Make My Day

To help put this short blog entry into perspective, I graduated with a Masters Degree from the Carnegie Mellon Heinz School of Public Administration 30 years ago. Since that time, work has been an important part of my life. Doing the right thing for my clients and company was always a passion of mine and something I took to heart through long hours, dedication, and applying high quality work standards to myself and those with whom I worked. Sometimes, that created its own problems, but on balance, I’m pleased with my accomplishments and career.

My most recent chemo treatment ended about 48 hours ago. The cumulative effects from dose to dose are getting more severe (fatigue, achy flu-like symptoms, rashes) from one week to the next. I was feeling pretty low yesterday after a poor night’s sleep. That is, until the mail came. In the mail was a card signed by a dozen co-workers and past clients (all of whom I liked; some of whom I consider my friends). I had worked closely with this group for over 6 months when I was first diagnosed 2+ years ago. There were so many positive thoughts, remembrances, and good wishes from this group that it absolutely made my day. It was so good to hear from all of you in this way. Thank you for keeping me in your prayers and your wishes for a full recovery. Believe me, it may take awhile, but I’m going to continue to work on my recovery until I can’t. My best wishes back to all of you.