After 83 days, 61 staples and with 12,756 emails waiting, veteran Journal Star sports writer returns

Sports waits for no one.

It's been 83 days and 61 surgical staples like a railroad track down the middle of my chest and belly. A journey that derailed me from sports writer to recovering sarcoma cancer patient.

It took me two weeks before I could complete a walk to my mailbox. A month before I could sleep without feeling like my stomach would rip apart like the movie scene in "Alien." Six weeks before I could drive.

It took time.

Background: Peoria Journal Star reporter on medical leave

While I was recovering, Washington made its terrific playoff run under Darrell Crouch in his final season as a football head coach.

Tim Thornton announced his surprise departure from Peoria High School.

Metamora basketball head coach Danny Grieves announced he'll retire after this season.

I missed Bradley's six-game win streak.

Bradley's five-game losing streak.

Bradley's eight-game win streak.

I've missed the Rivermen father-son story of head coach Jean-Guy Trudel signing his son, Tristan Trudel. And the kid turns out to be really good.

Missed the entire Bradley season so far.

Missed the entire Rivermen season — except for opening night.

I missed the university suspension of Bradley women's basketball coach Kate Popovec-Goss in November.

I watched my beloved Cleveland Browns put 12 starters on IR, win games with four starting quarterbacks, resurrect Joe Flacco at age 38 and win 11 games to make the playoffs.

The Indians did absolutely nothing to improve their roster for 2024 and left me disappointed again.

The Rivermen got out-maneuvered by an ECHL team coming into Bloomington.

Chicago Cubs legend, baseball Hall of Fame icon and former Peoria Chiefs manager Ryne Sandberg announced he has cancer.

Aaliyah Guyton, one of the best female basketball talents to come out of Peoria in a generation, suffered a major knee injury in late December that put her out for the season.

Instead, I had 10 family Friday Pizza Nights (6 Monical's, 2 Warehouse, 2 Pizza Hut).

I lost 46 pounds anyway.

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I binged "Yellowstone," the last season of "Shameless," "For All Mankind," "Lawmen: Bass Reeves" and about a dozen series in all.

I met the Clancy family, from Washington, and they came in and did an amazing job getting the trees in shape in my yard.

I got my car back from Turks Collision, at the end of a saga that took a year to get it repaired (not their fault). They had to jump-start it on their lot to hand it over (their fault).

Thanksgiving, Christmas were great. New Year's Day came with our traditional prime rib (from Alwans), twice-baked potatoes, jumbo shrimp and more.

I gained back 15 pounds.

I created an all-time roster covering all of the Peoria Rivermen's 42 seasons. Maybe it's going to be part of a book someday.

I got countless messages and prayers and support from all of you via e-mail, X, and good old-fashioned snail-mail.

Retired colleague Phil Theobald sent me an inspiring letter.

Retired colleague Bob Leavitt made my family a spaghetti dinner with his own homemade sauce.

Sportswriters are teammates for life, and I heard from so many of mine, current and past, including Wes Huett and Adam Duvall holding the sports department together during my absence.

My wife, Debbie, a longtime nurse, has been at my side through two of these post-cancer surgery recoveries now, and I would be lost without her towering strength and endless love.

Ditto my amazing kids, who are always there, always helping the "two old people."

I felt you all.

Dr. Mitchell Posner at University of Chicago Medical, equal parts world-class surgeon and blunt character, took out an 18-inch long sarcoma from my abdomen.

He got the worst parts of it. I'm told there are still slow-growing microcells lurking. It could mean Dr. Posner and I will meet again on his table someday. Hopefully, years away, if ever. But if it comes to that, I know he's the star I need.

Monday, my first official day back on the job in what I think is my 39th year at the Journal Star (41 if you count a couple part-time years), I opened my company email for the first time in 83 days, and there were 12,756 pieces waiting.

Dave Eminian: Read the sportswriter's most recent work for pjstar.com

I don't even know where to start.

But I think a good place would be on press row, day-to-day I suppose, like so many athletes I've covered over the decades.

I'm getting paid to watch sports. And I get to tell you stories.

And I can't wait to tell them.

Dave Eminian is the Journal Star sports columnist, and covers Bradley men's basketball, the Rivermen and Chiefs. He writes the Cleve In The Eve sports column for pjstar.com. He can be reached at 686-3206 or deminian@pjstar.com. Follow him on Twitter @icetimecleve.

This article originally appeared on Journal Star: Journal Star sports writer Dave Eminian returns from medical leave