" A TRIBUTE TO YOU"

50th suprise b-day party in las vegas at the grand lux the date is wrong across jeff chest but it does look like a logo
i want to thank you all for reading my blog and for the kind comments either by phone or e mailing thunderbyd or on the blog..it is as much a path to the cure as my treatments are at the hospital...today i recieved a case of energy water....no card ....just a case of water....i was touched as i have been with all the gifts...cards....words....braclets....and i "cherish each and every day" that i am able to hear from you....there is a story of an old man walking along the beach and he is picking up a small grunion fish and tossing it back into the sea....a young man walks by and says" what are you doing there are thousands of them and you cannot possible make a difference to them"...the old man picked up another and tossed it into the sea and said " i did to that one" i quess the moral is you never know how or when you can make a difference in someones life...and you my friends are my "old man" you make a difference to me every day life.......cherish you all

tommy "humbled" cheffo

"ROUND ONE"

the worlds most crooked street ..SAN FRANCISCO 2005
the trip into the city was so much quicker today....triboro was the way to go...typical visit at first.....blood pressure (excellent) weight 165(the same as always) height (5' 101/2") (shrinking)...at first they did not have a blood order request but one came and i gave blood .. counts (above normal) but still red.....met a nice couple from long island and i was for the first time not the youngest person in the waiting room (yeah) he had the testicular kind and i said "oh he had the one with the cool spokesperson..he laughed but Lance had nothing on my crew...then he commented on the TYE DYED BRACELET ...loved it...then the nurse saw it and loved it ...on and on and on.....i had more confidence each time people mentioned it.....ok here's goes...after a slight delay i was finally hooked up....at first the drip was notworking well and the nurse said "wow that almost never happens" so we switched to my left hand and bombs away worked like a charm....what is one more needle among friends...so they were dripping something in my veins and i said feels good but it was only water...the GEM stuff was next and man that stung the veins..but they diluted it some more...not to hot..not to cold...just right....the Cis crap was next and i snoozed the last hour..... my fellow patients were nice (we all had a semi private room and i am glad i bought seinfled dvd...books.... ipod...and set up shop in my area.......all rooms have tv's and vcrs..suppose to be headsets only..but the old guy behind me was blasting soap operas for his wife ..but they were a cute couple and i did find out that bobby was sleeping with his sisters best friends cousin once removed ( what does that mean once removed)? rockman any clue ? with my headset on playng neil youngs "prairie wind" it took me away for awhile anyway.....well felt pretty good on the ride home and my wife is an excellent driver and avoided a swerving van at the last second...darn drivers on cell phone..see i am feeling ok cause bad driving still pisses me off...well i am where i need to be right now...getting all this down on paper.......oh before i forget side effects..memory loss..high pitch hearing loss (sorry yoko) the usual slight nausea....tingling in toes and fingers.... and the irresistible urge stand ontop of a mountain and yodel....but seriously there was a time during the treatment that i felt all of you with me...and i smiled at the nurse and she said that the treatment must be going well because i was smiling and i almost told her that my friends and family just came into the room and she would have smiled also if she only knew how true that was.....

tommy "rocky" cheffo......on to round two ...next tuesday........

D-DAY

TC & Michele at QVC breast cancer event ( notice the wine spil on her dress) is that ruben behind us?

that was a lot of fun with all the speedo jokes....man you blogettes are keeping me pumped up and focused...i will compile a greatest hits some day....ok i meet with dr.dean bajorin ( he has impressive google search) and plug in at 10:15...4 hours later i am back to earth....i loaded up with books..ipod....movies & dvds..seinfeld episodes....meet the fockers....jerry garcia movie...cd pat dobner made me.. some more mello music......lonesome dove mini series..neck pillow..a partridge in a pear tree,,,i think i got it covered.....it is a strange feeling to finally be starting...after all the tests and surgeries...tests and surgeries...did i mention tests and surgeries....the day has arrived...one step closer to the cure ,,,and trust me there is no way the outcome will be any different...michele ( from work) will not have it any other way..you see she has been doing alot of my work and will be busting her butt through the trade show season along with everyone else so i better get back in the saddle before she kicks my ass...She's the one who has to deal with my stuff daily and is a true friend in every sense of the word...and if your listening joe (her fiance) dont take any of her s-it..hehehe and i promise to not wear a speedo to your wedding in oct...SO TO ALL IN THE SOUND OF MY TYPING....I LOVE YOU DEARLY....THANKS FOR THE CARDS...CALLS..MESSAGES...GIFTS....LOVE...HOPE....AND MOST OF ALL THANK-YOU FOR CARING SO DEEPLY .......i will try to post tomorrow...no check that i will post tomorrow and let you know if "the going up is worth the coming down"

tom "peace-out" cheffo

"Anticipation"....monday morning

" now that is gonna leave a mark"
did you ever wait for something ....anything...concert day....ballgame..report card....the weekend... carvel chocolate marshmallow sundae with nuts ......and it feels like it take forever to get to you....and then when it finally arrives it zooms by faster than a speeding bullet... more powerful than a locomotor....able to leap tall buildings in a single bound ..(wait a minute that's superman i was thinking about)....no i mean it comes and goes so fast...that is what i am hoping happens when i finally start treatment..... like it starts and before you know it its over..then there's the small matter of bladder replacement and poof its over ..just in time for my new speedo.. just like the europeans like to wear......you see i have the europeans to be thankful for ..it seems that is where the first bladder was replaced using a portion of the intestine..europeans love to smoke and bladder cancer is also caused by cigarette smoke ( i do not smoke) but i told my doc maybe i should start ..wink wink....anywho they also liked speedos and did not want the customary bag attached to their leg so wahl-la ....so doctors decided to use a portion of the intestine and the rest is history......so heres the scene...me on a beach in europe.....in my speedo......drinking a lling lling lite to the pioneers who made it all possible........

chaio baby.......tommy "speedo "cheffo

"IT'S SHOWTIME"

casey.. johnny "nor" nephew david and me...singing our hearts out.........
hope all is well with you and yours..went to see the movie rent last night (cause walk the line was sold out) and i must say it was better than i thought it would be..much like the chemo treatment that i am gonna start on tues.... it should be better than i thought.....yep you heard me they found a slot open in the manhattan sloane i will take my first two treatments there (this tues and next tues) and switch to the long island office for my other six with a week off between each set of treatments .....a week off sounds nice but i will try to work the days with no treatments cause that's what i know ....Steve (the head hancho) has been amazing to me and i am given all the time i need to get well...that is a huge lift off ones shoulders...and i almost feel guilty about it because so many people get screwed by their jobs when illnesses come into play....the two drugs i will be taking are called...Cisplatin..(siss-platt-in) and gemcitabine (jem-cy-ta-bean) or from now on to be referred to as GC....both poweful drugs but a better treatment plan than what used to be the "gold standard" to bladder cancer...GC will have far less side effects and i should be able to keep the hair i have left ( notice i keep beating you all to the punch line about hair loss) clever aren't i......anyhow i will have a ring side seat on tuesday and will have all the juicey gossip from the other chemo patients in the room ..imagine me sitting still for over 4 hours.....i pity the person next to me ..i will be cracking jokes and getting weird looks i am sure.....but when it comes down to it i quess thats what i live for......that and to write to you all ...my favorite humans on this planet....sorry i missed a day Candy....must of dozed off after the leftover turkey.... it is a good thing to get this show on the road......so i could get back to selling shoes........
chemo-sabi cheffo ( thinking of legally changing my name) lol

" The Day After"

thought this photo would get a few laughs...i am wearing shoelaces on my head..now you all know what i do at work all day...just entertaining the troops.....check out the ad behind me the dog is wearing our product with the saying "we let the dawgs out"
I hope you all had great food..good wine...good football...good deserts....and good lovin...i have to say we had a little snow wed nite and it was beautiful...like i said a little snow is beautiful..its when it gets over several inches thats when it gets to be a little rough on the old back....but i quess everything else when it gets to much it becomes a hassle ...except love..... does not seem to be a hassle if you get to much love....so here it is ....all the love i could give is heading your way....pass it foward this weekend and every weekend.....like i was saying in an e-mail to phil from blue sky...could you imagine a world full of "us" people who really care about other people...man oh man thats would be some planet.. a planet full of love as john lennon used to say..."all we need is love" and a big old fat turkey stuffed with "stove top stuffing" by the way one of the women who invented stove top stuffing passed away on wed..imagine going through life as the inventor of stove top stuffing.....great pick up line in a bar.."hey what do you do" .."well i invented stove top stuffing"...."wow that cool"...."ever invent anything else" yeah you know those little things that hold the corn on the sides...yep that was me also"...i think i would like to invent something useful for this planet...i mean the guy who invented toilet paper ...now he is my idol....thomas edison had nothing on him......oh well i figured if your not in retail you needed something to read today....thanks for the posts andto my favorite shoe gal...knock em dead today....leave no customer standing and empty their wallets for some NAOT shoes...you know the ones the pilgrams used to wear

thomas " if i eat any more i will burst" cheffo ..
welcome home jason we missed ya

"Thanksgiving"

October 1621: Harvest Feast
Pilmouth Governor William Bradford declares a feast to give thanks to God for their first harvest. Massasoit and 90 other Wampanoag are invited to join the 52 Pilgrims for this three-day feast.
The English serve wild turkeys, geese, and ducks. The Wampanoag bring five deer, along with lobsters, clams, oysters, and fish. The feast also includes cucumbers, carrots, cabbages, turnips, radishes, onions, beets, corn, and wild fruits.

Could you imagine how life was in 1621 and the fact that the people were just giving thanks to their God for the first harvest in the new world.....just giving thanks for the food they were about to eat...In our world of cell phones..dvds...ipods....tgifs...computers...tv...radio....cars....jets....cameras..michael jackson (thats for u kessler)....it amazes me they were just giving thanks for the food of the harvest....i for one will give thanks to the food on my table today....and also for the love that has been placed upon my world in these eventful times.......So I say to you all HAPPY THANKSGIVING.......and really mean it....this has always been one of my favorite days
I cannot even express to all I know that you have made these last few weeks ..............unforgetable........ i said to my family the other day there are somethings i would not change about the last 5 1/2 weeks..we all know it sucks what has happened but i cannot help but feel this was all meant to happen and the outcome will have a profound effect on so many people......i am forever thankful to have you all in my life

ONE FOR THE MONEY..TWO FOR THE SHOW..THREE TO GET READY...FOUR TO GO...

BUT DON'T YOU STEP ON MY NAOT SHOES :this a photo of Possum -me, kent and kev "vansman" in las vegas....and now on to todays events:
ever try to drive to nyc in the rain...seems like everyone takes their cars out that day...only took two hours.....1st parking lot was full 2nd lot the guy says have to charge you $10.00 extra for the mini-van..so i said so whats that make it like $210 instead of $200.00 dollars for the hour.. he did not even crack a smile....oh yeah its a company car ...do you really think i would be driving a mini van if i didn't need it for biz sometimes....gotta plug NAOT again www.naot.com...ok so here's the word stop me if i get to technical...seems like up until 2 years ago the chemo that was used on my type of tumor was pretty toxic...i mean it spun the head around on that girl in the exorcist so it must have been powerful....but "lucky me" will be able to take a far less toxic and easier treatment.....it will be four cycles each one taking 21 days...treatments once a week for 2 weeks then one week off......then the last cylcle will be when i get to get the real good drugs and have my old bladder removed and replaced with part of my intestine.....frankenstein will have nothing on my insides...i mean there is plenty of intestines just hanging around may as well put it to good use... and get his i was told miminal hair loss..then i removed my baseball hat and the doctor just smiled....cant help me there i guess.........gottta tell ya......i am feeling pretty good....yeah pertty dam good......love ya
.......tom "chemo-sabi" cheffo...son of michael and florence

"what a wonderful world"..tuesdays with tommy

this was sent in by paul cartwright one of the purest souls on the planet ...I have to say it inspires me just looking at it....all of you have the same effect on me........i mean how can i not be in a good mood around all of you....think about that for a moment...............................today I enter a building that brings so much hope to so many people...it is a world unto its self...what goes on inside these walls is nothing short of a miracle...i know the outcome for many is hardship but at least they were given the best possible care in the world......i will carry pauls photo he found on the web in my heart today along with all of you..it is getting kinda crowded inside me so if anyone wants to bail on the "tye dyed train" nows the time to jump off...last call....the fat lady is singing........anybody..anybody......beuller? beuller?..ok next stop sloane kettering 68th street and 2nd ave....will post outcome tonite..........see ya........chemo-sabi

chemo-sabi

I think thats what tonto called the lone ranger...chemo-sabi...thats gonna be my mantra when i get my fix....reminds me of a joke..lone ranger and tonto are riding down a trail and suddenly they are surrounded by Indians..lone ranger looks at tonto and says..."looks like we are in trouble" and tonto says..."what you mean we white man"...i know . . i'm sorry just in that kind of mood.....
did some reasearch on chemo doc and he seems top shelve...."love that google" did you ever google yourself pretty wild stuff comes up if you ever had anything written about you... i think only one article comes up on me from a show in utah...however susan cheffos name is plastered all over,,,go figure and i thought i was the famous one...
tues meeting with doc should let me know what "cocktails" i will be taking and how many times a month...i am close to the edge now and cannot wait to start that climb ( well i can wait but i figure the quicker i start the quicker i finish....)

signed
the not so lone......ranger (could never be alone with the support i am getting) "thats me and kent doobrow in photo 9 years ago....at a sales meeting party

SATURDAY/SUNDAY

hello blogettes...what can i say but i thought after 51 years i have experienced every emotion possible...well i am living proof that there are still more to be felt....i am so touched by your comments that one cannot feel honored to have such a wonderful group of people that surround my world..... the tye dyed braclets are taking on a life of their own and if it brings awarness to this illness than i say they are doing their job ... i want to thank you all for being so supportive ...i have a saying that even though i do not see the wonders of the world every day (grand canyon..rocky mts...colorado river... dolly parton ..etc) i know they exist and that is comforting to me....well my friends even though i do not see you every day the fact that you exist is so comforting to me....i will use your love on my journey to the cure...."my victory tour" will be one hell of a ride..... new bladder logo created by rachel ...what do u think?
the tye dyed ride..is on the move...susan k said if you want braclets just ask..you could sent request to my aol account and i will foward...thunderbyd@aol.com

Tom (luckiest man alive) Cheffo

tye-dyed sky

well what can i say but..."you like me .....you really like me"...all kidding aside i have been staring at your comments for hours...it is like a mini city a nework of dear friends & family all on one screen,,,,but when my daughter wrote this comment "Lets look at this not as a hurricane but as a tye dyed sky"... ...it was way to much to bear.....here i was all set to talk about chemo and getting ready for that battle and you all went and ruined it.....seems like i got a little dust in my eyes and cannot see the keyboard real well so that will have to wait for another time.....
there will be no quote of the day ...no poem....no mantra...just this.." THERE CANNOT BE A HAPPIER MAN ON THE FACE OF THE EARTH TODAY,,,,I APPLAUD ALL OF YOU WITH A STANDING OVATION AND "I LIKE YOU ...I REALLY LIKE YOU " have a great weekend....TOM

"eye of the hurricane"

the title of todays blog is a tribute to a friend who has been fighting this battle for 6 years..his quote that it sometimes feels like he is in "the eye of the hurricane" nailed it on the head...one must remain calm while the winds of changes are swirling around you ...he is a man of dignity.....a father of young children.....his battle resumes tommorw and i am sending all the love you have for me his way today.....in a fifteen minute convervastion with him today i learned so much on how to conduct myself as the poison enters my veins,,,,he is a person i am proud to know....and a person who knows the deal...
My battle resumes tuesday with a meeting with dr.bajorin at sloane.....he better be ready for me because the "eye of the hurricane " is coming
it has come to my attention after i recieved a box from my friends at loose lucy's in charleston s.c. that tyed dyed braclets are being worn in my honor and i just have to say it is one of the most beautiful gestures i have ever recieved...a box arrived with one for me and area friends....i am overwhelemed today and humbled by all this..thank-you lucy's your the best
todays quote.........
The best and most beautiful things in this world cannot be seen or even heard, but must be felt with the heart.
- Helen Keller

"I read the news today oh boy" the beatles

"the people in your life are like pillars on your porch...sometimes they hold you up ....sometimes they lean on you...sometimes it's enough to know they are standing by". (shain)

Well....I did get the call tuesday night and I feel like I was waiting for the jury to bring back a verdict...I was found guilty ....sentenced to 4 months of chemotherapy followed by a "we will talk after that"........do not know when the sentence will start and I have no power to appeal...stay tuned

I have been saying all along i am "the lucky one" as vansman said in yesterdays comments..i am surrounded by love,understanding,compassion,fun,drama & music every day ....i have the greatest friends and family a man could ask for....it is from the heart i say this i do not stand alone in this battle.... to my family..susan,casey & chris ..........to my brothers ...my cousins...nieces & nephews to my buddies in the carolinas.....to my bandmates in the north and south...to my friends in israel...calif,,,new mexico..new york,,,,and just about every state in the country... ...to my customers and the co-workers i look foward to working with all the time....to the sales team/ friends that makes me look good (or bad) every day...to my other brothers of the road... stewart,ron,kev m,adam,mike,jeremy....to blue sky ,amigaz, fad treasures, soundtraxs , joe blow,be as you are,loose lucys ,nelson ,mullet and rainbows....to steve and susie for their compassion for family...to scott & amy, jeff & cindy,ron and sharon, Lonnie & marsha for always knowing what to say ........ and to my angels..michele,susan k & felicia whom i could never live without

I love you all for making my life worth living
tom

Tuesday "the waiting is the hardest part" ......tom petty

ok heres the deal..looks like on tues at sloane the doctors meet and discuss the new kids on the block...looks like its my turn if the reports are in on time.. the doctors come up with a game plan and decide whats best for the patient (thats me) .....should speak to nurse nora after 6 o'clock tonight..had some good news Monday... chris had I had a perfect score on sundays football games and needed a combined score of 41 points monday night to win the weekly pool...combined score monday night was 41 points...we won...looks like my luck is changing....$100.00 big ones coming our way ...this keeps up i am gonna retire......nah i love the people i work with to much..they are an amazing group.... they will be one of the main reasons i will have a speedy recovery...i cannot live without a dose of them daily ..

todays quote.."everyone smiles in the same language"
tom

rebuttal

poem on sunday was written a dr morrehead,,(thanks rock)

"Come Monday"

just the opposite between mondays and fridays...mondays have always been the red headed stepchild of the week...so lets make the best of it...answer to who wrote yesterdays poem...george carlin..he wrote it after the love of his life passed on.....good job kaminsky..thank you all for putting up with my sappy side..
i have to tell you i have been a little slow in getting my strength up after wed surgery... i am not as young as i used to be ..i have been knocked out so many times the last few weeks i feel like mike tyson in his last few fights....but unlike mikey i plan on always getting right up.....so if they think a 5 hour bladder replacment surgery is going to keep me down they got another thing coming...well i think i am getting ahead of myself....but then again i think that has been the secret to my success...always staying one step ahead...my twin brother once said to me after i said " i was just thinking of that" he said your always thinking of something so it really is not fair.....
love you all ...will have results on biospy early part of the week ..anybody willing to place odds on results?...put me down for a c-note
tom....
p.s.thanks for the comments ...calls..flowers....cds....grateful dead books...edible (spelled correct) arangements..i tell u i would have gotten sick sooner had i known all the perks involved.....peace

Another poem ......

....saturday and sunday i try to stay away from writing about my illness and focus instead on the writings and the philosophys that get me through the days.....This one is pretty powerful and i promise it is worth reading.......can anyone quess who wrote it? ..answer will be on Monday ( it was not me ..but i wish i had written it)

The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings but shorter tempers, wider freeways, but narrower viewpoints. We spend more, but have less, we buy more, but enjoy less. We have bigger houses and smaller families, more conveniences, but less time. We have more degrees but less sense, more knowledge, but less judgment, more experts, yet more problems, more medicine, but less wellness.

We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too little, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom. We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often.

We've learned how to make a living, but not a life. We've added years to life not life to years. We've been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbor. We conquered outer space but not inner space. We've done larger things, but not better things.

We've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul. We've conquered the atom, but not our prejudice. We write more, but learn less. We plan more, but accomplish less. We've learned to rush, but not to wait. We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more copies than ever, but we communicate less and less.

These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion, big men and small character, steep profits and shallow relationships. These are the days of two incomes but more divorce, fancier houses, but broken homes. These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throwaway morality,one night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer, to quiet, to kill. It is a time when there is much in the showroom window and nothing in the stockroom. A time when technology can bring this letter to you, and a time when you can choose either to share this insight, or to just hit delete.

Remember to spend some time with your loved ones, because they are not going to be around forever. Remember to say a kind word to someone who looks up to you in awe, because that little person soon will grow up and leave your side. Remember to give a warm hug to the one next to you, because that is the only treasure you can give with your heart and it
doesn't cost a cent.

Remember to say, "I love you" to your partner and your loved ones, but most of all mean it. A kiss and an embrace will mend hurt when it comes from deep inside of you. Remember to hold hands and cherish the moment for someday that person will not be there again. Give time to love, give time to speak, and give time to share the precious thoughts in your mind.
AND ALWAYS REMEMBER:
Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take,
but by the moments that take our breath away.

poem on a wall

somethings in life will have a profound effect on the way your life will turn out....when i was 17 i read this poem on a wall in a san francisco apartment ....on that day i found my lifes creeds and understood how i was to live my life..here is that poem
DESIDERATA

Go placidly amid the noise and haste,
And remember what peace there may be in silence.
As far as possible without surrender
be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly & clearly;
and listen to others,
even the dull & ignorant;
they too have their story.

Avoid loud & aggressive persons,
they are vexations to the spirit.
If you compare yourself with others,
you may become vain & bitter;
for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.

Keep interested in your own career, however humble;
it is a real possession in the changing future of time.
Exercise caution in your business affairs;
for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is;
many persons strive for high ideals;
and everywhere life is full of heroism.


Be yourself.
Especially, do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love;
for in the face of all aridity & disenchantment
it is perennial as the grass.
Take kindly the counsel of the years,
gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.
But do not distress yourself with imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue & loneliness.
Beyond wholesome discipline,
be gentle with yourself.

You are a child of the universe,
no less than the trees & the stars;
you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore be at peace with God,
whatever you conceive Him to be,
and whatever your labours & aspirations,
in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul.
With all its sham, drudgery & broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.

Be cheerful.

Strive to be happy.





--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"here come the weekend"

Friday.....don't you just love that word....Friday.....growin up in brooklyn fridays meant everything to us.....fridays meant that the weekend was almost here...you could get through anything on a friday ......think about it for a moment who does not love Fridays?.... ..those of you who know me i have trouble even talkng an aspirin...but i took a vicodin today to ease the discomforts of the pain and antibiotic which i hate the way they make me feel so i figured why not.. i mean they give me these Pain Killers (what a powerful word) I mean they kill pain ..well they dont actually kill the pain because the pain always seems to come back when they wear off so the should be call "Pain killers for a little while" or something like that...I just want to also say that I misjudged the food selection at SLoan, they gave me a menu for breakfast and it was like a room service type menus..waffles...pancakes..Omelets tons of good food.i was impressed, as a matter of fact they were going to release me before my breakfast arrived and i told them i was a least going to get a good meal out of them and i hung around for my cheese omelet,fresh fruit platter and a yogurt with granola on the side......i guesss what i am trying to say is who gives a crap how great a hospital it is as long as the food is eatable ..that's the place for me
todays quote "if you want to see a rainbow...you have to stand a little rain(the nitty gritty dirt band)

Greetings from Sloan at 7:30 am

sitting in a lounge on the 5th floor...signs everywhere "best cancer care anywhere" feel so sureal....surgery went as well as could be expected,,,,now we wait a few days for additional biospy results....
looks like i have two options that may play out 1. loose the bladder and reconstruct one using my intestine..( how freaking cool is that) or 2. chemotherpy to rid it from my body,,,will not know this for a few days.......had to wait in waiting room hours in a gown for 4.5 hours due to a operation room shortage,,,,,got in to bed at around 9insh still did not eat or drink all day...finally a TV dinner arrives at 11 o'clock i think it was salisbury steak ... a tv dinner... have not had one in a long time ...it was invented in 1954 i think the same year i was born..man i have come a long way,,,my suite mate was a snorer and i almost pulled his plug but i thought better of it.....just had a new york bagel thanks to susan this morning..did not get much sleep n here and when i did they woke me to check my vitals...go figure....well at least they pulled the tube out of me....try turning over with that inside you...
thanks for all the great comments.....will make a good book someday
tom..later my friends...will be home sometime today

WED-Day of Reckoning?

thanks to a friend of Ayelets I did get an answer to where the term "fit to a t" comes from and I will post that soon...bet you all cannot wait for that answer..but i have to keep you guessing.
well there is no more guessing on the results of the ct & bone scans they looked good according to dr steckel from north shore hospital (he was sent a copy along with my dr russo from sloan) two eyes are better than one i must say. what i think that means is it has not spread to vital organs or bone and is contained in the bladder (still not sure about the lymph nodes yet...more on that tomorrow.......
I have to say that i feel my life is like a reality e-mail show and a little like the truman show....it is fun seeing neighbors on the street and they are asking me hows was the concert or why were you congradulating ellen or who is that kaminsky girl with all the great statements...maybe i am on to something here .... the first electronic reality internet show...just grab a box of popcorn and enjoy the ride....ah who am i kidding once i am cured of this i will have to go back being just an ordinary has been ...but once you have tasted the lime light it is so hard to go back to being just......normal....i think i will have to invent things to write about like that amazing hang nail i have or the huge pimple that has taken on a life of its own...but for now its nothing to eat or drink after midnight again...iv in the arm around 3:15 pm lala land around 3:16.....up periscope......................to be con't

"Tuesday with Tommy"

wow... blown away by the response of " it's not about the shoes"

Just went to an amazing concert last night BoB Weirs Band Rat Dog just tore it up .....lots of grateful dead tunes saw the show with my kids...singing along to every song...they were so happy to be with their almost famous pops....got to thinking about all this and what it has meant and done to my family and friends ...how completely honest everyone has been with their feelings ..to see all of us out there in a world where most people get through the day without ever understanding the true value of this life...most people do not even realize that a simple smile or a pleasant word can have a profound effect on someones day. I am telling you now ....no i am asking all of you to think of all the good times we have had as friends and family place that smile on your lips today and carry it with you..... always
I will be going in on wednesday for another look see as to what is going on ...i expect to have some news by thursday...my journal will have a ghost writer on wednesday if i am unable to find a computer

It's not about the shoes

no offense to lance armstrong but the above statement come directly from his amazing book "its not about the bike" you see he was asked if he could choose between having cancer and beating it or winning the tour de france he said having cancer and beating it...imagine that he choose to have cancer ...amazing statement.. one that i hope will be my greatest achievement.....not opening my own leather shop at 25 years old.....not having two wonderful children and a 25 year marriage..not being sales manager of a successful footwear company ...not playing competitive softball for over 35 years...not coaching championship baseball, basketball and soccer teams.... but to have and beat something that is invading my body and trying to remove me from this planet and all its beauty...it will not deprive me of watching my children become adults and build their own lives.....of the mets one day winning it all ( and if that happens i swear my son and I will be at the game)..to watch my daughter teach others the true meaning of courage and the role model my wife has been to all who know her story ........it will be an absolute honor to kick this out of my body..........i will carry myself with the dignity and the strength my parents had when they were striken at such a young age. i will learn from my friends that my life was and is worth livimg that i have made a diifference in their lives and for that I am forever grateful for the respect and love that has be given to me. where ever my road leads me... know you can bet that i will not be traveling alone....i feel each and everyone of you holding my heart in your hands....
i love you
tom

"saturday in the park"

Had a blast last night ..good times with some good friends...But enough about me....I would like to talk about you...if you are reading this blog you must be a person that I really care about and think the world of...so pat yourself on the back today you earned it...you see I have made it my business only to surround myself with people of substance...people who care ...and people who make a difference..and you my friends and family fit the bill to a T (cannot figure out where that statement comes frome ...to a T) if anyone knows please fill me in...

oh yeah love the banter on the comments and the way you guys are talkng to each other....so many people read it and send comments to my home account and thats cool also.... this has been a great dirversion for me and helps me on my journey,,,
love you all
tom......congrats to Ellen on the great news....go jets....

Tom Cheffo's "walk in the park"

HI ALL i always feel that my fingers are too big to type on a lapptop but i will give it a shot...speaking of a shot got to give blood again today i tell you there cannot be much left,,,,so i get into the room for pre-op and the nurse says something to me and i think she says take off your pants leave the tee on ,,gown tied in the front ..so i come out just a gown and tee shirt....she laughs and says er,,,the other way around leave the pants on but remove the tee..and i sad i was so used to removing my pants through all this it was out of habit...got a good laugh....ekg ..passed again,,,chest xray...all ok.....dammit i guess i have to have that surgery on wed......its is in their hands now..... and i told them...many people are counting on them so do not screw it up.....
have a great fri nite......seE ya mananA....TOM

Gamma rays

ok....first of all I enjoyed the comments on the shaving and hair jokes..but remember what goes around comes around..hehee

Gamma ray machine was working and first i was given a shot of some nuclear stuff to highlight the bones went back three hours later and was placed on a table with this weird machine that scaned my entire body..it took about 45 minutes of staying still and those of you who know me know that is next to impossible....but i did it and got a beautiful picture of my all my bones...very freaky getting that around halloween....might just hang it in the window next year....off the sloan kettering tomorrow for some pre-op tests and looking foward to hanging with some friends tomorrow night.........update for those of you keeping score......dr russo wants to see for himself whats going on in my bladder so i will be going in Nov 9th for another look see at that point i will know for sure the actions that are going to be taken...again I cannot tell you all what an amazing group of friends and family i have been blessed with ..Paul, I promise I was wearing Brooks sneakers during my stress test.......
quote for the day...: "he who laughs.......lasts"

Tom Cheffo's stressless test

passed stress test with flying colors although i have to say its kinda kinky getting parts of my chest hairs shaved away.another doctor could not believe there is antything wrong with me and joked he was through with me for the day cause he has sick people to treat...tomorrow is bone scan again (last week machine broke down ) and pre-op stuff on friday.....
review on Prairie wind (neil youngs new alblum) ....excellent.... mellow, story telling masterpiece
<>Shop www.looselucy.com for cool clothes....I hear Blue Sky Clothing is Flying off the shelves<
quote for the day " WE CANNOT DIRECT THE WIND, BUT WE CAN ADJUST OUR SAILS"

hump day is coming

By the time you read this it is already wednesday i 'll bet .the weekend can be seen on the horizon and it should be a beauty...well a few days away from doctors offices was what i needed but its back to the routine ....stress test (wed).... get a phone call from a nurse...fast for two hours (piece of cake) after 36 hrs last week, no caffine (ouch) loose clothing, and get this no baby powder on my chest (always wanted someone to tell me that) .....should be routine...wires hooked up to me ...run like the wind...pretend to be in shape...then pass out at home....someone asked me today how i have been able to be so positive through all this......and i really did not have an answer ...i dont really know what is keeping me so upbeat.maybe it will crash around me someday but for now it is a time for me to think of how truly blessed i am to be so loved by so many.......

my heart will go on
tom