I am at the MD Anderson cancer center yesterday and saw one of my speech pathologists talking to a couple. She immediately hauled me into the conversation and then had to leave.

The wife said you sure have a nice voice. My reply was "yuk" and talked about the pimples on my face from a new test drug. She was doing all the talking while her husband was just smiling and shaking his head with enthusiasm. he was basically just a big ball of joyfulness which we don't see that much of.

So, i finally turned to him and asked where his cancer was at... he didn't say nothing, just smiled even bigger. wife told me he the had lost his tongue and larynx when he was in his 20s over 20 years ago and has never spoken since. and his cancer had returned several times and he always comes back to MD Anderson.

I felt about 6 inches high and chatted a bit more and gave him the RDOC url and told him to check it out.

Today when i was in for my speech appointment i asked my pathologist to please tell the other pathologist to pass on to her client the next time he comes in what a true inspiration he is to me and to thank her for pulling me in.

So when i get to feeling blue or in the self-pity mode i have this guy's smiling face etched in my memory which even has me smiling as i type this. and i am a guy who doesn't smile that much.

Hi Pete,

Every so often I meet or hear of a person like the man you described and it always takes me out of whatever funk I'm in.

There's a new post in Introduce Yourself that describes the difficulties one of us is going through, written by his brother. People like the man you met and Andy's brother humble me. Their carers are both extraordinary and should be commended for their love and support. Tough job all around.

Needing Advice by Andy's Eyes

Take care Pete!

Mimi