BeckyCW

Dean, So glad to see you back. You were missed, even for so short a time! BeckyCW

Happy Anniversary and Happy Birthday to David -- and as others have said, here's to many more! BeckyCW

I am so sorry for your loss, I just don't know what to say. My prayers are with you and your daughter, and I know you'll have a wonderful celebration of the man you loved so much. BeckyCW

Connie, Boy, have you made my day! HDAOTH-AOITS (that's: Happy dance all over the house -- and out into the street!) I'm sooooooo happy to hear this. Love, BeckyCW

Cheryl, I hope you are home and doing much better, and letting Jack wait on you hand and foot. We've missed you and have been praying for you. BeckyCW

Shirley, It's not nice to be a copycat, and I really wish you wouldn't! Seriously, I'm sorry to hear this and sorry you have to WAIT. I hope come Monday that things will speed up and that your peace of mind will be restored real soon - as well as good health. Prayers coming from Southern California, BeckyCW

Another interesting one! BeckyCW

Thanks for another great article! BeckyCW

Cat, I hope you're having a good time with your brother visiting. I just thought I'd tell you this story... Although I know it's very different from yours -- I only hope it will give you more hope. Here goes: Several years ago I met a mom whose son had cancer (diagnosed about age 3) and they had been told by a very reputable medical institution that it was inoperable and he would die. The mom said, "But what if you tried to take it out anyway? If you don't, he'll die -- So why can't you try? If he dies during surgery, at least we tried." They still said no way, that no one would operate on this. (The little boy had neuroblastoma, a childhood cancer, with an enormous tumor in his abdomen. I saw a picture of him during that time, and it was so big it was almost impossible to believe.) Anyway, the mom didn't give up. Several expert doctors later, everyone was still telling her it was inoperable. Finally someone on the internet told her to contact a certain doctor in New York, who might consider the case. She called, and the doctor had just left for a vacation, his assistant said. The mom faxed a photograph of her son to the office. The assistant called the doctor at home, he saw the photograph, and he called the mom that night. He talked to her and said that the surgery would be extremely risky, but he would try. She asked how soon, and he said "yesterday - just get up here." They were on a flight the next day, I believe, and the surgery happened very soon. This story had all happened about 3 years prior to when I met the woman at an even in Washington, DC in 2000. That day, her son -- then about 6 -- was playing with a bunch of other kids, and looked as though he'd never been sick a day in his life. All because the mom never gave up, in spite of experts (and they truly were) telling her she should. So again... I know every story does not end up this way, by any means. And I know that you are tired and have such an uphill battle before you in many ways. But I did want you to know that miracles do happen, and that I hope you are one of them. I truly do. Praying for us all, Becky P.S. I just realized this boy must be must be at least 10 by now, and I know he's fine because I would have heard from multiple people if he had relapsed. Here's to everyone defeating the odds.

Charlie is in my prayers, too. BeckyCW

Jack, Thank you for reporting in. Please know that you and Cheryl are in my prayers, and I look forward to her return to us, hopefully feeling MUCH better soon. BeckyCW

Sandy, You GO GIRL!!!! As we say in California, AWESOME!!! BeckyCW

Great article - thanks. How strange is that, about the "tall" part?! BeckyCW

I agree -- great article, all the way to the end. I'm saving this one for grant proposal material! BeckyCW

@#$%^&*# BeckyCW P.S. Praying for David, Karen, Faith and everyone here.

Shelly, Don't be silly -- You can't leave us! I am praying for your sister to get news that will stop this cancer in its tracks. BeckyCW

Cat, What Fay said! Get thee to another expert, preferably at a university hospital, as fast as thee can. Please don't give up. You're in my prayers, BeckyCW

Congratulations on both counts -- What a happy day you must have had! BeckyCW

Ginny, I've been away from the boards for most of last week and am catching up, reading your previous posts and now this. My heart is breaking for you and Earl. I hope he comes home soon -- both physically and that spark you so miss -- and I'm glad you are getting some help. I hope the hospice assistance will make you more able to share some special moments with Earl without worrying about some of the other things. You are both in my prayers, and will stay there. BeckyCW

Fay, congrats (?) on the new job... but I hear the hours suck. Hope you get back on the day shift soon. BeckyCW

Jane, Love the new, smiling picture of Alan! BeckyCW

Yes, Shellie, this news really does suck. Cancer sucks. And you have a right to be angry and in dispair. But pleast don't stay there. Read what everyone has said, and then read what Becky wrote several times! You must be totally tapped out right now, but you can do this -- You can be there for your sister and support and encourage her and help her through it. How old is your sister? The older, the better with this one. I've known MANY women who've had breast cancer, and the ONLY one who didn't make it (a wonderful woman who was a volunteer I worked with, raising money for cancer research!)... she was very young (which is when breast cancer is most aggressive). And she lived for almost 10 years, fighting and most of that time winning -- living a good quality of life. Shellie, you feel the way you do, and you have a right to it. Just know that we're all here knowing that you'll pick yourself up and get through this. You will. And you have my prayers, as does your sister. Love, BeckyCW

TeeTaa, you don't know how much I wish I could go back east and help out right now! But hopefully with the benefit of Karen's staunch support, Faith's natural-born entertainment factor, and the percoset, he'll recover with as little pain as possible. I had percoset in January after some surgery, and I'd like to buy stock in that stuff... Prednisone is another matter... I'm taking it right now, and hoping I don't have the same exact genes, since I've seen David on that! (just kidding, David... nothing's wrong. really. You just rest! and work on the stories about how you got that cool black eye!) Karen, I'm SOOOOOOOO glad about your mom. I know this has to really lift her spirits a lot -- and yours. As TBone says - Praying for us all, BeckyCW

I'm so sorry to hear this. I'll keep her in my prayers, BeckyCW

Very interesting -- Thanks for posting this! BeckyCW