Friends

Like you, like everyone, I have friends. This adventure ... this life experience ... this Leukemia changed my outlook at my friends, and with my friends. I'll begin with Debbie.

* Deb is a long time friend. I’ve know her since she graduated from UCLA - gave her her first real job. She is outspoken - a Trojan horse of a worker.

She's a professional speaker - too ... we've enjoyed speaking from the same platform in several places around this country - literally round the world.

When Debbie learns I have Leukemia she drives 4 hours one way to sit and visit. Deb likes to talk ... which is a good thing - as on this first visit I cannot talk. So, she returns a second time.

The third time she brings her boyfriend. Sure, I’ve know Debbie for 2 decades - I see her often. We exchange E-mail, cards, phone calls. Still, Deb demonstrates what friendship is really all about.

Steve, my best buddy ... and a real teddy bear!

* My best buddy is Steve. Steve is 6'3", 250 lbs, pony tail, big smile, big laugh. A true bear of a man. Well, really, Steve is a Teddy Bear.

Steve leaves his business - drives 8 hours one-way - spends 2 days with me. He baby sits me so my ladies get a break. He takes me traveling ... outside and around the hospital grounds - pushing my wheel chair.

He takes my gals out to dinner. It loans them his hotel room so they can clean-up with a real shower.

And Steve continues to follow-up with Julie & Nancy day after day after day. Steve still follows up with me today!

A group of real friends.

* Long time Harley riding friends Gene, Doron, Mike, Ralph all ride over- just to visit. First at the hospital. Later at The Ranch. These buddies stay in regular communication - always asking how things are going. True friends.

* Business friend George rides his Harley from Seattle to visit in Arizona.

* Dwaine is in the beginning stages of leading a new company. Still, he rides over from southern California - twice.

* John and I have shared a platform like this many times - sometimes as a team. John and his new bride visit me twice in the hospital

* Stan runs his own marketing consulting agency ... Stan, his wife Bela, and their dog ... come down from Scottsdale for the day.

* The entire Lawson family run a marketing services company ... they come for the week-end.

* Long time friends Jim and Bev ride all day one way to spend a visit day.

* Then there's Tony and Sue who loaned us their motor home. They moved it to the hospital parking lot for 6 weeks, to serve as a "spare room" for everyone.

* And Judy and Verby, our winter visitor friends, came early this year and manned the office while I was away.

* Shirley and Benny loaned us their home in Phoenix as a place to live in and work out of during my out-patient care.

This is what friends are all about.

Gene, my riding friend ... and a lawyer you'll like.

* And then there is Gene. Gene is a lawyer ... yet, a lawyer you’ll like. Gene and I have ridden together around these United States a number of times.

We'd scheduled an 11,000 mile bike trip - bike meaning motorcycle trip. Around the perimeter of the 48 states. From southern California to Washington State, across the top to Maine, and then south to Florida, out to the Keys. And back. The ride was planned for June.

When it became obvious June wouldn’t work, Gene suggested we wait a year. I told Gene I understood - still, I was doing this ride this year. In August. Because next year just might not get here.

What did Gene do? Gene completely re-arranged his personal schedule and completely re-arranged his business schedule to take this trip with me. In August. In 30 days we rode 11,216 miles, through 32 states & 3 provinces of Canada. In the language of the day ... "It was awesome!"

My friends got it. They taught it to me. They taught me
. . . It IS What’s Next!

I needed a near death experience before I had a wake-up call that family and friends are the real important things of life ... not "things". And not "stuff". People.

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