More than half a year ago, I blogged about JB.
Back then, he had been diagnosed with late stage throat cancer and in the words of the doctor, he was asked to think about his life expectancy "in terms of weeks".
It is more than 6 months later and JB is still alive. He may not necessarily be in the best of health BUT, he is STILL ALIVE.
I have nothing but new found respect for the man. Honestly.
I would seriously treat him as my role model if I were ever to be in the same situation as he is right now.
In fact, I would venture to say that I would put him as the poster boy on "how to lead life when told you are terminally ill".
On Friday, Sept 9, 2011, Jessica and I arrived in Eugene. I was actually hoping that this day would eventually come... where I got a chance to say goodbye to JB. Six months ago, I never expected I would get this chance. One of the first people I asked about, was him. But, all through that Friday and the next day, Saturday, JB did not appear. I wondered and even asked if there was a chance he might just pass on in his room in the basement of the restaurant. Of course there was that possibility, however, on his bad days, someone or other will either see him at some odd hour or knock on his room door. That weekend, he was experiencing a series of bad days. I finally only got to see him late on Saturday night when I had returned to the restaurant to give Karen a ride. His spirit was fine, but I could tell he was not feeling good. But, he was his same old self... talking a bunch of smack when he saw me.
JB's speech is now slurred and his voice is very raspy. He had completely lost his voice several months ago and the doctor put him on some experimental medication that actually helped him regain his voice but, causes swelling. His tongue sometimes swells to the point he can't eat. However, if you ignore all those physical issues, JB is still JB.
I have never ever seen anyone so prepared for his eventual death as JB.
