We Remember Today

2/10/1954-10/1/2005

October...

As joyful as the fall can be, the month of October always comes in melancholy for me. It was three years ago today - October 1, 2005 - that I lost one of the most amazing ladies who ever found her way into my life, my first wife Nancy, to complications from breast cancer that metastasized into bone cancer, then brain cancer, over a period of several weeks. Nancy, who had been a teacher at DHS Regional School - Ocean Campus in Toms River, devoted her life to the mentally handicapped, as a teacher, respite care provider, and sponsor. Nancy eventually lost both breasts to cancer, and later her life.

In some cruel irony, Nancy passed away on the first day of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. It is therefore recommended that you find out more about breast cancer and its insidious ways by reading up on the latest medical information at your favorite medical provider, then making a donation to the Susan G. Komen Foundation. It is also recommended that you get yourself checked. Men too!

(The picture above was one of the last pictures I ever took of Nancy, at the very first Toms River Fest in late July 2005.)

Nancy, Two Years After

It is almost two years since I lost my wonderful wife, Nancy, to breast cancer, and articles like this one may give hope for the future. But they don't make me feel any better about what I went through two years ago.

And as National Breast Cancer Awareness Month approaches in October, I remind you to give generously to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.

I'd also like to take the opportunity to remind some marketers that breast cancer affects men, too, and not just as husbands of victims. Breast cancer is not a women-only disease. Richard Roundtree is a breast cancer survivor - that's right, John Shaft himself. Breast cancer was a contributing factor in the death of "The Price Is Right"'s flamboyantly-clad announcer, Rod Roddy, in 2003. My father in law had it, too. Think about that the next time you hear TV ads hawking medication or product-tie ins for yogurt or some other female-centric product. Thank you for your time.

Just a Few Quickies

• A reminder that October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Please participate where possible and give to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. Ladies, if you're of the age or inclination, schedule that mammogram. We've lost too many marvelous women to breast cancer, including my late wife Nancy who died a year ago this month. Chances are, someone close to you has been touched as well. So go do this.
  
• More October loss, and not of the baseball variety: one of my dogs, Princess, had to be euthanized yesterday with a potentially fatal condition. I did not want her to live and suffer, even though I felt she still had a lot of life and spunk left in her. My wife and I adopted Princess shortly after we got married. My yellow lab, Macho, remains with the household, which now stands at one man, one dog.
  
• Go Mets. Glavine pitched a great game last night and the Mets are poised to take the last game Saturday in Chavez Ravine, as the Yankees head for Tiger Town... good luck. My 40 years as a Mets fan have paid off very nicely in two world championships, but that 2000 loss to the Yankees still stings. Let's erase that stigma!
  
• Things We'd Like To See Department: Rudolph Giuliani at a Mets game.

Six Months Goes By Too Fast

Today is the six-month anniversary of the passing of Nancy. The reason I mention this is because we still need to keep up the breast cancer fight on her behalf. The most heartening moments during those emotional early weeks of October and November were the periodic notices I'd receive from the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation that some kind soul thought enough of Nancy to give some money to the cause. Thank you.

The "Journey" Continues

Nancy Mackey has released the second volume of "Melissa's Journey", the adaptation of the New Jersey core curriculum standards to meet the needs of profoundly disabled individuals in a home school environment. Go to http://www.lulu.com/nmackey for more details.

"Melissa's Journey"

Nancy has graciously asked me to talk a little about that book that has been appearing in the sidebar of my Blog for the last few weeks.

"Melissa's Journey" is the true story of how the New Jersey State Core Curriculum is adapted to meet the needs of a multiply-challenged individual we call "Melissa" in the book (confidantes know her by another name; we had to change it due to privacy concerns). The book covers the period between July 2001 and July 2002 and makes some very interesting side trips, including how the curriculum and plans were adapted to cope with the September 11, 2001 tragedy.

The target audience for this book is homeschool parents who wish to adopt their state standards in their program. I suggest if you're in this category, you should go to lulu.com and read more about this project.

Another volume is in the works, by the way.