Counting blessings and not taking things for granted

Thanksgiving is a time to be thankful for your blessings.

It also is a good time to spend time with family and friends, watch football, eat lots of high-caloric food and get ready for Christmas shopping. Thanksgiving also can be a time of reflection and appreciation for what you have.

It can be easy to take things for granted such as eating with family and friends, traveling to the homes of relatives or firends, catching up, etc. But there is one area resident who will not have the privilege of traveling or even spending Thanksgiving in his own home — Matt Pohler.

On Nov. 13, Pohler received news that no one wants to hear. He was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia that day, and he spent Thanksgiving in his hospital room at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston.

When I received the news of Pohler’s diagnosis, I was shocked. I found it hard to believe that an athlete who excelled at basketball, baseball and golf at Shiner and received a scholarship to play golf at Houston-Victoria could be diagnosed with cancer.

I wanted to go to Houston to visit Pohler when I first heard of his diagnosis, but was reluctant at first because of his weakened immune system. He told me via Facebook, “the more the merrier,” so I drove to Houston Friday morning to visit him before I went to Rockdale to cover the St. Paul-CTCS playoff game.

When I arrived to his room in ICU, I was amazed to see Pohler in such good spirits despite being hooked up to several machines ranging from a heart monitor to an IV fluid bag. He maintained his positive, confident, competitive outlook on the situation.

We visited for nearly an hour and talked about various topics — mainly sports — during our visit. His mother, Gerrie, and brother, Nick, also were in on the visit.

Anyone who knows Matt Pohler knows that he is a competitor and that he plays to win (much like former NFL coach Herman Edwards once said). He will approach his three-year battle with ALL with the same competitive drive and mindset as he did with every basketball game, baseball game or golf tournament he participated in — he believes he will win.

Pohler was an all-state basketball player who averaged 23 points a game as a senior and also participated in the Victoria College All-Star game. He also finished fifth at the Class A state golf tournament, and a unanimous first-team all-district selection in baseball.

Pohler could’ve played another of his three sports in college. But after tryouts at Blinn College for basketball, he ultimately decided to play golf in college as he signed with UHV.

Pohler is expected to leave M.D. Anderson in the next day or two, but he must stay in Houston — 20 minutes away from M.D. Anderson to be exact — for the initial phases of his treatment, which include blood transfusions and chemotherapy. He also will not be allowed to go out in public as a precautionary method for his weakened immune system.

The next three years will be challenging not just for Pohler, but his family as well as he fights this illness. But, through prayer, support from family and friends, and a competitive, confident attitude, he will overcome leukemia.

Although Thanksgiving has passed, we should be thankful every day. Count your blessings and don’t take things for granted.