'In sickness and in health' takes on new meaning

[Guest guest]

'In sickness and in health' takes on new meaning

http://www.9news.com/news/article.aspx?storyid=91498

DENVER - The staff at Rose Medical Center says they had never had a patient

request quite like this one.

Lowery has been battling rheumatoid arthritis for many years and it

recently started to affect his lungs.

Since the disease is moving so fast, he decided he had something important

to do.

This week, doctors told Lowery he is nearing his last breath.

" Sometimes when we can't treat the underlying disease as well as we would

like, we really want to maximize his quality of life, " said Dr.

Cosgrove with National Jewish Medical Center.

The hospital gift shop sent the flowers and the cafeteria staff baked the

cake.

" We were going to do it in a few weeks from now, but better today. I might

not be here, " said Lowery.

So he decided, after dating the same woman for 10 years, it was time to get

married.

" Oh my God. My wedding dress is from Target. It was bought five minutes ago.

Just a tad unconventional, " said Roxanne Velasquez on Friday.

It wasn't exactly the dream Velasquez had when she was a little girl: a

wedding march in the intensive care unit.

" He said, 'Do you really want to do this?' I said, 'I'll marry you wherever

you want,' " said Velasquez.

The maid of honor was the bride's mother and the best man was the groom's

21-year-old son.

The minister is a hospital clergyman. Lowery met him just before the

ceremony.

The minister asked Lowery: " Are you going to be able to repeat when I ask

you the vows? "

Lowery responded with: " Are you going to be able to repeat when I ask you

the vows? "

That drew laughs from the assembled crowd.

Then the bride walked in. There was no organ or piano, but the people

gathered to see the ceremony hummed the wedding march for her.

In the Lowery and Velasquez were married and thanked both their families and

hospital staff for helping them to arrange the big day.

" Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things and endures

all things. Love never ends, " the pastor said at the end of the ceremony.

Lowery hopes his wedding will also let more people know about rheumatoid

arthritis. It affects 1 percent of all Americans and there are usually

better treatment options if it is caught early.

" Very happy day, " said Lowery. " It's a good day. "