Dressing up as a tumor next year? Now, that's scary! It's healthy to have future goals, Leroy. They keep you going.
Happy Halloween!

Sent by Marilyn | 7:43 AM ET | 10-31-2007

In my neighborhood we still have the Halloween you describe. Most people don't even lock their doors here. So I guess some places the real Halloween still survives.

Tumor? Ah, that is in bad taste and I like it!

Happy Halloween!

Hugs,

Lori

Sent by Lori Levin | 7:52 AM ET | 10-31-2007

Dear Leroy/All,

Happy Halloween............may everyones day be filled with sunshine.

Sent by sasha | 7:57 AM ET | 10-31-2007

Happy Halloween, Leroy....Popeye, here, jist droppin' in to give you hardy greetin's fer de holiday and to drop off a can of spinach to make ya strong!! Eat it up, muh boyo....it'll put mussels in yer arms 'n hair on yer chest!! A hauntingly good time to you & Laurie, me boyo.....I'm Popeye the Sailorman..... toot toot...!!

Sent by betty obst | 8:05 AM ET | 10-31-2007

Trick or Treat Leroy,

Our treat is you're back with your interesting sense of humor. :) Weather permitting, park near the door so you can pass out the candy.... save your favorites for yourself and enjoy.

Sent by Sue Chap | 8:09 AM ET | 10-31-2007

You must be having a better day-I see your humor! Yeah.

Sent by Susan | 8:15 AM ET | 10-31-2007

A man is walking home alone late one foggy Halloween night, when behind him he hears:

BUMP...

BUMP...

BUMP...

Walking faster, he looks back and
through the fog he makes out the
image of an upright casket banging its way down the middle of the street toward him.

BUMP...

BUMP...

BUMP...

Terrified, the man begins to run toward his home, the casket bouncing quickly behind him........

FASTER...

FASTER...

BUMP...

BUMP...

BUMP...

He runs up to his door, fumbles with his keys, opens the door, rushes in, slams and locks the door behind him.
However, the casket crashes through his door, with the lid of the casket clapping.......

clappity-BUMP...

clappity-BUMP...

clappity-BUMP...

on his heels as the terrified man runs.

Rushing upstairs to the bathroom, he locks himself in. His heart is pounding; his head is reeling; his breath is coming in sobbing gasps.

With a loud CRASH the casket breaks down the door......

.....bumping and clapping toward him.

The man screams and reaches for something, anything, but all he can find is a bottle of cough syrup!

Desperate, he throws the cough syrup at the casket...

(Wait a second. Hopefully you're ready for this!!!)

The coffin stops......

HAHAHAHAHAHA Happy Halloween, Leroy

Sent by betty obst | 8:30 AM ET | 10-31-2007

It was good see that smiling pumpkin first thing this morning. I love Halloween too. Want you to know I continue to pray for you. Peace and love Becca.

Sent by Rebecca Hawkins | 8:39 AM ET | 10-31-2007

I certainly do hope that your Halloween is happy Leroy! Your sense of humor has never been dampened and I enjoyed your thoughts on what has changed in our world as affecting our holidays and age-old traditions. Yes, it is a shame that children are reduced to trick or treating at the malls. That is the most dangerous place for our young to be hanging out in,anyway.
I am so happy that you made it home in time for your favorite holiday. Enjoy!

Sent by J C R | 8:39 AM ET | 10-31-2007

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!!!!! Leory!!!!!

Sent by Sarah | 8:49 AM ET | 10-31-2007

Ah the razor-sharp wit has returned. Thanks for making me laugh this morning, Leroy, you are wonderful. Sherri in Texas, BC dx 4-06

Sent by Sherri Eggleston | 9:04 AM ET | 10-31-2007

hmmmmm....what would a tumor costume look like?? hope you enjoy handing out treats this year, Leroy....may some kids grace your doorstep this evening!

Sent by Karen | 9:08 AM ET | 10-31-2007

Dear Leroy,

Happy Halloween! Those Halloween's you remember aren't all lost. Yes, in our neighborhood, we only go to houses we know, we check the candy, and we always walk with our children. We look at strangers with some suspicion and keep our eyes peeled for REAL monsters. There are many things that are still the same however; the cool smoky nights, there ARE spectral trees, the crunch of fall leaves under the swarm's of costumed kids' feet, the excitement of dusk falling, the first trick or treater at your door, and when to decide to shut the door, blow out the pumpkin and go for the candy yourself! A definite benefit of small-town life.

I am so happy that you are home this Halloween, and on the mend, and I wish you so many, many more, and all the magic and excitement that go with it.
God Bless you and Laurie as always, and may He be with you All as we try to live each precious day to the fullest and find and appreciate our joys and blessings as best we can.

Sent by Connie E. | 9:09 AM ET | 10-31-2007

Two things happened in October at my former place of employment. Halloween and the annual clothing drive.

Halloween 2002 I was home recovering from my second surgery; missing the annual Halloween party at work. The costume contest between departments was cutthroat. A few days after Halloween, I got an email from my co-workers. Our department won the annual costume contest!

My friends had gone through a bag of clothes I'd brought in for our fall clothing drive and created their costumes from my castoffs. They had all dressed as me, men and women alike. Pantyhose, wigs and borrowed women???s glasses are really unattractive on large men.

You CAN laugh and cry at the same time. It was the most amazing show of support I have ever experienced. Happy Halloween everyone!

Sent by Joan Marie | 9:14 AM ET | 10-31-2007

I've noticed that the local news stations are spreading fear as they do, by telling parents to watch out for sex offenders, that they need to go online and find out what houses near them are not safe for their kids to go to, and so on and so forth. Theres so much fear in our society nowadays. It does make me sad that kids dont go door to door as much anymore, the fun part of halloween seems to have changed shape.

Sent by Jenn | 9:20 AM ET | 10-31-2007

Oh, DO! When I had my surgery, I had to put the kibosh on my daughter's request to use the tumor in her art. Medical waste and all.
Next year, please dress as a tumor and take many pictures.

HEAL!

xox
Robin

Sent by Robin | 9:21 AM ET | 10-31-2007

Leroy: You made me laugh today. "dress up as a tumor" I believe you. Halloween is also my favorite holiday. We use to trick or treat for blocks (or miles) We had to use a pillow case. A sack would not have lasted very long. These were the days people gave full size candy bars. pop corn balls, etc. What has happened to our world. Fortunately our neighborhood is old, and friendly. Hope to have many trick or treaters. Now if we could just burn leaves. Hope your day is good. HAPPY HALLOWEEN everyone. d.maloy kc

Sent by Diana Maloy | 9:23 AM ET | 10-31-2007

BOO to you too!

I also mourn the old Halloween and the kids' freedom to roam neighborhoods and get cider or doughnouts, candied apples and popcorn balls (all home made and never questioned as to the safety of eating them!).

It would be really spooky to dress up as a tumor...I could go as a survivor (the thing no one expected!).

Happy Halloween.

Peggy

Sent by Peggy Miles | 9:27 AM ET | 10-31-2007

Happy Halloween. What are you going to dress up as THIS year Leroy? I thought of Frankenstein and I hope you don't find that offensive. He needed a walker and had an IV hanging from him when he first got up off the table. Anyway enjoy being home and whatever trick or treaters you get. We would all come and visit if possible:)

Sent by Vicki (FL) | 9:33 AM ET | 10-31-2007

Oh, what a good memory you stirred! Standing on the front porch of Mrs. Mcguire's house while she counted us, fried the fresh donuts, and handed them to all the ghosts, goblins and one Robin Hood. Thanks, Leroy.

Sent by glenda | 9:44 AM ET | 10-31-2007

Leroy-
That'll be one SERIOUSLY SCARY costume! Happy Halloween!
-Leslie C

Sent by Leslie Caplan | 9:46 AM ET | 10-31-2007

Wonderful to hear your humor again Welcome Back! Halloween bc (before cancer & children) was trick or treating for beers! Now days with teenagers not so much but we still laugh and remember our bad old days! Not sure what your tumor costume will look like, please send pictures, I'm visualizing that it be cut from shrunken old decaying fabric carried with a large dose of courage & valor! Some weaponry like the ghostbusters carried would be included=LOL!

Sent by CynS. | 10:04 AM ET | 10-31-2007

A couple of comments today...

Gene Koenerman, while reading your post, my eyes brimmed with tears of joy. How wonderful for both you and your wife to have pulled through! She is so very blessed to have your by her side every step of the way.

Betty Obst, love, love, love the joke!

In my neighborhood, when my kids were growing up, the parents who 'chaperoned' did as socializing as the kids. Some of them dressed up too! Some of the neighbors had special adult fortifying handouts - particularly when the nights were cold and foggy or rainy.

May we all see and enjoy many more Halloweens!

Sent by Sheara | 10:05 AM ET | 10-31-2007

Happy Halloween. You made me smile this morning with the memories of those Halloweens. The tumor costume is a good one. Please make sure to send us all the pictures. Have a wonderful time tonight with the trick or treaters. May all the treats be yours.

Sent by anne lumberger | 10:08 AM ET | 10-31-2007

Happy Halloween Leroy!!!

It was so nice to hear you write about something outside of the norm. It made me happy to know that for at least that instant as you were writing this email your mind was off of the "bad" things.

I think that your tumor costume idea is so funny. Pretty clever. But you have to be a tumor and maybe Laurie can dress up as a medicine bottle (to get rid of the tumor). Anyway, you made me chuckle with your idea.

Enjoy your Halloween and enjoy seeing all the little ones dressed up. My favorite ones are the babies that come by dressed up...they are just too cute! This is one of my favorite times of the year, it makes me smile to see the kids so excited getting their candy.

Enjoy and have a great night tonight!

Love,
Cristina

Sent by Cristina Gonzalez Tampa, FL | 10:12 AM ET | 10-31-2007

Oh the memories of running from house to house until we were soooo exhausted. We vowed, my sister and I, each year to fill those pillowcases completely with goodies. And every year we would sit down under a streetlamp, bushed, examining our treasures. Decide to go home, our little feet aching. The really scary stuff - adults putting cyanide or razorblades in the treats - started happening when I was about 10. It cast a bit of a pall on the celebration. But it didn't stop us from going out every year. Halloween remains one of my favorite holidays. Dressing as a tumor, eh? That's going to be one ugly, scary costume. Yuck. Bad taste in humor depends on whom you ask. Ask a cancer survivor and they'll laugh. Anyone else is likely to be horrified. Keep up the good work. And i hope you are feelin' good today. Tomorrow morning I move to NH. I will be without a computer for a few tortuous days. Funny, I was never frightened during cancer treatment but this move has me in a perpetual panic attack. Sigh.

Sent by Alycia Keating | 10:17 AM ET | 10-31-2007

I love that your sense of humor stays in tact no matter what else happens to you!

Sent by ann kauffold | 10:24 AM ET | 10-31-2007

I'd love to see the tumor costume....I agree with you about losing the spirit. I grew up in a neighborhood where they tried to minimize the trees they cut when they built the houses so most houses were in the woods, and there weren't a lot of streetlights so driveways could be pretty dark and scary. It was great. We don't get many trick or treaters here--we're in a little cul de sac neighborhood off a busy road with no sidewalk and that road is one that no one should let their kids walk at night.

I miss getting to see kids all night long in great costumes. I miss the way kids get to know the neighbors they wouldn't know otherwise that way--which, it seems to me, might make it easier for them to call on a neighbor for help if they ever needed it.

Oh well. Happy Halloween.

Sent by N.R. | 10:40 AM ET | 10-31-2007

Good Morning Leroy, I totally agree with you about Halloween being a favorite holiday. I remember getting dressed up in a fifty cent paper mask and baggy shirt and pants and going door to door trick or treating. Watching the full moon come up, the shadows in the trees and thinking what is behind the houses and vehicles, occasionally a dog howling in the distance and then later going home with a bag full of goodies and trying to eat as much as you could before going to bed. A-h-h-h-h I miss the good old days. Things have really changed a lot. But the treat of the month is you are home and doing better. No tricks about that.....HAPPY HALLOWEEN AND GOD BLESS.

Sent by Teresa in WV | 10:40 AM ET | 10-31-2007

Leroy,

Happy Halloween! I hope you get to do that tumor costume thing many years from now. My continued prayers for your recovery.

Sent by Geoff | 11:03 AM ET | 10-31-2007

Sounds like you are having a good day. Well, so am I. The best since last Friday for me.

I'm glad that you are getting a kick out of Halloween. It hasn't been real fun for me since I was younger. When my husband and I bought our first house, we really stocked up for the tricker treaters. Few came. It was one of those neighborhoods that did the party rather than door to door. We ate candy for a year.

Even though we are in a different city now, there will be no one knocking for candy tonight. Still the same problem, fear of children being harmed. I never understood how that could be.

Anyway, have fun. You remain in my thoughts and prayers.

Sent by Carol M | 11:05 AM ET | 10-31-2007

Happy Halloween, Leroy - you have to promise to post pictures next year of your tumor custom.........what a hoot!
I'll restore your faith in our world and tell you that here in Omaha, NE tonight I'll have about 75/100 kids ring the doorbell and be out in groups in the neighborhood (the old fashion way) - they'll have groups of dads/moms waiting on the sidewalk for them to return from the door - but they'll still come to the door with their cute little faces and sacks open waiting for their "treats"......and I'll know how right the world is that little kids still get a night of scary thrills and wonderful treats!!!
Have a great day!!! So glad YOU'RE BACK!
Hugs

Sent by Ruth Chermok | 11:10 AM ET | 10-31-2007

Leroy, sending much love to you this Halloween. I had this thought as I read your posting, as it is so thougtful like always: not only are you quite alive, but you you are one of the most alive people out there - it makes me happy to read your reflections on Halloween as you are fully engaging with the day!
That aside, I agree - all the parents at my office are allowed to take off halloween, becuase nowadays apparently kids trick or treat in the daytime for safety's sake.
I'm grateful to hang on to the memory of my neighbor John Bonazole. Every year he would dress up as a vampire and jump out of a tree in his parents' back yard just to scare the living daylights out of me.

Have fun today, Leroy, maybe watch a spooky movie! I hope you enjoy your holiday. many hugs.

Sent by liz | 11:13 AM ET | 10-31-2007

Happy Halloween to all!

This one's a little bittersweet for me. This is the first tine in several years that Terry and I didn't fly to New Hampshire to help out by working at a friend's haunted house for several days. Last year saw us having lunch in Salem, MA on Halloween...a memorable time for all involved. We didn't know it was our "last hurrah" all together. It was pouring rain, we were all soaked to the skin, but???we were all together, wet but laughing, and that was what mattered. I wouldn't trade the memory for anything.

Sent by Bruce | 11:15 AM ET | 10-31-2007

Halloween hasn't changed much in our neighborhood. We woke up this morning to heavy fog. Most of the houses have creepy decorations outside, and the fog works well with that... By the time I get home from work, it will be dusk and the streets will be crawling with bands of excited urchins in costume, dragging pillowcases for their candy. The only difference is that most groups of younger kids will have a few parents trailing them. Last night, all the kids on our block gathered in our next-door-neighbor's garage to carve their jack-o-lanterns. As soon as I get off this computer, I'll start carving ours!

A tumor costume...can't quite imagine that. Maybe a cross between Sponge Bob Squarepants (lots of cells) and Darth Vader? Or the devil and an anthill?

Happy Halloween, Everybody. Eat lots of candy!

Sent by Doris | 11:22 AM ET | 10-31-2007

Dear Leroy,
Happy Halloween to you too! Great to hear a little spirit is back in you voice (writing).

Okay, I have a morbit question....how would one dress up as a tumor (I really wanted to do that this year but couldn't figure it out)

Sent by grace | 11:29 AM ET | 10-31-2007

Leroy,

I'm going to dress up as an old witch. All I need is a pointed hat! Good to read your column this am. I will go through my day with less concern about you. Enjoy the things that go bump in the night tonight!

Sent by Diana Kitch | 11:30 AM ET | 10-31-2007

No mall trick or treating for my us! I love the idea of a tumor!!!

Sent by DiAnn | 11:31 AM ET | 10-31-2007

Happy Halloween! So glad you are home. Looking forward to seeing of photo of your tumor costume next year!

Sent by Jen | 11:43 AM ET | 10-31-2007

I think a benign tumor would be the best costume, they are the ones you worry about being a MONSTER.
Walkers are wonderful inventions,does your have the seat option,where you can use it as a chair? Its just that they make you ACCEPT the fact that YOU can not do everything you used to do. I have one in my storage shed that I was able to park after monthes of REHAB and hard work, Use it as long as you need it. But set a goal of parking it !!sometime. I found when grocery shopping the shopping cart is a pretty good substitute.
You need to work today to get stronger,and more mobile than you were yesterday.
My best memories of Halloween, were in a small mining town in Arizona, where the Girl scout troop set up a Haunted House for the kids, and parents would go with the kids from house to house, the kids would say "trick or treat" for their candy. The parents would say " trick or drink" and all went home happy.

Sent by Sam Means | 12:17 PM ET | 10-31-2007

Leroy, You would be a Large tumor, not just your run of the mill annoying tumor. The cost alone would be prohibitive. Like you, I feel badly for the kids, but then they really don't know what they are missing.
Glad to see you still have your funny bone. Happy Halloween! Stan

Sent by Stan Wozniak | 12:30 PM ET | 10-31-2007

Leroy - so glad to see that you are on the mend, as obvious by the recovery of your sense of humor. I've thought about the tumor costume as well, but it's just too scary (although if it scares people into getting colonoscopies, mammograms and other diagnostic procedures to catch cancer early, it will be worth the scare). I think that your tumor costume should reflect all the things that you've done to yours - chemo, radiation, surgeries, ablations, filling them with hot glue....did I leave any out?

Sent by Bob Maimone | 12:51 PM ET | 10-31-2007

You're Back!!!!! God bless!

Sent by Pat Doyle | 12:56 PM ET | 10-31-2007

Halloween is also my daughter's favorite holiday. In fact, not only did she wear her Spider Man costume to bed last night, she also wore her jacket. I think that like you, Halloween will always have a certain magic for her.

Sent by Holly | 1:03 PM ET | 10-31-2007

Good afternoon Leroy, Laurie and All,

Leroy, its so good to see the mischief in your post again today. The tumor idea for next year's costume is a great one. You can also hold up a sign with a circle with a slash through it and make a statement of: "No more tumors!"
That will indeed be a Happy Halloween!

Laurie, have a great time planning next year's Halloween Party. It should be a fabulous one!

To All, Thanks for the trips down Memory Lane. I too, remember a different world at Halloween when all we had to fear were the ghosts and goblins. Just maybe, we can return to those days. (Hopeful smiles :).
God Bless and Happy Halloween!!

Eileen Pruyne
Charlotte, NC.

Sent by Eileen Pruyne | 1:13 PM ET | 10-31-2007

Leroy--

When you and I were kids, just seeing someone in costume jump out from behind a bush and shout "Boo!" was enough to double our heart beats, but modern-day trick-or-treaters are more jaded. They've seen the jump-out-from-behind-a-bush stunt before. No, to really frighten today's kids, you have to jump out at them costumed AS Bush and shout "Four more years!". That'll send them screaming back down your driveway.

The reggae Halloween party tradition at your house resumes next year. Glad to hear you're home with Laurie and recovering. Go easy on those little Snickers bars and leave some for the kids tonight.

Sent by Ross | 1:13 PM ET | 10-31-2007

Happy Halloween to all. I had my surgery yesterday. What was supposed to be at 11 am slipped and slidded to 6 pm. But in the end, my sis says "I understand why you like your doctor, he is very clean and communicative." Everything looks good and we'll know official results.

Can you get Laurie to drive you around? My nephew drove me home from my mom's this morning, and there are lots of old fashioned decorations, scare crows and ghosts, along Reno Road.

Sent by Dianne (DC) | 1:18 PM ET | 10-31-2007

I agree with you. As far as the 'poisoned candy' thing, I've read that there are no confirmed cases of strangers altering candy, apples, or anything else. It's an urban myth.

We are becoming so afraid of everything. I like to see the little kids come by, dressed up so cutely.

BTW, I give out little toys instead of candy. The teenagers, I give noisemakers to. I'm sure it drives the neighbors batty.

Sent by Scott S. | 1:19 PM ET | 10-31-2007

Dear Leroy,
Maybe for some people, scary was never fun. I'm not wired to find Halloween fun. However, you are, and that's what counts. Bad taste is still allowed, it's still America, after all: Freedom of Expression! Yes!
So, here's to you getting as many chances as you want to dress up in as many different costumes you want! Only limit is your imagination, and you've got a terrific one!

Boo!

Kim B.

Sent by Kim B. | 1:25 PM ET | 10-31-2007

Well, folks, as that Cialis TV commercial says ad nauseaum....HE'S BACK!!!

(And I don't mean Freddie, either)

Have a frighteningly good Halloween!

Cathi

Sent by Cathi from the PNW | 1:28 PM ET | 10-31-2007

Leroy,

I can see it now...the Humor Tumor! Just don't come around my neighborhood, please, because I will make every attempt to kill any tumor near my house or anyone I know! May your Happy Halloween be your very best and all that you want it to be. I would like to add Mr. Tumor but it just doesn't seem right, sir.

Best wishes always.

Sent by Ed Brown | 1:36 PM ET | 10-31-2007

Happy Halloween to all in cancer world!!!!!!!!!!!

Sent by David White | 2:18 PM ET | 10-31-2007

Happy Halloween my dear bloggers!!
We had a rough nite last night so we will more than likely miss the festivities this year....but we WILL make up for next year! Cant wait to see the "tumor"!

Sent by Laurie Hirth | 2:19 PM ET | 10-31-2007

So glad you're home, Leroy, and with your sweetie too. Your blog today reminded me of being a kid and when my kids were kids. I've dug out pictures of them trick or treating. Yes, the innocence and fun was wonderful back then. For those, some of which I've read about in your friend's comments today, still live in those safer places where small towns really celebrate a "fun" day for kids and all day long in school, the excitement is building for the kids waiting to put on their costumes and knock on that first door.

I watched The View on tv this morning and just loved the costumes the girls wore. I think my favorite was of Barbara Walters wearing a showgirl costume. Yep, I'm just like those showgirls and Dolly Parton, "love those sparkles"! Ha! One thing I'm missing is not eating candy. I've been told that refined sugar makes cancer cells grow. Have you been told that by anyone in the medical field? I'd read about it but hadn't been actually told that. Now I'm diabetic but even diabetics can have something once in awhile in small amounts. Ha! Can you see me trying to justify eating some "candy corn" (my favorite)? Ha! Now dear, you just look forward to your Halloween celebration for this time next year. You'll have all year to plan it. Now you eat some candy for me. Please....... !!!!

Sent by LindaW | 2:23 PM ET | 10-31-2007

back again, leroy. i told my therapist about your costume idea for next year and he didn't see the humor in it. as you and others above this message have said, cancer humor is just different. most often, only members of cancer world get the joke. a tumor? how about cutting large pieces of styrofoam, spray painting them gray, and gluing them to a long sleeved t-shirt?

Sent by glenda | 2:36 PM ET | 10-31-2007

Excellent!

Hope and humor!

Sent by Joe Alvey | 2:45 PM ET | 10-31-2007

Happy Halloween Leroy!!
This is a FUN day!!
A year a today my husband was diagnosed with non small cell lung cancer. Was this going to cast a shadow over All Halloween fun in the future... NOPE. I've just put out the decoration and set up for the neighborhood kids to trick or treat. We get a lot of them!
Strangely though, on the one year anniversary of the diagnosis- after surgery and chemo all spring and summer we got the word that it's back.... on the same day!?!? weird huh?
www.whatismiddleage.blogspot.com

Sent by Deb | 3:47 PM ET | 10-31-2007

A tumor? How gross!
If that makes you happy be our guest!
So glad to see your sense of humor.
Peace!

Sent by William Atsumi | 3:55 PM ET | 10-31-2007

Hi Leroy,
Happy Happy Halloween! I hope you have lots of good laughs!! My yellow lab who has been my "therapy dog" through all the cancer is dressed up as a Lady Bug-quite cute(good luck and all you know?). I got her as a pup a few weeks before I was diagnosed. Even though you love your surgeons-you could dress up as them holding a big butcher knife threatning to get them back :-)

I think it's interesting how us artist types love halloweeny-gothy stuff. It's really otherworldly for me. I was wondering what people might think of my bones/foscils and " dark" pictures when I was diagnosed. I just left everything and realized that it's okay to still like graveyards etc... Cancer doesn't have to be related to it. Today I absolutely loved my bankers jar full of eyeballs. I think it's a healthier culture to include death. I know it might sound weird to some folks-but somehow it makes all life sacred to me-I mean in the end it will be just bones and ashes and memories to be kept alive. Also, it was like I was relieved or so happy to read the part in Elizabeth Edward's book about her visiting the graveyard everyday. I know it was about her son and not cancer-but something about it made me feel really connected to her in a great way.

So I think Halloween is a little bit like "Day of the dead" don't know my anthropology that well--But, isn't it just incredible that we set aside this day to be absolutely crazy! It's like you can get away with anything just because it's Halloween. I love it! Yes -it's sad that it has changed!-but no one can ever take it away from us. Now if we could just get the nuns to dress up like us... Blessings!

Sent by Linda | 3:58 PM ET | 10-31-2007

happy halloween leroy, hope you have something sweet, (cuz i don't think you should be eating candy yet...right?)

Sent by pink fairy | 4:09 PM ET | 10-31-2007

Happy Halloween, Leroy. Your blog today was a treat

Sent by david | 4:16 PM ET | 10-31-2007

Hey Leroy,
It is such a shame that kids are tricker treating in malls. I remember when we would walk through the really decorated neighborhoods and ran around throwing candy at each other. I really think that memories like that keep us appreciating the spontaneity of life. Happy Halloween! Oh, btw, the tumor costume would be pretty great. haha.

Sent by Chantal P. | 4:33 PM ET | 10-31-2007

Happy Halloween! The tumor idea is great. Keeping you in my prayers.

Sent by Julie | 4:51 PM ET | 10-31-2007

Well, maybe a little sick humor is appropriate today. However, our nicer Holidays are coming and I would like to focus on them with the hope and joy of re-newal and re-birth.
Most important is that YOU are with us again Leroy. Throwing topics and things to ponder our way. God Bless you and all who love you! I will wait to hear from you tomorrow - NOVEMBER FIRST!

Sent by J C R | 4:55 PM ET | 10-31-2007

Thank you Leroy, for both the hope and the humor. You make it easier and less scary. And that is a great Halloween treat!

Sent by Roxane | 5:01 PM ET | 10-31-2007

Leroy, I hope you get lots of treats and no tricks! Now I will have to spend the day wondering what a tumor looks like.
Charlotte in Temecula

Sent by Charlotte Kewish | 5:04 PM ET | 10-31-2007

So good to read your column and smile!!!

Sent by ellie | 5:12 PM ET | 10-31-2007

Happy Halloween, boss. Tonight I'm going as something on fire, despite your wishes and past efforts to stop me.

My best to you always, you are constantly in my thoughts, Halloween or not.

much respect and affection
Buck

Sent by Buck Parr | 5:12 PM ET | 10-31-2007

You are truly an inspiration.....and spooky too....a tumor?!@?!? Indeed then...go for it!
Prayers to all.

Sent by Wanda Amorose | 6:27 PM ET | 10-31-2007

Amen to that! I'm glad the real, old-fashioned door-to-door trick-or-treating is alive & well in our neighborhood. We get more than 100 kids each year & I love it! Malls on Halloween? That's just sad! Happy Halloween!

Sent by Lisa Lindstrom | 6:41 PM ET | 10-31-2007

Wow you are so strong. I enjoyed you Halloween comments and am impressed that you can think of kids, Halloween and future costume parties instead of dwelling on you rillness. WAY TO GO :)
Linda

Sent by Linda | 8:13 PM ET | 10-31-2007

We had lots of kids come by tonight. The only really scary one was a kid in doctor's scrubs. Some neighborhoods, like ours, still do Halloween in a big traditional way - lots of decorations and door to door trick-or-treating. The difference is, you stick to your neighborhood and the people you know. When I was a kid we hit as many houses as we could regardless of who they were.
I don't think it was any safer back then - we were just less hyper-vigilant about safety.

Sent by Marcia Greer | 9:22 PM ET | 10-31-2007

Greetings from an exhausted Mom. I ate extra candy in your honor today (have a bit of a sore tummy now, but aren't we all hoping to share your pain?). I let my 9 year old go trick or treating alone in our street with 2 girlfriends. They all had home-made costumes (my daughter went as "duct tape girl" - she covered herself in duct tape, her friend went as a football player, her other friend went as a playing card). My 7 year old son and his best friends went with the Moms. The streets were filled with kids of all ages running from house to house. The weather was absolutely perfect for trick or treating in New Jersey!

After a nice dinner we went to the deck of cards and football player's neighborhood for more candy.

My biggest concern wasn't abduction. I even forgot to check their candy (not sure what to look for anyway) but cars driving too fast up these suburban neighborhood streets. That, I am sure, is the same danger as in my childhood in the 1970s.

So old-fashioned Halloween is alive and well in New Jersey in 2007. We didn't make candied apples, but we did pick our own pumpkins and carve them. I painted the kids faces.

And after hours of kids it is very nice to enjoy a glass of wine.

On another note: I was at the mall today (I couldn't figure out why all the employees were dressed up, but of course, some people bring their kids there for trick or treating!!!) to get a gift for my cousin. She was diagnosed a few weeks ago with breast cancer. I wanted to get her a little bling as a pick-me-up.

Next year you can go as a tumor. I would be happy to paint your face. After all the kids I have painted through the years. I'm almost a professional.

Best wishes on your recovery! Hope you enjoyed the description of Halloween 2007.

Sent by Liz L. | 9:54 PM ET | 10-31-2007

Leroy, so glad that you are home. Just keep hanging in there.

Sent by dorothy in oregon | 10:22 PM ET | 10-31-2007

The strength of you and your partner takes my breath away. Happy Halloween! We happen to live in one of those old-fashioned (now new-fashioned) places where everyone totes their kids out to trick-or-treat -- we had a talking skeleton, a running rat, huge pumpkin, jack-o-lantern, and a lit/blown-up pumpkin. Oh, and we had an electronic keyboard that had an organ setting ... all you have to do is press a few keys, and IT'S SCARY!!!!

Leroy, we invite you to Decatur, GA --Lenox Place Neighborhood -- it's Halloween (and everything else) like you remember. We're nice. We're fun. We're mostly dangerously liberal. But some of us are not. Here, though, it's Halloween like you remember it.

Sent by Victoria Ferreira | 11:08 PM ET | 10-31-2007

Dear Leroy,
My daughter told me about your blog when I was traveling through my treatment for stage three colon cancer. You are brave to write about your journey and although I just recently subscribed I want you to know that the knowledge of thoughts and prayers said for me made a difference. I am now 2.5 years out from my surgery and chemo, Cancer free, yet, still aware that there is no guarantee. You have my thoughts and prayers. The human spirit is amazing to me, amazing what we are capable of. I am cheering for you and inspired by your spirit. A dear friend sent me a three word prayer/mantra of "Healing, Healed and Healthy". I pray that for you.
Continue to heal....A team mate...Barbara MacD

Sent by Barbara MacDonald | 12:22 AM ET | 11-01-2007

I tell everyone of your dream costume & we all LOVE it...I think it must be done!!

Sent by Cherie Brown | 1:05 AM ET | 11-01-2007

We didn't get even one trick or treater last night. I used to love opening the door and talking to the little vampires and ninja turtles..more candy for us?? sigh.
The year my sister completed her treatment for Hodgkins, I made her a lymph node cake for her birthday. Sick humor, yes. But it made us laugh. Still makes us laugh.

Sent by elm | 8:34 AM ET | 11-01-2007

Ha, cancer humor. Reminds me of some of the jokes and pranks my husband I made and played on our doctor. His son did not appreciate our jokes, but it helped US immensely. Costume idea: Two sheets of foam rubber worn like a sandwich board. More foam on the two sides if needed. Cut all squared edges to give it interest-- you do not want to look like a square box tumor. Take spray foam insulation and create the hills and valleys of the tumor. Take a cap or man's hat and spray with foam in the same way -- baseball cap or something with cold-weather ears would be perfect. Then spray pain with a variety of neutral colors for depth and highlights -- keep it simple. Don't go for gore. Attach plastic tubing into the sprayed insulation. Use a variety of diameters and lengths to represent the blood supply. Do not make them too long -- safety reasons. Am I gross? No, just a former costume designer and this just popped into my head.
Thanks for the laugh and for the images of Halloween. I love the kids on my street and the ones who come to my door each year.
This year my postman(mail carrier) brought his kids. I did not recognize him. He knew my name and I had to ask why. (I am at work when he arrives.) I was honored that he came too our street.
Have a blessed day.

Sent by Deborah of Asheville | 12:25 PM ET | 11-01-2007

I live in England and when you post a message it pops up on me about the end of my lunch break. Sometimes I wait for it and sometimes I go look for it before then.
But now as I am typing it is actually Sunday evening here and in some ways that is a "silly" time to be replying. It's not an immediate response to yopur post, it's me thinking about you. On my mantlepiece sits a card from a dear Scottish friend who lives in Oz. A friend I made through cancer and who I have only met a few times in the flesh. A few mkins a go i had got up to stretch, and my eyes re-read her messages of support to me and in the card she mentions your name. We live miles away from you and are unlikely to ever meet and yet we both think of you and have "used" thoughts of you to try to pass strength to each other.
Because of this a word came to my mind and I wondered if you knew it?
I guess that as a journalist you must know lots of words I do not and I wondered whether you might ponder on this one.... synergy.
Synergy is about cumulative effect.
It's how 1+2 does not equal 3 but equals more, maybe 4 or 5.
So 100(1+1+1+1) equals alot more than 400.
I think I am being rubbish at trying to be clear with you.
I am tying to draw an aanalogy.
Out here we are 1 and 1 and 1....thinking of you, trying to help, trying to be here.
But TOGETHER we are so very much more.

I hope you can feel the power of synergy.

Hope you have had the best weekend you could have at the moment, and that next weekend will be better for you

Sent by JJ | 12:32 PM ET | 11-04-2007

keep going. one foot in front of the other. you will have the power and strength. look forward to your next update. i am sure all will be happy to see you.

Sent by bernie madden, cape cod | 9:23 AM ET | 11-13-2007