Hello everyone!
It's been far too long since I've posted much of anything. In some ways that's bad; it means I haven't been contributing much. Trying to be more of a "glass half full" person, I'm choosing to look at my lack of time on the web as a good thing personally. It doesn't mean I care less than I used to...more to the point I've been too busy living.

I am coming up on the fourth anniversary of my diagnosis (May 1, 2006) and life is pretty wonderful. Like most of you, I still battle the everyday residual effects of the battle with the Beast...dry mouth, swallowing issues fibrosis in my neck from post surgical scarring, lymphedema. BUT, in spite of those things, I enjoy each day for what it is, a gift I didn't think I would have.
Much has changed in the past couple of years, mostly for the good. although not without sadness.
We have lost others that we love to the disease; my Dad, my father-in-law, an Uncle, an Aunt and a cousin. We have gained a son-in-law, a huge plus. I have gone from walking with a cane to limping without most of the time. I got back into motorcycle riding a couple of years ago, and bought myself a Harley last summer.
After watching our good friend Jerry decide to retire, I started thinking more and more about that over the past six months..36 years in the aviation business, or ANY business for that matter is long enough. Life is too short, there are too many roads to travel and too many experiences not to be denied.
The big question in my mind was how healthy am I, really? I "feel" good, but who knows for sure?
I spent quite a bit of time in the past month trying to find out. A physical, bloodwork, CT, x-rays, ECG...the full meal deal. After all of the tests were done, my Doctor asked me why I was still working.
that scared me initially; I thought he'd found something wrong. Quite the contrary...everything was not only fine, it was much better than he had expected. Good news...Very good news.
So...I've decided. July 2nd will be the day that I embark on the next phase of my life, retired.
It's not going to mean going to bed early and getting up late, with naps in between. I have an amazing opportunity coming in October.
For those of you that followed my journey in 2006/2007, you'll recall I am extremely fortunate to have an oral surgeon in my family. He was instrumental in some of the reconstructive work that I needed follwoing surgery, with implants, dentures, etc. He is also a great humanitarian, having undertaken self funded trips every year for the past 15 to severely disadvantaged parts of the world bringing dental care to folks too isolated and poor to even hit the radar of groups like Doctors without Borders.
Jungle dental care...finding remote villages in a variety of countries and going there for a week or two, and trying to make a difference in their lives.
I have no dental skills to contribute, however I am an enthusiastic amateur photographer, and I will be bringing these "skills" to the table as part of his next trip, this time to the jungle and mountains of the Honduran/Nicarauguan border.
We will spend about a week trekking into the area from El Progresso, two weeks visiting several villages and then another trekking back out.
I CAN'T WAIT!!!
So many of the things I did not believe I would survive to experience, are here...I am truly "living the dream"
I promise I will start posting more frequently, since I will have a bit more free time on my hands.
Does that sound "giddy with excitment"? It does, doesn't it? Positively giddy. I'm OK with that....