I'm ready for a battle with cancer

Josh, Los Angeles, California — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 21:58:30 GMT

Love your insight in sports. So sorry to hear about this. Wishing you and your loved ones the best as you go through this difficult time!

I'm ready for a battle with cancer

Erik, Moorpark, CA. — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 23:05:55 GMT

I wanted to wish you the best with your cancer treatment. May you and your family experience blessings during this difficult time. I look forward to continuing to read your interesting and unique point of view on life and the world of sports.

I'm ready for a battle with cancer

Joseph — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 00:37:04 GMT

Mr. Celizic,

I send my best wishes to you. You've been a wonderful contributor to NBCsports.com, and I've developed a great respect for your work. Of course, I can recall plenty of times where I disagreed with your point of view, but I would like to say that I enjoyed catching your column with a cup of coffee, before I started the work day. Best of luck to you.

Sincerely,
Joseph

I'm ready for a battle with cancer

John Doe, Seattle, Wash — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 02:44:51 GMT

Good luck mike, god speed.

I'm ready for a battle with cancer

Avid Reader, Jerusalem, Israel — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 04:42:51 GMT

Wishes for a very speedy and full recovery

I'm ready for a battle with cancer

Vance McFarland — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 11:55:20 GMT

June 25--Mike--Sorry to hear about your illness with cancer. My sister in law just had surgery for breast cancer, is recovering. Brother passed in l989 with same brain cancer as our Grandmother, he 34, she was 33. We are now on a July is Cancer Awareness-Humanitarian funds month for us to support programs.

It is insidious and needs to be cured.

The REF!
Vance McFarland

I'm ready for a battle with cancer

Michael Zettler — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 14:05:02 GMT

Good article - To a lot of us it rings a bell.

I'm ready for a battle with cancer

Walt, Warwick, NY — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 14:11:04 GMT

I'm Mike's neighbor and his friend. While I am sorry that he has the "Big C" again (I was there during the first one too), I believe that by writing about his experience he will help us all. Mike gets a lot of comments on his sports columns. Some of it is negative, but at least they are reading his stuff. What he is writing about now is far more important than our games. This is no game. Perhaps I'm the numbskull who told him that not all lymphomas are "all that bad". Dumb!!! Keep it up, Mike, I'm learning.

I'm ready for a battle with cancer

Jim Finnegan, Chico, Ca — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 14:46:21 GMT

Having previously been at odds with you with your work,this is something that stirs the decency in me. My hope against hope is that you battle this awful circumstance, and recover to feel my ire once again. Good luck my friend! ! !

I'm ready for a battle with cancer

Mike Brawley, Elizabethtown, KY — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 17:02:35 GMT

Sad to hear that story Mike. I will keep you in my prayers and thoughts as you work through this. I enjoy most of your columns a lot. God bless.

I'm ready for a battle with cancer

Karl Fruecht — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 20:05:48 GMT

GodSpeed Mike Celizic.

I'm ready for a battle with cancer

Angel Tirado, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 20:38:52 GMT

I am a loyal reader of your column and felt the need to let you know that you are doing the right thing in letting everybody know what your going through. This is only a stone in your path. You will overcome it and keep being success in your job, but you will feel the love of your close ones and realize you have more than what you thought you had. Hope to keep reading more from you in the future!

I'm ready for a battle with cancer

Richard Conti, Tempe, Arizona — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 21:04:40 GMT

Mike

I wish you all the best! I look foward to reading you for many years to come!

Reagrds

Rich Conti (formally from Bergen County)

I'm ready for a battle with cancer

Mike Kapel, Phoenix, Arizona — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 21:08:30 GMT

A Big HUG to an old High School teammate and friend.
A Grand River kid to a Leroy kid--We have come a long way.
Mike K. in Phoenix.

I'm ready for a battle with cancer

Pete, West Bloomfield MI — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 22:21:59 GMT

Mr Celzic:
You and your family will be in my prayers - in addition to hugs, prayers are highly underappreciated from strangers until you start to feel their real power.

I'm ready for a battle with cancer

Bobbie Liegus — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 23:06:39 GMT

We are all born with a terminal disease...it's called life. I love that line, thanks for writing it.

I'm ready for a battle with cancer

Donna Weatherwalks, Stockholm, NJ — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 21:43:24 GMT

Mike, I don't usually read your column but found this one because of your reference to Dr. Dennis Scharfenberger. He has also been my primary care physician for about 20 years, and I agree with your favorable description of him--and I see him much more often than you do. You say you are already a cancer survivor, and I am also. It sounds as if you are ready to face this new challenge, and I wish you complete success. Take good care of yourself.

I'm ready for a battle with cancer

Don, New York, NY — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 16:50:39 GMT

Good Luck, Sir. I can't wait to read your wonderful writing in the near future.

Don

I'm ready for a battle with cancer

Chibi, Salt Lake City, UT — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 16:22:33 GMT

Bah! Humbug! Trying to keep upbeat and beat cancer at the same time is tough. I realize well-meaning people are just that: well-meaning. I hear the usual comforting words, such as, "Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma? Oh, that's the best kind of cancer to have." "Oh, your husband is sooo young and looked so healthy. I can't believe he's sick." "It's too bad he's not X-Y-Z religion because then I could pray for him and he'd get better."

Hello?!? I'm so glad my husband has the "best" kind of cancer versus the garden variety type or the evil-as-Satan type. And, being young and looking healthy aren't automatic safeguards (although age and overall health are good factors in the war against the "C" beast). And why would I lie about him being sick? As for the do-gooder religious folks, get over it! I know you "mean well" but well, mean it in a helpful way. Don't make it sound like because he's not a believer of your particular religious brand that he's condemned to suffer throughout his life and all eternity thereafter.

If you're a neighbor, think about offering to cut the grass or have your lawncare service take care of it for them. Bring over a dinner entree for the family or a movie video. Don't send flowers, send cash (just kidding! No, really, pay the unreimbursed, out-of-pocket expenses. Just kidding!)

Bring a comfy t-shirt or a cap. Bring friendship. Don't worry about saying too much; just be there. Make that phone call and don't be afraid of calling at a bad time. We'll let you know if it's a bad time.

My healthcare team is one of the best for lymphoma and, if needed, stem cell recovery. My husband's participating in a clinical study, GenasenseCHOP chemotherapy. Yet for all the mundane aches and pains that cause us so much grief, I often feel my voice isn't being heard. "Be the squeaky wheel," my doctor-son recommends.

Good luck in your treatment. I enjoyed reading your article and look forward to many more updates.

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I'm ready for a battle with cancer

Lymphoma Research Foundation, New York, NY — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 20:20:48 GMT

Thank you for bring public awareness to lymphoma. Despite the fact that lymphoma is the most common form of blood cancer, the third most common childhood cancer and over 500,000 Americans are currently living with this disease, it is widely unknown or misunderstood.

I'm ready for a battle with cancer

john pileggi, New York, NY — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 02:53:38 GMT

Mike - Good luck and god bless you in your treatment regimen and in what I hope will be a very long life. I enjoy what you do, and you are incredibly good natured and objective in terms of your reaction to the comments. If one believes that the Good Lord sends hardship to those with the shoulders to bear it, then you must have very broad and sturdy shoulders, and will come through what the future brings renewed and with vigor. I am depending on it, as there are few outlets for opinionated and frustrated wannabe sports analysts like me. Good luck!