To put my personal cancer journey into the proper context, here is a brief synopsis about me before I got cancer.
As a kid growing up, we moved around a lot. I was the first one in my immediate family to go to college. Then, while working, I attended graduate school as a part-time MBA student. At that point, I switched to full-time status and went on to get my Ph.D. And I became a professor.
I met my wife – and best friend Linda -- when we were both teenagers at Queens College in NY. We got married after graduating. Linda earned two master’s degrees, one an MBA, while working at a bank. Linda is truly my LOML (the love of my life).
Our two grown daughters Jennifer and Stacey, and now our sons-in-law Phil and Adam, are our treasures. We are fortunate to have them within driving distance of our home. In one case, in walking distance.
Because we moved around when I was a kid and I had virtually no friends, I set and have attained three main life goals: to marry one woman as my forever partner, to work for one organization for my career, and to live in one house so my own children never were uprooted. Linda will not let me say how long we are married. I am finishing 44 years at Hofstra University’s Zarb School of Business. And we have lived in our house in Commack since 1977. I have hit the trifecta.