Got word of your predicament through Rebecca’s blog. I haven’t talked to you in years, of course, so my Southern upbringing would dictate that I ask, “How are you doing?” But wait, I know the crappy answer to that question…

Rebecca probably already mentioned it, but my daughter, Laney (real name, Elaine) shares not only my mom’s name, but her spirit is well. Feisty, ever challenging the powers-that-be. Funny and fun-loving. But Laney is also a cancer survivor… two years off of therapy, to be precise. However, it doesn’t make her special, in fact it makes her a member of a pretty large club. People cannot only survive cancer these days, but they also have a pretty darned good chance of doing so. In Laney’s case, the doctors were even willing to give me statistics… 90 percent. My comment? “We’ll take those odds.” By the way, her tumor was 9.5 cm. Huge by any standards, but especially for a 2 1/2 year-old girl. She completed chemo and never looked back.

I’m sending love and prayers all the way from Germany. Glad the kiddos are coming. We’ll be thinking of you, also as you try to kick the habit.

Molly (Bagley) Böttcher

I love you, Daddy.

As you are probably aware, I got my 5-year pin for quitting smoking last December 15th. I quit after 28 years of tearing the filters off not for any real reason other than I was tired of the months-long sinus infections that seemed likely to kill me. It was the hardest thing I’ve ever done, but I never want to go back there and never will.

I will support you in any way you want in the battle against nicotine and hopefully can offer some insights. Develop a plan. Mine was to take a nap every time I wanted a smoke. That shouldn’t be too hard in your current situation, but what worked for me may not work for you. Get off any aids like nicotine gum, lozenges or patches as fast as possible. After a month, I no longer needed any of them.

My health may not be great, but I’m alive and lucky. An hour after I heard you were in the hospital, I learned that a someone I knew had a brain aneurysm the night before and had just died within minutes. Every day above ground is a good day. You told me that and I think about it nearly every day.