I went to a New York Mets fantasy camp in 1991, and I was fortunate to be on a team for a week whose pitching(投球) coach was famous Mel Stottlemyre.Mel was wonderful to all of us______ ballplayers throughout the week.He was warm and ______，treating us as if we were major leaguers.

At last，Mel______ the job at the Mets and became the coach for the Yankees.I followed his______and knew about his diagnosis(诊断)of a blood cancer in 2000.Luckily，a suitable ______appeared during a championship run，so he took ______ from the Yankees to   undergo a stem cell transplant(干细胞移植)．

In 2002, I was ______ by desperation because I was diagnosed with the same disease and needed a stem cell transplant too.I was in a very ______ need to speak to Mel，but I had lost ______ with him.One day，my phone rang.It was Mel.He explained ______ his experience of having the transplant to me—for all of an hour.I ______ every word.“I feel great，so I’m not ______，” he told me.At last，he ended the ______ by giving me his home phone number！This unbelievable experience ______ my spirits.Every time I saw Mel during games on TV as I ______ for my transplant，I repeated to myself，“Look at Mel.I’ll ______.”

The great news is that my doctors told me my ______ went into remission(缓解) thanks to the successful transplant—and it has been ______ for 15 years.Since then，I have spoken to many ______ with the same problem.I have been glad to ______ Mel to share what he did for me.

The sun is shining brightly out of my window. But there is no ______ in my heart. I still feel really cold.

After the first remedy(治疗), I never feel any better. Everyone ______ me not to move anywhere. Even a little cut may ______ my life.

“Honey,” Mommy said to me with manful ______ in her eyes. “Please go on. You’re ______ enough to live on!”

“Don’t worry,” I smiled, “I’m OK, Mommy. I’ll never give up.” Mommy smiled as ______ after hearing my words.

But how can I go on? It’s I who have spent each penny in my family which was ______ by my parents for their whole lives. It’s my blood cancer that made ______ become old overnight, but they still have to smile and ______ me though they’re being killed by the much more sorrow than I am.

In fact, we have had no money to pay for the ______ remedy. I don’t know ______ I have to be paid for so much to keep the little time in my life. It’s really______.

I don’t want to be the criminal. I don’t want to leave the world with an empty family and my _____ parents. I don’t want to be the heavy _____ of my family in my last days.

Suddenly all is black. I passed out ______. I don’t know how many times I passed out and ______. I wish this is the last time.

A familiar song comes to my mind:

“Mama, you gave life to me, ______ a baby into a lady; Mama, all I have to offer was a guarantee of you loving me…”

I don’t know if I’m still ______. But I’m sure I can see the drops of tears ______ from Mommy’s eyes and she is smiling. She said to me, “Baby, I know you’re leaving. I know I can’t ______ you from leaving me. Take care of yourself whether you’re in the human world or not. I will always love you!”

Todd Stabelfeldt couldn’t wait to marry his tall, beautiful wife Karen four years ago. But he was determined that he didn’t want her to ________ him.

“A spouse (配偶) should be your lover and your friend, ________ a free caregiver, ”said Stabelfeldt, 38.

Stabelfeldt is a quadriplegic (四肢瘫痪者) with no movement below his shoulders, but he doesn’t spend time feeling ________ himself. He takes every opportunity to find ________—including in his marriage to Karen. He spends most of his time running his IT business from his home office, ________ his wife around the house, and building his charity.

And it’s all ________ new smart home and assistive technology.

Technologies like Apple’s “Home” app allow Stabelfeldt to ________ various smart accessories (配件) in his house—from door locks to lights. The best part for Stabelfeldt? He can ________ Apple’s intelligent digital assistant Siri to work it all.

Stabelfeldt calls this technology a game changer. “I never ________ I’d have the opportunity to be married and have children.”

Stabelfeldt can let a delivery person in or out, or open the door on demand.

“When I’m cooking, I don’t have to ________ and do those functions. He can ________ those,” said Karen. “Technology has completely ________ how Todd can operate and where he can function.”

“New technologies have given me ________ to prove that I’m a(n) ________ man,” Stabelfeldt said. “To get up every day and go to work; Everybody has worth, and everybody should have the opportunity to ________ it.”