On September 25th, I got a call from my doc, a wonderfully talented GP in Chicago.  He said he wanted to meet with Patti and me at noon. Gees, high noon. Could you do any more Gary Cooper-like than that?

So, we arrived at his office, and after blood, ultrasound and CTscan tests, Mac confirmed that it was not sarcoidosis, another  condition I have, and was, in fact, pancreatic cancer that had metastasized to my liver.

“Is it fatal?” I asked. He looked me in the eyes, “Yes.”

Rather than be too movie-like, I was proud of myself that I did not ask, “How long?”

He suggested I meet with an oncologist there in Chicago to discuss treatments.

We discussed the meeting and then I dropped Patti off at the apartment and was back at work by 3. Next to my desk, I have an iPad that I use to listen to music while I am working. I had put Pandora on mute before I left for Mac’s office.

After settling into the chair and taking a big sigh, the next song I heard was Satchmo sing It’s a Wonderful World.

God has a sense of humor.