So this is my first post on my first blog.  I told my wife this morning that I felt I had to start a blog - for a number of reasons.  The last 2 years have been life changing.  My family has had some challenges along the way in the first 51 years of my life but the last two have been something else.  In fact, I feel very lucky to be here and I feel that if I could share my story, perhaps another husband somewhere might get an extra day with their wife, another son or daughter might get another day with their mom or dad, another mom or dad might get an extra day with their child, another friend might get an extra day with their friends.  That would make it all worthwhile.

Of course, I'll try and be completely honest and bare my soul.  My friends and family know me as an open book but it seems a bit strange to share your thoughts and feelings with the world.  I've titled my post "The Next Twenty Years" because that's how long I hope to be around and to get there, the last 51 and particularly the last 2 will have been instrumental.  I kind of hate to start here but it is why I am writing the blog - you see, on December 28, 2011 at about 1:30pm Eastern Time, my wife and I were told that I had potentially terminal stage 4 kidney cancer (my wife says that the doctor said terminal but I think he said potentially terminal).  Anyway - I have never seen my dear wife's face so stricken and though I too was taken aback by what the doctor said, I was more taken aback by the look on my wife's face.  I had never seen that before and all I could do was to go over and try and comfort her.  Joni (my wife) never looked so afraid.  From then till today has been an incredible journey - in fact, even how we got to that day is quite a journey.  I'm nor sure where to start, so I guess that's why this is a blog - thoughts are a little jumbled - I kind of need to make sense of things as I write them too.  Today - I still have Stage 4, Grade 4 Kidney (Renal Cell) cancer however through the power of my family and friends love (I know that sounds like a cliche), I'm still here and believe I could be here another twenty years - that's my goal.

This story is very personal but if you can channel your love to somebody who needs it or be willing to receive love from those around you willing to give it - you too can survive life's most challenging times.  You know they say that the battle against cancer is won and lost with attitude - all the positive attitude in the world can't help unless its followed up with love.  As I tell my families story through the pages of this blog, I hope I can help myself channel all the love in my life and also help others channel theirs so that they too not only survive, but thrive.  Its not enough to survive cancer, you have to thrive in spite of it.  More later - its time for bed.  Have to catch a flight home tomorrow.