Kraig Jarret Johnson, a Minneapolis indie vet who's played in Golden Smog, The Jayhawks, Run Westy Run, and other groups over the last 40 years, has been diagnosed with cancer. His family wrote: "He underwent surgery to remove a third of his colon and after some tests, we learned that the cancer has spread to his lymph nodes."
A pathologist studies an extremely thin slice of human tissue under a microscope, searching for visual signs that reveal whether cancer is present and, if so, what type and stage it has reached. To a trained specialist, examining a pink, swirling tissue sample dotted with purple cells is like grading a test without a name on it -- the slide contains vital information about the disease, but it offers no clues about who the patient is.
Dog: Smelled some organic compounds on his breath. Picked up traces of blood in his stool. It's either cancer or the worst case of Happy-Tail Syndrome I've ever seen. Doctor B: I don't buy it. I want a full workup. Blood, imaging. Dog: While you do that, I'll do a full workup on a hair ball the size of a colostomy bag. Tomorrow, I'll still be right and there's a good chance your patient will be dead.
To everyone who's been part of my journey so far, I have some difficult news to share: I've been diagnosed with cancer. It's been a lot to take in, but I've already started treatment and I'm incredibly grateful to be surrounded by the love and support of my family and close friends.
