2006

HAPPY DAYS ARE HERE AGAIN.....................................

a year to remember.......well just about ready to put this one in the books.....it has been a heck of a ride................so many moments........ so many roads traveled by all......thanks for taking the walk with me......i never once felt alone in this journey.....(ok those two days and nights when i woke up from surgery were kinda freaky) but even then, thanks to the "fund" i was able to have someone by my side ...... i have to admit a year did really fly by ......the chemo treatments are a thing of the past and the healing although slower than i thought is on target....friends and family it is an absolute joy when someone comes up to me and says " i read your blog all the time" and "by the way thanks it really helped me through some things"......do you have any idea how that makes me feel...i mean i started writing to heal myself within and i know that it helped me through the toughest of times....but never did i imagine that it would take on a life of it's own...i am and i really mean it so fortunate to have
the most beautiful people surounding my world....family -friends-pets-and ememies i wish you a wonderful happy over the top new year....may 2007 be what ever you need it to be......my journey continues. i know 2007 will be..........awesome .......................................p.s congrats to timmy and rachel on the birth of their beautiful baby boy named cahal..check him out http://www.cahalmckeefinch.blogspot.com/ ..WISH YOU ALL THE JOY IN THE WORLD..............................................TOM................

HAPPY CHRISTMAS

I always like to see what holiday card effects me the most or the one that i feel captures the moment or the feeling that i am feeling....well i love them all ..all the photos....sharing of love and peace ....pets and children....misle toes and menaurahs.....santa and mrs claus.....but the card to the left is from one of our customers from texas captured it all.....and to all i wish love...peace..health.......most of all HOPE......please enjoy the moments....enjoy the time of year......smile on your brother...everybody get together and try to love one another right now (youngbloods).....Tom...ooooxxxxoooo...... to all and to all a good night

hAPPY hANAKKAH---2006

i just have to say it has been a heck of a year....one for the books........i for one have learned much about human nature and what a person can or cannot endure......as my doctor said to me today....and by the way i am really doing good......she said..." your body has been through a major change and it may never be back to where it was"..i plan on fooling them all....but she also ended her sentence with "but you look so good".......it is in the days that i return to the hospital for these tests that it all floods back......but i have to say i really do not mind going to see everyone there..they are amazing...truly amazing.........i even stuck my head into the patients room next door just to say hi and wish him well......we smiled and compared battle scares.....wished a happy holiday to each other and just kinda smiled knowing we are just happy to be apart of this world....and in such great hands......oh well i plan on commenting and blogging year end news....please keep those comments coming either to thunderbyd@aol.com or this site......i have kept everyoneof them and we have a hell of a story being told......happy Hanukkah to all and to all a good night ....please send good vibes to my buddy bob and to stewarts cousin neil who are fighting the battle now...........peace on earth

Cat Scan

(storm cat )
ok it seems like they like to keep an eye on us former cancer patients..thats right former i am......and former i am gonna stay.....i just put enough distance from me and sloane ketttering and they pull me back in......my 1/4ly check up is here again and i have to get scanned tues dec 12th.,...results on thursday......i am told the the new bladder is working mighty fine so i do not expect any set-backs...............................listening to the jj cale and eric clapton cd...awesome music....i recommend it highly.....those of you into peace and music i recommend the old bobby darin tune ...a simple song of peace.....right on today even though it was written in 1969.......(itunes 99 cents..live at the desert inn version)........all the news that fits.........tom cat

Beautiful quote

every once in a while i receive something via e-mail from a wonderful friend that just has to be shared,,,,enjoy...read it slow....read it twice ..tom


IF I HAD MY LIFE TO LIVE OVER - by Erma Bombeck (written after she found out she was dying from cancer).
I would have gone to bed when I was sick instead of pretending the earth would go into a holding pattern if I weren't there for the day.
I would have burned the pink candle sculpted like a rose before it melted in storage.
I would have talked less and listened more.
I would have invited friends over to dinner even if the carpet was stained, or the sofa faded.
I would have eaten the popcorn in the 'good' living room and worried much less about the dirt when someone wanted to light a fire in the fireplace.
I would have taken the time to listen to my grandfather ramble about his youth.
I would have shared more of the responsibility carried by my husband.
I would never have insisted the car windows be rolled up on a summer day because my hair had just been teased and sprayed.
I would have sat on the lawn with my grass stains.
I would have cried and laughed less while watching television and more while watching life.
I would never have bought anything just because it was practical, wouldn't show soil, or was guaranteed to last a lifetime. Instead of wishing a way nine months of pregnancy, I'd have cherished every moment and realized that the wonderment growing inside me was the only chance in life to assist God in a miracle.
When my kids kissed me impetuously, I would never have said, "Later. Now go get washed up for dinner."
There would have been more "I love you's" More "I'm sorry's." But mostly, given another shot at life,
I would seize every minute...look at it and really see it.. live it and never give it back. STOP SWEATING THE SMALL STUFF!!! Don't worry about who doesn't like you , who has more, or who's doing what Instead, let's cherish the relationships we have with those who do love us. Let's think about what we are blessed with, and what we are doing each day to promote ourselves mentally, physically, emotionally. I hope you have a blessed day.

naTIONAL sALES mEETING

just finished 3 days of meetings-partying and paintballing..will not bore you with the meeting stuff....but paintball now that was a blast ..it was only my 2nd time (but will not be my last)....split into 2 groups....learned now to use the gear.....reminded to never remove eye shield....200 miles an hour paint ball will do some major damage.....first game i settled in looked out over my bunker and splat right in the face shield it splattered..........what a rush....by the third game i was really into it....my body is coming back...first real test of the new bladder......decided to hang back and give cover fire to my teammates.... it seemed to be a stalemate and time was ticking.....i decided to run across the entire indoor field and flush them out....thats right ...i ran ...the fastest and furthest i have run since the surgery......got behind a huge bunker and traded shots with my co-workers.....ran out of paint balls ..rushed up behind a wall and force one to surender....(he did not know i was out of bullets)......well i should have looked to my right because sean, michele and scott were hiding behind a bunker and i was plasted with paint.....game ended in a tie.....smiles all around......i quess i am telling you all this is because my body was glad to get some new energy and excersise in it....oh yeah meetings went well....it was so good to see everyone.............and so good to be seen........blog you next week......trade show in NYC all week.................peace...

ONE YEAR AGO

self portrait
this tues the 28th marks the one year anniversary of my first Chemo treatment. i cannot believe a year has gone by. i re-read the blog and comments of that day and was, as always deeply touched.....i am feeling better but different....people always ask me "how are you feeling" and i seem to always say...i will be better soon.......it seems that i still am in someone else's body and i am on the outside looking in......i am sure that will pass as my strength returns and my spirit lifts me past all this......my weight is up and my energy comes and goes.......and i do get by......but like i said....it is something that i still cannot completely understand all the love and support that i received during this difficult yet amazing year........i will celebrate many anniversary's in the years to come......landmark days and events that marked this "walk in the park" i celebrate them with you.........always ........tom

THANKSGIVING

hi my fellow americans.............next week is going to be a special holiday...........i mean it is a holiday without all the b.s that comes with most of them.............i mean no hidden agenda......just to be thankful for what we have...just be thankful for our families and friends....pets and music.....food and air....water and love..........health and happiness.....mets and jets.............toilet paper and chocolate (not in any order) memories and forgetfulness..............nieces and nephews..........ice cream and beer........bikinis and beer........doctors and medicine.....gleevec and neo-bladders.....rolling stone and relix ........hippies and well just about everything that makes up this world on the peaceful side...........oh yeah that would be the best thing to be thankful for if it were possible......peace this holiday season....my friends......let me offer you at least that..........peace and love to all i know...i know it is something that is always said............but i really really mean it .....i love you all so much.............. may your homes this holiday season be filled with all that is good in this life.............oooooxxxxoooooo TOM

PART OF THE PLAN

thinking about the past year......still feel like i am one of the lucky ones..with all the support and love i had...i mean this has been such an incredible journey full of the highest of highs and the lowest of lows......but isn't that what most people have to deal with everything they do .....look i am not saying i recommend that everyone gets their bladder removed and replaced with their intestine
..that my friends might be a little extreme.....what i am saying is i think coming through all this and seeing what an inpact it has had on so many people has lead me to believe that it was all part of the "plan"...i mean really how many of us took this "walk" together.....how many of us rode the "wave" of emotion together....how many people have taken "stock" of what they have and love........I was thinking about closing out "WALK IN THE PARK" AND CONTINUING THE JOURNEY maybe call it " a run through the jungle" or something like that....maybe share some insight on what it is to live with my new body...my new mind....my bladder.... i mean my story is really not over and can never have an end ...... i hoped that i have made an impact on other peoples lives that i will be apart of this world for a long time.......my mom has been gone since 1970 and she lives in so many of us still....i decided a long time ago that i wanted to have that same impact on this world as she has had ..... i just wanted to say that all that are in the sound of my blog....i will carry you in my heart and soul.....and feel you touching my shoulder ...as my Journey Continues....... i will take it easy ....but take it (words of woody guthrie)..........TOm

WORLDS GREATEST DAD

From Sports Illustrated, By Rick Reilly] hey i think i am a good pops...but you have to read this story and watch the video with sound....i was deeply touched..take the time...amazing
But compared with Dick Hoyt, I suck.
Eighty-five times he's pushed his disabled son, Rick, 26.2 miles in Marathons. Eight times he's not only pushed him 26.2 miles in a Wheelchair but also towed him 2.4 miles in a dinghy while swimming and Pedaled him 112 miles in a seat on the handlebars--all in the same day.
And what has Rick done for his father? Not much--except save his life.This love story began in Winchester , Mass. , 43 years ago, when Rick Was strangled by the umbilical cord during birth, leaving him Brain-damaged and unable to control his limbs.
"He'll be a vegetable the rest of his life;'' Dick says doctors told him And his wife, Judy, when Rick was nine months old. ``Put him in an Institution.'' But the Hoyts weren't buying it. They noticed the way Rick's eyes Followed them around the room. "Tell him a joke,'' Dick countered. They did. Rick laughed. Turns out a Lot was going on in his brain. Rigged up with a computer that allowed Him to control the cursor by touching a switch with the side of his Head, Rick was finally able to communicate. First words? ``Go Bruins!'' And after a high school classmate was paralyzed in an accident and the School organized a charity run for him, Rick pecked out, ``Dad, I want To do that.'' Yeah, right. How was Dick, a self-described ``porker'' who never ran More than a mile at a time, going to push his son five miles? Still, he Tried. `` That day changed Rick's life. ``Dad,'' he typed, ``when we were running, It felt like I wasn't disabled anymore!'' And that sentence changed Dick's life. He became obsessed with giving Rick that feeling as often as he could. He got into such hard-belly Shape that he and Rick were ready to try the 1979 Boston Marathon. ``No way,'' Dick was told by a race official. The Hoyts weren't quite a Single runner, and they weren't quite a wheelchair competitor. For a few Years Dick and Rick just joined the massive field and ran anyway, then They found a way to get into the race Officially: In 1983 they ran another marathon so fast they made the Qualifying time for Boston the following year.
Then somebody said, ``Hey, Dick, why not a triathlon?'' How's a guy who never learned to swim and hadn't ridden a bike since he Was six going to haul his 110-pound kid through a triathlon? Still, Dick Tried. They did 212 of them.
Hey, Dick, why not see how you'd do on your own? ``No way,'' he says. Dick does it purely for ``the awesome feeling'' he gets seeing Rick with A cantaloupe smile as they run, swim and ride together. ``No question about it,'' Rick types. ``My dad is the Father of the Century.''
And Dick got something else out of all this too. Two years ago he had a Mild heart attack during a race. Doctors found that one of his arteries Was 95% clogged. ``If you hadn't been in such great shape,'' One doctor told him, ``you probably would've died 15 years ago.'' So, in a way, Dick and Rick saved each other's life. ``The thing I'd most like,'' Rick types, ``is that my dad sit in the chair and I push him once
watch th is video...with the sound up http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f4B-r8KJhlE

HOPE ALL WAS HAPPY THIS HALLOWEEN

Blogs Birthday

well it was exactly one year ago I started this Blog.....now they say most blogs peter out after 3 months.....they say ( i have no idea who they are) most blogs never even get people to comment......well we certainly broke that mold................yOU HAVE BEEN SUCH AN AMAzingGROUP OF PEOPLE...........i know now that my words have reached hundreds of people.....but what you also must know that your comments also have reached so many and in many times were just as entertaining as i tried to be.................i have saved every e-mail to my business account tcheffo@yaleet.net, my personal account thunderbyd@aol.com and to this blog and i have to tell you i still am amazed by the support that i was given.....i mean i know it was not your everyday,run of the mill, slam dunk kind of situation...i mean you all stood by me as the chemo entered my veins...you all sat right beside me when my bladder was removed and replaced with a piece of my intestine...you all held my hand when i took those first few steps to the computer in the hospital to tell you all i was gonna make it........you all stopped any tears from flowing before they even tried to leave my eyes (although a few drops just managed to escape just now)......i cannot even begin to thank all of you but i have to try..........to my wife, casey and chris your humor and love got me through the toughest of times......... you guys rocked...to all my cousins i love you so much and feel like i was so blessed to be part of this family , to my friends ,brothers and sisters of the road....... ....... i could not have made it without knowing we would all be together again......to my dearest friends what can i say....i tried listing all of you all but was to choked up so i just have to tell you something..." i have been to the darkest place a man could ever go, i have looked through these eyes and saw what never should be seen, i have been lifted from my dream to become whole again and you have been part of the reason why.........i will spend the rest of my life never ever taking our friendship for granted.................your hearts were so giving,caring convincing.......i had no other choice but to survive."......to everyone within the sound of this blog.....THANK_YOU from the bottom of my new bladder......................................tomstrong..........

MOURNING FOR MY METS

photo one 2006 ..... photo two 2005.. exactly one year apart photo was taken wednesday night going to the QVC BREAST CANCER FUND RAISER.......(MORE ON THE EVENT LATER)...... as the saying goes ...you can't win the all (BUT IT LOOKS LIKE I WON THIS BATTLE i fought over the last year)...but all us mets fans wanted was to win 4 out of 7 and advance to the center stage......well i want to thank all my pals for pulling for my mets...........even though your loyalty was to other teams..red sox...atlanta..seattle.etc....but you all wanted my mets to win for me....it was suppose to be our year,....but as chris said to me in the top of the ninth..."dad at least your alive to see this"..ya gotta love him.....ok the event wednesday night was amazing....our industry raised over 3,000,000 for breast cancer research...we got to hang with carmen electra,stephon marlberry (Knicks) meadow from the sopranos... and many more.........we had a blast....it looks like October is officially CANCER AWARENESS MONTH IN THE CHEFFO CIRCLE and i am so glad all of you are a part of that circle.......together we will make a difference....i swear............... there is a really special shout out to the birthday blogger extrodinair susan k (oct 14)...casey and i and a bunch of friends surprised her (a party was given to her by mike her husband) in myrtle beach and we danced the night away....casey got to sing with the live band the zen tricksters and really stole the show with her version of "me and bobbie McGee"...it was one of the top ten moments of my live..you see casey was celebrating her 5th years from being diagnosed (we are one day apart) and she really shined i mean really freaking shined up there.....the house just roared for her.........oh well i cannot end this weeks wrap-up without wishing karen m a happy birthday and my dear friend bob good luck with his "walk in the park" that started this week... let's get them next year......................love you..official member of the "soggy bottom boys"..tom

ANNIVERSARY & BIRTHDAYS

well today i celebrate my one year anniversary from being told "houston we have a problem"....i of course i said "what you mean we"....those words echo in my head..."tom your gonna have to lose your bladder"...i said" did you just say i gonna have to loose my bladder?" and the rest is history....i hope i set an example to those who will follow in my footsteps.....and for those who are up against the "trials of life" i can only say if you have the family,friendship and support that i have had....it truly will be a "WALK IN THE PARK"........ 5 years ago this weekend was also the "day the earth stood still" casey will celebrate her 5th year after being told she had CML.....5 years ....wow......casey i know how hard it has been but you have been my inspiration through my ordeal...your strength and courage has been amazing........ mom and dad love you so much..............LAST but NOT least...it is queen of the bloggetts birthday today SUSAN K..(karen m is next week ).......she is off fishing somewhere so post your birthday wishes...and anniversary wishes here........where the news keeps coming....27/7. thanks for coming along on my journey.........it has been a "long strange trip"......full circle.....think you should re-read yesterdays last comment it is a tribute to us all,,,,,,,, i will try to re-print it...TOM....good luck bob in your treatment

A WEDDING ,A BABY AND TWO KITTENS....(THREE UNRELATED TOPICS)

cASEY...MICHELE...SUSAN K..KAREN........well we sure had a great time this weekend...michele (from work ) got married and we let our hair down...(well whatever hair i got left)...she invited everyone she has ever met in her entire life.....we danced the night away..... she did the most wonderful thing you could imagine...joe and michele in lieu of favors donated in everybody's honor and in honor of the Cheffo family......money to sloan kettering hospital (best cancer care anywhere)...we were blown away and mr and mrs meier (michele and joe) we are forever grateful for what you did ........I wish them an incredible ride throughout their lives.....enjoy hawaii you guys......ok the second part of this post..stephine and jason of loose lucy's fame had a baby this week....beautiful baby boy..jackson is his name......good luck in life jackson.....your mom and dad are the cooliest people around........ TOPIC THREE......... CASEY BECAME A grandma yESTERDAY...her cat rockstar had two kittens....(that means sue and i are great grandparents...proud to say mother and kittens are doing fine..........enjoy the weddiing photo and it was so good to see everyone and some of my bloggetts in person...the doobies,the cartwrights..rockmans..grossers... larris & larris....krypels ....candy girl....kaminsky and murphy........tina.....everyone form work......old and new.......i had a blast seeing you all............lots of good memories......lots of good times......smiles....tom...................................................................ps.....coming up on one year ....oct 14th.....the day i was told....."tom we got a big problem"......I'm still standing.............better than i ever did....first on the dance floor...one of the last to leave........

WALK FOR THE CURE

PHOTO OF TEAM CASEY ...... we had the most excellent time at the "light the night " event thursday night..the event was put on by the leukemia/lymphoma society to raise awareness and funds for all blood cancers ..it was packed with special events and survivors and supporters everywhere....we raised thousands of dollars and walked a few miles to raise awareness ..i do not have to tell you how thankful i was to all of the people who donated and walked...it also was my "first" walk as a survivor.....yeah that's right i am a survivor..and dam proud of it.....survivors carried white balloons and supporters carried red..all the balloons were light up ..it was a sight to see and feel......i was never one for fundraiser and these types of events until we started doing the breast cancer event and the leukemia walk once a year "oct 18" is the day to raise money for breast cancer research (OUR COMPANY DONATES $120,000 worth of footwear to be sold on QVC ALL PROCEEDS for BREAST CANCER research ) WE JOIN OTHER FOOTWEaR COMPANIES TO FIGHT THE FIGHT .....it has made a world of difference in my life to do these events.........it kinda makes you feel that you are making a difference.......we know TEAM CASEY made A DIFFERENCE LAST THURSDAY NIGHT ON THE CAMPUS OF HOFSTRA UNIVERSITY...............................................oh yeah..forgot to tell you i had my ct scan results last week...looks like you gonna have me around for a while...all systems are a -go..... new bladder is taking a liking to me.....think i will keep it for a while...........next test in three months.......they are keeping an eye on me i guess............tom ......micheles (from work) wedding is this week.....saturday is going to be a blast.......

LIGHT THE NIGHT

This is a week for us to help join the fight against blood cancers....casey had a fund raiser at a local bar (beau's in greenlawn) and raised thousands of dollars to be donated to the leukemia/lymphoma society ........several bands ( even my old band blackhorse played there) see photo.... along with rob seiler my dear friend and neighbor who is now an official member of Blackhorse...we were missing kevin ward who is still slowly recovering from hip replacement........ but enough about us even though with casey singing with us we rocked the house...or should i say bar...other people donate raffle prizes and the bands included gun barrel city and the man himself peter toh and the royal tease.....marc opened up with some brilliant piano work.....we had a blast and i thank all who attended or donated so far.........we will be taking this fight againt blood cancer to hofstra university on thursday night for an incredible walk around the campus with surviors and family's & friends carrying balloons white balloons for survivors and red for supporters......it is an amazing night for a tremendous cause.....i know you will all be there in our hearts.....the cheffo's ......special thanks to beau's bar & all who attended a really special thanks to loose lucy's ,huntington village leather,fad of huntington,station coffee,body and sole,naot sandals ,denise hubley & the leukemia society for their incredible raffle gifts..........the fight continues.........

FLORIDA PART II

What a fantastic trip......two trade shows... biz was real good.....visiting stores....kissing babies and shaking hands....my victory tour was in full swing....then all my buddies started to arrive......smiles all around......music seeping in.......beer started flowing......jokes started flying........and that was just in the first 5 minutes.....seeing stewart, mo and kev m, all my surf expo friends and the beautiful loose lucy gals was all that it should be....good friends and no bull.....hearing kev martin play the mandolin to our songs is something everyone should hear......i mean he just nails it every time.....to see tears in the eyes of the people i love is humbling at best..........sitting by the pool playing music after a long day smoozing shoe-people is i quess what pools are made for...even the security guard thanked us for playing and breaking up his night..... even told us where we could continue the jam after the pool had to be locked up........i reprinted the comments that were directed at part II take a look ....please send more...it is always a pleasure to hear from you'all......oh yeah try kissing the wind....you never know where it might end up.......all the peace you can handle.......tom....congrats to my Mets.........all the way boys

FLORIDA

well spending a week in fla (working ) mostly has been a real eye opener......i have seen more people traveling around with rolling walkers than i care to admit (not in south beach where a different kind of wheels was the norm) mainly roller blades....i say if there would only wear our sandals the would not need walkers.....except for my dear friends gene and gladys....they retired down here 5 years ago and the look younger than ever......i loved seeing them and had a good time as always......in orlando now heading to tampa to sell some shoes ( i kinda just show them ...they sell themselves..heehe) then back to orlando for a national trade show.....it is great to be on the road...my body is saying what the heck i thought we were through with this travel stuff....not in a million years...although as fogelberg says..the audience is heavenly ...but the traveling is hell...........big music jam planned for friday night.......will be missing kent.... a card carrying member of possum but will rock on.......as the saying goes...if the room is a rocking......please come a knockin........please be safe you'all....good luck barry & bob with your surgeries

HELLO WORLD

I still cannot get over the feeling of the wide open spaces of the mid west....it always stays with me for a long time...........i am heading on my first extended road trip (9 days) heading to miami saturday and doing a trade show in south beach fla......(lucky me)......then heading up to orlando to the surf expo show..gee all the new bathing suits for next year will be shown...(even luckier me).......best of all will get to play music with the 'VANSMAN' himself....kev martin....one of the card carrying members of 'POSSUM' and hang with the best group of people a man could ask for...........................friday night kev if your reading this,,,,,,....all is well internally...different but well.....if i have one thing to say to you today.......embrace it...whatever it is embrace it.......love ...music....work...friendship.........the latest issue of playboy........embrace it........take nothing for granted....for as quick as a sting-ray to the heart it could be over.........(somehow it was a fitting death for the croc-man)...god i hope i don't go in the middle of selling shoes ......i could see it now......yes we have this in a size uggggggg..........but if i did it would be doing what i love to do .......playing with ladies feet... errrrr no i mean working with people..yeah that's it working with people...............................TOM.........good luck lucy...we are pulling for you...................

THEY LIKE ME...THEY REALLY LIKE ME

ah shucks you guys are making me blush.....or is that still the after effects of the chemo.......i really don't think i could ever stop completly.......it is such apart of my being these days.....my trip through the corn fields of iowa has reinforced to me how beautiful this country is.......seeing those cows munching on the grass was so peaceful to me.......( the fact that i wanted a omaha steak after passing my 2,000 one had nothing to do with how i felt)......seems to me that everybody should take a ride through iowa someday..........it smells so clean (except around the cows).........oh yeah speaking of cows...sold a heck of alot of shoes while i was there ...well brad did most of the work(get it our footwear is made from cows) .....great job brad....a pleasure to hang with you.........gotta go ..steaks just about done .......p.s has anybody not seen what an amazing team the mets are this year..............

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CLOSER TO MYSELF

i am still feeling real good from last week and i left that photo up to keep me smiling.....went to the met game tues night and they won with a walk off homer.....chris and my bros were by my side and i thought my son was gonna crush me after the hommer to win.......i realize in those moments i am still not 100% and have to turn it down a little......i dragged all day wed and was in bed early wed night........don't know why i am telling you all this but i guess it stll hits me sometimes as to what i went through...and where i am going......when i think about it only being about 4 months ago that i had the surgery it boggles my mind...it also boggles my mind that i used the word boggle......oh well off to trade show on sunday...beautiful downtown shendoah iowa...corporate home of brown shoe fit,,,,,if you sneeze you drive right past it........(if your lucky)......anywho still need to post the rap song and poem that was written in my honor....but that is for another time.....coming up on 1 year anniversary on being diagonsed....oct 13th........i was thinking i will end my "walk in the park" blog then ............but who knows what i will begin that day.......stay tuned my beautiful friends and family

TYE DYED SUPRISE

..................let me start by saying that i have the most amazing family a man could ever ask for....kindness was bottled by these relatives and always ready to be served...chilled or warm it is all i would ever need to drink.......what started out months ago with trying to figure out a date that all the "cousins" could get together to the actual drive to new jersey (getting lost again even with a gps sytem and two extra humans to guide the way)......to driving up the driveway of my beautiful cousins loraine and donny..(ok donnie is handsome) home.......thinking it was our typical family get together....i knew this would be special because most of them read my blog every day and lived the journey with me and it was going to be "good for the soul" to see and feel their hugs.....as we turned the corner of their driveway i heard my favorite grateful dead song playing (ripple) i knew we were going to have a real good time....but never did i expect to see the sight i saw that day........it was a sea of pink tye dyed shirts...cousins wearing afro wigs...all in my honor.......all out of love......all for one...truly one for all.......( turns ou all the hand made ..hand dyed shirts did not start out pink but when they washed them to stop them from bleeding thay kinda ran together) it was like a flaming breast cancer awareness moment only it was for me......the photo above only tells half the story ..the day was filled with music i love.....( not a single complaint from the sinatra crowd)....food i really love knishes..chicken....bean salad.....home made italian ices....cookies...cake......beer.....pulled pork..beer......brownies........ice cream...beer.................i know i forgot something oh yeah everthing except the beer was made by one of my relatives......the highlight of the day is when you have a pome written about you from my uncle vinny..... i am honored to have one written for me ( i will post it this week)...man oh man did he nail it on the head....my writing pales in comparison to his and was honored to have him think of me so fondly,,,,,,,,ok just when i think i cannot be suprised anymore my nephews luke and gabe (who are next to me in the photo) wrote and sang (and played drums) a rap song to me........it is the highlight of the day...........thank you family......aunts and uncles thanks for being great role models growing up .........i only hope i have been able to be the same for all your grandchildren whom i love and hold so dearly............barbara......loraine...diane......steph.......jan...christopher.....anthony........you have the most beautiful familes and "continue to bless me with your undying love and support throughout my journey.......you have made my "walk in the park"...........remarkable......you all are park of my "post-op" recovery......saturday i was the "luckiest man on the face of the earth".......tom

TODAYS MAIL

just received a letter from my hospital asking me if i wanted to attend classes on post cancer seminars........i thought about it for a minute and was thinking about how everyone i know has been there for my post cancer treatment and i have the greatest support team anybody could ever have..so i passed....i will try to offer my support to anyone who needs it.......on sept 28 our family will be walking in the "light the night walk" at hofstra university that supports the research to help find a cure for leukemia if anyboby wants to join our team in this walk i will post the sign up sheet soon......we march as surviors and friends........we are so close to getting rid of certain types of leukemia that i could taste it...imagine that ....in my lifetime my beautiful daughter Casey with be free of this burden...........i will live to see that day.........we will live to enjoy that moment.................drinks are on me when that happens........peace for now.........can't wait to see my cousins this weekend......................enjoy the concerts casey and chris.........out for now

HOME ON THE RANGE

i like to consider my home like a ranch only without the cattle,rolling hills,big fences,a place to tie up my horse, a well on the property (you get the picture)....but a place to ride up upon after a long road trip and a place to settle in after landing in the sunrise.....getting onto my horse...errr car and riding through the rolling road called the southern state parkway.......pullin up when i turned onto my block it was almost like i rode under the big wooden sign posts that used to identify the big ranches of the old west.......i felt like i was bringing the cattle home (billy crystal quoted curly in city slickers "there's nothing like bringing the cattle home") only that cattle was only me getting back to the ol homestead and into my bunk to settle down and shake off the jet lag that our cowboy of old never really felt.....i am sure as i sit here and type to hundreds of people at once that some of those old cowboys are sitting up there watching us run around this planet, getting from salt lake to nyc in just under four hours and are wondering how i could possibly not stop and sleep under the stars tonight and watch the most natural light show in the world...that sun that has now set and melted in the sky.....and will rise over us to offer us the light of a new day...........a new day for peace on this planet..........lets keep the rockets asleep for a little while .............to all i know thank you for all the love and affection as i slowly get back to where i once was and thanks for the prayers to my family in one of the most difficult times we have had..................tell someone you love them today.......it's good for the soul..... tom.."the last of the brooklyn cowboys"

trade show heaven

we are having a great trade show....this is an amazing market......everyone is into a healthy lifestyle......but everyone has a beer in their hand around 4 pm......show party had the band flock of seagulls..(80's) party band and they were a blast..........michele decided not to eat and had a liquid dinner last night and got vip passes to g-love.......kent and i ended up playing guitars in his room and had a magic night......we ended the set with a song called satisfied mind.........fitting ending to a great day......errr night.................peace tom....oh yeah craig still has not shut up............love ya

greetings from salt lake city

well i am back out on the road.....thanks for all the well wishing and prayers....i felt them through the screen........we will carry mathew with us always...........went to park city tonite for a good meal with good friends and great wine,,,,,,,i expect a very busy show and love the action..............michele and her crew worked hard getting the booth set up and i am forever grateful for that...............i will keep in touch......the show must go on.................tom

greetings from salt lake city

well i am back out on the road.....thanks for all the well wishing and prayers....i felt them through the screen........we will carry mathew with us always...........went to park city tonite for a good meal with good friends and great wine,,,,,,,i expect a very busy show and love the action..............michele and her crew worked hard getting the booth set up and i am forever grateful for that...............i will keep in touch......the show must go on.................tom

SAD NEWS

the trade show was a huge success and i was on top of the world.....friends and co-workers were happy to see that i was back to my old self again (almost)...customers were smiling as was the competition...you see it is not only about the shoes in our industry and everyone proved me right...........right down to the multi-brand-jam-band that performed in the hotel suite...it was my return to glory so to speak........however that world came crashing down with one phone call from family......my nephew and godson Matthew Cheffo Nowicki was killed in a tragic accident at the young age of 22 ........matthew was the son of john (Nor) and rosemarie whose photo graced my blog only two entries ago.......although rosemarie is my first cousin i have always considered her like a sister because when my parents passed on it was with rosey and her family that took us in and we lived like brother and sister...Nor is and will always be one of my best friends...and brother -in law......the pain that our family is feeling now can only be explained as devastating......my sister lost her son ..my best friend lost his son and i lost my god-son.......I was chosen to read the eulogy at the service and i will always honor and cherish that moment as long as i live....Matthew blazed a trail through life and he will be missed...he will be missed by all .........he also leaves behind two beautiful sisters who loved and adored his way of life......I love you Matthew....you will live in my heart........forever.....uncle tom.......

ON THE ROAD AGAIN

THE side of willie nelson tour bus & back stage at a willie nelson/grateful dead concert..that's willie in the flesh
Like willie says.....cant wait to get on the road again.....but i have to admit i am a little nervous about leaving the santuary of my home......i am excited about being surounded by my dear co-workers and road warrior friends i have an amazing group of friends in my industry........i know thay are just as excited as i am to be back out there......there is something about trade shows that cannot be duplicated any where else....i swear there should be a reality tv show about them......but back to me for a second.....this is a huge challenge and one that i am ready for ..it's like riding a bike you never forget how....but if you take a spill on one it takes a little while to be comfortable again....that is how i am gonna feel ..........but i proved it to myself by going back to work full time on june 1st earlier than i expected.....i worked through my chemo treatments for the most part .....so gosh darn it there is no reason that we will not have a KICK BUTT TRADE SHOW IN LAS VEGAS ......AFTER ALL THEY DON'T CALL ME VINNY VEGAS FOR NOTHING................................ so far 20-22-35 are the roulette #'s last chance to pick a number.................happy birthday paul.......could not have done this without your love and support....................see you when the wheels touch down.....will report in from vegas........cell # 1-516-946-1134........ and don't forget to light a candle for all the injustice in the world......may it light the way for all the see ....tom

pRETTY COOL WEB-SITE

my cousin roe and johnny nor .......many moons ago.....we had a get together at their home tonight.....thanks for a real good time..
click on the site below.....type in your birthday and year and it will give you pretty cool stuff www.paulsadowski.com/birthday.asp here is only a part of what it says about me....................... As of 7/27/2006 12:05:32 AM EDT You are 52 years old.You are 629 months old.You are 2,736 weeks old.You are 19,150 days old are 459,600 hours old.You are 27,576,005 minutes old.You are 1,654,560,332 seconds old. pretty wild stuff.......anyhow my dear friend ronnie came "home " from new mexico to visit......a few of the old gang got together and had a blast down memory lane............smiles all around.............no tears on this night........we will always be friends.....no doubt about it................... my aunt gloria was there....we told her stories about what used to happen in the basement .........i swear aunt gloria it was incense ......what a great reason to be alive.......old friends and budwiser..................yahoooooooo...tom........love ya johnny nor.......

MY GRASS IS BLUE.......................

david grisman
Saturday.......Forecast was calling for wind....grey skies.....heavy rain.....um what to do ........sue was on the way to the city to spend the day being pampered with her girl friends as part of her birthday presents.......i know...... call casey and see if she's up to still go to the blue grass festival on long island....but before i do the phone rings...hey pops what are we doing..i said if you make it over here we will go........well i'll be a philly cheese steak we went.....it was so windy the cheese from the cheese steak sandwich casey was eating blew into her nose....the music was fun...the beer was...er...not serving beer ?..at a blue grass festival ..what else is a man to do ...get your hand stamped and head to the pup between sets.......David Grisman was the feature act and he is one heck of a mandolin player..............glad we went best $5.00 bucks i spent all week...................( the cheese sauce on caseys nose was worth it).......and oh yeah all the pickin and grinning and dancin in the rain was a blast.....you might say...the blue grass was all wet......thanks sk for turning me on to blue grass..................health wise ...energy comes and goes......like i have been saying...."learning to live with my new body"....and trying to not push it to hard......heading to vegas next sunday....excited to get back on the road....biggest shoe show in america,,,,,,all my pals will be there for my victory tour............... true test of my stamina........please e-mail or send in comments your favorite #'s for roulette...i will play them all on one roll thunderbyd@aol.com

YOU LOOK GOOD TOM

HARRY CHAPINS GRAVE SITE
I think when people see me for the first time since it all started going down they are a little shocked as to what i look like..i mean i still am a little skinny .. but i sorta look the same.... a little grayer ( but a touch of gray kinda suits me anyway)...a little wiser......but still have that mischievous shit eating grin these days ) and i am doing everything possible to gain weight......i mean tonight i had a sundae at carvels...if you never had a sundae at carvels you have no idea as to what you are missing....when i was a young brooklynite we used to walk to 57th street to the local carvel...i always had the same thing.....chocolate ice cream...Marshmallow sauce........peanut toppings.......now here i am a half a century later and i still am having the same exact thing at carvel...i mean it brings back so many good memories that everytime i have one (only my second one this entire summer) it reminds me of those summer nights in brooklyn.....that sundae never made it passed 58th street on the way back to 63rd.......well tom carvel...thAnks for the memories........with a cherry on top..............please enjoy every sandwich....as warren zevon used to say

HEAT WAVE

WILLIS CARRIER....INVENTOR OF THE AIR-CONDITIONER
kind of a cool phrase...heat wave.....what is it exactly a wave of heat ? ....never really stopped to think of it but i do know every once in a while a phrase pops up and i analyze it (just look at the first part of analyze) and it strikes me funny....anyway it is brutal out and i hope all off you have a way to cope with it.......i never could figure out what people like daniel boone did without air conditioning i mean was the planet cooler then or are we just a bunch of babies...got to give the guy credit who invented air conditioning..love to shake his hand (if it's not to cold) because i assume he's dead by now....i wonder if there is air conditioning wherever he ended up ....oh well here's to WILLIS CARRIER the inventor of the air coditioner here's the skinny on that......The 'Apparatus for Treating Air' (U.S. Pat# 808897) granted in 1906, was the first of several patents awarded to Willis Haviland Carrier. The recognized 'father of air conditioning' is Carrier, but the term 'air conditioning' actually originated with textile engineer, Stuart H. Cramer. Cramer used the phrase 'air conditioning' in a 1906 patent claim filed for a device that added water vapor to the air in textile plants - to condition the yarn.

HARRY CHAPIN

OH IF A MAN TRIED TO TAKE HIS TIME ON EARTH AND PROVE BEFORE HE DIED WHAT ONE MAN'S LIFE WOULD BE WORTH I WONDER WHAT WOULD HAPPEN TO THIS WORLD......harry chapin
sunday marked the 25th anniversary of harry chapins death...a good dear friend called me from st.louis to inform me of that fact and i am forever grateful for that....you see harry was a inspiration to me in the way he conducted his life beyond music...he started long island cares and donated much of his money and time to feed the poor....he was headed for a free concert when he was killed on the long island expressway in a terrible car crash that has left us missing one of our own for a long time......it turns out that harry is buried in a local historic cemetery and my friend from st louis ...lee porter asked if i would go to the grave site and take a picture for him so he could put it up on a musical tribute site of a concert of harrys..i had a hard time finding the grave site but with some help i located it........however on the way to the cemetery as i was pulling in .....a harry chapin song came on the radio and i knew i was suppose to be there today........my friend bill michaels and i planted some flowers and paid our respect to a great humanitarian.....after harry's death i got to be friends with sandy his wife and i know that harry and i would have been friends had he taken his van that day instead of the volkswagon on that last ride on the LIE..............oh the choices we make....the above photo is of his tombstone and gravesite and it speaks for it's self................................fridays concert was as expected and more...a wonderful evening with casey and her new found friend dan......................... thanks to lonnie and marcia for saturdys bar-b-q and alan & donna for the event on sunday...... i love you guys...i am finally full ..............................keep on rockin

BREATHE

every once in a while ya just gotta breathe......you know just suck in in and blow it out.......i mean really pay attention to it.....it is kinda nice to be able to do it without even thinking about it but when you really ..i mean really think about it, it is mind blowing how amazing it is........the way i figure it that breathing is probably the most important thing we do all day (other than eating ) and we can get by without eating for a few days ...just try that with breathing..Sorry charlie...a few minutes tops and it's off to never land ..so i vote today when we take a breath......we enjoy it and never take it for granted.........as faith hill says........JUST BREATHE..........another concert friday night....bob weir and rat-dog ..........radio city music hall.....i hope the rockets don't show up.........see ya on the flip side................................................tom...."still breathing "....cheffo

WORLD CUP.....AND THE METS

being of italian descent i was strongly rooting for team italy the whole way ...yep even against team usa.....i was rooting for them for my grandpas (both of them) and for all my relatives born in italy......it was one of the few days that i strongly felt my heritage rear its head and take claim....proud of the team and the results..i wonder if the french team would take heed to my coaching philosophy that playing and having fun is why you do it................not............................switching gears .....went to a mets game saturday with my dear friend stewart ( joe blow fame) and his son tanner ...mets kicked butt and we had a blast....thats two days in a row that i had to use public toilets with my new bladder.....It's a trip but hey i did it and survived to tell you all about it..........live goes on................tom "italiian stallion" cheffo

"Playing inThe Band"

well my friends i did it ....casey and i went to a concert last night to see phil lesh (grateful dead fame) and friends....the seen (inside joke on the spelling) was exactly as i expected it to be......lots of love in the air and smiles on the faces.....hippies young and old dancing to the music ..you give a hippie a flat surface and that's what you get....dancing...even i was able to shake my bladder a little.......not a bad vibe in the place except a security guard who told casey to stand behind the line to dance and she said "hey i am with my pops and he's sitting right here"..ya gotta love her she takes no crap from anyone...even me........it was during the show when joan asboure was singing "Sugaree" and trey from phish was playing with rob and phil and i look out over the water that i realized how lucky i was to be there......it was an amazing moment for me.....it reminded me of that saying that was passed on to me..."life is not measured in how many breaths we take...but what takes our breath away"......my friends i was breathless last night and not just from the dancing............so let's do the math.......$150.00 for two tickets......$100.00 for some grateful dead blankets from little hippie.....gas to the show...$20.00.....dancing with my daughter....priceless...............able to tell all of you about it....breathless .........peace out .....tom...

KEEP ON ROCKIN IN THE FREE WORLD

i do not know about all of you but i am feeling pretty darn good these days......i have found some of my old energy again and an milking it for all she is worth......i realize that i have been to the valley below and now i have climbed to the top of the mountain again.......look i am no fool i know that this life will always be like the roller coaster "the cyclone" in coney island full of highs and lows.....twists and turns....creaking old wood like the bones in our bodies.....breath taking excitement and a journey of unknowns.. but if i was put on this planet to help point out that it is a gift to be here,,,,,,, so be it...........my dear sweet family and friends...having you in my life is a gift..........one that i cherish daily...and that my friends why i am so glad i will be around to keep climbing to the top and enjoy the view.....it is so much better than it was at the bottom.........tom ................................my heart goes out to susan k,karen m, and their entire family after hearing of the loss of their brother-in-law Chuck....his brave fight will always be his legacy ........the family he left behind will always keep him in their hearts ...tom

Happy Birthday........ America

would like to take this time to wish everyone a happy 4th.......Between the hot dogs and the fireworks we should remember our forefathers who
risked it all to become free.......isn't it sad that because of winning the war we were granted freedom.....freedom is another word that is on my top ten list.....i cannot even imagine not being free like so many other people in the world......peace should lead to freedom......every person....every country should be free..............let the flags of freedom fly.......be safe....enjoy the red white and blue this week...we earned it.......to all my retail pals......long may the lines at the registers ring.......tom

Inspiration

I have to say that listening to Neil Youngs new "Living with War" has given me hope that there are other people on this earth that feel as strong about peace as i do.....i am not just talking about the current war we are fighting and the wars that were fought throughout the years but all kinds of injustice that we have created in our daily lives.....the "wars" that the days are sometimes filled with.....drivers who don't care about other people on the road..... people who close the doors in your face...... clerks whose customer service skills were learned on the back of a crackerjack box..... rude teller marketers who call at dinner time......the no use lies that are told daily on just about every tv commercial ....this does this....this is the best..this is proven to grow hair (easy now) ...this is proven to grow other things....the wars on the back covers of newspapers just because a ballplayer drops a ball it's big news.......the front pages sensationalized to sell newspapers........i wish that all these "WARS".......would just stop.....peace is really one of the most beautiful words in the english language to me....always will be a part of my vocabulary...i hope it is one of the last words i ever say other than love........my friends i wish you peace in your daily journey........thanks for reading........if i weren't so tired at night i would blog more.......doctors says this too will take time........learning to live with my "new" body parts a little better......man o man what a journey.........one that is having a happy ending.....thanks to everyone in my industry........you all have been fantastic...see you on the road.....i plan on being at wSA>>>>outdoor retailer>>>>>surf expo.......let the games begin..........tOM
.....

AND HE CONTINUED TO bLOG

that poem yesterday really was awesome thanks again bruce....please send any cool stuff to thunderbyd@aol.com if your to shy to comment.....ok today (monday) had a followup visit with my doctor here on long island....we just chatted ....the vampires took blood.....poked here....pushed there....felt this.....said that.....made them laugh.....bitched about whatever.....asked if i could play softball soon.....6 months from surgery i was told....ummmmm let's see that puts us into october.....oh well next year i guess...numbness in groin area...normal.....bloating in stomach...normal....ripped feeling in belly......normal.....149.5 lbs....encouraging......so doc what your telling me that i am doing ok right.....doc says....looks ok to me...see you in september...........well kick up my heels and buy me a slurpie doc says i am doing all-right.......you see your prayers and love have worked.............imagine that............i am doing all-right...............far-out..................neil youngs living with war cd.......**** stars......

Back by popular demand

going back to during the week blogs........thanks for asking for the daily blogs...i will try to make them worthwhile......bruce ( a co worker and good friend) who went through his health problems last year sent me this poem.....it speaks for itself...

This is a poem written by a teenager with cancer.

SLOW DANCE
Have you ever watched kids
On a merry-go-round?
Or listened to the rain
Slapping on the ground?
Ever followed a butterfly's erratic flight?

Or gazed at the sun into the fading night?
You better slow down.
Don't dance so fast.
Time is short.
The music won't last.
Do you run through each day
On the fly?
When you ask How are you?
Do you hear the reply?
When the day is done
!
Do you lie in your bed
With the next hundred chores
Running through your head?
You'd better slow down
Don't dance so fast.
Time is short.
The music won't last.
Ever told your child,
We'll do it tomorrow?
And in your haste,
Not see his sorrow?
Ever lost touch,
Let a good friendship die
Cause you never had time
To call and say,"Hi"
You'd better slow down.
Don't dance so fast.
Time is short.
The music won't last.
When you run so fast to get somewhere
You miss half the fun of getting there.
When you worry and hurry through your day,
It is like an unopened gift....
Thrown away.
Life is not a race.
Do take it slower
Hear the music
Before the song is over................even i needed this this weekend....tom
--------------------

Birth-day

had a good time with some of my wife's closest friends and family..we celebrated a milestone birthday for sue and she was sure suprised
..............................i am sort of stalled in my energy levels and top the scales at 150.5 tonight...now that is exciting..............everyone says i look great (as opposed to looking like crap) before i quess......i mean what are they suppose to say .......i wish for once someone would say....man you look like crap today..............that would be pretty funny........but we hold our tongues ....like when you seee a really ugly baby in a stroller what can you say to the parents.....nice stroller?.............i love this life and the fact i can spew that random stuff out and get a good laugh out of it myself..........rock on my friends.........see ya over the weekend.......tom

Tuesday with tommy

it appears that i touched upon something when i talked about dads that have left us...my thunderbyd mail box and the comments post had some beautiful e-mails thanking me for remembering them .....and then it struck me that the hospital that my dads last words were was the same exact hospital that i was in..... his words will live inside my everyday ( he was a man of few words) so even though they were his last words to me they probably were his first also...hehehhe............................. still dragging my body a little and trying to put in my 8 hours at work which by the way is part time for us in season.....it is a slow process one in which my spirit is willing but the flesh is lagging behind................oh yeah ....every other day blogs for a while...........unless breaking news happens.....like the wifes birthday on thurs or something like that.......weight up to 148........still to skinny and when someone sees me who does not know it is pretty funny to see their face..i just tell them i run marathons now...kidding....no i really do..........ah how can i lie to you guys i tell them i am into drugs these days....man i am i having fun with this .......later.........Tom "super model skinny" Cheffo................p.s bladder is workin fine.......stomach is the organ i need to watch......it seems to be a day behind me all the time...hope it catches up soon..starting to be a pain in the ass well not quite the ass but close.....had to leave a meal with my pals in nyc due to severe stomach distress ,,must have been the pina coloda on fathers day.......sorry adam stewart and marsha..rain date soon........peace../...