DING...DING...DING!!

IT'S BEEN ALMOST 40 YEARS SINCE I'VE BEEN INA A BOXING MATCH. 1972 OR 1973 WAS THE LAST TIME I STOOD IN A CORNER IN THOSE SATIN BRITCHES.

YOU KNOW THE FIGHTS WORK LIKE THIS: MOST OF THE AMATEUR FIGHTS WERE
3- 3 MINUTE ROUNDS. IT USUALLY HAPPENED LIKE THIS:
ROUND 1- FULL OF ACTION... BOTH FIGHTERS WOULD COME OUT THROWING EVERYTHING THEY HAD. "HIGH HO FROM THE GET GO"!. LOTS OF FIGHTS ENDED IN THE FIRST ROUND. THE DUDE WOULD JUST OVER WHELM YOU! SO THERE WERE A LOT OF 1ST ROUND KNOCK OUTS.
ROUND 2 WAS DIFFERENT. IF BOTH COMBATANTS MADE IT THRU THE 1ST ROUND THINGS SLOWED CONSIDERABLY IN ROUND 2. THIS IS THE ROUND FOR TRYING TO ADJUST STRATEGIES, MAKE CHANGES AND TRY TO FIND SOMETHING THAT WORKED. EVERY NOW & THEN YOU COULD FIND SOMETHING SO EFFECTIVE THAT YOU COULD END THE FIGHT IN THE 2ND ROUND. BUT MOST OF THE TIME THE 2ND ROUND WAS THE ROUND OF ADJUSTMENT. THEN COMES THE 3RD ROUND, BUBBA!
ROUND 3- THE PACE OF ACTION PICKED UP JUST LIKE THE 1ST ROUND. BOTH OPPONENTS HAD DECIDED ON THEIR BEST CHANCE TO WIN AND WERE BLOWING FULL SPEED TO MAKE IT HAPPEN. THE INTENSITY OF 3RD ROUNDS WAS ENORMOUS. THE FIGHT EITHER ENDED OR YOU WENT TO A JUDGES DECISION. THAT 3RD ROUND WAS SOMETHING ELSE!!

YOU KNOW LEUKEMIA AND KEMO ARE A LOT LIKE THOSE 3 ROUND FIGHTS.
ROUND 1- LEUKEMIA, CANCER, OR WHATEVER DISEASE YOU HAVE TRIES TO TAKE YOU OUT. IT TRIES TO OVER WHELM YOU AND KNOCK YOU OUT.... AND LIKE THE AMATEUR BOUTS A LOT OF THEM END IN THE 1ST ROUND. I JUST FINISHED THE 1ST ROUND OF THIS BATTLE AND I ALMOST DIDN'T MAKE IT. IN MY CASE LEUKEMIA ALMOST GOT THE 1ST KNOCK OUT. BUT NOW WE ARE IN ROUND 2.
ROUND 2- JUST LIKE THE OLD AMATEUR FIGHTS. IN ROUND 2 YOUR DOCTOR WORKS OUT HOW TO BEST TREAT YOU... YOUR MEDICINES AND YOUR BEST PROGRAM. THE DISEASE IS DOING THE SAME THING. MAKING MUTATIONS AND CHANGES OF IT'S OWN. THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT IS HAPPENING TO ME NOW. SOMETIMES THE FIGHT ENDS IN ROUND 2 BUT NOT VERY OFTEN. BECAUSE MOST OF THE TIME THERE IS THAT 3RD ROUND, BUDDY!
ROUND 3- BOTH SIDES GO WITH A FURRY! AGAIN THE INTENSITY IS UNBELIEVABLE. ONE IS EITHER KNOCKED OUT OR THERE IS A JUDGES DECISION...NOT MANY DRAWS IN THIS WORLD. BOUT YOUR ONLY HELP IS YOUR CORNER MAN. IN MY OLD AMATEUR BOUTS RAYFORD COLLINS BROUGHT ME HOME TO VICTORY ALL BUT 3 TIMES. IN THESE OTHER FIGHTS IN LIFE THERE IS A BETTER CORNER MAN. HIS NAME IS JESUS AND HE HAS NEVER FAILED TO DELIVER!

..........as dictated to Chili Pepper from the bed side of BIG ROCK.

Hang in there Big Rock. It gives me peace to know that you have put your trust in Jesus Christ to see you through... Soli Deo Gloria!!..... Chili Pepper