Michael Sky Update

To my many friends and neighbors: as you may have heard I am going through a fairly nasty form of cancer. However, early reports that I had just three weeks to live were not entirely accurate. Here’s the current story:

Back in July, I started having trouble swallowing food. As someone without health insurance, living on an island, with little savings, and who hadn’t been to a doctor in forty years, I approached it as I had always done—as an issue of diet and nutrition. Gave up certain foods, tried different supplements, and worked with several local healers trying to figure out just what was going on and how to fix it.

Unfortunately, while we were doing all that, food was getting more difficult to swallow, and I was losing weight and energy. Finally, had a round of blood work, stool tests and an x-ray which all came up negative. While eating just got harder and harder.

Two weeks ago we finally opted for an emergency room visit to St Joe’s in Bellingham. First, the good news: a lady named Lucia sat us down and said “Don’t worry! One way or another everything will be paid for.” (I was sure she thought she was still living in Cuba). She was followed by a number of angels who each did their bit to make it so. Penny and I are not only NOT sliding deep into debt, I may even be receiving some disability payments.

My dear America, the way it ought to be….

So we got the big test — a cat-scan — and discovered a tumor had been slowing growing in my esophagus, ultimately closing the feeding tube off completely. They also noticed a suspicious spot on my liver which led to the “Three weeks to go” pronouncement. A couple other docs have since said it might be benign, but none has said my death is imminent.

I am home from the hospital now, all set up with another band of angels — local caregivers here at the house 24/7 to help with my recovery, while simultaneously helping Penny manage our affairs.

We are so very blessed.

Lily’s come home from college and will be here through the summer.

However much time I have–and I’m thinking months/years rather that days/weeks, will be devoted to three main tasks. First, I am just days from publishing a first novel that I am pretty happy with. More on that when it’s done.

Second, I need to responsibly pass on my web development business, and hope to have completed that over the next couple days.

Third, I’ve got friends dropping in from all over the world and look forward to soaking up every moment.

And finally, I intend to live into my nineties. I’ve got a feeding  tube inserted that is starting to build my strength and weight back up. We’re filling it with every cancer-fighting agent we know of. And we will be doing a few rounds of radiation to shrink the tumor, perhaps just enough to allow some eating, but hopefully enough to be able to remove it.

I will finish by saying that the two days when I thought I was passing quickly were absolutely glorious. It has been a wonderful life, one unending gift. No regrets. But I just don’t think I’m done yet.

love and blessings,