Thanks to all the semi-colons

JKendall
JKendall Member Posts: 186
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
I'm apparently socially inept; I didn't even introduce my wife and myself to you all. My name is Jimmy. Jerri is my wife. We live in Dallas, Texas.

I REALLY appreciate the encouraging words and the offers to talk. You all sound like very nice people. I will show Jerri how to use this site and do the email thing. She has a ton of questions.

You've given me new hope that we CAN beat this, and as we do then Jerri and I can follow your lead and help others. But we have a long, long way to go.

I still can't believe that just a little less than four weeks ago we were in an entirely different world where "normal" was so different. Now we have daily conversations with family and friends about our plans for pet scans, chemotherapy and radiation, and trying to deal with this. Talk about information overload.

Thank you all for your suggestions, encouragement, prayers, and resources.

We will definitely be talking to you all and hopefully may even get to meet some of you and put a face with the type.

Jimmy

Comments

  • spongebob
    spongebob Member Posts: 2,565 Member
    #2
    Ahoy, Jimmy and Jerri -

    Don't worry about being socially inept - I see you're from Dallas, that explains it all! You're probably a Cowboys fan, too... Of course I should talk, I'm a Cleveland Browns fan who was born in Indianapolis (never was very good at picking the right group to affiliate myself with - except the semi-colons)

    It is an amazing journey, isn't it? A new language, incredible shifts in your daily living, your philosophy on life, everything. I call it a "new normalcy".

    You have done a great thing for Jerri by seeking out information and a place to kibbitz with fellow survivors - two keys to beating this disease. We're all here for you and look forward to chatting. Shame we had to meet here as opposed to a tailgate party at a Dallas/Cleveland game, but seeing as Cleveland would have trounced the Cowboys later that afternoon....

    Cheers guys.

    - SpongeBob
  • kangatoo
    kangatoo Member Posts: 2,105 Member
    #3
    Hi Jimmy from Kanga and Jen in OZ(down under). Welcome and sorry for being late but I have a timeline problem. We are sad, very sad you have to be here Jimmy, but hey, there is no better place to be mate. Just check out all the guys n gals who have beaten this horrid thing. I am only a stage 2 Jimmy but I know just how hard things are and the journey you will take. My lovely Jen(my angel) is my carer and we both agree that your role is probably the toughest thing you will ever face. On this board you will find love / compassion /support--in fact everything you need to help you both thru this. Do come back and also see if Jerri would like to meet us all.
    When we pass on our love and huggs to you and Jerri it is with all our heart,
    luv n huggs, kanga n Jen
  • spongebob
    spongebob Member Posts: 2,565 Member
    #4
    kangatoo said:

    Hi Jimmy from Kanga and Jen in OZ(down under). Welcome and sorry for being late but I have a timeline problem. We are sad, very sad you have to be here Jimmy, but hey, there is no better place to be mate. Just check out all the guys n gals who have beaten this horrid thing. I am only a stage 2 Jimmy but I know just how hard things are and the journey you will take. My lovely Jen(my angel) is my carer and we both agree that your role is probably the toughest thing you will ever face. On this board you will find love / compassion /support--in fact everything you need to help you both thru this. Do come back and also see if Jerri would like to meet us all.
    When we pass on our love and huggs to you and Jerri it is with all our heart,
    luv n huggs, kanga n Jen

    Oh, gee... THANKS, Kanga... you're bing all sensitive again and I look like a hard-@$$ putting down his local football team and knocking him for being from Texas. C'mon, mate! You're makin' me look bad! Quit being such a nice guy!!
  • kangatoo
    kangatoo Member Posts: 2,105 Member
    #5
    spongebob said:

    Oh, gee... THANKS, Kanga... you're bing all sensitive again and I look like a hard-@$$ putting down his local football team and knocking him for being from Texas. C'mon, mate! You're makin' me look bad! Quit being such a nice guy!!

    Sponger--yeah, well, ah was gunna post a thank you to all the guys n gals who said all the nice things about me a few posts back but I didn't want to start a new topic and throw all the important stuff off tha bottom of the board--so I didn't post it. Ah--they all know how I feel.
    btw--notice tha time?---zzzzzz is not coming well this night.
    Guess you could call me sensitive--have a hard time dealing with this crap sometimes--so I suppose it makes me feel a lttle better--if only to help someone else who needs it--plenty have helped me mate. Arghhh--there I go again.
    My problem is sometimes I don't get here quick enough to reply to some posts(timeline difference) and I think my answers are too late--sigh--but I try.
    kanga
  • Kanort
    Kanort Member Posts: 1,272 Member
    #6
    Hi Jimmy,

    Welcome to this wonderful site and, of course, I'm sorry for your wife's situation. However, she CAN beat this!

    I am a fellow Texas, residing in Round Rock, a suburb of Austin. I finished chemo this summer and am doing very, very well.

    The next few months will be filled with tests, scans, and other procedures, but we will be here for you every step of the way.

    Please come here often and let us know of your wife's progress. You are not alone.

    Best wishes,

    Kay
  • steved
    steved Member Posts: 834 Member
    #7
    Hi Jimmy and hopefully Jerri if you can explain the wonders of this electronic site to her. Sorry I didn't reply to your original message but had a busy weekend.

    I'm 31 and live in the UK (yes it is a very international site- I'm actually New Zealand born so have antipodean links to our Kanga!). I was diagnosed this year with stage 3 and have had chemoradiation before my op and now am on six months chemo to kill of anything the surgeons missed. It is a long haul but as you say your sense of 'normal' shifts with this illness. Your life will take on a surreal edge over coming weeks with previous things you did on a normal day replaced by scans, appointments and treatments. Roll with it and in time it too becomes your normality.

    I remember all too well the early days of diagnosis etc and going through a period of really not enjoying my life at all. Six months on now and I'm still in treatment but enjoyment is creeping back in and at times I can forget the cancer side of my life and just enjoy it. My son was born the day I finished my radiotherapy and is a joy to me and my wife- it is vital as Jana said to find things that yo can enjoy and that make you laugh. Do something fun everyday and don't forget to live your life.

    Accept the emotions that will flood you over coming weeks- anger, sadness, hopelessness- the whole gamut. They will pass with time and support but don't try to fight or deny them- they are all normal.

    Use us and this site to the best of your advantage. The people here are great and have seen me through many dark times. I hope you find it of use and encourage your wife to visit.

    Let us know how things progress and feel free to ask questions- there is usually someone who knows the answer around here.

    Best of luck,
    Steve.

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