FROM the T.Y.P. !!

From 3500 feet high up in the mountains of western Carolina I say I am proud to accept this award on behalf of Dr. Whipple. If he were here with us today I know there would be many people he would want to thank. Since he is not, I will thank those who I want to thank (sorry doc). First, I want to thank my wife for putting up with me everyday and providing comfort through the lows and a good ear whenever I need it . I know she will continue the good work. Then I want to thank my children, Ashley and Ryan, for their ongoing, daily vigilence and presence. Their doses of warmth and love have earned them a permanent spot in my will. I will never, ever threaten to pull their names again. It is the least that I can do for being the truly loving children they are. To my family who never seems to fail me regardless of the situation I want you all to know that I have made an endowment contribution to the Clarity of Mind Society, the WHY? chapter for the SSFW Fund. That is the Spring, Summer, Fall Winter Fund. This insures you guys will have four good knock down parties every year for the remainder of yours and my days. Of course I had to order a lifetime supply of gingerale and Ensure for me. For all of you that have called, commented and contributed to our support system thank you, thank you, thank you. You really like me ! And finally for the person who made all of this joy and excitement possible, Dr. George Daneker. Without your special way of information delivery Doc the good news that I only have to have all of my gall bladder and a portion of my stomach, pancreas, bile duct system and upper intestine removed none of this celebration would be possible. Oh, and before the music starts to signal my time is up, Dr. Allen Oldfather Whipple wherever you are Thank you.

I hope I have not offended all who read. Just a select few. I have yet to feel comfortable being completely humble and sincere in a public type forum. I will say that my irreverence is real and my humility, awe, and sense of appreciation of everyone's presence in my life is at times overwhelming. Without my knowing a small, flexbile, well protected, nonthreatening, non malignant encasement has formed within me capturing all of this nurturing and storing it to be used and returned when and as needed. I promise I will use it when I need to and will get back at as many of you as I can with your just due.

Speaking of 'just due" I think my liver is delivering it's own sense of retribution. I have temporarily lost my sense of taste. I now get to enjoy most foods I love only by texture and not by taste. It actually is very interesting. Most everything I now eat has a flat taste and I can obviously feel the pure texture of the food, but I also have a sense of the texture of the seasonings. I will not bore you with the different experiences so far, except for one. Since I am supposed to load up on proteins before the surgery Cat went and got me what all you youngsters out there swear you will never buy, Ensure. So far I am partial to the Homemade Vanilla. I can actually taste all of it. I am sure it is because as a mere child my mother's father, Grandpa Krakaur, used to make us kids his special milkshakes. I never actually got to see what he did. I only knew it came out of the blender and I loved them. I later realized long after he passed away that I was drinking Carnation Vanilla Instant Malted Milk in a blender and I think sometimes he added a raw egg. It was not a disappointment just took away some of the mystery. Anyway, it is my understanding that the loss of taste is probably the work of my liver. It is either being defensive or vengeful. Since I cannot properly digest foods with the fluids it produces than maybe it is thinking why not save the taste buds all that extra work. Or the converse since all the helpful fluids it produces are just being blocked by this "tumoric" dam and causing internal discomfort than the liver is seeking retribution by saying "if it cannot digest it than I cannot taste it". What an amazing structure the human body is.

Thanks to those of you that stuck around through these ramblings. One week from today. Just me, the knife, the doc, the spirit of Oldfather Whipple and your well wishes. Oh by the way T.Y.P. ; The Yellow Poster. That's him at the beginning of this post. D.I.E.T. Y.I.L.Y. to all