After my wife told me yet another story of someone’s fight against Lyme this morning, and then his loss of the battle, she asked with filled eyes, “how do we win this battle?” I couldn’t answer the question, at that time, as I have seen how difficult it is to fight the battle each and every day and I was at a loss for words. However, after thinking about it for the next half hour, I developed an answer that I hope she, as well as others who are in a constant fight with a chronic, debilitating disease fighting for their lives each and every day will hear.
My thoughts about the question, “how do we win this battle” made me think of my Police training/experiences, and my military experiences as a Recon Marine during the First War in the Gulf and Somalia. In Police work the threat of violence is an everyday possibility. Someone who you don’t even know may attempt to take you from this world for the sole reason of not wanting to be arrested. How do you win that battle? You fight until the fight is over or the threat is neutralized. You never give up and you keep fighting for your life all the while knowing that you will not allow this threat/person to take you away from those who you love and live for everyday.
In the military I was trained not to be detected by the “enemy” and therefore, I seldom thought of having to actually fight because If done correctly my mission would not be compromised, therefore, no fight. However, that was and is not always the case. “Enemy Contact!” you assault through and do everything you have to win that battle as well. You never give up and you keep fighting until your last breath as been stolen from you.
So yes, sometimes you lose, but you can be proud that you didn’t stop fighting, you never gave up. I have seen heroes, for example those who died assaulting that line of T-72’s (tanks) from within your unprotected Humvees all the while knowing that your assault was an idiotic order to do so. How do you survive and win such battles? You make it clear to yourself that you are already dead, and you fight to see the next day and to make it back home to those you love and who love you.
To my beautiful and amazing wife and all those fighting Lyme and other chronic illnesses, I understand that my fights/training in police work and my battles in the Marine Corps do not remotely compare to the struggles you face each day and night. You all are my heroes because you don’t give up on a battle that you may possibly face for sometimes only months but for the most part many years.
You are an inspiration to any who are fighting some kind of battle because of your strength and perseverance. The way of positive thinking will aide you in the constant battle and will allow you to one day overcome the illness that you fight against each day. Of course it is discouraging and easy to want to give up, but if you believe in your ability, your strength, and your never ending resilience, you may in fact one day be able to say that you have won. SOMETIMES YOU LOSE, but at least you can be proud of the fact that YOU NEVER GAVE UP!
Kimberly you are my hero. NARUTO!!!
~ Shawn M. Heiser