Fellow Melanoma Warriors

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    • January 18, 2013 at 3:38 am
    BrianP
    Participant

      Hello fellow Melanoma warriors,

      I have received so much information and inspiration over the last year.  I wanted to share with my fellow warriors a portion of a note I recently sent to my family and friends,

      Hello fellow Melanoma warriors,

      I have received so much information and inspiration over the last year.  I wanted to share with my fellow warriors a portion of a note I recently sent to my family and friends,

      "Like a lot of cancers there is a significant chance of recurrence so I won’t know if I truly won my battle with cancer until I’m holding my grandkids about 30 years from now.  That’s the tough thing with being a cancer survivor; it’s always in the back of your mind.  If you really think about it though none of us really know how much time we have left on this earth, it’s just more prominent for cancer survivors.  The silver lining in all this for me is the realization that if I am fortunate enough to hold my beautiful grandkids many years from now I know I will have been a better husband, father and hopefully friend to many of you.  I will have counted more blessings, admired more sunsets, taken more walks on the beach, prayed more, loved more, and stressed less.  Not a day goes by now that I don’t thank God for all the blessings in my life and I have to admit I didn’t do this before my cancer.  I hope all of you had a wonderful Christmas and I pray for you and your family for a HEALTHY New Year."

      It's been a tough run for me the past year but I know others have had it much worse than I and some are still going through tough times.  I hope many of you also are experiencing a richer life or have the opportunity to experience a richer life in the future.  I just recently retired from the Marine Corps and there's a saying in the Corps as well as the other Military services that goes something along the lines that freedom has an even deeper value for those warriors who have put it on the line to defend it.  In a way I think it's the same for those who have fought and are still fighting for our lifes in this battle against melanoma.  We all gain a much greater appreciation for how precious life is.

      Take care,

      Brian

    Viewing 11 reply threads
    • Replies
        • January 18, 2013 at 1:16 pm
        aldakota22
        Participant

          Brian ,Well said.having melanoma really wakes you up to everything we take for granted.Praying that their is a "cure" for this monster of a disease very soon .Will keep you in my prayers for a Healthy Year.Good luck in your recent retirement .May you collect your pension for many many years.Beat the Beast.   Al

          • January 18, 2013 at 1:16 pm
          aldakota22
          Participant

            Brian ,Well said.having melanoma really wakes you up to everything we take for granted.Praying that their is a "cure" for this monster of a disease very soon .Will keep you in my prayers for a Healthy Year.Good luck in your recent retirement .May you collect your pension for many many years.Beat the Beast.   Al

            • January 18, 2013 at 1:16 pm
            aldakota22
            Participant

              Brian ,Well said.having melanoma really wakes you up to everything we take for granted.Praying that their is a "cure" for this monster of a disease very soon .Will keep you in my prayers for a Healthy Year.Good luck in your recent retirement .May you collect your pension for many many years.Beat the Beast.   Al

              • January 18, 2013 at 1:46 pm
              JC
              Participant

                very nicely said

                 

                i am not one to ever look at this horrible disease as a "gift" – i hate it, i wish it didn't exist and that none of us had to deal with it-there's nothing good about it

                 

                but i understand how it gives us a greater appreciation for the litlte things in life

                • January 18, 2013 at 1:46 pm
                JC
                Participant

                  very nicely said

                   

                  i am not one to ever look at this horrible disease as a "gift" – i hate it, i wish it didn't exist and that none of us had to deal with it-there's nothing good about it

                   

                  but i understand how it gives us a greater appreciation for the litlte things in life

                  • January 18, 2013 at 1:46 pm
                  JC
                  Participant

                    very nicely said

                     

                    i am not one to ever look at this horrible disease as a "gift" – i hate it, i wish it didn't exist and that none of us had to deal with it-there's nothing good about it

                     

                    but i understand how it gives us a greater appreciation for the litlte things in life

                    • January 19, 2013 at 11:43 pm
                    Tina D
                    Participant

                      Thank you for sharing this, and I think you said it well. This is not a road we would choose, to be sure… but we are on it, none-the-less and learning to cherish and make the most of the opportunities we DO have is something my family and I have also learned. We are thankful to God for every day together even as we pray that we will someday have this challenge behind us. And we do our best to cherish every bit of time we get together.

                      Tina

                      • January 19, 2013 at 11:43 pm
                      Tina D
                      Participant

                        Thank you for sharing this, and I think you said it well. This is not a road we would choose, to be sure… but we are on it, none-the-less and learning to cherish and make the most of the opportunities we DO have is something my family and I have also learned. We are thankful to God for every day together even as we pray that we will someday have this challenge behind us. And we do our best to cherish every bit of time we get together.

                        Tina

                        • January 19, 2013 at 11:43 pm
                        Tina D
                        Participant

                          Thank you for sharing this, and I think you said it well. This is not a road we would choose, to be sure… but we are on it, none-the-less and learning to cherish and make the most of the opportunities we DO have is something my family and I have also learned. We are thankful to God for every day together even as we pray that we will someday have this challenge behind us. And we do our best to cherish every bit of time we get together.

                          Tina

                          • January 20, 2013 at 7:21 am
                          JerryfromFauq
                          Participant

                            Brian, what can I say?  Over six years ago I was told not to expect to see the next Christmas.  Well I've had several new grandkids since then and now a greatgrandson.  We celebrated our 50th wedding anniversary last month and my wife tells people that it's hard to get rid of a Marine.  Semper Fi !   (VMF-235 electronics shop)

                            • January 20, 2013 at 7:21 am
                            JerryfromFauq
                            Participant

                              Brian, what can I say?  Over six years ago I was told not to expect to see the next Christmas.  Well I've had several new grandkids since then and now a greatgrandson.  We celebrated our 50th wedding anniversary last month and my wife tells people that it's hard to get rid of a Marine.  Semper Fi !   (VMF-235 electronics shop)

                              • January 20, 2013 at 7:21 am
                              JerryfromFauq
                              Participant

                                Brian, what can I say?  Over six years ago I was told not to expect to see the next Christmas.  Well I've had several new grandkids since then and now a greatgrandson.  We celebrated our 50th wedding anniversary last month and my wife tells people that it's hard to get rid of a Marine.  Semper Fi !   (VMF-235 electronics shop)

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