From my initial diagnosis in January 2015 to the day of Stacey and Adam’s October 24, 2015, I was extremely obsessed with being at my best. It was the dream for the whole family.
[NOTE: This does not mean that I ever viewed this one event as the end of my personal journey. But it was a big objective for me. As I said before, my overarching goal is to live as long as I can as well as I can. Thus, in a way, the wedding represented a beginning stage in my new life.]
Despite some anxiety at first on my part, I was quite convinced that I would be at the wedding. And I wanted to be able to walk Stacey down the aisle, dance with her, and give a toast to Stacey and Adam. In my mind, there was no doubt I would get through everything I needed to accomplish to be at the wedding. “No, I would not be able to be there” was never an option for me. Never.
Fortunately, most of the important wedding decisions had been made before my diagnosis and surgery. As the father of the bride, I really wanted to play a role in these decisions. And I could! We had selected the date, the venue and caterer, the clergy, the photographer, the flower arranger, etc. Stacey and Adam picked out the band; it was great. Stacey’s dress selection was an all-female production – men not really wanted. LOL. The dress was gorgeous.