Bravery and Determination

It has been awhile, due to technical troubles, since I've gotten to write about our comrade, Captain Switzer, as he battles cancer. The vast majority of us know precious little about just how vicious such an illness can be; we know only what folks tell us, and what we can learn from the media, for the most part.

Ask Les and he will tell you just what a determined foe he is facing. It does not care if it devastates your body. It has no shame at robbing you of your dignity. It cares not that your whole being is transformed from robust health, to uncertain existence, and it has no compunction at all, of making you wonder if you will be able to escape its wrath.

Having just finished today, his fifth week of pre-surgical treatments, to shrink the tumor in his esophagus, Les has one more week of chemotherapy and radiation. Then a couple of weeks of rest at home, and a battery of tests, before he will travel back to Duke, to have his surgery, at the end of June. Throughout all of this, he has maintained his sense of humor, and is determined to help his doctors defeat "Earl", as he has named his cancer. Ask him, and he will tell you grimly, that "Earl must die."

It has been difficult to watch my long-time friend endure this ordeal, yet at the same time, how he is handling his situation and his uncertain future, has inspired me and others who know him. Several of us spend much of our conversation, marvelling at how matter-of-factly he is going about his battle. Each one of us has asked ourselves, "Why him? Why not someone else?" More importantly though, we ask ourselves, "Could I endure such an assault on my body, on my very life, with such grim resolve and strength of character, as Les is doing?"

Frankly, Les has become (and he would slap me for saying this!) a tangible hero to more than a few of us. He could not possibly have known that through his dilemma, he would be ministering to all of us, with his astounding courage and desire to survive this onslaught. In a world that thumps its chest and demands that we pay attention to "how big and bad" folks try to be, Les walks the walk and talks the talk. I dare any of the young punks in today's tough-talking world, to show one percent of the manhood that Les is trying to teach them. Frankly, they could not possibly hope to live long enough, to soak in all the lessons he is teaching.

Les says he's going to beat this, and I know he will. Why don't you write him a line at switz2@cox.net and let him know that you believe his vow of life. Don't be surprised that he writes you back, when he feels strong enough to do so. That's the kind of man he is, and just knowing that you believe his vow, will both inspire you and bless him.

Until next time, keep the faith.
Colonel Greg Gallion