I'll begin by saying thanks to all that participated in my final clearance sale~! I hope you all enjoy your smokes~!
Don't read any further if you don't like depressing stories......
Last year wasn't a very good one for our family I am afraid to say. I had already shut down the cigar biz due to pandemic related issues and was in the process of of clearing up all old business dealings in December of 2020 when the wife began having some gastro issues. After a few visits to the doctor and a colonoscopy (her first) she was diagnosed with stage four colon cancer in February. A regimen of chemo and other treatments seemed to be doing great, although she was still suffering some pains in her gut. After limping through the summer with several trips planned and fulfilled in October she went into distress and had to have emergency surgery to remove one tumor which was now blocking her colon right where the small intestine descends into the large intestine. The tumor was removed as well as any surrounding cancerous tissue and, unfortunately, due to the chemo drugs they were unable to do the repair surgery and installed an Ileostomy to bypass the large intestine altogether. This continued for the following 2 1/2 months needed to allow the chemo drugs to exit her system so she would heal for the repair surgery. By mid-December she was ready for surgery. 6 days later she was released but complications sent her right back to the hospital by the end of that week for another 6 days. After her second release new complications arose 4 days later sending her once again back to intensive care and another 6 day stay. After much discussion and yelling at her doctors for not giving me enough information to care for her properly in the first place she was back on the mend at home while I took care of her.
Finally able to head back to regular visits with her oncologist it was discovered that her tumors (in her liver) had actually doubled in size during the break from chemotherapy. This was extremely distressing news after such a positive reduction in tumor growth in the fall before surgery. Needless to say we are doing what we can to thwart the cancer at every level and she is doing as well as can be expected, but she is aware that her time in now limited here and we plan to make the best of it.
We have been married for 33 years and raised two beautiful girls who both graduated from college and are doing great on their own. One is married the other in a long standing relationship with no grand kids to burden us with and they seem to be happy. (so I guess we did our job)
I of course will appreciate your thoughts and well wishes, but there is little you or I can do to stop what has already begun. In the mean time I will be around form time to time, but we have a bucket list to see to and I plan to be traveling most of this year to wherever she wants to go and doing whatever she wants to do for as long as she wants. We are just awaiting the final imaging in March to make decisions on whether to continue with the chemo or call it quits.
We only get so much time on this earth folks and you need to make the most of it (which so far I think we have). Take care of yourselves and get that Colonoscopy when its due~! It sure could save your life~!
Thanks for being such a great bunch of Geeks~!
-Brad
Sorry to hear all that, Brad. Here's hoping things turn out better than you expect and hang in there in the meantime!
Thats tough news Brad.
I'm going through something similar right now also with my wife. She was diagnosed out of the blue in early October with acute Myloid Leukemia. Started chemo right away but developed a severe case of pneumonia while in the hospital. In Intensive care for a month. Didn't know if she'd pull through but she did. Now we're
dealing with residual scar tissue in her lungs which may prevent her from receiving the lifesaving bone marrow transplant that she needs. At home on oxygen. Just waiting. Not much else to do but hope and do what the docs say.
I feel for you brother. And I'm with you. 2021 sucked ass
So sorry to read that, Brad. Spend the time now to make memories, and do whatever it is she wants.
Brad - so sorry to hear all this. You will be in my daily thoughts and prayers - and I (along with alot of Geek Families) truly know of your struggles and pain first hand. I lost my mom, dad and sister to cancer. I am a cancer survivor (now in remission - hopefully), but I live with the thoughts and fears of it reoccurring every day - particularly when a new ache or pain pops up. My brother had colon cancer awhile back (at the time he was diagnosed with "a dead bowel" and had to have most of his small intestine removed along with some of the large intestine. Cancer is something you can never get away from and touches us all directly or indirectly. KUDOS to you my friend for making every moment count. I wish the best for you, and your family. To your wife I extend compassion, admiration and endless prayers. Stay strong my friend.
:sad:
So sorry to hear that Brad. Cancer stinks, it has taken a lot of my loved ones too over the years, runs in my mom's side of the family. I'll be praying for you and your family, especially your bride of 33 years. Not to get religious on you, but what you said really reminds me of Ecclesiastes 3 (The Byrds turned this into a song you'll recognize):
"For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:
a time to be born, and a time to die;
a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;
a time to kill, and a time to heal;
a time to break down, and a time to build up;
a time to weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together;
a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
a time to seek, and a time to lose;
a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
a time to tear, and a time to sew;
a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
a time to love, and a time to hate;
a time for war, and a time for peace.
What gain has the worker from his toil? I have seen the business that God has given to the children of man to be busy with. He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man's heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end. I perceived that there is nothing better for them than to be joyful and to do good as long as they live; also that everyone should eat and drink and take pleasure in all his toil—this is God's gift to man."
I hope you can make the most of the time you still have together.
Damn Brad. Sorry. That does suck out loud.
Spoil on her all you can, enjoy your days.
Keep us in the loop.
So sorry to hear this Brad.There is really nothing to say that has not already been said.My thoughts and prayers are with you and your familly.
Sounds like you have a good plan to make the most out of every day, Brad. I hope that you both get to check off every last item on that bucket list together!
Brad....my heart hearts for you man. I'm so sorry.
Brad,
I don't really know what to say that hasn't already been said. Going along with what Gary said above. Every since Adam and Eve, the woman has been a companion for us hard headed men. Since God removed a rib, they have been a pain to us as well, LOL. They take care of us when we need taking care of, and they point us in a direction that we need to be pointed. A good woman is above rubies! 33 years is a long time, and no matter what anyone says, 100 years still wouldn't be enough. No matter why, because we will never know the reason, but like Gary said, "For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:
At this time in y'all's lives, there is:
a time to heal together
a time to weep together
a time to laugh together
a time to mourn together
a time to dance again together
a time to cast away stones together
a time to gather stones together
a time to embrace one another
a time to keep together
a time to speak to one another deeply
a time to love one another
and a time for peace together.
I pray that you both get to fulfill this list to the fullest in the time that you still have together while working on her bucket list. If your travels find you traveling down highway 30 between Memphis and Little Rock, and you need anything, don't hesitate to give me a call. I even have a lodge y'all can spend the night in at no cost. Be safe on your travels and we will be praying for y'all!
Emerson
Brad, you and your wife are in my prayers. I don't know what to write to express my the emotions that are going through my head right now. If there is anything that I can help with fulfilling her bucket list please let me know and I will do what I can to help.
Nick
That sounds awful for you Brad. So sorry. Wishing you both the best of times together and the strength for all the challenges ahead.
Eerily close to a situation we're having with my wife's aunt. Cancer Sucks and I'm sorry to hear about your wife's struggles Brad. Pray things get better and she doesn't suffer much. Best of Luck
Just know you and your wife are in my families prayers brother
Bard, there are never enough words to express myself. However I do beleive that are great Lord Jesus will take booth of you and guide through this trobleing time. Prayers for you and your wife. :-(
You and your wife will be in my prayers Brad. Enjoy this time and create more memories and adventures to look back on and cherish!
I wish you and your wife the best Brad. It sounds like you the right attitude and plan to make the most of the time you have. Stay strong and stay positive.
So sorry to hear Brad. The bucket list sounds like a great plan.
we will lift you and family up in our thoughts and prayers
My thoughts and prayers go out to all. Everyone has been touched by cancer at some point in their lives, but it doesn't make it any easier that's for sure. I share in your vision to enjoy each day and cherish your loved ones, it is easy to "get caught up" and take our closest relationships for granted. God Bless Geeks
My heart aches for you, Brad. Savor every moment and create memories.
Reading this made my heart hurt brother. So glad you have a great attitude and great plan. You and your wife are in my thoughts and prayers. Take every minute you have to finish that bucket list together my friend.
Quote05Venturer - 3/2/2022 9:44 AM
Reading this made my heart hurt brother. So glad you have a great attitude and great plan. You and your wife are in my thoughts and prayers. Take every minute you have to finish that bucket list together my friend.
:word:
Don't think twice if you need anything!
lots of love and healing light being sent to y'all...if I may be of any help, please ask. love you brother...
Brad,
I cannot sufficiently say how much my thoughts, heart, and prayers go out to you. My heart hurts for you.
I hate saying let me know if there is anything I can do, when I know all I can do is send my best wishes, hopes, and prayers.
As someone who has been irregular on my attendance on this site, give yourself permission to not worry about us for a time if you need to. Also, don't feel you have to stay as active on the site as you always were to still feel comfortable being here. If you just want to pop in here and there for a little while we will understand. We will be here for you.