"Do you like your dad?"

Well, everything else aside, this is a monumental day in my life for on April 1, 1967, I met Diane Paulsen on a blind date at Argyle State Park. Little did I know this would be the seminal event in my life as we have been married 41 plus years, have 3 wonderful children, a terrific son-in-law, beautiful daughter-in-law, two insightful grandsons who refer to me as Mr. Fun or the King!! Stop laughing. We've had our ups and downs but way more of the former and very few of the latter.

If you're reading this for a daily feel-good story, you will be disappointed as my purpose is to help other people understand what this experience is like if they are faced with a similar situation so that their "bump in the road" can be less mysterious than mine. Of course, I do need to remind myself (actually I don't) that my doctors have told me the survival rate for this is 75 to 80% so that is very good news.

Tuesday was a full day as we drove to Zion, IL, to see Diane's parents who are in assisted living and a nursing home. I did cross another threshhold as after Grandma bought us lunch (yes, she is a sweetheart), I announced that I needed to take a nap. Mind you this is my first real nap in 60 years but darn it, I was tired. Obviously this little journey is tiring both physically and mentally. Went to bed Tuesday night at 9 but got up at 10 with a headache, sore throat--DUH, and my ears ringing. I was angry as nothing stops me from getting a good night's sleep. Of course, I'm not the brightest bulb in the pack as I went back to bed at midnight and left for Macomb at 4:30 a.m. to avoid that Chicago traffic.

I forgot to mention this the other day but during my phone conversation with ENT Dr. Henrich in Iowa, when he talked about the exceptional experience of Dr. McGinnis, the radiologist, he said, "I would send my dad to Dr. McGinnis!" I responded immediately, "do you like your dad?" We both had a good laugh.

Also I got a funny email from University of Florida retired alumni director, Wayne McDaniel, who wrote "I can't believe you've been diagnosed with cancer, especially on your tongue since it is seldom still enough to catch anything." Stop laughing again!!!! It sure made Diane and I laugh.

I'm off to interview WIU President Alvin Goldfarb on "Across the Miles." He talks as much as and faster than I do.

My newest challenge is to figure out what medications to take to mitigate the pain without becoming a drug addict. Anything classified as a narcotic causes constipation and I'm now an expert on that subject--stool softeners anyone?

It is 80 degrees and sunny in Macomb. As Coach Bruce Craddock used to say, "It's a great day to be a Leatherneck!"