Hi Gary!

Just sitting around and thought I would make a quick appearance myself and low and behold I see you are pretty busy tonight. Like you, I had to take a break. I have gone through a period of losing a few and then in June my brother was diagnosed with kidney cancer. He thought he had pulled a muscle that turned out to be metastatic renal cell cancer from his kidney and is in his liver, lungs and a few lymph nodes. It was very tough to face for me. I can truly relate to the emotional scars but I have found myself busy enough to almost forget sometimes.

I am working in Neewpawa, Manitoba, Canada right now as the Vice President of Finance and Information Systems. I truly believe at this point in time I have the absolute dream job! I have been commuting from Dallas every week since July and soon will move to every other week working out of the home in Dallas. I tackled a real challenging opportunity working for a really great company and I am really happy to be working with my pigs again. I doubt many could say that but after 23 years working with pigs and pork, I am once again in the industry I have spent most of my life in. Life is grand!

I have been told I could get life insurance pretty regularly since 3 years out but they turn me down each time. The last sales slug told me without fail I will have life insurance 10/08/08, the magical 5 year point. I had a bit of extra work to get a work permit in Canada because of the cancer and hep C and I don't really know if I can get the 2 year permit extended or make it through the -40 winter but I can't ask for much more in life other than have Susan in the same house M-F.

It is really good to hear from you and I am glad you are also keeping busy LIVING! Hardly a week goes by I don't think of you and many more and the joy I feel knowing the friends I have made during the darkest of times.

Take care and may our paths cross again someday soon.

Ed


SCC Stage IV, BOT, T2N2bM0
Cisplatin/5FU x 3, 40 days radiation
Diagnosis 07/21/03 tx completed 10/08/03
Post Radiation Lower Motor Neuron Syndrome 3/08.
Cervical Spinal Stenosis 01/11
Cervical Myelitis 09/12
Thoracic Paraplegia 10/12
Dysautonomia 11/12
Hospice care 09/12-01/13.
COPD 01/14
Intermittent CHF 6/15
Feeding tube NPO 03/16
VFI 12/2016
ORN 12/2017
Cardiac Event 06/2018
Bilateral VFI 01/2021
Thoracotomy Bilobectomy 01/2022
Bilateral VFI 05/2022
Total Laryngectomy 01/2023