“Bits ‘n Pieces of Me: Memoirs to retain identity in the face of growing dementia” — unpublished page Part 2b-01:

Part 2b (after Dad’s Surgery) 1971 thru 1977

During my 8th grade year, when Dad was about 37 years old, he was given 2% chance for survival of cancer surgery, …
(He had too much smoking, too much coffee, and too little sleep.)
They tried to prepare us for his probable death.
In surgery he lost one lung along with chest lining for the other lung also.
But he lived and developed many new tumors AFTER surgery,
necessitating extensive experimental chemotherapy.

In August 1971, we wenton our first-ever vacation of more than a weekend.
Dad was “recovering” so he did not need to worry about time off work.
It was wonderful!
We travelled to Southern California with a fifth-wheel,
then dropped by a little café in Mexico,
(where Mom was extremely impressed with the spotless open atmosphere).
These pictures of Dad and I were taken during that vacation, before my Freshman year.

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