Good evening everybody. Before we get started tonight I wanted to speak to you for a moment or two about a personal issue. I know how news travels, and how facts can get twisted when people aren’t forthright, so let me give it to you straight.
Those who know me are aware that I am a fighter. If there is a cause that I believe is worth fighting for, I’m on it. And those of you who know me are also aware that I have an unusual amount of energy, so when I get tired or don’t put in the time and energy
that I normally do on an issue, something’s up.
Well, something is up.
About a week and a half ago I did not feel right and had labored breathing, so I contacted my primary care physician. When he heard my symptoms be thought that I could have pneumonia and told me to go to the emergency room to get checked out. When I went to the hospital they initially diagnosed me as having pneumonia, observed me for slightly more than 48 hours, and sent me home to recuperate. But as time passed I realized that I was not starting to feel better. They ran additional tests and It turns out that the reason for my fatigue and labored breathing was not pneumonia at all. It was cancer.
I immediately met with my doctors and later with their oncologists, and we all agreed on a course of action that will attack the illness while allowing me to fight it and maintain a semi-normal routine. That’s important to me. There will be days that will seem normal, days where I will need to lay low, and days that fall somewhere in between.
This will potentially impact my overall visibility or my ability at times to conduct one of our trademark extended meetings from start to finish, but I will do everything that I can to minimize that.
There will be times like tonight where I intend to take part in the meeting but will rely on our very capable Mayor Pro Tem, Mr. Kenzie Moore, to do the heavy lifting and to conduct the meeting on my behalf.
To borrow a baseball analogy that Rangers fans will know all too well, I might not be able to go all 9 innings every time out, but I have an excellent relief pitcher in the bullpen, and I won’t hesitate to turn to Mayor Pro Tem Kenzie as my “closer.”
Finally, those of you who know me are aware that I am a woman of faith and I believe wholeheartedly in the power of prayer.
Whenever I’ve faced difficult times I’ve always looked to the heavens first before I reached
deep down into myself to prepare for the fight.
I might hold many titles including Mayor, organizational Vice President, or Committee Chair, but in a fight like this one, the most important title to me is Child of the Most-High God.
And as that proud Child, I turn to my Heavenly Father and ask for his strength and his blessing as I move forward to face this challenge. I also ask every one of you for your patience, your understanding, and your prayers.
I’ve always said that when we work together there’s nothing that we can’t accomplish. But I will add that when we pray together, we can move a mountain! With your help, and God’s, we can do this!
God bless you all and may God continue to bless and protect our beloved DeSoto!
