LOOK INTO MY EYE

“LOOK IN MY EYE! LOOK IN MY EYE!” shouted Elder Smith as he pinned me down and his face right in mine, and his glass eye in his hand. “NO, I DON’T WANT TO LOOK!” I yelled. "YOU'RE NOT GETTING UP TILL YOU LOOK!" he yelled back. Then I pushed him back, and it started all over again. We were laughing so hard we could barely breath!

Elder Smith lost his right eye in a farming accident when he was a little boy, and now as a 20 year old missionary, he had his 5th prosthetic eye, and now was trying to get me to look into the empty socket – and I didn’t want to look! I remember well that day, and how hard he tried to get me to look. But, I never looked at any time during the months we were together.

Now it is today, nearly a half century later, and it is me with the prosthetic eye. In the year 2000 I was diagnosed with a Choroidal Melanoma in my right eye. In layman's terms, I had skin cancer in my right eye. Unusual, indeed! The choroid layer of the eye has the same tissue as the epidermis or skin, therefore, it is possible to literally get skin cancer in the eye, although very rarely. And I am a rare breed and I got it! After the initial treatment of radiation, my tumor began to shrink and the prognosis seemed to be pretty good. The doctor said that I had to get to 10 years to have the procedure be considered a success and me to be officially “cancer free”. Then in 2005, the tumor began to grow again. The treatment was then considered to be a failure, and the only recourse was to have my right eye surgically removed.

This was not an easy thing for me to accept. I was losing a part of me, not like tonsils or a diseased appendix. I was losing an eye that still worked and of which I had no symptoms of being sick. In 2000, the choice was to remove the eye or have the radiation treatment. My daughter, Hilary’s suggestion was to have the eye removed and then have it replaced with a glass eye – so the kids would have something to dive after.

Now it is me with the glass eye. Actually, it isn’t glass, but acrylic. I posed for the eye as it was hand painted to match the left one. Upon close inspection, one can see some slight flaws, but all in all, it is an exact duplicate of my good eye. I have had doctors who have been amazed at how good it looks.

The kids don’t dive after it in the pool, but the first request I get whenever the kids are together is “Grandpa, take your eye out”. And little Jared is the funniest of all. He isn’t satisfied for me to just take my eye out. He likes to touch it and to wear it. I think I will always picture him with my eye on his forehead or in his eye. I wonder if he will be scarred for life?

May We Have More Pie, Please!

It is kind of funny when you think of the level of understanding our children have. I would love to delve into the mind’s of these little ones and try to figure out how they think. Which of life’s little experiences have helped form their thoughts and understanding? What meanings do they give the words they hear?

On Sunday evening when the family was gathered together for dinner, the little ones were playing quietly. When the kids found out that no special dessert had been made for after dinner because all the adults figured that their figures could do without, these little ones started discussing desserts. The discussion ended up centering around pie. “I like pecan pie” declared 7 year old cousin, Rachael. “My favorite is pumpkin pie” replied her 7 year old cousin, Colby. Now, here is where I wish I could be in on all the conversations of these little ones. The third cousin in this little group was 5 year old Maddie. Since her daddy owns a pizza restaurant, her understanding of this word is somewhat different. Her daddy always refers to his pizzas as “pies”, so it really is no surprise that when she said her favorite was pepperoni pie.

Her cousins told her that pepperoni was not pie, but to her it was – and I am sure that it will always will be. PEPPERONI pizza PIE!

Missionaries All

I want to let everyone know that Mom and I have put in our papers to serve a mission. We are applying for a local mission, serving as Military Relations Missionaries. When we are called, we will receive training here. We will not have to go to the MTC. Don't know what the time table is for receiving the call, but we are looking forward to it. We have been wanting to serve a Military Relations Mission, but are not yet able to leave home. There is a great need here in the Fort Hood area as the full time MRM's left and no one is scheduled to take their place. We are excited.