark for a bit this afternoon, and not at all about Cancer. Not one word. Earlier in the week, he was hurting more than I think he did when he first found out. I didn't know what to say, and I'm not sure anything I said to him made a difference. Today, though...much better.

Later, one of our friends (who happens to be Jake's kindergarten teacher) and her husband made a huge donation after reading Nik's story for the first time. After Cindy told me about it, I had to hang the phone up pretty quickly to avoid answering questions from nosey co-workers as to why my eyes where leaking all over the place. Like most of you they have never met Mark or Nik, but felt a strong urge to help where they could. Beautiful.

Then I remembered the donation my little niece Makayla made. Three years old. Donated $40 she saved up in spare change here and there. Incredible. When I was three I think all I was doing was learning not to take a dump in my pants and taking apart my toys. I certainly wasn't trying to help find a cure for cancer.

As I sat there with a smile on my face I thought again of what Mark and I talked about this afternoon. The big UFC fight in Jan. We talked about getting the fight on PPV because Mark's favorite fighter is on it. Fedor. Truly a scary, scary man that I would never want to fight. He is a very skilled fighter, maybe the best on the planet. The scariest thing to me about him is his refusal to give up. I'm pretty sure you could break several major bones in his body and he would keep coming at you, daring you to beat him.

See, there is a time in every fight when even the best fighter on the planet leaves himself open, maybe just for a split second. A skilled opponent can recognize that opening and exploit it, leaving the best fighter on the planet staggering or even flat on his back. At that critical moment he will make a choice that will define who he is as a fighter. Stay down, or get back up. No one would blame him for staying down, for sparing himself the pain of continuing and they would quickly forget he ever lost the fight. If he gets up, they will always remember that he finished the fight on his feet, with courage and the determination to not be beaten. The great ones never give up.

Nik, YOU are one of the great ones.