Chondrosarcoma – ah shit, bob's sick

Happy Thanksgiving to those that read this blog and recognize it as a holiday. Happily, I have only Wednesday’s treatment to go before heading back to Vermont for a four day span. It’ll be the longest I’ve been home for the past three months and it’s already starting to feel good.

Can’t wait to pop that Turkey in the oven and start to smell all those familiar scents of a classic Thanksgiving dinner. I’ve been accustomed to those smells for a full fifty-seven years. Sure, I always stuffed myself full of turkey on Thanksgiving Day, along with mashed potatoes, turnips, carrots, lot’s of stuffing and gravy, and let’s not forget all those pies and desserts! Yep, I was one of those that indulged to the maximum.

I make my turkey the same way my grandmother and mother did and have continued that tradition through my household too … Thanksgiving just isn’t the same without all of it.

But this year I’m thinking different, yes of course, I’m going to have my traditional Thanksgiving goodies … but honestly, it’s only because others have helped me, through a tough year … the toughest of my life and you damn well better know that I wouldn’t be enjoying this years festivities if weren’t for their help, your help … yep, you.

So what am I thankful for this year?

I’m thankful for those of you that have banded together and helped Sher, Alberic and I make it through the year. I’m thankful for all those supportive letters and emails that helped keep my spirits high. I’m thankful for the decision that both Sher and I made, to go with Proton Therapy instead of the traditional surgery.

I’m thankful for ARIS (and all whom work there) for helping keep us afloat during these last months, and to Teri and Herb M. for supplying me with a wonderfully comfortable place to live.

I’m thankful for all those personal friends that understood my sense of humor and continued to make me laugh, even though most of the time I felt like crying.

I’m thankful for all the doctors, nurses, technicians and healthcare workers that have relentlessly worked on me. Not just at Massachusetts General, but also Dartmouth Hitchcock, Springfield Hospital, Francis Burr and the Cox Center. Let me tell you, I went through some doctors this year.

For all of Scifillian’s clients that have patiently waited for updates and business applications while I been being treated. I’m thankful for all those that have ordered new work to be done and helping to keep our business going.

Just look at the list in the right hand column and you’ll see a lot of them … and I have a ton more to add. This … this is the spirit of people helping people, that makes it a Thanksgiving to me.

I’m thankful for my doctors … no really. I know they’re getting paid for their work … but Doc D. didn’t ‘have’ to take a weird case like mine on. But he did, and I thank him.

Today, as I turned the corner of Cambridge on to Grove, I saw Larry out in the street with both walking canes and his sign hung around his neck, standing in the cold wind. I pass Larry every day, his hand-written sign reads “My name is Larry, I have MS, can’t work, help”. Usually I pass these guys up … but Larry really does have MS, he shakes like a leaf as he waits for donations from drivers and walkers that pass by.

I’ve spoken with Larry many times while I’ve waited for the light to change, he’s a kind and gentle man, he simply can’t work, and has no other option in life but to beg for a living. He’s lost everything … except hope and thankfulness that he’s alive.

As I often do, I reached in my pocket and handed him a few bucks out of the window of my warm car, and as he always does, he replied, “thank you” … but this time I replied back again said “no Larry, thank you my friend”. He looked at the Disabled stickers on my car, and the walking cane I keep between the front seats, and reached in his pocket and took out more money then I had handed him … and offered it to me! My eyes swelled with tears, and the light changed, and cars started to honk … I had to leave.

Yes, I’m thankful for Larry too. Larry’s offer to hand me more then I handed him tells me that no matter how tough you think you have it … there is always someone worse off and in need of help … now that’s Thanksgiving spirit.

But of all this stuff, do you know what I’m most thankful for this year?
Simply being here to enjoy it …. Thank you all.