January 26, 2006 a full year ago I received a diagnosis of lung cancer. I posted on it here: "Thursday, January 26th, I was diagnosed with lung cancer. Talk about a kick in the teeth." A kick in the teeth, "Indeed!" as Glenn Reynolds would say!

A full year has indeed passed, and your's truly is still here, still kicking and fighting the good fight. When I posted about the diagnosis, I sent an email to Dr. Reynolds and he was kind enough to link to my Fighting Cancer post. As a result, I received over 100 comments and something like 300+ emails. All, without exception wishing me luck, saying prayers or some similar comment. The response was overwhelming and sustaining like you wouldn't believe. I received comments and emails from other cancer victims encouraging me to beat it like they had. I received emails from families of cancer victims that had not "made it" and those were supportive as well. In all, I was blessed by an outpouring of care and concern the likes of which I've never before experienced.

I got the diagnosis on the 26^th, had surgery on the 6^th of February and started chemo-therapy a little over three weeks after that. And through it all, with some 17 additional posts on cancer (the archive for those posts is here) I continued to get well wishes and prayers. Those too have sustained me in this fight. On my birthday (Sept. 20^th) I was at the oncologist's office awaiting results of the most recent C.A.T. scan and P.E.T. scan and got the word that I was cancer free. What a birthday present that was!

I have to tell you a story. While I was in intensive care, this nice young man came in and introduced himself as Dr. Lazo. "I'll be your oncologist," he said.

"I'm sorry," I said, "I don't mean to be rude, but you look like you are still in high-school." Dr. Lazo laughed and noted that he heard that a lot. I saw him the other day for a routine checkup and he still looks like he belongs in high-school. But he is a great guy and one hell of a Doc and I am lucky to have him in my corner.

Throughout this entire ordeal my family has been by my side. My beautiful and wonderful wife Norma, my daughter Jennifer and my two younger brothers Bert and Doug. A greater family no man has ever had! I've also had the support of a whole bunch of crazies that I associate with in several google and yahoo groups, notably The Wide Awakes, Wide Awakes Radio and South Park Republicans a nicer (but nuttier) bunch of friends cannot be found anywhere. Would I have made it without them? Possibly! But they made the struggle easier.

I have also been lucky enough to blog about the experiences, posting on such wildly divergent (well, maybe not) topics as fear and the Joy of Living and each post has garnered comments that have touched me deeply. And for that my beloved friends, I thank you.

This has been a tumultuous year, with periods of quite thought, a little fear, a lot of joy, the uncertainty of not knowing what the future holds, and the sublimeness of living in the moment. Of sharing a hug with my wife and saying good bye to a friend as I returned home from a visit. A year of surgery, chemo induced nausea and determination to survive. And survive I have, thanks to Almighty God, the love of my family and thanks to you, my readers and dear friends, because of all of you combined, I've had another precious year of living.

Posted at 12:27 AM | Comments (11) | Add Comment
Post contains 625 words, total size 4 kb.

1 Congratulations! I think I will always remember that day. I had received the call from my now fiance around 8:30 pm right after I had finished drum practice. She was a wreck and after awhile of talking to her she was a little better. So GM fight on!

Posted by: psyberwolfe at Saturday, January 27 2007 03:01 AM (LhEOm)

2 GM you have touched so many lives before January 26th last year and even more since. You have taught us never to give up, and that prayer does help in taking someone through the roughest of times. You are a gift to each of us and I thank you.

Posted by: Chrissie at Saturday, January 27 2007 04:48 AM (kEu/z)

3 Alright, GM! I send a big 'Congratulations!' Our Lord wants you to hang around this sinful world for some big plans He has for you. I would like to hang around a bit longer as well!

Posted by: Mike Austin at Saturday, January 27 2007 06:36 AM (kgGx+)

4 You chose to fight and you did so with determination. I remember when I first found out about this GM- how I cried and got upset because of my own family issues similar. You inspired me to hold that "FIGHT ON" attititude and to this day- a year later- it's one of my THINGS I say to my patients who have mind boggling problems to deal with as well.

God Bless you my friend. May you be around for many more years---- just so I can continue to be NUTTY around you

Posted by: Raven at Saturday, January 27 2007 08:23 AM (kEu/z)

5 Absolutely--the glory goes to God. But your will to figh, and the support and prayers of friends also played a part.

Funny how a brush with death makes us more vibrant. A blessing! I saw the same when my husband's inner-ear/brain tumor was successfully treated.

Life is precious, but too few of us stop to think about HOW precious.

God bless you, GM!

Posted by: Always On Watch at Saturday, January 27 2007 11:02 AM (0Co69)

6 The best thing about an anniversary like yours is that you're around to celebrate it! And as a bonus, we got to read all your posts in the interim. Best wishes for continued health, so that in four more years year can scratch out a V - for victory!

Posted by: civil truth at Saturday, January 27 2007 12:56 PM (qp2n7)

7 Congratulations GM. Here's to many, many, more years!

Posted by: Slobokan at Saturday, January 27 2007 03:51 PM (mPnmP)

8 Congratulations on this wonderful anniversary.

Posted by: DADvocate at Saturday, January 27 2007 03:59 PM (XyagQ)

9 And we are all the richer for having you around!

Posted by: Oyster at Monday, January 29 2007 12:42 AM (YudAC)

10 Thanks for inviting us to join in on the celebration. I think this is a wonderful anniversary to celebrate.

My sister went through surgery for cancer last January and she just had her one year cancer-free check-up last week. I didn't mind sitting in the waiting room with her for FOUR hours to hear that good news!

Keep up the fight, George!!

Posted by: Redhead Infidel at Tuesday, January 30 2007 01:58 AM (IBImD)

11 I tried to think mulberry bags, but I found it was not as the same in the actual mulberry alexa.As you mentioned, I still have mulberry bayswater, but really thank you for sharing!

Posted by: mulberry bags at Thursday, April 28 2011 11:18 PM (wk5VX)

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