John Dunphy posts, a year after cancer diagnosis

A year ago on this date a doctor stuck a scope down my esophagus and came back with some life changing news. I will never forget his words: “You have a mass (cancer) and it’s not benign.”It has been an amazing journey since then and I am very happy to report I recently finished the last of my chemo sessions. A good thing too, I guess I ran out of veins that the chemo nurses could tap into.
 


John Dunphy

My surgical recovery, now 5 months out, is going well. I am able to eat many foods within reason and portion size. My physical recovery is going well. The scars are healing and I’m working on regaining muscle tone and strength. I play golf a couple of times a week and even that is improving…slowly.
 
I have a radioactive (PET) scan coming up that looks for microscopic cancer cells. The last one in August was negative and I expect this one will be too. Going forward I will have periodic visits to the oncologist (Dr. Mario Curti at Los Alamitos Medical Center) and surgeon (Dr. John Lipham at USC) for various tests to track my progress.
 
In this season of thanks and goodwill, I can’t say enough about how wonderful Rebecca has been; a real lifesaver and life partner in every sense of the words. I’m thankful for the love and support of my sons, Brian, Michael and Kevin and their families; Ben Allen and Melissa Evans who were here to support Rebecca and me during the scary times in the hospital; my brothers and sisters and their families.

I am still astonished by the outpouring of support and encouragement from hundreds of friends, colleagues and acquaintances. Positive energy is a force in the universe and I urge you to pay it forward whenever you can.
 
I wish you all a wonderful Holiday Season. Treasure each day.
 
Dunph

Dunphy is a former BJ reporter who went West to work for the Orange County Register in California. Rebecca Allen is his wife and Orange County Register deputy Features editor. They live in Lakewood, California.