From Kathryn

Hi, Mike: I missed church Sunday and missed you. I've been in overdrive, winterizing my garden, moving plants around, cleaning up after a giant tree was felled on one of my beds. We have about 6 cords of wood for NEXT winter from that tree, which is lying on the lawn right near a giant termite nest I found this week. What fun!!! Our neighborhood sits on a huge termite nest and I had a 10 year long battle with them eating my house before proper diagnosis, repairs and a protective redesign were done. By then $20,000 damage had been incurred.

Terminex finally told me how they were getting in the house after 10 years; they had known for quite a long time, but used my plight to sell me all sorts of treatments, including a carpenter ant policy in the WINTER. SO I sued the bastards and won. It took me 3 years to pull it off, with very little help from a lawyer who told me I couldn't win. Well, I did, and was paid back the $20,000 I"d spent! We farm girls are tough !

What wonderful weather we've been having for the past week or so. Great for working hard outdoors in the day and sleeping well at night. I call it "Vermont weather," as it's typical of the low humidity and temperatures of Vermont in summer. I LOVE IT.

As you probably were, I was engrossed in the Olympics for 2 weeks and am now following the Dems convention very closely. I was moved by Ted Kennedy's appearance and loved Michelle Obama's speech. Tonite I'll be watching Hillary, of course, and I hope she gives Obama a badly needed boost.

Brian and I speak of you every day and hope you are doing well. When I saw you last , a couple of Sundays ago, you looked much better than before you started your chemo. So I think it's working.

We both send much love to you and GLoria. XXXOOOKathryn

From Bill and Kathy

Hi, Mike,

I do hope this is the right address for the blog as my email address book is out of control. Wanted you to know we are thinking of you, and when you're feeling weak just focus on all the prayers and good thoughts for your strength that surround you. You're half way though this round of treatment - may each day bring renewed health and healing.

Love, Bill and Kathy

Update from Glo

Mike is over half-way through the chemo! This Thursday is the last of the second of three cycles. We're finding that even Mike Sherman feels chemo.....eventually. He's really having a tough time with tiredness, weakness, and nausea; mostly dry heaves because his appetite's pretty low. Even the bear claws, which he has re-discovered after years of dieting off and on, hold little appeal.

Hans and his girlfriend, Anna, arrived Friday early am and have been fantastic! They've been helpful around the house, cooking, washing dishes, shopping, and last night they even got me drunk, which was needed, believe me. Hans has a lot of hugs for both of us. I can't say enough about how wonderful it's been having them here.

Our plan for today is to try to crack the nausea problem and to increase Mike's activity a bit more. Thursday is only three days away.....GLO

Sharon is thinking of you

Dear Mike,
I am at work and have been thinking about you, so just wanted to let you know.
Love, Sharon

From Nancy Kreisler

Mike was a superb journalist. He worked with a team of crack reporters at the Rochester Times-Union. The team's boss is now president of the Associated Press (Tom Curley) and four members of the team (Stuart Elliott, Mike Winerip, Fred Eliason and Nancy Kreisler) went on to work at The New York Times. Mike made a side trip into insurance and never looked back. It was his journalism skills -- clarity of thought, elegant writing, endless curiosity and sense of adventure -- that have stayed with him and made him such a success. Of course, I think Gloria has had a bigger influence, and Hans. The Rochester team continues to keep Mike in their thoughts and prayers.

Nancy

From Con Xiros

Dear Mike,

This is your friend and colleague Con Xiros from Sydney, Australia.

I was very saddened to hear about your cancer returning, but I know you are in good hands to clear this horrible disease.

Cancer is a funny illness that comes in all shapes and sizes, sometimes better or worse. Sometimes a short fight, sometimes a long fight. The key word is fight. I must encorgae you to always keep the faith. The faith in your doctors, the faith in the medicine, the faith in your family, and most importantly the faith in yourself. This, my friend, is the best thing you can do for yourself.

You supported me when I had to go through this fight in 2004 -2006, and that I will never forget. You inspired me and gave me a lot of strength.

As I mentioned to you recently, I stayed in a monastry at a holy mountain, in northern Greece called Mount Athos. During this time I prayed and lit a candle for you. God is on your side Mike, and he will eventually make everything okay.

Take care for now.

Very best wishes

Con Xiros

From Kathryn

Brian wrote your blog but maybe his message went into your spam folder.

His email address is bjsummers@aol.com

We look at your blog almost every day are are happy to see so many are writing you. OUr thoughts and prayers are with both you and Gloria. I'd love to hear your voice. Okay to call you sometime? What time of day is good?

Love, Kathryn

From David Cook

Mike,

I hope your spirits remain high! Hang in there! Our thoughts & prayers are
with you! Always!

David E. Cook

From Gloria

This weekend we took a road trip to Cleveland; no, this is not the beginning of a joke. We have good friends there, Steve and Gail, whom we first met in England. Mike had a week off chemo, so it was a good time to go. After a weak start (a stop at the first two rest stops on the route) we survived the trip well. Mike and Steve made the usual pilgrimage to Hartfield Tool, which, to hear them tell the tale, must be the world's largest hardware store. Mike said he walked around the store for two hours. Most evenings he was pretty tired with some belly complaints. He slept well and ate gigantic breakfasts. He didn't lose any weight! But the hair is still thinning. Tomorrow he begins the second three weeks of chemo. After the quick appearing effects from the last treatment, he has planned what we hope will be a quiet afternoon/evening. We had a plumber here today; the water was off for many hours. Thank goodness there will be water here tomorrow. Can't imagine a grimmer experience than a chemo like last time with no water! We'd have to keep buckets in every loo!

From Brian

Dear Mike,

Kathryn tells me that among your many talents, you've been a journalist. You might be interested in News Gems (http://spj.org/ngems.asp), a blog that highlights good journalism. I enjoy serving as the blog's co-host.

Hope you are doing well.

Best wishes,

Brian

From Guglielmo

Mike,

attach you find the U/Wing authority you gave me in Oct. 2005 at the restaurant L’Assassino in Milan. You asked “what’s the big deal ?”. Now I am happy to tell you that my NPW will reach in 4q08 Usd 90M and has grown by 132% from that year.

You had a long vision, encouraging a brand new PCM. Thank you for that.

Now I wish you to get the “big deal” and I pray with my family for you.

Ciao

Guglielmo

From Sharon

Dear Mike,

Just wanted you to know that I am thinking of you and Gloria and that you were missed yesterday in church. Prayers were said for you.

Love, Sharon

From Hava Friedman

Dear Mike,

I am not sure I have the right words to describe my thoughts about you. That's the reason that it took me sometime to sit down and just write. I was always saying to you that I am ashamed of my poor vocabulary especially when I read your high level and expressive memos.

I was very sad when you cancelled your trip to Israel due to your medical treatment, since I consider you as one of the best AIG Israel friend. As I told you in the past your insight, connection and feelings about Israel are really unusual. For me it involves some spiritual revelation.

If you would plan to run for USA President position I would say that you are working on getting the Jewish vote. Who knows maybe you are planning ....So now all you have to do is to get well quickly.

Thinking of you, Hava

Now I would like to add another paragraph for Gloria:

Dear Gloria,

You are a hero. To be the spouse in such situation is very difficult and I would say even ungrateful (I am talking from experience when my husband went through two heart attacks). You are doing a lot of hard work and still remain behind the scenes. Mike could not go through this painful process without your support. This is your big strength.

Take care, Hava.

From Kathryn and Brian

Hi, Mike.

I'ts Kathryn. Well, it rained every day in Vermont. One day I used 3 shirts from working on the large gardens and bushes in the rain, and I went thru 3 pairs of sneakers , which got sodden and smelly. But all the gardens are now weeded (never saw so many), cut back, reconfigured, mulched, etc., and they look great.

The cellar, with a swiss-cheese foundation about 200 years old, is like a swimming pool; my sister and I lugged 3 mop pails of mud and sand out of one corner of the area; we stapled back fallen insulation in an attic; had to dispose of 12 bonfire logs the renters had attempted to burn outside; repaired windows; washed wallpaper; put WD 40 on hinges, lugged heavy stones and bricks to various areas; painted doors, etc., etc.

NOt your regular vacation, but then my trips to Vermont never are. Should I really be part owner of a SECOND home??? It's worth it as the house and gardens, and the property and the views in particular are all gorgeous. But we do lots of the work, and there is ALOT of it. And good workmen in Vt. are hard to come by and VERY expensive. Just as bad as here.

The weather was against us, with many long downpours, but I accomplished all the jobs I had on my list. But it's good to be back home. I arrived last night, so I missed church today from fatigue. My younger sister, a love, gave me a backrub and a footrub, and we did take time to watch some of the opening ceremony for the Olympics. I never saw such a spectacular hi-tech, cast- of- thousands display of pageantry as the CHinese welcome. Awesome.

ANd now I have massive work to do in my gardens here, as 4 men took down a huge black birch on our property line, where the only access was thru my prettiest garden bed of hosta and astilbe, ferns and Solomon seal, so it's trampled badly. I had removed some plants in advance and must put them back in, but now we have more sun in that area, so I'll be doing some creative reconfiguring too and more next spring. At last Brian gets a good view to the WEst for his stargazing. He's been lugging his big telescope out some nights to see the space station up close and various other celestial events. HE's really into it and has been since he was a child.

Our thoughts and prayers are with you and we hope the latest chemo went well, even if you have to sit on the pot alot. Just stay away from the season's peaches at the same time. Lots of love to you and GLoria,

Kathryn and Brian

From Ralph and Joyce

Hi Mike and Gloria -

Yesterday we heard from friends in Maine that the husband of the couple has been declared “in remission” after receiving his last chemo on 7/17. He’s been undergoing cancer treatment for much of the last year, lost a lot of weight, and on and on. So if good news comes, as people say is true with bad news, in groups of 3 - we’re hoping you will be #2.

This is one health condition we would like to see be contagious!

As always, many good wishes to both of you.

Ralph and Joyce

From Brian and Kathryn

We're thinking about you, Mike, and sure hope you're feeling well. You are in our prayers.

Best wishes,

Brian and Kathryn Phelps Summers

From Tim

Dear Mike,

I wanted you to know that you are in my thoughts for a speedy and complete recovery. AIG needs you back and we miss you.

Best wishes,

Tim

From Terry

Mike:

I just got the news about your second round.

It’s a challenge we all hope never to face, but we also know that you are equipped like few others to deal with this as you did the first round.

You are in our thoughts and prayers, and we know you can lick this once and for all.

We all admire your fortitude. You will prevail.

Terry

From Bill and Kathy

Hi, Mike,

We are back from Canada and know you are heading to Ohio, so we're sorry not to have caught up with you. Glad this is your week "off" treatment, and we hope it's stabilizing. We're thinking of you and sending prayers for strength and endurance and good spirits. Lots of love to you as well!

Bill and Kathy

From Rob and Jackie

Mike,

Kelly Lyles passed along the news, and a link to your blog. I wanted you to know that Jackie and I will keep you in our thoughts and prayers. I am not sure if you know this or not, but another colleague, and very close friend, Jay Podorowsky in Hartford is going through similar treatment. He just finished six weeks of chemo and radiation, and goes for his next MRI next week. While you are both very different people, one thing you both have in common is a VERY large network of close friends and family to support you, and an unbelievable will power to beat ANYTHING. The best doctors and treatments in the world sure help as well! So please listen to those doctors, lean on your friends and family, and we’ll put in the prayers to help push along the recovery.

God speed!

Rob & Jackie

From Betty Seidelman

Hey Mike, I am thinking of you every day. I don't know about you but where has the time gone. It seems like we were just growing up on Cypress, playing outside, carefree really having the ideal childhood. We grew up and life got tougher. We have to face adulthood with all the good and bad that entails. I know you can overcome this. You are strong and not one to give up.

I will do anything I can for you. Reading your blog I know you have a tremendous support system. Please keep in touch and truly I will do whatever you need me to do to help you. Betty

From Kathryn Summers

I will be working alot in my gardens on our farm in Londonderry and have to tackle a number of other projects, including finding someone to do an emergency repair on our slate roof. So far no luck finding a roofer to come! Rain comes down between two twin beds in a guest bedroom, not the best situation for our renters!

Hope things go well for you while I"m gone. I talked with Ginnie Leeman this morning and she said George is doing fine. Thinking of and praying for you and Gloria every day.

Love, Kathryn Summers

From Doug Phillips

Mike--

It was so good to see you yesterday. I've been away for awhile and the hospital has been pretty horrific lately, but now that I'm on vacation, I can catch up a little. I just want you to know how much you inspire me. You're such a teacher and example for Kate and I about grace, courage, strength and laughter. I wish I could wave a magic wand over you and take all of this illness away from you! You're never alone, Mike. We're with you. Nothing will ever separate you from God's love and you're sure stuck with ours, as well! Blessings to you and Gloria.

From Gus

Hi Mike,

I saw Furg on the streets of Mendham recently and heard from Lisa Jones as well. They both informed me of you having cancer. My thoughts and prayers are with you as you get better. I also have very found memories of working with you back in the Chubb Eastern Zone days. We got alot done, had good laughs and got to deal with the likes of H.T. Layne and Bucky...oops..Mr. Block! I am not at Chubb now..as of May of this year. Reorg, "span of control" initiative...so alot of senior managers like me had job eliminated. First time in 27 years I have had summer off...it has been good..starting to figure out what is next for work...two boys in college one in 10th grade high school all are doing well.

Best wishes to you, Gloria, and Hans. I am thinking of you. Get better soon!

Gus

From Fred and Harriet

High foreheads are in! Polish up that noble brow....most will suspect you are an olympic swimmer.

I have found the streamlined look to be an effective fashion statement for years!

Phred...

Update from Gloria...

Bad hair day for Mike. Lots of hair in the sink this morning, but there's a lot more where that came from! So far he's laughing, but.....

From Rusty

Mike,

Rusty here ... been thinking about you, Gloria & Hans ...

praying for your speedy recovery ... also, our close friend

John Goldfinch is working through pancreatic cancer ...

Please let me know how you are doing with chemo ...

OIB & The Golf Park at Cinghiale Creek go well ...

the bermuda grass is very green ... we've had

rainfall plus in July ...

Next week is our third annual TFTBC Life Skills

& Leadership Academy ... 16 kids from

6 area chapters of The First Tee ... really a

special event ... adult guest speaker for

every meal (you'd be one if you lived nearby) ...

Snuffy is Monday dinner, Marv is Tuesday

dinner ...

Two weeks ago I participated as a judge at the

"player selection process (boys)" for the

First Tee Walmart Open Champions tour event at Pebble

Beach Labor Day weekend ... this is the 5th year of

the event ... we were at Kansas State University (I stayed

in the dorm!) in Manhattan, Kansas ... 88 boys from all over USA,

trying for 52 spots ... our chapter had one boy there

and he made it! It was a fabulous experience for me ...

finest young men in our country, bar none ...

In two weeks Marv & I are going to do a two day VtE for

The First Tee home office in St. Augustine ... CEO

(Joe Louis Barrow) & his direct reports are all

getting VtE ... subsequently, we are going to

"VtE" all chapter (204) executive directors ...

exciting ...

Very much hoping you'll be able to join us for

the 4th annual Cinghiale Creek Invitational Cup ...

Reinhard, Byron, Snuffy, Marv all coming ...

Reinhard told me about his new job! ...

also said he can not play golf at the Cinghiale

Cup, but is coming & "will shop with the

ladies!!" ...

Kid Donegan (1-star) goes to Japan in two

weeks to take command of our Carrier Strike

Group that is homeported there (soon to be

USS George Washington, replacing Kitty Hawk) ...

this is a very prestigious, high vis position ...

the best job in the Navy for Kid at this point ...

Carol & I are well ... we go to Italy in a month

for our annual "two weeks in Italy with friends" ...

this year 5 other couples who have never been to

Italy!!!

All the best, Mike

Sincerely,

Rusty

From Gloria - Latest update

Today was the last of the first of three rounds of chemo. In case any of you have been wondering when all the disgusting side effects of chemo would show up...it was today, two hours after the chemo was done infusing and just before Mike was done eating lunch at the minister's house!

He's been home for a few hours now, much less clammy and sweaty and feeling pretty cold, but the runs have slowed down. We were going to have some BBQ with friends tonight as he usually doesn't feel anything for a few days. They are good friends, but probably not that good!

He is drinking low sugar Gatorade, which he says tastes like cough syrup and drinking protein shakes. I'm sure he'll be back on the phone sooner than most of you would want...GLO

From Wilma

Mike,

You have great mental strength and I am sure that you can rely on it to pull you through this phase. Hope to see you visiting the regions soon again.

Best regards,

Wilma VALENTINE

Sumanth Badiga

Dear Mike,

I hope the chemo is working and you are making a strong recovery.

I know you are a fighter. You beat the cancer once before and can do it again. I look forward to meeting a lean, mean, fighting Mike very soon.

Best wishes,

Sumanth