Famed conservative talk show host Rush Limbaugh announced on Monday that he has been diagnosed with advanced lung cancer and that he will miss time from the show to receive treatment.

“Ladies and gentleman, this day has been one of the most difficult days in recent memory for me because I’ve known this moment was coming in the program today,” Limbaugh began. “I’m sure you all know by now, I really don’t like talking about myself and I don’t like making things about me other than in the usual satirical joking way.”

“I like this program to be about you and things that matter to all of us,” Limbaugh continued. “The one thing that I know that has happened over the 31 plus years of this program is that there has been an incredible bond that has developed between all of you and me.”

“So I have to tell you something today that I wish I didn’t have to tell you,” Limbaugh continued. “And it’s, it’s a struggle for me because I had to inform my staff earlier today.”

“I have been diagnosed with advanced lung cancer,” Limbaugh said. “Diagnosis confirmed by two medical institutions back on January 20th.”

“I first realized something was wrong on my birthday weekend, January 12th,” Limbaugh said. “I wish I didn’t have to tell you this and I thought about not telling anybody, I thought about trying to do this without anybody knowing because I don’t like making things about me.”

“There are going to be days that I’m not going to be able to be here because I’m undergoing treatment or I’m reacting to treatment and I know that will inspire all kinds of curiosity with people wondering what’s going on,” Limbaugh continued. “The worst thing that can happen is when there is something going on and you try to hide it and cover it up, it’s eventually going to leak and then people [are going to wonder why you didn’t tell them].”

“It is what it is, and you know me, I’m the mayor of realville,” Limbaugh continued. “So, this has happened and my intention is to come here every day I can and to do this program as normally and as competently and as expertly as I do each and every day because that is the source of my greatest satisfaction professionally, personally.”

“I told the staff today that I have a deeply personal relationship with God that I do not proselytize about, but I do, and I have been working that relationship tremendously,” Limbaugh said. “I am, at the moment, experiencing zero symptoms.”

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