Papa Pool's in the Clear

As some of you may know, Papa Pool underwent surgery yesterday to remove a mass on the upper part of his left lung. Despite a barrage of tests, the doctors were unable to determine what the mass was prior to the surgery, so the decision was made to remove it and (if it turned out to be malignant) the portion of the lung around it. Last night we got word from home that Dad's surgery had gone very well and that the mass was definitely not cancerous. Although the pathologist still hasn't come back with the results, the doctors have ruled out any malignancy and therefore were able to remove just the abnormal growth.

My guess as to what the mass was? Well, I remember one time Dad was eating one of his famous homemade cheeseburgers as I was telling a particularly funny joke. Unfortunately my joke was so uproariously funny (aren't they all?) that he literally inhaled his entire burger while laughing. If you don't believe me, just check out the X-ray below of Dad's lungs immediately before the surgery. Dad's already asked the boys at the pathology lab to send the removed tissue back with a side of french fries and some mustard, because as Mr. Michael Harris will tell you, there's no sense in wasting a perfectly good Vanderburger.