Brian and Eric - I hope everyone goes to the link you posted. It is well worth every single second of the 15 minutes to watch!!! I'll be seeing my son (computer programmer and gamer) today and making copies of your posts to show him.

Eric, all I can say is that your documentation of your cancer is brilliant. You have single-handedly demystified the surgery for me. You could not have done that if you had not been the technically brilliant person you are. Maybe in time you will be able to use your skills in the medical instead of the gaming field. I meant to comment on your site before:)

[quote=Alpaca] Maybe in time you will be able to use your skills in the medical instead of the gaming field. I meant to comment on your site before:) [/quote]

Funny you should say that.. I'm thinking about medical illustration

Eric - I can understand your perspective but what you do is valuable. Right now I'd be stark raving mad if I couldn't play games on the computer to distract myself and calm down at the end of the day. Do I need an alternate universe - most days I do. Can't concentrate to read any more and gaming seems to get me thru the end of the day. BTW my husband can't go back to work. I don't think he would care what type of work he did as long as he had enough stamina to do it. Just my two cents worth.

CherylR

Eric - Cheryl is so-o-o-o right! When my son was in Tx and afterwards, a friend brought him a video game and it sure did help him a LOT! Just the concentration required makes it possible to have some sort of respite from the real world.

Two points, I too felt the same way about 2 months after treatment but it turned out to be mild depression and a small increase in meds changed my life in less than a week.
Second, I sell insurance for a livng and most of my conversations start with the client saying I hate insurance. I enjoy it none the less.
But I find my rewards in my volunteer work. I love saving broken little Schnauzers cleaning them up and healing them. Maybe not life or death for a person but it is for the dog.I have heard many times how much the addition of that little dog has improved people's quality of life. I have been in Rotary for 25+ years and on 10-14-2010 I will give a presentation to the club about Oral cancer. I have planted trees, sent tents to destroyed areas, I did some Therapy Dog work before I was diagnoised.
Every Non Profit I know is always desperate for volunteers. You can give back in a million different ways.

Can't say any of this is a issue now.. just moving on

E-Dog,
Sorry to hijack your post just a little, but I have to tell Jim and you the same thing I tell my dad about my son playing video games. When my dad was a kid he had a whole farm to run on, work on , hunt on etc, etc. He could drive his 57 chevy up and down those old dirt roads as fast and often as he wanted. I am grateful that I can afford to have my son participate in hockey and lacrosse, keeping him too busy and just plain to tired to get into much trouble. We are lucky that we live in a slightly rural area and he has been able to shoot more pellets through his pellet rifle, than my hubby has his whole life. The problem today is we can't trust this world to let our kids go out and explore it. I am totally grateful to have video games that keep him safe at home when the rest of the kids his age are out running the streets and getting in trouble. He is a very energetic kid and video games have helped to keep him from wanting to run around, and let me tell you he plays alot. So E-dog gaming is esential. Heck, it has even helped him to have a collage age reading level at 14. He didn't get that reading books he got that by reading game helps, cheats, websites etc. etc. It has taought him to be able to reason and make choices that make sense. I could go on and on but just know what you do is important for kids of today. Sorry Jim, I just thought I would start a little argument.