He quit smoking (4 packs a day) 6 years before being diagnosed. . . but continued to drink more than his fair share of Jim Beam (and whatever else) right up until diagnosis. Although he tells the doctors he was just a 'social drinker', his family assures me "he was an alcoholic" at some points of his life (doesn't make sense to my understanding of alcoholism....but that's another story).

Now, less than 1 month post surgery & just prior to beginning chemo/rad, he