D-DAY / AUGUST 7, 2019

One year ago today, our lives changed forever.
This is our “D-DAY”– Diagnosis-Day.

D-DAY will come around every year – the anniversary of the MRI that discovered Annalise’s brain tumor.
Every year, this date will force us to remember the worst time of our lives – a time that hasn’t really ended for us.
This isn’t the kind of thing you just get over, you just learn to live with it, to grow with it.
However, I hope this day becomes a reminder to be grateful for what you have, because your whole life can change for the absolute worse at any given moment. And if it does, know that you have a choice – you can let it break you, or you can deal with it head on. Annalise chose to deal with it, and she did so with grit and grace.

This was taken on AUG. 4th, 2019 – 3 days prior to D-DAY.

This is what the doctors showed us on the monitor 3 days later. In disbelief and utter horror, I took this picture.

Although the tumor destroyed her physical body, it could never destroy her eternal spirit.
She was our sweet Annalise at every step of the way, and she still is.
She taught me more about what’s important in this life than anything or anyone ever will.
I’m lucky to be her Dad today and forever.

REVISIT THE ORIGINAL MEMORY BOOK POST

Today, somewhere in the world, a family is looking at a similar image on a computer screen of the DMG that’s growing in their child’s brain. Today, their battle with this monster will begin. For that family, I hope you’ll consider giving to any one of the many organizations and foundations that help fund research for pediatric brain cancer.