Judging from the title, I assume most of you are wondering why go back 29 years ago? Simple. That was my final Thanksgiving as a normal person (pre-diagnosis).

HAPPY THANKSGIVING! - Before I begin, I want to take this time to wish everyone the Happiest Thanksgiving imaginable and that the good Lord bless and keep all of you.

Thanksgiving 1990 was a change for me (not nearly as drastic as the next 28 were), but that year was the first spent without both my mother and father together. Earlier that year (September), they had split, and I was living at home with my father while my mom stayed with my oldest sister and her husband.

I was in my junior year of high school, and basketball season was beginning. Our basketball team at Smithtown Christian School was playing in a Thanksgiving weekend tournament in Upstate New York. 

Since my parents were divorced and I had spent little time with my mother in the previous months, I decided to forgo the tournament and spend Thanksgiving with my mom at her friend's house. The dinner was exceptional, but if I could rewind time, I would have made a different choice, not because I didn't enjoy or want to spend that time with my mother, but because of what happened the following weekend.

High School basketball teams schedule a few preseason tournaments to prepare for the regular season. In addition to our Thanksgiving weekend tournament, our team was participating in another competition on the weekend of November 29-December 2 (Word of Life Basketball Invitational at Roberts Wesleyan College, Rochester, NY). However, due to my inability to control my asthma, I was not allowed to go. Both my father and doctor "decided" that I was too sick to go (I pleaded hysterically but was unable to convince them). I almost snuck out of the house and hitchhiked a ride to school so I could make the team bus, but did not. I would have had a friend pick me up, but all of the ones that could drive just recently had passed their drivers test, and none possessed a car of their own. 

As it turned out, not going to either tournament has bothered me every day since. On December 7, I played my first game of the season at St. John the Baptist in West Islip, NY/Long Island). The following night, December 8, I played my final high school basketball game at The Stony Brook School (Stony Brook, NY/Long Island). 

On Wednesday, December 12, 1990, I was diagnosed with terminal cancer and told I only had six months to live. 

MY SCARS TELL A STORY

If you wish to purchase a copy, please email Mark at CKMagicSports@gmail.com. The publisher continues to charge too much, and the purpose of the book was so others could be inspired by it, not overpay. As Mark puts it, "I didn't write "War & Peace." 

Mark no longer is accepting any earnings from the publisher due to this unfortunate decision by Dorrance. Whatever copies Mark has left, he will send to whoever wants one. 

BACK ON SPORTS RADIO 

I now do a sports radio show every Tuesday and Friday from 8-11 AM EST. You can find all our shows, live and via podcast, here. 

WHERE TO FIND ME

I can always be reached by email (CKMagicSports@gmail or LivingAsACancerSurvivor@gmail). Please see the links below to follow me or contact me on social sites. I welcome (need) more followers and supporters. Please don't be shy about sharing your thoughts.  

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