A story told in real time, by Greg and Zanne
Hi. We’re Greg and Zanne. Husband and wife, best friends, smartasses, and now… cancer bloggers.
We didn’t plan this. We didn’t want this. But here we are.
Greg’s Journey is our attempt to make sense of the mess, to share it honestly, and to hold onto some sliver of control in a situation that often feels like anything but. This blog is raw, real, and sometimes ridiculous—just like our life has always been.
Greg was diagnosed with esophageal cancer in the summer of 2025. It started with a bit of food getting stuck. Then some dizzy spells. Then a series of missteps that should’ve been red flags, but weren’t. By the time we got the official word—The Big C—we were already knee-deep in tests, appointments, medical jargon, and the quiet kind of fear that sits in your chest and refuses to leave.
But here’s the thing: we’re still us. Still cracking jokes during procedures. Still making each other laugh in waiting rooms. Still sharing hospital cafeteria reviews like we’re on Yelp. Still showing up—together.
We’ll be using this space to share Greg’s experience from his perspective—and Zanne’s from hers. We met in an AOL chatroom back in the day, so we’ve been bantering online since the early dial-up days. Expect updates from both of us, sometimes side-by-side, sometimes on our own. You’ll also see plenty of photos, stories about our dog Molly (our Bernedoodle and emotional support clown), and glimpses of the life we’re living in between scans and surgeries.
This blog is for our friends and family who want updates.
It’s for anyone else walking through something hard.
And it’s for us—to document the fight, the fear, the funny moments, and everything in between.
We won’t pretend this isn’t serious.
It is.
But we also won’t pretend we’re not still us.
And as long as we’re still us, we’ll keep telling the truth—with love, with humor, and maybe a few too many food references.
Thanks for being here.
— Greg & Zanne
This was all enough to make me ball my eyes out. For two reasons, the first one is, I hate that you are going through this you and your family if I had the power, I would cure you myself! The second reason is that I feel relieved that you are with such a supportive spouse and family unit that will be right there with you!
I am so happy for you and so proud of you that you served in the military and also that you were able to leave Green Valley and Illinois and have a wonderful life!
I think about you every day and how unfair this I has been to you and your family. I pray for you every day and I admire your strength, humor, and courage and just being you, Greg. You always made me laugh and smile through school and after. I wish we could’ve spent more time together as friends , of course. you are one of those people that feels good to be around and time passes too quickly and when you’re no longer in their presence, you think about them often and look forward to the next time you can be with them.
Thank you for sharing your journey with me with us. You are very brave for doing this, but that’s you and you do it with dignity, humor, and love. I love you, Greg my friend. Please keep fighting and never give up hope!❤️
Karen, you about made me tear up with this. Thank you for every word, it means more than you know. You’re right, I couldn’t do this without Zanne and the girls, they’ve been my rock.
We really have known each other forever, and I’m so grateful you’ve kept me in your thoughts and prayers. I feel the same about our time in school—I wish we’d had more time together too, but I carry those memories with me.
Love you, my friend. Thanks for being in my corner.
I am glad that we got to talk today. I miss our chats.