This page is dedicated to my oldest son J.C., my Survivor. The King of the couch and the TV remote. I'm pretty sure he could  quote word for word all episodes of The Simpsons and Home Improvement. Actually compared to a lot of kids out there and what I was like as a teen, I've got it pretty lucky with him. I  don't worry about him being out till all hours of the nite, disappearing for days on end without a call, getting into trouble with the law. The worst I have with him is that he is messy, a massive couch potato, and has dropped out of school.  I've taken a lot of flack over the fact that he is still at home, and basically not doing much of anything (let alone anything productive). The running consensus is that I should have kicked his sorry butt out a long time ago. Perhaps there is some merit to this, but J.C. isn't like a lot of other kids in another way.  December 24, 2001... marked the 6 year anniversary of us finding out that he had Cancer (2 brain tumors), and that we had come within 2 days of losing him. Okay maybe I should clarify that one, it will be 6 years since the doctors discovered that he had Cancer, it took Mom a few more days and pretty much a 2 X 4 across the head to realize what we were dealing with (the brain has a marvelous protective mechanism in it). When I look back on that day...which I do with probably too much frequency...it's hard to think about giving this kid the boot. His life and those around him has been changed so much. His body doesn't produce any hormones, so all have to be received synthetically. Some come in pill form, another in a liquid that gets inhaled, and a couple that are given thru injections. Thru Neuropsychological testing, he presents as having a brain injury. Things we take for granted, memory, being able to puzzle out a simple act such as how to carry a mattress up the stairs, motivation, energy...all are gone for him. My happy, outgoing child that I had to ground every nite for 30 minutes just to get him to stay in long enough to eat his supper is gone. Doesn't mean that success isn't in the future for him or that Mom won't get to experience the Empty Nest Syndrome (please, oh please lol lol), just that we'll be looking at alternative routes to get us both there. I want to say a special thank you to his many doctors, techs, nurses and other personnel both with the University Hospital of Alberta and the Cross Cancer Institute...without your knowledge and expertise this could have ended up with a much different theme. I would also like to thank our family and friends for your unfailing support. I would have never made it without you. You will never be forgotten. SURVIVOR UPDATE: J.C. is still king of The Simpsons and Home Improvement, but has gotten started on becoming a productive member of society. He has been involved with a program called On-Site Placement and is learning valuable skills to gain employment. He has had a round of work experience and will soon be starting what hopefully will turn into a permanent job for him. His 6th anniversary of being clear of cancer is right around the corner. I look at him and I thank God that he is still with us. "