Greeting loyal airmen.  Those of you who are regular visitors are all to familiar with the history of my recent health issues.  All of which started three years ago, after two spots were discovered, one on each of my lungs.  This all taking place after I'd had a serious bout of pneumonia that particular winter.  Two weeks ago, I had surgery to remove the mysery nodule from my left lung.  My recovery is going super, thanks to Val's loving care, and all your wonderful well-wishes and prayers.  I'm up and about, walking a mile and a half daily and am back to driving again. So do keep those prayers coming.

Earlier this week my surgeon called to say the biopsy report had come in at long last and he now had a definitive answer to the question that had been plagueing us these past three years.  The true identity of the mystery spots.  What I have is a BALTOMA.  The medical definition is; a slow-growth, malignant lymphoma of the bronchus region.  It is a cancer, that's what malignant lymphoma means.  But it is a treatable type of cancer.  Operative word there is TREATABLE!  I hope you can imagine the twin sighs of relief that came from both of us as we heard that news.  My doctor said, “Ron, if you had to have cancer, this is the kind you want.”  And he meant those words.  He, and now us, all see this a fantastic good news.  Once I am completely recovered from the surgery, hopefully within a few more weeks, I will be meeting with a lung specialist affiliated with the oncology department of the hospital to begin a series of treatment to complete erase that remaining nodule on my right lung.  Without surgery!!  Which was my doctor's euphoric proclomation.   No more cutting me open or taking other pieces out of me.  Now that is really good news.

After our conversation with the doctor, I go back and see him in two weeks for a final post-op visit, Valerie jumped on the internet and truly researched Baltoma frontwards and backwards.  You have to love the information highway. Everything she learned totally confirmed what we had been told and we found case after case where this particular cancer was effectively treated and wiped out.  Some treatments are as simple as overdosing the patient with two to three strong antibiotics at the same time for a lenghty period.  Absolutely amazing.  Obviously we are now more than anxious to meet with the lung specialist and get this program underway.  So, although not quite out of the woods yet, airmen, we truly can see the light at the end of the tunnel now, and its really shining bright.  Of course we'll continue to keep you updated every step of the way.

Back to life as normal.  This past week my son, Scott, posted some pictures on the net of his son, Logan, enduring a wonderful manly rite of passage; his first ever haircut.

I love this picture, with the little guy still not completely sure what that man is doing to him with those scissors.  He's a brave little guy.  He recently had his tonsils removed and we're told was a real trooper.  Believe me, Val and I couldn't be prouder of our Logan.

On the creative front, I'm spending more and more time at my writing desk, trying to gradually get back into the swing of my many projects.  One of these is a new action pulp series I'm writing with my pal, Andrew Salmon, to be called GHOST SQUAD.  While Andrew and I are wrapping up the actual first novel, I was fortunate to find and recruit a young artist named Chad Hardin to digitally paint our first cover.  This past week, Chad sent along the following rough sketch to give us an idea of whate he had in mind.

Both my art director, Rob Davis, and I loved the composition and think its going to work fine, allowing lots of empty space at the top for the placing of the title logo etc.  I did ask Chad to change the characters around, as the dude in the background left is the team leader and I need him in the front.  So in the final painting, the big guy and he will have swapped places.   As Chad continues to develop the piece, I'll post the various stages here for all of you to see and enjoy.  We hope to have GHOST SQUAD #1 – RISE OF THE BLACK LEGION out by this summer at the latest.

And that's it for this week, airmen.  Save to remind you one more time that I will be in Boston all day this coming Sunday (13th) at the Radisson Hotel for a big comic con.  See last week's Log Entry for all the details.  If you are anywhere near there this weekend, please stop on by.  Would love to meet lots of you airmen.  In two weeks I fly off to the Windy City Paper & Pulp Con held in Chicago.  More on that later.

That's it. Take care, have a great week, and do something nice for the people you love today.  Just because you love them.  What other reason could be more important?
Ron  – Over and Out.