Sometimes, Hugh Hewitt on his radio show will jokingly say, “if I only had a producer”. Hugh can say that in jest as everyone knows he loves his radio producer, Duane Patterson, as do all the tribbles and all the listeners to the radio show. Duane Patterson is a good man. He is a man of strong Christian faith and conviction. Also, lovingly known as “generalissimo”, the producer does have one main flaw I cannot hide. He is a Los Angeles Angels fan.
In the summer of 2012, after a tonsillectomy, Duane was diagnosed with basaloid squamous cell carcinoma in his left tonsil. When hearing the awful news, Duane – just the opposite of going to a ‘woe is me’ mode – would try every option available in fighting and defeating this evil cancer. He even went to Germany for years to try an alternative treatment option.
This tonsil cancer didn’t know it was messing with the wrong man. It doesn’t realize how tough big Duane is. I had zero doubt in my mind that Duane will beat this cancer and beat it like a drum. During the early years I sad, “It will be a great joy many years from today when we look back along with a cancer-free Duane Patterson on this successful journey in his life. I love you, man!”
Spoiler alert: He defeated it… no, he totally smashed it… no, Duane totally annihilated the cancer until it yelled, uncle! 🙂
On Easter Day in 2014, more than a year and a half after being diagnosed with this cancer, Duane sent good news in this tweet:
Duane Patterson@Radioblogger 24h
What a difference a year makes. 2013 – cancer, not healthy. 2014- This year, healthy and grand-baby, Jackson.
As most of you know, cancer is an evil, evil disease that is not easy to defeat-it takes an all out battle. So, Duane’s cancer remained. And in July of 2015, with the cancer still there, Duane gave us a worrisome update on his Hughniverse’ Aftershow.
After continued treatment again in Germany [6 more weeks], Duane gave another update on his Hughniverse Aftershow, where he was about to celebrate with his son on his 25th birthday, said that he was cautiously optimistic on his continued battle on September 8, 2015:
Six months later, On the Hughniverse “Aftershow” on Friday Jan. 15, 2016 Duane Patterson gave an update of his battle against cancer with a surgical procedure he would be having on Monday January 18, 2016 at noon.
Note: the first voice you will hear is that of Duane Patterson’s good friend, James Lileks:
Then on Tuesday, February 23, 2016, Duane gave another update on his status after the surgery that he had on January 18, 2016. It was amazing how in just a few days after such a major surgery Duane was back on the air, looking great and sounding great. Duane’s update was very encouraging:
After Duane Patterson had successful surgery which removed about 50% of his cancer, Duane again began this specialized treatment in Germany to remove the remaining 50% of his cancer.
In March of 2016, Duane gave this update on his Aftershow. When you listen to Duane in his own words you will hear that this is going very well and it was a very encouraging update to me. Thank you Lord! This good man is well on his way, God willing, to being cancer free.
The other voice you hear on this playback of the After-show segment is Duane’s good friend, humorist James Lileks. After the medical update of Duane’s condition, I let the audio run a couple of extra minutes to give you a bonus of the humor that goes on between Duane and James on the Aftershow:
Still battling cancer with every fiber and means necessary Duane would begin phase two of his chemotherapy in May of 2016.
Then, finally, finally the blow after blow by Duane’s persistence on the evil cancer [with all of his treatment and hell that he had to go through] was taking a huge turn in decimating the cancer, as Duane gave in this chat room update on March 11, 2017:
“Want a cancer update? The scan yesterday showed two things, both good news. The lump is now down to 1 cm in size–it was 2 cm last time, so it shrunk yet again. Look at a ruler. 1 cm is pretty small. but that’s not the good news.
Before I started chemo again, the uptake was 16, which means it was robust, hungry and growing. After two rounds of chemo, it was down to 6, which is still active enough they wanted the two more rounds of chemo, which i just concluded last week.
Now? The uptake is 1.9—-why that is significant is because they don’t even call it cancerous activity until it gets to 2.5.
So it’s not dead dead, but it’s dead coma, which is just where they want it to begin radiation. that will probably happen either late next week or the following week.; but anyway, the news is all good. 1 cm and 1.9 uptake is mop up work for radiation. cancer goes away then, virus allegedly goes away then, and i’m done with this excrement for good.”
On April 7 of 2017, I wrote this on my previous Tales From a Tribble blog:
“On the previous good news update, March 11, 2017, Duane informed us he would soon be going into his final [hopefully] stage of getting rid of his cancer, once and for all. Well he is now in that stage as he is doing his radiation treatments. On his Aftershow on the Hughniverse on Wednesday night April 5, 2017, Duane told us he just had one of his radiation treatments that day. Duane sounded good and looked great and he told us, knock on wood, so far no bad after effects [except for the taste of food] and that the only thing that is really hurting is whatever is left of the cancer that is being kicked the hell out of his body with the treatments.
As usual I ask for everyone for their continued prayers as, I believe, the courageous Duane Patterson is closer than ever to total victory over the evil cancer. Sorry cancer-you are about to have a humiliating defeat-and Duane is about to have a glorious victory with his “new life journey” [that started about 5 years ago] continuing for many decades-but then it will be cancer free! When that happens I am sure Duane and all friends of Duane will be saying, thank you Lord!”
In May of 2017. Duane Patterson had completed his final chemo treatment and was down to his final three radiation treatments. Duane could finally see the light at the end of the tunnel as, thank God, all of those treatments were taking their toll on the evil cancer, and Duane Patterson was on the verge of victory over cancer. It would take some testing in the next 9 months but if all goes well with the test results, please God, Duane would be the victor and cancer would be the humiliated loser. Here is Duane’s beginning of his Aftershow on May 17, 2017:
On Dec. 6, 2017 Duane gave this very, very, very hopeful update on his After-Show:
Duane posted this amazing update on Facebook on Dec. 18, 2017: “Today was a big day for me on the cancer front. It’s come back twice a year after I thought I beat it. Today was the scan in that time frame. What’s left of original lymph node is shrinking, and there is 0 detectable energy from it. Totally inert, total remission. Thank God.”
So, Dec. 13, 2017 was a big day for Duane Patterson [as he was totally winning in his battle defeating cancer] as it would be the year end test results that we were prayerful would show the cancer was basically gone from his body. Instead of me messing up what that meant here is Duane in his own words from his Aftershow on the Hughniverse from last night Dec. 13, 2017 that he gave at the beginning of his show:
So, on December 13, 2017, another scan showed that the cancer that once was in his body was kaput, done, not to be seen. It would be one year later, in December of 2018, Duane Patterson on his Hughniverse live Aftershow, gave us another good news update on his PET CT Scan he just had this [Thursday] morning. Rather than me tell you what he said and mess it all up, I will let you hear his update from the Aftershow in the following video. Also, when Duane says it in his own words, trust me, it is a special way that only Duane can do, that I’m sure you will enjoy. Spoiler Alert: It’s great news!!
Hallelujah: Now we are nearing the end of August, 2021, and as Duane said, you can never totally say you have been cleared from cancer, I think it is safe to say on this cancer that began 9 years ago…..let me repeat that 9 years ago…Duane has totally won this battle and praise the Lord [and all the medical help and all the courage and determination shown by Duane] he is cancer free.
Duane Patterson has never looked better or looked healthier than he does now. Bravo, big Duane on this amazing new life journey that continues with success. Well, it all continues with success except, of course, for his Angels. But on a variation of a Harry Caray quip: “As sure as God made green apples the [Los Angeles Angels] will be in the World Series”. And I know Duane will be there to cheer them on.
UPDATE: July 19, 2022: It has been 10 years since Duane Patterson was initially diagnosed with basaloid squamous cell carcinoma in his left tonsil, and given a not very optimistic future from many docs. It has been 5 years since Duane finished his chemo treatment.
Well, on July 19, 2022 in the late afternoon, Duane tweeted this on twitter:
“So the 5-year outer marker scan was today…Considering 3 docs told me I wouldn’t live to see 50, being 55 now feels pretty good.” Woo Hoo!
Here is Duane in his own words on his After Show on July 20, 2022:
Thank you, Lord! Cancer free Duane looks pretty good to me!
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