T E X A R K A N A M A G A Z I N E
Louis Vuitton purse that has half of the Walgreens pharmacy in there and enough Xanax on hand to sedate a Clydesdale. It is rarely black and white and that is where the stigmas need to be shattered. People, not meaning to, throw around jokes about a ‘crackhead’ or a ‘drunk,’ while remaining blithely unaware that the ‘crackhead’ or the ‘drunk’ are someone’s husband, brother, aunt, grandparent…add your own title. More than 70,000 Americans died from an overdose in 2019. That is too many. Help is literally everywhere, whether it be at a rehab, outpatient services, 12-step groups or church. We all know someone suffering. Odds are, they are suffering in silence.”
cancer.’” The surgeon continued to talk for what must have been 30 minutes and finally left the room. Richard immediately picked up the phone and called his sister, Whitney, a nurse at Wadley. “Whitney could tell by my voice that I was disturbed. I ultimately broke down and told her.” Plagued by the thought of telling his partner, Terry, Richard could not bring himself to utter the words “I have cancer” to anyone else. Thankfully Whitney stepped up and did that for him. After being released and sent home, Richard confessed, “I was so lost. I could think of nothing but cancer—nothing. He ended up having a total of five surgeries to remove the cancer and his large colon and
Richard’s chemotherapy regimen and medication to combat the side effects during his battle with cancer.
a port placement in his chest. He underwent four months of daily chemotherapy, including both pill form and infusions. He finally finished chemotherapy July 11. He still will need routine scans for the next five years, but he is cancer free! When reflecting on his struggles and what he has learned from them, Richard shared, “I have survived alcoholism, addictions, cancer and chemotherapy. If I died right now, I know exactly where I would spend eternity. Here is what I have to say! Bring it! I am a child of God! There is a lot to be said for people who come out on the other side of obstacles. People with substance abuse disorders are not weak, nor are they weak-minded. They are the most resilient individuals ever created! We get up daily and tackle what has been genetically designed to kill us. So, when I think of heroism, I do not have to look too far. I simply glance in the mirror and say, ‘I see you trying, and I think it’s downright beautiful. Now chin up, bro! Otherwise, the crown slips.’”
“You will never see me shame someone for battling addictions,” Richard humbly shared. “Instead, you will see the grace of God in motion. I remain vigilant in my efforts to stay sober. Everything that has been gifted to me will fit in a shot glass and that is a fact! Bottle in hand, I will ruin everything in my wake if I ever backslide. So, when I say that my story is full of broken pieces, terrible choices and ugly truths, I mean it! It is also filled with major comebacks, peace in my soul and a grace that has saved my life.” On February 19, 2021, little did Richard know another test of his fortitude was about to begin. He thought he had kidney stones and went to Wadley Regional Medical Center. Turns out, he was right. He did have kidney stones, but he also had acute appendicitis, which required emergency surgery. He was admitted to the ICU and kept for five days. Two days following surgery to remove his appendix, his doctor came in and sat down in his ICU room. Richard instinctively felt the dread of bad news. His pathology from surgery had revealed a goblet-cell carcinoid tumor in his appendix. “As he began to talk,” Richard said, “I looked away, and the room went black. I heard nothing past the point of ‘we’ve found
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H E A L T H & W E L L N E S S
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