Just a few questions about David Green. In the episode Fathers and Sons, David Green is smoking quite alot and has emphzema. In the newer episodes (Be Patient) David doesn't smoke (at least not from what I've seen) and there has been no mention of his emphzema. Instead he has lung cncer, probably from smoking. Does anyone have any theorys or explainations to what has happned with this story? Are the writers putting a totally different spin on it. Instead of going back to the emphzema, they bring out the cancer. So does David Green now have both, or what? Hope you can help me out.

-- Amy (areinders@hotmail.com), March 03, 2000

Answers

David Green seemed alot sicker when we first met him than he does now doesn't he? I believe he quit smoking when his wife was ill so that he would be around to take care of her (and I think this really impressed Mark). His emphysema seems to have gone into remission, although I don't believe that emphysema ever "goes away." I can't explain why he looks healthier and livelier in every episode that we see him. I don't see why he is scared; if he "beat" emphysema maybe he can do it with liver cancer.

-- maryann (map5860@aol.com), March 03, 2000.

They actually mentioned his emphysema in either Abbey Road or the very beginning of Be Still My Heart. I think they haven't forgetten about it, it is just not a main plot anymore.

-- 2222 (rachelrr@ivillage.com), March 04, 2000.

Like "2222" wrote, the emphazema was metntioned a few weeks ago- thats why David got the new x-ray which Mark peeked at (did you see that as more of Mark's nosiness regarding his parents?). I wondered about David's seeming good health adn jolliness as well- it all came together with his explanation at the end of Be Patient- he doesn't want to think about it- he is doing a very good job of living the rest of his life. Perhaps he quit smoking when he found out about the cancer, and that combined with new meds, has improved the emphazema. I just watched Fathers and Sons too and was struck by his line "If I need help living my life Mark, you're the first one I'll call." Sad. I was so surprised when David knew- very clever twist, but of course he knew. By the way, you cannot recover from lung cancer when it is that advanced, especially with mets to the liver.

-- May (archerl@cadvision.com), March 04, 2000.