In Reply to: MHK, UPdate posted by Captain Tim Burke on March 26, 2007 at 20:36:20:

Earlier this month, Michael asked that this be posted on rec.scuba. So
I'm reposting it here. Hope this helps.

Marta

________________________________

Many in the local area have noticed that I've been out of the
water for a while, and I've rescheduled several classes. I had hoped to keep
this information confidential for a few more weeks, but through some
inadvertent coincidences I'm forced to disclose certain information
prior to my original intention. As many of you know my wife & I were
blessed with our first child on August 2, 2006. That joyous occasion
was quickly tempered in early October when I heard the last thing any
parent wants to hear with a 2 month old sitting on your lap. "Mr.
Kane we're sorry to tell you that we've confirmed that you have cancer."
With those seemingly innocent words, my world was quickly turned
upside down.

For the last several months I have been receiving on going treatments
of chemotherapy, radiation and had surgery in mid-January. I have only 8
treatments left and the doctors are telling me that all looks great
for a complete recovery and total remission. I had planned to wait until
all treatments were completed and then provide a more complete
accounting of the events. By pure coincidence an acquaintance saw me
the other day receiving treatments at the Cancer center and sent me a
Get Well soon greeting. I quickly responded asking that I preferred
the matter remain private but by then he had already passed the
information along to several others in the local dive community, so my thoughts
were that rather then have a piecemeal disclosure, which would likely be
full of speculation and misinformation, I thought it would be more prudent
to disclose the information directly.
The expectation is that I'll recover in full and that be back teaching again in no time. In fact, I spoke with my doctors this morning and told her that Gideon & I are planning on teaching a tech 1 class beginning May 23rd and did she think my timetable would allow for teaching this class. She said that barring anything unexpected that she saw no reason why she couldn't sign me off by then.

I realize that many of you have my number, but talking right now is
quite difficult so I ask that you please refrain from calling at this
time. In a few weeks I'll be back to normal and we can all catch up
then, but until then thanks for understanding.

Regards,
Michael H. Kane

PS. Feel free to pass thing along if anyone on other lists has
questions.