Okay, I'm Back.

Okay, I had a few problems recently. The cancer on my back, and that was taken out.

A little afterward, I had a nose procedure. I have been washing my noses three times a day.

Kevin finally decided where we will be going at Holy Family Universtiy, which is close to home.

Since Kevin is brilliant, he received a 100,000 for the fours years.

I would have this done earlier, but with the snow, I decided to move the snow so I could get my car by our house.

That wasn't a good idea. I was already exhausted and I have been in the house most of the last two weeks.

I'm so proud of Kevin, and I'll try to get more blogs starting on Monday.

Sorry I Was Late Today...

Christmas was kind of all over the place. When I was at my Mother in law's house I was making jokes about the cancer.

Unfortunately, Kevin, my youngest boy, worried about it. He thought the I had serious cancer.

Cancer isn't funny from anyone, and I'm going to talk to Kevin and tell him I'm okay.

The nurse checked me three times, and I am on the top of the list.

In other words, my cancer is gone for a while.

Still running around from Christmas, and I still have to take off for a week before doing anything serious for a while.

I was really scared about this, but for the moment, I'm good for a while.

Shelly, Shelly, Shelly!

In the 31 years of policing, one of the best friends I have ever had was Shelly.

She was always the best person around. When I was losing it or having problems, she always calmed down.

I finally decided to let her know about the cancer. She immediately and send me a text.

I told her that I was fine, and I should be okay from here.

Shelly was always the best person to be with if she was around.

Despite some of the people I worked with, Shelly was always the best person in the building.

I'm really going to miss her.

The Cancer Is Not A Fight You Want To Work With

Yesterday was my appointment for the rest of cancer. It was supposed to take an hour, but it was an hour and a half.

The good news is that it seems all the cancer is gone - for now.

The doctor said he will still check the cancer and all the melanoma that may return.

I can't do much of anything, because the cancer is an the botton of my back, which means I cannot go to the gym until Christmas.

I am glad that the cancer is out for the moment, and hoping the rest will not come back.

P.S. - I'm sorry I am not posting few blogs like I should be. I'm trying to get better.

Sorry I Haven't Been Posting As Usual, But This Blog Is Important

My dermatologist found cancer on my back. The doctor said he can get out, but it wouldn't be done until December 17th.

I was hoping it would be done sooner, but the 17th is the date. I may be in and out on blogging once the cancer gets out of my back.

I mentioned this before, but just you know, I will be getting a nose job on January 22, 2026. The inside of my nose is was off kilter.

The doctor said it would only take between fifteen to twenty minutes. I'mm be at home for a week, but it will be worth it.

For the last few months, I had problems of with sniffling and runs from my nose. Hopefully can get this fixed.

Detective Mark Flacco 1962-2024

When you're working in a stressful element, say, like a police department, you are bound to see a lot of people dying. It's worse when one of those people are someone you worked with for years.

Detective Mark Flacco was one of the best people I ever knew in our division. A nice guy who always helped people, but honestly, rarely helped himself.

You see, Mark smoked constantly, was overwright, and was always under stress.

Sadly, Mark passed away on December 8th. Mark was fighting stomach, esophageal and pancreatic cancers, all at once.

Mark and I would make fun of each other, but when you needed him, he was always there. He drove a Humvee, and whenever the show was realy bad, he drove me to work and brought me back home. Just a terrific person.

I feel badly for his wife, who has to go through this in this sudden shock. It's simply not fair.

Requiem For A Friend

My frequent commenter, fellow Penguins fan and blog friend Right Wing Prof lost his battle with cancer this morning. Xopher posted this comment on the Prof’s blog:

My beloved companion and dearest friend fell asleep in the Lord at 1:45 this morning, after a short struggle against an overwhelming foe, with the sweet acceptance that has characterized his gallant witness through this entire ordeal.

His brother Jan, sister-in-law Phyllis, and I were holding his hands at the moment of death.

It is no great understatement that the news is devastating.

I first met Clay Bond in person on July 23, 2007, when a few of us – including Sebastian and Bitter – met at Geno’s Steaks for lunch. I almost missed the opportunity. You know how you sometimes have a mental picture of someone that is completely different from the real picture? Well, that was the case that day. I had never seen a photo of the Prof before, and while I was walking around Geno’s looking for him, I walked right by without even knowing it. After searching for a bit, I decided that I would just go to the car and hope for the best. Thankfully, he and Sebastian saw me and flagged me down. I’m glad they did.

Clay was the exact opposite of what I expected. I pictured a tweed jacket with patches on the sleeves, flawlessly coiffed hair, and the perfect manicure. Instead, I got facial hair, tattoos, and more gun knowledge than more Marines.

Thankfully, I got the latter.

That day at Geno’s is one that I will always remember. The four of us talked and laughed for a few hours, and Clay gave me a parting gift: Season 1 of Sleeper Cell on DVD. I was very appreciative, but Clay dismissed it as nothing. That is the kind of person Clay Bond was. Thoughtful, kind, and selfless.

In the two and a half years since, we e-mailed each other frequently, discussing the Penn State/Michigan rivalry, the Steelers, politics, and the occasional link to a good news story for each others’ blogs. About a year ago, he asked me why I was such a big hockey fan. I used that as an opening to really expose him to the sport. Clay took in a few Penn State games and started following one of my favorite teams, the Pittsburgh Penguins. I would beam with pride when he would send me an e-mail talking about “that awesome game” Sidney Crosby had. While Indiana basketball and Steelers football were first in his sports heart, the Pens earned their place there as well.

He read SYLG often, and commented frequently – sometimes to my embarrassment. When I posted about my skin cancer, he seemed more concerned with my dinky little basal cell issue than his own battle with lung cancer. Again, selfless.

I never posted about this, but I drove out to see Clay on November 20. It was something I simply had to do, and I am glad I did. When I walked into his room, he looked at me and smiled. Pointing to his dry erase board, I saw a list of visitors for the day. There were a few names there, and at the bottom of the list was a large WYATT! It was enough to make me well up.

After we exchanged pleasantries, he asked me, “Wyatt, why the hell did you drive all the way out here?” I looked at him and realized that he was serious. He thought I was insane. Instead of getting all emotional, I went into sarcastic mode and replied, “I’m here to kick your ass out of bed, and if you don’t beat this soon, I’m bringing the SWAT team, MP-5s and flash-bangs.”

I was fortunate enough to spend four hours with him and his son – a terrific person, by the way. I also met Father Alexander, the man who brought Clay back to the Orthodox Church and a few of Clay’s caregivers. When it was time to go, I told him that he better keep fighting, and I would try to visit again soon. Sadly, I will not get the chance.

The drive home was a sad one. I cried for a while and was only comforted by the fact that Clay’s faith kept him strong. He had a terrific support system and was surrounded by family and friends until the end. I am confident that he is with God now.

I apologize of this post is all over the place, but I’m just in stream-of-consciousness mode. In honor of Clay Bond, the Right Wing Prof, there will be no other posts today.