Greetings from Arizona, my dear friends I wrote the first draft of my CaringBridge statement which gave some details of my recent serious cancer diagnosis of Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML). It sounded so appallingly bleak and dreary that I decided to try a lighter touch.
As I look back on my life I realize that I have been not only incredibly blessed but also lucky. Cats have nothing on me as over the years I have come close to dying or being seriously injured so many times I may have used up eight of my nine lives.
Ironically, while killing time (bad choice of words?) amid the Covid-19 horror, I was starting to send my grandkids and other family members short vignettes about my childhood called “The Bad Grandpa Stories.” A part of this fun endeavor was to write down many wacky, weird, worrisome, and wonderful events. It was after this list was compiled that I realized what a truly rich and full life I have led right up to the present moment.
Having this in the back of my mind when I was given my diagnosis, I took a deep breath and said to myself, “Well, it looks like my amazing journey may be coming to an end.” Fortunately, I don’t have much left on my Bucket List, so I am not going to go bananas frantically trying to cram a bunch of experiences into my already jam-packed warehouse of good memories. Patty and I have been preparing for the day that we would be recycled back into the Great Whee of Eternal Life, so a good deal of groundwork has been done.
I have started treatment which, if it takes hold, will temporarily put me into remission. It is impossible to say what may happen next, how long it will last, and so forth. That is why we are sending you this CaringBridge link to keep you posted. I have one serious request: please do not feel compelled to reply to any or all the updates. I will not feel offended. I will not feel like you are treating me like Spam. Believe me, I really do understand.
I also want to say to those of you who are already aware of my condition I am deeply touched by your support, concern, compassion and love. And thank you so much to those of you who are helping in so many ways, with food, transportation, and getting paper towels for us in these tough times.
All of you know how much I have enjoyed riding a bike all these years, so I want to end with two timely quotes I found on the internet:
It’s only a hill, get over it. Tim Badger
My ultimate fear is that when I die my wife sells my bikes for what I told her I paid for them. Sean Power
