Course Change

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Superbob

Steely Resolve!
Supporting Member
Joined
Apr 21, 2005
Messages
8,481
Location
Coastal Carolina
Dear friends, I have going to step away from Staying the Course for the indefinite future. I have a biopsy coming up next week that concerns me considerably. Even the possibility of cancer throws me for a loop; that's a big one I haven't have to confront before. Plus I am still helping my son following his major surgery, and helping out with grandkids as best I can. And I am struggling to continue my part-time work to help us make ends meet in retirement. If there is a desire to continue this thread (assuming vr.org itself continues) will need someone to step forward to open the weeks, and encourage folks along at times. Maybe one person could do that, or you could set up a rotation of volunteers. I have done this for several years now, and enjoyed doing it, but now have too much stress to do it well. So best wishes to you all in whatever course you choose to take....all best, bob
 
Thanks for the years of being a gracious host and volunteer. Prayers for a negative biopsy and for peace as you navigate your course. I’m sure we’d all welcome occasional updates, even if you won’t be kicking things off.

My course is always a tad unpredictable, so I hesitate to commit to launching a discussion weekly, or even to a regular rotation. I would be happy to kick things off periodically if I see one hasn’t been started when I feel the urge to post though.
 
Really sorry to hear you are having so many problems SB. I do hope the biopsy turns out to be negative for cancer, but, yes the thought of the C word can throw anyone (I was once called back after a mammogram, turned out to be non-consequential, but for a week I felt in a turmoil about it). Wishing you and your family all the best and that things calm down.
 
Hi Bob

Superbob;n884848 said:
... I have a biopsy coming up next week that concerns me considerably.

life throws curve balls at us all the time (like at me for instance), I hope you get a good outcome from the biopsy, but no matter what focus on what you can and set aside what you can't. Just hoping to not have it throw you for a loop is all. Eventually Death smiles at us all, all a man can do is smile back mate ...

(its just 6 bloody long years ago that I put my wife into her grave from a tumor, so I can perhaps understand some things about challenge, compassion and living).

You need to do whats right for youself, your wife, your family and then everything else falls into place. I have confidence that you'll be ok.

Best Wishes
 
Thanks, Pellicle (and Anne and Superman) -- much appreciated. The surgeon tells me there's better than a 95% chance this thing is benign, and if it should be precancerous, he's doing a excisional biopsy, so hopefully that would take it all out -- and afterwards just monitor for any recurrence. My challenges are so much less than many other people, including folks right here in our group, but this just kind of creeps me out. Doc says procedure probably will take no more than 15 minutes, so Ill just do my breathing exercises and be done with it. But this is just one of an accumulation of stresses and strains hereabouts lately (won't detail them), leading me to conclude I need to take a little more R&R.

All best wishes to you and all others here as well....
 
Superbob;n884858 said:
.... The surgeon tells me there's better than a 95% chance this thing is benign, and if it should be precancerous, he's doing a excisional biopsy, so hopefully that would take it all out..

excellent.

A quote from a Magazine I subscribe to (New Scientist)

Our minds aren’t passive entities simply observing reality as it is; our minds actually change reality. A positive mindset can trigger physical changes making you fitter, slimmer, more energetic and less stressed. It will even help you live longer…
 
Oh Superbob I am sad to read this but can definitely understand. That big C word gets to all of us as we are getting regular checkups and they are not just our hearts they keep an eye on. I know not everyone here prays but I want you to know I will be praying for you in the days ahead.

Talking kids and grands, boy howdy do I understand that! My daughter is a widow at the young age of 38 with 3 children in tow. Love them so much that with the help from above we keep pushing through.

Our road at home here has been rough this year. I always tell about my big insurance premiums, deductibles, and co-pays but a lot of things we keep to self. We took a leap several years ago and retired early thinking with our great health we would be fine. WRONG. As I think about entering the workforce again at 62 with the problems I have had......well it all gets to be overwhelming at times. We will make it through. My pride is about all I have left but have no problem working.

Do stop in and give us an update. Will miss you and I know I am not the only one :(
 
look after yourself SB, i've enjoyed reading your stuff

good luck with everything & best wishes
 
SB - Whatever your path at vr.org may be, please do stop by wherever we are to keep us posted. Your many years here as our song leader have added much music to our crazy lives. You will be forever one of us, whatever we are. Thank you for your service, sir!

I do wish you the best outcome from your impending biopsy. I had one a couple of years ago now that was not a happy report. I am one of the lucky ones, though. I did/do have cancer, but it is a very small, slow-growing one. I have had radiation treatment for it, and now all we do is monitor to ensure that it responds to treatment - a process that will take some years. Just like knowing I needed valve surgery many years before the procedure, now I also monitor this "C" thing. Again, though, I am a lucky one. I get to continue living my life as I want to. Doc says I will eventually die, but not from this cancer. We should all be so lucky.

As for the future of "Stayin' the Course" - maybe we should just plan that whomever looks first on Monday mornings just opens a new thread. Who knows - once in a while even I may be first.
 
SB, I'm sending VERY positive energy your way for an all-clear. Waiting, for me, is the agonizing part. In my 30s I had an abnormal pap smear followed by a procedure a week or so later to resolve the problem. I then had to wait for some healing before another test could be done, then a few days more for the results, which were normal. Ironically, my mother was going through the very same thing, including the procedure, but neither one of us told the other to avoid worrying the other. Had we shared, my worry would have been far less, I'm sure. I had the same reaction to the news about my bicuspid valve. I could have waiting as long as a year to have surgery but wanted it over and done with ASAP.

I vote "yes" on Steve's suggestion that whoever gets here first on Monday starts the thread as able.

On another note, I was interviewed last Friday by Susan Davis, Sr. Communications Director with the Houston-area AHA. We "met" each other through my effort to find a sponsor for VR.org (which, unfortunately, has not borne fruit). It was a lovely meet and greet at Starbucks and I shared much about this site and how important it was for me to "talk" with others who had walked the same walk and "got it". So a thank-you to all of you who participate on this thread and others, sharing the journey, encouraging others, providing information, etc. God bless you all.

Hugs,
Michele
 

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