Twenty years old it was shocking
"You have three to five years at most to live"
I was in disbelief, "But but are you sure?"
"It's in the x-rays. Your organs are growing
Some can be removed some cannot."
"That's crazy!" I was down to one thirty pounds
At six foot three that was death and dying
"What can be done?"
"It's very rare. Some organs can be removed.
I say you need to reenlist. Let the Air Force
take care of the medical bills."
"I have three girls I have been writing.
Each thinks we are going to be married.
On their next letters I wrote
"Recipient deceased." I was dying
Sorry mostly for Ronnie who I did not
want to have to stay and see me die
She flew to Seattle to be with my mother
Saw me hugging my sister and thought I
was so cruel to not tell her in person
That I did not care about her
such a special girl someone is very lucky
Finding out it was only food allergies
She returned my letters unopened, recipient deceased
No I was not reenlisting I was going home
Mom insisted I get a second opinion
"You are not dying you suffer from food allergies."