Journal entry by Ken Allen —
Today is a momentous dawn to dark, its my 59th birthday. This time last year found me at my mothers, where we celebrated our birthdays together. A whole year has passed, time has gone so quickly. Always wondered what I was going to do when I retired. Our plans were to travel and live like nomads. Two old people on the road like reckless children living a dream. I heard her say "Ken, you had better figure out what your going to do with all the time on your hands." Followed with, " we all know how you are without anything to keep you busy." "Maybe we should just put some cows out and I can watch them, give me someone to talk to," I told her. Wife and I wanted retirement to be about our seeing, going, being together on the open road. Well, I'm able to report those worries for naught. We were in the process of purchasing a new place in Arizona that we had found. Plans also took our attention to Michigan where we intended on buying a small place in Union City. We planned our departure, dreamed our adventure. Talks followed discussions, sorry followed an argument over details. Our living, was our dream of being together, out there, chasing our passion. Having cancer changed all our plans we had made. It changed everything! But, it did not change our love for answering the call. That voice that beckons the unknown towards the endless road. There have been some great trips this last year. We have continued to pursue our dreams of seeing what lies over the next mountain. Point is, all the time we spent worrying about what we would do when retiring, didnt matter at all. CTCA has asked LaNelle and I to be part of their CareNet program. I will be out there for my next round of scans, when she is flying in to attend the meetings and training in Phoenix. My friend George whom I have written about, called me on that program. We are honored to be asked to be a part of this. We spend time supporting our local cancer support community of North Texas also. Did a video with them for our outreach program a couple months ago. Was asked to speak at the Red Tie Gala this year. We had a wonderful evening at the Ross Perot Museum, downtown beautiful Dallas where my wife looked gorgeous. Retirement really never happened, as so many wonderful things have taken its place. Today is my birthday and the 13th month of my target Chemo. Today I celebrate living, being my mothers first born. Today I celebrate 13 months of stability with an unstable disease. Thats a quick update to our busy lives. Sorry have not written more here but I have been writing. I'm on a mission to live a story worth writing about. In our spare time you will find the wife and I planning our departure, dreaming of the next adventure. November will find us in Montana, California, Wyoming, Arizona. Chasing the light, embracing this life, loving it together. Cancer may have changed our plans but it couldn't change our hearts.
Jeremiah 29:11
Ken and LaNelle
Jeremiah 29:11
Ken and LaNelle
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