Just got DSL and getting rid of AOL
by Wize Guy on 2/10/2005 - 10:52 p.m.
As I was cleaning up all my saved e-mails and moving them around, I came across this one and thought I would share it. Damn, I miss him and his sense of humor.
Guys and gals:
I've been debating whether or not to "share" this with anyone in the board
community, and finally came up with "oh why the hell not". If anything,
maybe I'll get a little gratuitous pity.
For about 6 months now I've been having some severe trouble with the old
gastric tract. It's been really hard to diagnose, and I've been through
several treatment regimens, including some quasi-experimental stuff.
Unfortunately, about three weeks ago the root cause was determined: I have
inoperable, stage 4 gastric cancer. Surgery was two weeks ago Sunday, to
obtain samples of the tumor for analysis, and to provide three bypasses to
allow me to eat again. I'm a big ol' burly kind of guy (those who've met me
can vouch to the others), not prone to being inactive. Stomach surgery has
knocked me out. Here I am two and a half weeks later, still puttering
around, cussing when I have to get up off the sofa, and popping Vicodin like
it's candy.
Luckily I live in Houston, and am being treated at MD Anderson, one of the
world's premier cancer centers (I'm sure fakeHR knows of what I speak). I'm
still recovering a bit, but treatment will begin in earnest next week. The
first part of the week will be diagnostic, then the big guns, chemotherapy.
The doctor was quite frank,"Technically, we can't cure what you have."
Still, they can delay things significantly, and progress is being made all
the time.
Anyway, not sure why I felt the need to pour out my problems to all you
sarcastic so-n-so's. And no, I do NOT feel the need for any group hugs or
Kum-ba-ya sing-a-longs. Seriously, I've got good support down here, my
family has been super, and I'm living temporarily with my significant other.
My employer is being pretty good about things as well, the transition to
disability has been pretty painless. If you think about it sometime, say a
prayer, light a candle, kill a chicken, whatever; it's all appreciated.
If any of you plan to be in Houston this weekend, I'll be at Reckling Park
on the Rice campus watching Ole Miss get the stuffing spanked out of them.
I'll be easy to spot, I'll be the guy in the cheap seats with cancer.
(ba-da-boom).
Best regards,
Jeff
