The Official Real Life Happens PP Member Support Thread

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O_P_T said:
First, thanks Dee, and everyone else who has sent positive waves.


donald-sutherland-oddball.gif


But I'm a bit perplexed by Dee's comment.

BTW, she's not alone. I have had multiple women, who we've encountered in this long strange trip, who damn near put me on a pedestal, for my strong support for my wife, as a patient advocate. Be it health care providers, typically nurses or Physician Assistants, or other women we encountered in the numerous visits to the ER, DRs. office, etc.

I don't mean to have this come across as a boast, but I got the strong impression of "envy" from many of these women. That they didn't have such support from the significant others in their life, or that such behavior by a man with regards to his wife/girlfriend/significant other was not the norm.

Excuse me?

Whiskey!

Tango!

Foxtrot!

Really?

I am the outlier with regards to how men behave?

Oh Christ, if true, I weep for our civilization.

IMHO, if a man is to be considered a MAN, and fuck the transgender bullshit, what I am doing for my wife in the minimal required effort to garner that title.

Thank god, I don't have to stand between my wife and an invading horde, and defend her, and die for her if necessary, but what I am doing for her as a health advocate may be as close an equivalent in our society.

The fact that this is viewed as unusual and extraordinary.... FUCK!
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If ever there was a swing and a miss, this post is it.

OPT, Dee never said you were special because you are a unicorn. You are NOT. MOST spouses would do what you have done. My wife is a great example. It doesn't' matter if 95% of spouses would do what you do, it is STILL SPECIAL. It is still worth recognizing.

Get it??
 
A couple of you have asked about me. I appreciate it.

All things considered, I am doing well.

The open heart has proved successful. The procedure and recovery was something I would wish on my worst enemy (Bucky Dent, yes). The outcome has been great. I am SLOWLY getting back in shape. I doubt I will ever run for exercise again, but I am walking uphill on a treadmill 5 days a week and lifting (no restrictions) 3 days a week. I started with just machines and NO weight. Just working on range of motion for each exercise. I have added weight over time and I am back up to about 65% of where I was pre-cancer/open heart. I should be good for 10 years with this cow valve.

The cancer has not yet reoccured. My last PET scan was "inconclusive" as they saw some things that they could not identify that could be due to residual effects of the 3 different chemo or the Nivolumab treatments. It could also be cancer. I have another PET scan coming up in the next 7-10 days. This will tell the story. Stage 4 Nodular Sclerosing Hodgkin's Lymphoma has a stupid high reoccurrence rate. The goal is to make it to five years post chemo. But post one year is very important. We will see. The hard part isn't the thought of the next treatment (destruction of immune system and cell replacement) it is just the waiting to know.

God has been VERY good to me. He sent a pulmonology NP to me that ordered the initial PET scan against the oncology team's wishes. Had she not, I would have died from the cancer last summer. He sent my wife to me on December 31, 1991 for so MANY reasons. I will never forget that night. She walked up to the bar I was standing behind and ordered a drink. I was NOT the bar tender. I didn't even work there. I made the drink for her and we talked for 30 minutes and the rest is 32+ years of history.

PS- I would not wish open heart and recovery on Bucky either.
 
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Aloyouis said:
A couple of you have asked about me. I appreciate it.

All things considered, I am doing well.

The open heart has proved successful. The procedure and recovery was something I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy (Bucky Dent, yes). The outcome has been great. I am SLOWLY getting back in shape. I doubt I will ever run for exercise again, but I am walking uphill on a treadmill 5 days a week and lifting (no restrictions) 3 days a week. I started with just machines and NO weight. Just working on range of motion for each exercise. I have added weight over time and I am back up to about 65% of where I was pre-cancer/open heart. I should be good for 10 years with this cow valve.

The cancer has not yet reoccured. My last PET scan was "inconclusive" as they saw some things that they could not yet identify that could be due to residual effects of the 3 different chemo or the Nivolumab treatments. It could also be cancer. I have another PET scan coming up in the next 7-10 days. This will tell the story. Stage 4 Nodular Sclerosing Hodgkin's Lymphoma has a stupid high reoccurrence rate. The goal is to make it to five years post chemo. But post one year is very important. We will see. The hard part isn't the thought of the next treatment (destruction of immune system and cell replacement) it is just the waiting to know.

God has been VERY good to me. He sent a pulmonology NP to me that ordered the initial PET scan against the oncology team's wishes. Had she not, I would have died from the cancer last summer. He sent my wife to me on December 31, 1991 for so MANY reasons. I will never forget that night. She walked up to the bar I was standing behind and ordered a drink. I was NOT the bar tender. I didn't even work there. I made the drink for her and we talked for 30 minutes and the rest is 32+ years of history.

PS- I would not wish open heart and recovery on Bucky either.
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Putting a thumbs up doesn't express what I'm thinking.


Glad, buddy, to hear from you.

Do take care.
💞💞💞
 
Muse said:
Putting a thumbs up doesn't express what I'm thinking.


Glad, buddy, to hear from you.

Do take care.
💞💞💞
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Thank you Muse.

As we get older, we pile up "experience". Only then do we really understand what life is all about.
 
Aloyouis said:
Thank you Muse.

As we get older, we pile up "experience". Only then do we really understand what life is all about.
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It is definitely a life long education. Plus,we learn life has a sense of humor that on some occasions not funny to us.
 
Aloyouis said:
A couple of you have asked about me. I appreciate it.

All things considered, I am doing well.

The open heart has proved successful. The procedure and recovery was something I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy (Bucky Dent, yes). The outcome has been great. I am SLOWLY getting back in shape. I doubt I will ever run for exercise again, but I am walking uphill on a treadmill 5 days a week and lifting (no restrictions) 3 days a week. I started with just machines and NO weight. Just working on range of motion for each exercise. I have added weight over time and I am back up to about 65% of where I was pre-cancer/open heart. I should be good for 10 years with this cow valve.

The cancer has not yet reoccured. My last PET scan was "inconclusive" as they saw some things that they could not yet identify that could be due to residual effects of the 3 different chemo or the Nivolumab treatments. It could also be cancer. I have another PET scan coming up in the next 7-10 days. This will tell the story. Stage 4 Nodular Sclerosing Hodgkin's Lymphoma has a stupid high reoccurrence rate. The goal is to make it to five years post chemo. But post one year is very important. We will see. The hard part isn't the thought of the next treatment (destruction of immune system and cell replacement) it is just the waiting to know.

God has been VERY good to me. He sent a pulmonology NP to me that ordered the initial PET scan against the oncology team's wishes. Had she not, I would have died from the cancer last summer. He sent my wife to me on December 31, 1991 for so MANY reasons. I will never forget that night. She walked up to the bar I was standing behind and ordered a drink. I was NOT the bar tender. I didn't even work there. I made the drink for her and we talked for 30 minutes and the rest is 32+ years of history.

PS- I would not wish open heart and recovery on Bucky either.
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great seeing you here @Aloyouis !
and you brought @Muse out to play. bonus!
 
I am so sorry, Hawg. I hope your memories give you and your family comfort during this difficult time. ❤️
My thoughts and prayers are with you. RIP

Jerry Thornton
@jerrythornton1
This is the most difficult thing I’ve ever posted to the internet. Yesterday morning our brother Jim died suddenly of heart failure. Husband. Father. Grandfather. Hilarious uncle, beloved by my sons. Friend. Craftsman. Sportsman. Sailor. Commodore. Project manager. Coach. Charity organizer. All of these things. But as a brother? There has never been one better.

His is the biggest personality I’ve ever encountered. A hail fellow, well met. The center of attention at every family gathering, party, cookout, wedding, pub, club, golf outing, or vacation destination. A lot of people can credibly claim to be his best friend. Everyone has a databank of Jimbo stories. Each funnier than the last.

I’m writing this because I’m the only one who’s ever lived who could answer yes to the question, “Aren’t you Jim Thornton’s little brother?” Mathematicians don’t have a word for the number of times I’ve been asked that. And it was always followed by a story. One that I tried to measure up to. From the beginning, I aspired to be like him, and always fell short. But came close enough that he called every day. Including on his last day. As he did his sister and his older brothers.

One of my fondest memories is the first day of 1st grade at Ralph Talbot Elementary in Weymouth. Jim was in 3rd grade and it was his job to walk me to school. With stops at his best friends’ houses who were walking their little brothers, who were soon to be my best friends. Our mom said she was waving goodbye from the porch and I never looked back. The thing is, I wasn’t leaving her. I was following him. Trying to walk in his literal footsteps. I never stopped trying.

The blessing in all this is that Jim and Kelley Meagher Thornton are together again. After 13 years. And for all eternity.


View: https://x.com/jerrythornton1/status/1846550524667015613
 
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@Hawg73 , your family and you are in my prayers. It is never easy especially when the loved one was such a big influence and a gentle soul.
 
@Hawg73 I’m so very sorry to hear this losing a sibling is very hard …..you and your family will be in my heart my thoughts are with you.

~Dee~
 
Thanks to all for the kind words because this was a terrible shock to all of us. I'm not sure I've really wrapped my head around it yet, but
every thoughtful condolence helps a little and I've already had dozens. Maybe more.

He called me almost every day no matter if there was something to really talk about or not. He could make nothing into something whether it was
his latest Netflix recommendations or what nonsense his idiot friends had gotten up to. And I'm grateful for that. We had a bet riding on the Patriots season
with them needing 6 wins for him to claim his fancy dinner on my dime. I gave him a sweet deal because he'd never once beaten me on a football bet and he
was looking forward to tuning me up, but now he'll never collect.

Keep your family as close as you can for as long as you can because life can be way too short.
 
Hawg73 said:
Thanks to all for the kind words because this was a terrible shock to all of us. I'm not sure I've really wrapped my head around it yet, but
every thoughtful condolence helps a little and I've already had dozens. Maybe more.

He called me almost every day no matter if there was something to really talk about or not. He could make nothing into something whether it was
his latest Netflix recommendations or what nonsense his idiot friends had gotten up to. And I'm grateful for that. We had a bet riding on the Patriots season
with them needing 6 wins for him to claim his fancy dinner on my dime. I gave him a sweet deal because he'd never once beaten me on a football bet and he
was looking forward to tuning me up, but now he'll never collect.

Keep your family as close as you can for as long as you can because life can be way too short.
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I'm so sorry to hear this. I hope that peace and comfort find you all very soon as you celebrate his life. ♥️
 
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