COMING UP ON 40,000 - Thanks, Ken Ashman!

spongebob
spongebob Member Posts: 2,565 Member
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
I see from the post ticker that we on the Colorectal Cancer Board are coming up quickly on 40,000 posts. That's quite a milestone and it represents quite a lot of advice, support, caring, and fun. Congratulations!

I went back and read the first post on this discussion board. It was Ken Ashman on July 20th, 2000. Ken wanted to start "a discussion board about living life to the fullest in spite of having colorectal cancer." He wanted to know what folks were doing to stay active and enjoy life.

Ken didn't post again after that - at least he didn't start a discussion. But I know that he would be proud of us and how we keep our focus here on fighting the dragon and living every day to the fullest.

So, I'd like to honor Ken and the many CRC survivors who were here before us - many of whom are still here with us (I saw 2bhealed's first post on 12/12/2001 - can you guess the subjet line? "Anyone Doing Alternative Therapies?" - and Ron50 was the first person to reply to her!).

What better way to honor all of them than to start a string on what we are all doing to stay active and enjoy/live life to the fullest in spite of having colorectal cancer?

Cheers

- SB

Comments

  • StacyGleaso
    StacyGleaso Member Posts: 1,233 Member
    Very observant of you! I'm happy to see our tax dollars being put to good use.


    LMAO,
    Stacy
  • spongebob
    spongebob Member Posts: 2,565 Member

    Very observant of you! I'm happy to see our tax dollars being put to good use.


    LMAO,
    Stacy

    Hey! I was using my Treo to surf while i was in the loo - I had answered all of my e-mail and was allowing myself to have a "personal moment"...

    Jeez... ya go to sea 286 days a year... stay on call 24 x 7... put up with DC numbskulls every day... risk your life on the Beltway going to work where you keep the world safe for Charlie Tuna and SOME people still want more from you!

    I love you, too, StacEy

    - SB
  • 2bhealed
    2bhealed Member Posts: 2,064 Member
    hey SB!

    yeah, coming up on my 5th anniversary. We are quite the chatty group. I wonder how many you have personally added to that? haha

    I remember quite well ron's response, but I surely didn't listen now did I? :-)

    I am sure there are a few on here who wish I would go away! HA! but I ain't done yet!

    I often wonder where many of those posters went who were around back then in 2001......

    well SB you and I have been on here quite some time......as well as Stacy.....and ron.....and here's to many more!

    CHEERS!

    peace, emily who is still asking who's doing Alternatives......
  • kerry
    kerry Member Posts: 1,313 Member
    Sponger,

    You certainly piqued my interest, so I went back down memory lane and reread lots of old posts. I guess my first post was January of 2004. I was a lurker several months prior to that. Very scared and in need of folks who really understood what I was going through.

    Wish we could hear from some of the others and hoping to hear they are doing well. And then there are the few of us who just WON'T go away!

    I guess we can say "We've come a long way, baby".

    Great post!

    Hugs,

    Kerry
  • jsabol
    jsabol Member Posts: 1,145 Member
    Ahoy, SB,
    I first signed on in December of 03, right after surgery and right before chemo. You, Stacy, Bud and Emily, along with Kris S, were among my first responders! I knew no one else who had or was being treated for colon cancer, except for my deceased father. This site was a lifeline, through all the big and small issues, and as a means of feeling less alone and greatly understood on this journey.
    I read back through my e-mails here, and it is a diary of the past 3 years. The number of daily posts can be too huge for me to keep up with now; a few years back, it could take nearly a week to fill a page with new threads! My responses are more infrequent, but I try to read regularly. I'm so glad that this board is here, particularly for people in active treatment (when I needed it most).
    So, at 3 years out and NED, I try to remind myself daily that life is precious, and I give thanks for all the folks who have helped me to reach this day! Judy
  • Betsydoglover
    Betsydoglover Member Posts: 1,248 Member
    Hi Bob (and all) -

    What a nice idea. I have only been hanging around here since June 2005, but I am very grateful to Ken and all those who got this board going.

    Take care everyone (and later I'll raise a glass of something to all the pioneers.)

    Betsy
  • scouty
    scouty Member Posts: 1,965 Member
    Great post Sponger!!!!!! I really like the news bit about Emily. Too funny. I have been around lurking since march of 04, first post april 04 and have to thank this wonderful place for helping me to save my life.

    There were less then 4,000 posts back then....that means there have been over 36,000 in 2 1/2 years.

    I just went back thru some of my emails this past week and it reminded me of all the emotions one can experience.

    Hugs, Lisa
  • KathiM
    KathiM Member Posts: 8,028 Member
    One question.....

    Does the personality beget the CRC, or does the CRC beget the personality????? I have 'met' so many semi-colons, most of which have SUCH a positive, fighting personality...hummmmm

    I went to my rescheduled followup appt with my rad/onc yesterday...did the 'ick' internal exam...said everything is great...YEA!!!!!
    Also met face-to-face with a gal who I have had many tele discussions with...she said, with some surprise "You look so healthy...HOW long ago was your fight?" "First dx 2 years ago", I said, and I offered to show her my scars...hehehehehe

    Hugs, your adoring and adorable daughter!
  • spongebob
    spongebob Member Posts: 2,565 Member
    KathiM said:

    One question.....

    Does the personality beget the CRC, or does the CRC beget the personality????? I have 'met' so many semi-colons, most of which have SUCH a positive, fighting personality...hummmmm

    I went to my rescheduled followup appt with my rad/onc yesterday...did the 'ick' internal exam...said everything is great...YEA!!!!!
    Also met face-to-face with a gal who I have had many tele discussions with...she said, with some surprise "You look so healthy...HOW long ago was your fight?" "First dx 2 years ago", I said, and I offered to show her my scars...hehehehehe

    Hugs, your adoring and adorable daughter!

    "Does the personality beget the CRC, or does the CRC beget the personality?"

    Good question... I will give my personal OPINION as long as people realize that I fully admit it is a sweeping generalization and I understand that some situations may be different.

    I think, by and large, it's both.

    I thinka many of us who have CRC were quite "anal" (maybe there's some real thought behind that coloquialism) in our pre-CRC days and, through our treatment - either consciously or sub-consciously - we realized that that anality (I just made that word up, but you know what I mean) is what led us to our disease; we created a scenario inside our bodies - (acidic?) - which made a wonderful fertilizer for the cancer to grow. Realizing that, we have turned away from the emotions that led us to that disease and now we're much less anal and much more happy.

    I would be interested in hearing anyone elses' thoughts on that - as long as you agree with me, of course!