Petey,

Now is not the time to give up...you are a remarkable man, and have a strong will, going to AA and not smoking anymore. It's difficult to change habits, especially when your health is compromised and you are stressed about lack of resources, you have been an inspiration to many and you need to fight this all the way. Don't give up, find a way, you know your family needs and loves you. You keep fighting!

Thank You, Nancy

Wow! Talk about a walk down memory lane! I just awoke to the pain and took a pill, jumped on computor waiting for the pill to work and I read YOUR response.

I wrote this topic on 3-14-07. Today is 5-14-07. 2 months. 60 days. It seems like an eternity. I have followed members from surgery through completion of radiation, and only now am I starting. I have been through so much. It seems so surreal. I went from shock, to discovery, to not thinking I could go through it worrying about quality of life, to being convinced to do it, to not being able to get help, to fighting to get help. to believing I could not get help, to going on TV to plead for help, to getting help from a handful of Doctors who saw me beg for life, to today. YES, TODAY! I go to hospital @ 9:00 am for pre-op tests and paperwork. 3:00 pm To MO for paperwork and TV crew will be there to film my beginning. They will also do an "after" segment also. Surgery 12:30 pm on 5-17-07. What a ride! The Grateful Dead song Truckin' has a phrase, "WHAT A LONG STRANGE TRIP IT'S BEEN" comes to mind. YOUR response 60 days after I wrote this post was "RIGHT ON TIME'! It evoked this summary of the beginning of my journey, to the real beginning of my journey. 2months. 60 days. Thank you Nancy. The meds are working, so I'm going back to bed for the rest I need to "Fight This Beast"! Here is a visual of what I look like.....

Petey,

Can I tell you how proud I am of you . You have been through alot..The disease in itself is alot as we can all understand, but the no Ins thing is just so much more. I have to tell you when you talked of giving up I was angry and Dissapointed, but you are right you have come along way ..And you will find the strength to finish the journey you are on, I have faith. I know we have spoken and just always know that I am here if you ever need to talk ..just let me know. Although I can not be there physically with you on thurs.....PLease know that my spirit is right by your bed side and watching over you ...I only wish that I could see that Tv segment! I do want to tell you because I know we talked about it ..I had a dentist call me today and want to talk to me about everything and to get more info on the Velscope. SO keep fighting and advocating I know I will.!!