November 23, 1963 - I was taking a final exam in "Humanities" at Minot State College, at Minot, No. Dak.

I still cannot  believe that jerk of a professor would interrupt our exam to make the announcement that JFK had been assasinated. 

Not only was I a full time student, but also a member of the United States Air Force, stationed at Minot Air Force Base (Strategic Air Command - aka SAC).  Obviously I had to hand in my exam (incomplete) and return to the base as quickly as possible, as it wasn’t hard to imagine the entire US military had been put on Strategic Alert.

It was the longest 13 mile drive that I can remember taking, and as I neared the base I could see the B-52 Bombers and Tactical Fighter Jets taking off for God only knows where.  We were all confined to base for the next week, and by the time I was able to get back to my studies, that idiot professor would not allow me to re-take the exam.

This guy had said many times that the US would be better off without the Kennedy’s, and I think took it personal that I was in the Air Force.  My duties with the Air Force were as a Ground Radio Operator, and except for making radio checks with Air Force Command and other strategic stations it was a rather boring and quiet job.  Since I only worked rotating shifts at night.  This allowed me to be a full time student and work nights at the base.

That was then, and this is now.  As most of my friends here at AARP are aware;  I went through a stem cell (Bone Marrow) transplant back in June and as far as I am aware right now, going through that procedure but the Lymphoma into remission.

Now I have to have the Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA) I was diagnosed with at the same time as the Hodgkins Lymphoma was diagnosed.  All the doctors involved decided to get the Lymphoma taken care of first.  It has almost been two years since that initial CAT Scan picked up on both of these problems, and the Aneurysm has grown from a little over 5cm to a little over 6cm and could burst at any time.  It was that type of burst that took Harvey Corman’s life back in June.  His burst sometime around the first of the year, and because his had to be real emergency surgery, the effects of that surgery was the cause of Harvey Corman’s demise.

If taken care of under normal surgical procedures at a pace the surgeons can work with -- the chances of the surgery being fatal are about 1%.

My surgery date is Scheduled for December 8th at 10:00 am at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston.  I have maintained my personal website through Caring Bridge and you can visit my page and leave messages for me there.  I am supposed to be in intensive care for two days and the remainder of a week or so as a guest of Brigham & Women’s.  If I am not physically able to be online, my daughter will probably make some entries in my journal log at the Caring Bridge web site.  I have put the URL for the web site below.

I want to thank everyone that gave me the support and encouragement during my battle with cancer, and welcome that same support and encouragement again from them along with my new friends.

http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/davidcashel

God bless and thanks for being there. ---- David Cashel

Hi Folks,

Not only is today my Birthday, but yesterday, I had another PET Scan, which showed NO remainder of the Cancer I have been fighting over the past year and a half.  Even though there is always a chance of it coming back, the Stem Cell transplant I just went through in June hopefully will prevent that re-occurance from happening.

It isn't over though -- as soon as I am well enough to withstand an operation, I have to go back into Brigham and Women's Hospital here in Boston for an operation to repair an Abdominal Aeortic Aneurysm that I have also been walking around with for over a year and a half.

Otherwise referred to as a AAA it has grown to over 6 centimeters and is at the point it is near bursting which could prove fatal.  Harvey Corman, who just passed away had his burst about six months ago, but the were able to operate and save his life, but it was complications from that surgery that took his life in June of this year.  So, I guess it is something I shouldn't ignore.  Isn't maturing a great experience --- all I want to do is golf.  But I keep going from one sand trap into another.

At least I have my groups here at AARP and my regular online friends.

Dave Cashel

I have only been a member of this website for a few days, and feel that today (more-so than 30 or 40 years ago) I do enjoy this magazine for its articles and cute stories and jokes.

I have had the opportunity to communicate in writing with three members through my one and only group (so far) "Joke of the Day".  I found them to be delightful and caring women, who seemed sincerely concerned with my health, and the discomfort I deal with day to day due to the Chemotherapy treatments I have been going through for a year and a half.  I like this site, and I think there is a lot of information I can gather through it, and friends to make on line.