MEMORIAL DAY

JUST A REMINDER ....HONOR THOSE WHO FOUGHT AND LEFT THEIR LIVES BEHIND FOR ALL OF US.........................

just left the scene of the crime..... SLOAN KETTERING NYC ...where i had my surgery over 1 year ago....seems it was years ago.......left some blood and some other fluids...got a clean bill and made another appointment for next year......what a difference from the last time i was in there......i look around the waiting room and can always spot a rookie....uneazyness in their chair...concerned look on family members.....the look in their eyes..."whats next"....ahhhhh rookies gotta love em......i feel like walking over and putting my hand on their shoulders and saying...........look at me ..i made it ...so will you ..............well as most of you know the cheffo family will be in for another fight for the next few months and i will be sending e-mails to family and friends about the situation.....every few days or so,,,,,,,in the mean time "if you can't be with the one you love...love the one your with" (s stills).......hug your kids and pets extra hard tonight..........blog you later.....tom

GOING STRONG

you be the judge......on how i am feeling these days......

10 hours of work
1 hour soft ball practice
3 hours coaching basketball
all in one day...............yahooooooooooo

i am getting there,,,,,,,still climbing uphill some days....but i can see the the plateau down the road

oh yeah had a blast at the merlefest..
read vansmans comments from last post ...........tells it all......

sad news to post a good friend of vansman's Neal Van Winkle's young son has been diagonesd with leukemia.....aghhhhhh it hits home when i hear that ...the Van Winkle family has set up a blog to keep family and friends posted.....Neal is a Rep For Vans footwear and the father of little Branbon..please send the great vibes their way ......check out the site....what a batttle Brandon is fighting...what a battle he will win.............. www.caringbridge.org/visit/brandonvanwinkle

MILES AND MILES OF SMILES

mERLEFEST HERE I COME......BIGGEST BLUEGRASS FESTIVAL IN NORTH CAROLINA IS STARTING THURSDAY...I WILL BE THERE SLINGING SHOES AND DANCING WITH MY FAVORITE HUMANS......

THERE IS A SAYING IN THE BLUE GRASS WORLD ..MY GRASS IS BLUE.......AND FOR TWO DAYS IT CERTAINLY WILL BE......

SAM BUSH HERE I COME...........................

HAPPY BIRTHDAY/ANNIVERSARY BLADDER

WELL I MADE IT .....ONE YEAR....RELIVING THE "ORDEAL" THE LAST FEW DAYS...AND RE-READING THE BLOG AND WONDERING HOW I MADE IT PRETTY MUCH INTACT.........IT WAS THE DEEP ...DEEP LOVE FROM ALL MY WORLD THAT DID IT.....

WAS GONNA RE-PRINT THE INCREDIBLE THINGS THAT WERE SAID ABOUT ME DURING THAT INFAMOUS DAY.....BUT A LITTLE HUMBLED TO SAY THE LEAST....SO IF YOU WANT GO TO ARCIEVES AND CLICK ON APRIL 12TH.... BE MY GUEST .................. THE REST IS HISTORYTHANKS FOR EVERYTHING..II WILL CONTINUE THIS JOURNEY......WITH ALL OF YOU BY MY SIDE..

RE-PRINT...APRIL 11 2006...ONE DAY BEFOE SURGERY

Tuesday, April 11, 2006
TILL THE MORNING COMES
ok this is officially my last blog for a few days.....so heres what i have to say.........nothing.......that's right i am saying nothing...you guys have said it all....your phone calls...e-mails...gifts.....poems...prayers and promises (sorry.... john denver song snuck in)...your amazing strength to support my family in such a way that could never be equaled ........as i continue to say nothing about how today i was talking about my surgery as if it were happening to someone else .....but i figured it had to be me in this situation.....there had to be a reason why i have been surrounded by the likes of you.......my network of family and friends ........ co-workers....business associates is second to none.......it has to be me tomorrow because i would not want this to happen to any of you whom i love so dear......so raise your glass tonight.......take a look at the moon tonight ...it would be an honor if everyone looked up at 1 :00 pm tommorow and thank the earth for keeping us alive and bringing all of us together...you all have spent so much energy on my journey...relax tomorrow...i am in good hands..............WE ARE LOCKED AND LOADED TO BEAT THIS THING....ALL FOR ONE ....ONE FOR ALL...... to sue, casey, chris, maggie, cocoa mo, stormy and reese ( can't forget frida fish)...it has be a heck of a ride....thanks for steering the ship........Dad & TC....SURGERY 12:45 WEDNESDAY..........MAY BE OUT LATE IN DAY MICHELE WILL UPDATE BLOG...HER WORK pHONE # 516-465-6268
# posted by tom cheffo @ 8:02 PM 7 comments

RE PRINT OF BLOG APRIL 10TH 2006

T MINUS 36 HOURS...TILL BLAST-OFF
well my friends the time has come...i will be in the hands of a gifted surgeon( if he screws up do i still have to pay him ?).....one small set back today....i spiked a fever (SUNDAY NIGHT FEVER) up to 101.5.......plus i am fasting and craving a cheese-burger like you would not believe..MED RARE...NO PICKLE....SWISS CHEESS...SIDE OF FRIES...CLOW SLAW..........dr said take two tylenols and call me in the morning...really thats what he said......funny guy.......i love him....i love you guys....i love the crack in the sidewalk these days......what can i say you have made it up until this point a journey to remember........one i will tell my grandkids about.......i plan on one more blog before wedesday and michele will take over.....be kind to her.....she tells me everything.........thanks for the phone calls..... gifts....love....hope...peace.....cards.....music....prayers....yeah yeah all that is good but not one of you snuck me in a chese burger today........and to think i get to fast all over again tomorrow......call me at home around three tomorrow and you will see exactly how ornery i can be...............THESE ARE THE GOOD OLD DAYS..( on one of chris from nomatic state of mind shirts).....I LOVE YA.........TOM

To all I love

APRIL.....

back top front,,, brother mike,my dad,brother dom,mom....and me.......check out that turtle neck and beatle hair cut...

well the anniversary of my surgery is coming up real quick...never was one guy who was big on that stuff but hey what the heck gotta celebrate some things April 12th ..one year has passed...i have to say it has been an eventful one.......spent the first few months just getting to know my new body......still some hurdles to jump..but all in all happy with the outcome....all ct scans were clean.....always a in-tar-resting- moment waitng for the outcome

up date on life

Allman shows at the beacon are amazing still
Mets are kicking off the season tonight........
College basketball was fun to watch
Sandal season is coming
Skywalk is open at the grand canyon
Merle fest in Carolina is at the end of the month

Passover starts monday.......

Still have one more night of the allman brothers to go to

hug a piece of the earth today........it feels so good...........

will have a birthday party for my bladder on April 12...one year old....clowns..horses......the whole 9 yards.......

tom

HO HUM-ANOTHER CT/SCAN

KING OF THE WORLD
RED ROCK LAS VEGASFEB 2007

had a ct/scan at sloane kettering this week........

wow going back to the scene of the crime as paul cartwright puts it was ......ummm a little unreal at first ...but i settled in drank some stuff...poked my veins....put me in a machine...just your ordinary run of the mill day on this earth......said hey to some familiar faces....some not so familiar ones and noticed that they added a new area...added some more nurse stations....must be big business this cancer thing.........get my results on monday....expecting the best...excepting nothing less...........

keep dry my fishing buddies........rock on my allman brother peach heads........

tom.....

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

sent by my cousin maryann..

Life is short, Break the rules, Forgive quickly, Kiss slowly, Love truly, Laugh uncontrollably, And never regret anything that made you smile.

HAPPY ST PADDYS DAY

ALL IS WELL ..FOLLOW UP VISITS NEXT WEEK RETURNING TO THE SCENE OF THE CRIME.....WILL KEEP YOU POSTED

PEACE

MILE HIGH

melting ice caps

just got back from denver and i have to tell you what a beautiful city denver is..i mean i have been there before but never before seen the mountains a beautiful as they were last weekend..... oh yeah i was there to work and that was biz as usual...people happy to see me.....intrigued by my surgery....almost a surreal existence sometimes.....like they can't believe i made it and just want to touch me....gotta love it...just gotta love it

i happened to rent " the inconvenient truth" the movie al gore made about global warming and i think we owe it to ourselves to see this movie...it is a real opening of the eyes so to speak...not to get on the soap box but it is just an amazing movie and it has to make you think about how we live.........the fact i was watching the movie 35000 ft above land on a plane that was burning fossil fuel..well it just kinda made me think.........

love and peace...tom

FEB 15TH HAS COME AND GONE

red rock las vegas..2007

ok here is why i wrote that date feb 15th down..that was my last chemo treatment a full year ago.......(seems like only about 365 days have past) hehhe ...but a weird thing happened last week in vegas..a waitress notice my tye dyed braclet and asked what was it for and i kinda said something like "it is for me" and to make people aware of bladder cancer..she smiled and said she was a survivor (she was only 32) and she survived ovarian cancer.....and her last treatment was a year ago...you quessed it Feb 15th..... we smiled and realized these moments were meant to be,,,,,,so to my new pal kristy....we will be forever linked to that faithful day in Feburary.......

i am still not quite there (where i have no idea) and i do not think i will ever be....but those of you who know me know that i love this life and cherish it even more.......i still get phone calls everyday just checking up on me top see how i am......i am forever grateful for your love and friendship....see ya all at the concerts coming up...ALLMAN'S at the beacon,,,will be peaking

row s seat 26.......rock on......tom

53 AND COUNTING

thanks brad for bringing up my birthday....loved spending it with you and our wonderful customers ( well most of them anyway).....driving through the farms of iowa was an awesome site with some snow on the ground and the clean and i mean clean air..(so clean it is see through)....
celebrating everyday is where my head is now......hey i know it cannot always be zippy-do-da fantastic everyday....but hey if there is one or two moments that make it worth while...then bring it on........loved seeing all my buds this week.....adam ..be as you are.,...fad...alan and donna and joel...love ya....blue sky......phil you rock...loose lucy's crew....as close to family as i can get......you all make the road........roadable....

my co-workers......what can i say....it has been a heck of a year.......you make me want to come back to the office........oh yeah michele at work is turning 30 friday.....our little girl is all grown up...love ya kiddo.........love you all..........mucho...tom....good luck rachel.......we will miss you.....

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY

GREETING FROM ...LAS VEGAS NEVADA

WISHING YOU A HEALTHY AND HAPPY VALENTINES DAY...........GIVE YOUR VALENTINE A HUG FROM ME.....HUGS ARE FREE.....COME TO THINK OF IT SO ARE SMILES.....SO SLAP A SMILE ON FOR THE NEXT FEW DAYS ALSO......IT KINDA FEELS GOOD.............PEACE....TOM

WHAT A ROAD TRIP

key west...fl... sk sent me this great photo

miles and miles of smiles.....loved seeing everyone....loved being told....but you look so good......better yet i felt so good (most of the time) after two beers mexician food and a birthday cheese cake for gary and michele..well let's just say i did keep it all in....bearly......i cannot believe 9 months have passed since my bladder was replaced and everyting is feeling so much better......head is clearer.....pain is at a mimimum....like they said...one year from when that first knife went into me and i will be like my old self...........but in the mean time heading back to vegas for another trade show and hopefully i hit 4 jacks again on the video poker game,,,,,,i came home with more money than when i left...like i said.i am the luckiest man in the world and you are all the joy of my life.....

tom............bob,gene , lisa and doug......fight the fight.....we are with you my friends..........................

LEAVING ON A JETBLUE AIRPLANE

heading to utah......strange but beautiful place....salt lake is situated in a valley surrounded by the wonders of nature.....i love just getting up and looking out at the mountains and wondering how it was all those years ago.....ok now you know what i do during my free time.....will be checking in from the road....seeing most of whom i love to see in the next two weeks......the journey continues...........

after utah heading to Vegas...more on that later

tom

WHITE STUFF ON THE GROUND

woke up..got out of bed...draged a comb across my head...ok beatles thing going again....what a great band.....anyway where was i ,....oh yeah it snowed a little and it was so beautiful on the ground ......it melted soon after.....but nice while it lasted.................heading to utah...then to vegas....trade show /muscic/////friends...continuing my victory tour......so much stronger this round......looks like the doctors were right it will take a year to feel like my old self agin ...a whole year....wow.....april 12th will be the day....the day to celebrate..........the day i will finally be able to say.."it's been a year' far out.........so from the florida keys..to the mountains of maine..( are there mountains in maine?).......to the red woods and the rio grande......watch out americas....here i come and you never know where me and my neo-bladder will appear......so when you least expect it......poof i will be there......go new orleans saints...help your city heal........the world is watching......to my buddy gene.........saddened by the news,,,,you will be in all of our thoughts........gene begins the fight this week....he has been a dear friend for 20 years....and so much apart of my lfe..i love ya pal...if your reading this...24/7 i am here for you.............................tom......enjoy the sunsets..i hearkey west has some beauties,,,try buffets new land shark beer.......outstanding......

NO SNOW

STILL NO SNOW IN NY ALTHOUGH THE WEATHER IS TURNING.........LET'S SEE HOW LONG THIS CAN CONTINUE......SNOWLESS IN NEW YORK..........PRICELESS

FLA HERE I COME

ah well the jets played pretty good so gotta give them a pat on the back (not a new england pat that is)...heading to orlando to a national trade show and some of my best buds in the universe will be there.....so here i come.......and let the sun shine ..perfect timing as the weather gets a little colder in New York....i mean it was only 72 degrees on saturday..what's up with that.....down to low 40s today ..feels more like winter.....nobody has won our snow pool at work ...looks like it will be lou and he has 2/14...see ya on the south side of the good ol usa.......good luck danielle on your bat mitzpah saturday...can't wait to party with the rockmans.................tom.........

J-E-T-S...JETS JETS JETS

ok time for some football...playoff football...due or go home...imagine any other job like that....if you don't make the sale your going home...or if you can't fix the plumbing your done...get outta here.....playoff football....win and move on....so here's what we have to do....root for my jets......i promise if you do a thousand miracles will befall on to you....(ok maybe just a couple)..i know that is going to be rough on you new england fans.......but hey a man has to try to do what ever it takes.....so i know where i will be at one o'clock.......right in front of my tv.......smiling just happy to be here watching "the game"...........considering if i would have lost the last "lifes" battle i would have been sent home for good...and we all know how that game ended up...i won and i got to move on......enjoy the weather in new youk..it cannot last....heading to orlando tues.....as willie nelson says.....on the road again...i can't wait to be on the road again,,,,,.....