The Topic Of Cancer

These days most people have had some experience or contact with cancer. Either you've fought it yourself or someone you know has. There are many stories of people young and old who bravely fought the war with cancer. Like the one of the old man who built an entire hospital wing adjacent to his home so that his wife may be treated while he continued to watch closely over his lawn, ensuring no children played on it. Or the one about the experimental program that utilized trained gorillas to perform the surgeries to remove tumors and reduce the cost of doctors fees as gorillas will work for bananas and mating rights. This blog is to be a record of one such story.

It's the story of an aging man who had let himself go simply because he felt like it. Now, in hindsight, which is somewhat obscured by the fumes, he just might begin to regret it as he will soon be subjected to some of the most grueling tests and trials of his life. Most feared of these tests will undoubtedly be the strict diet that he will have to live by. The very limits of just what constitutes a food product will be called into question and whether or not it is determined to be food he will probably still have to eat it. Of course we will cross that viaduct when we get to it. Before we can go into those horror stories that always end with, "...and remember children, to always eat your vegetables" we must start our story at its beginning because that is where it begins.

It was a dark and stormy night. The low rumble of the thunder outside could barely be heard over the loud cries of agony from the maternity ward, but none were so loud as those of Barbara Richards. This being her third childbirth she was screaming directions to her obstetrician to hurry the heck up and get the damned kid out already. Shortly thereafter Kevin Richards was born as the doctor seized his head by the ears and gave a good yank. While the doctor had insisted that he could perform a quick surgery at no extra cost to reduce the size of Kevin's ears Barbara said no thanks, that'll teach him for being difficult and the family returned home.

That was a real long time ago and to this day he has remained a bit difficult. This has not at all been helped by his mostly growing into his ears. Having grown up with a passion for sports he has always been athletic, playing tennis, basketball, and volleyball as often as he could. But as he grew older he began to play these sports less, and started to move on to the age old sport of the aged called golf, and he's never been the same since. Some blame this change in athleticism for his "going soft" while others, himself included, have believed it to be an extreme case of "Bishopitis," which is also responsible for his going soft. And that is what we first thought was responsible for his recent change in health, a progression of Bishopitis.

As it turns out Bishopitis can share symptoms with cancer and its a good thing we decided to send him to the vet to get a PET scan or we might have missed it. While it was difficult to get him into his travel cage it was Hillary, his eldest daughter who had the brilliant idea of using a can of Dr. Pepper as bait and soon we were on our way. After several tests (and a whole lot of howling) we have learned that Kevin Richards has cancer. Multiple Myeloma to be specific, so we are setting up this blog to tell the tale, document it for posterity, and have a way for all three of you who really care to share your comments, advice, information, and personal stories that may help us. Please refrain from sending your condolences for the appropriate time.