It has been 10+ years since I had any contact with Mike. I found out about his kidney cancer from my wife who heard it from his mother-in-law.  As I rode for him these past few weeks I wondered what he is like today. 

Back when I saw him on a regular basis he was so quiet.  Not super introverted but also not the life of the party. People had to work to get him to talk.  He choose a career that fit his personality - accounting and was quite comfortable following the leader of his company.  And for recreation he would prefer to sit inside and read a book to being outside in bad weather.  

Well, that was all a lie!  Mike was never quiet.  He is a custom home contractor.  He won’t take direction from anyone so has his own company. And he would much rather be wet cold and hunting than be sitting by a warm fire place.  At least that was Mike when he built our house. And it is a great house. Still have never had an ice cycle in the winter!

I know cancer can change people, but not the core. I bet Mike is frustrated  by the same stuff I am.  Cannot get the same answer twice from the same person.  Everything takes for ever.  The people who work in Oncology are fantastic and they all work in a crappy system.  It is though to think what these people could do with a system like Mike uses to build a house. Wow!

Mike, it sounds like you have been dealing with cancer for much longer than me. We also have significantly different cancers.  I do not know what your prognosis is and I do not actually know what mine is.  What I do know is I will choose my bone marrow biopsy any day over your cystoscopy.  Yikes!  I hope you are well. 

SHINE!

     The Road Rider