h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

A couple of you already know, a few may have read it through the lines, but the rest of you have never been told that I received a cancer diagnosis 25 April 2012. Well, now you know.

I had my own very private reasons not to talk about it online earlier, but of course my children, other family members, my workplace and close friends had to be informed.

I underwent surgery 21 June 2012 have been okay ever since and am counting on staying this way till I get my all clear in 2022 (and hopefully even after that, of course).

That's all there is to say, really, except: Spare me the pity, please. I really am okay (except for the survivor's guilt). After all it's only a sickness and I really seem to be over it.

As you were.

It's no longer all that unusual to be cancer-free for a long time. My father had bladder cancer 16 years ago. Without the bladder, there is nowhere for the cancer to live. He has other problems, but not bladder cancer.

Just glad to hear it so far going well! 👍🏻🍻

Hmmmm - something went wong! I meant to say

Thank you all

I know some other hootooers who were given cancer diagnoses also. And other serious diagnoses. This - along with other reasons - made it feel wrong to keep my diagnosis a secret. I had my reasons to do so anyway, but now those reasons are not relevant anymore. So now it's time to look forward.
On Saturday my youngest son is getting married. He and his wife made me a grandfather. Enough said?

You do what's right for you. It's a health issue. If you want to share, great. If you'd rather keep it private, great.



I'm glad to hear you're feeling well and the outlook is so good.

I think you had kinda dropped hints Its a scarey diagnosis, but so long as the drugs/meds arin't too rough,

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought you had mentioned it at some point. In any event, cancer is less and less a death sentence, skin cancer in particular. I even knew someone who had to check himself for melanoma every day without fail. At first his wife did it for him, then she got Alzheimer's. He was her caregiver until her death, then he did well for some years after that.

You just never know how it's going to come out. Treasure each day. We're all lucky to live in an age with such good medical care. When I had the blood clot in my ankle, I was sent to a cancer diagnostics center, just in case. They weren't leaving anything to chance.

I am glad to hear that you are feeling better now.

hi ptp

hope your getting better have a good weekend away as you wrote me on email jim

My youngest son's wedding was a great success. His wife is such a darling and extraordinarily good looking too and I get on well with her parents also. Real down to the salt of the earth people, if you catch my drift.

I was just thinking what if he had married into a posh family who required me to wear a shirt and tie?

You could have worn the shirt backwards, and the tie around your forehead like a bandanna .

Thank you, paulh. I shall remember your advice if one of my other children marry

I thought all your children had married already.

Nope, he was the first. Two more to go.

better look for a main lotto win with two could be costly lol lol jim

That's a good idea, Jim!

Doesn't the mother of the bride foot the bill? That would be your ex-wife.

Nope, it's usually the father of the bride.
But I am the father of the groom.
So: Problem solved

For now anyway

This is why many parents don't object when their children elope.