This is one of my best friends Walter. Walter was just diagnosed with acute mylogenous leukemia. You've read a lot about Walter, his restaurant on the beach we all hang out at. I ride with him. And I've known him since 1995. Thats a long time.

Walter also has no insurance. The best part of no insurance is he's still in the hospital. They are running the tests that need to get run and we will have the results really quickly. Today and tomorrow. See with no insurance they can't turn down the tests to save money. He's already had his bone marrow test. With insurance getting that test done is tough. Let alone 3 days after you find out how sick you are. The Dr's have told him with insurance he would already be at home and all follow up would be at the office. It sure makes you wonder. And all of us have talks with Walter in the last few months about his insurance. He said; "I'm only 44 and I have never been sick" It makes me wonder what we all knew.

His parents are already in, his brother got in last night and his cousin is coming in today to run the restaurant. Italian restaurants are huge in this family. We will be raising money for him to help with these bills that are piling up. And if he needs a bone marrow transplant, then we will just keep raising money till we get it done. And i have the same blood type. You bet i'll register and be tested for a match. We all will.

They brought in his dinner last night. No need for hospital food. His Dad had brought in a pizza from his place, another friend had made ribs and mashed potatoes. Food won't be a problem for sure. The nurses are nice and attentive. Don't mind that his private room is packed with all of us. They already know him at check in. He's really loved and it shows. His daughter has been spending the night. So they brought in a cot for her. She's 18 and already talking not going to college in August. She won't leave her Dad. I don't blame her for that one. My daughter will work with her on how to postpone her education without loosing her 100% scholarship. Smart girl. Valedictorian in the magnet school.

Anyway, please keep Walter and his family in your prayers. He's going to need all the help he can get


Update: Walter got the test results in today. The results were not good. He has full blown leukemia. So he starts chemo tomorrow and is requesting no visitors until further notice. They are saying he will be in the hospital at least a month. He's just trying to absorb all that this entails. As his closest friends we are all in the same boat and will do everything in our power to get him and his family thru this in one piece. Walter is one of the nicest people on the planet. He's real people. And will do anything and everything for anyone. It's time to return the favor in spades.