6 years, 8,000, and other numbers

It was 6 years ago on this day, I was waiting to start my RT sessions and moving on to treatment. That worked and today I am likely at nadir with every hope of never having to deal with this again.

It's was 6 years and 8,000 posts ago that I joined this forum. It was a great help to me and I've done my best to give back by posting what little I know and offering encouragement and hope to folks joining.

This last weekend my wife and I had to say good bye to our 18 year old cat who was suffering with kidney failure.

Over the last three years I've been working on a poetry collection about my experience with cancer. I hope to make that available on Amazon later this month.

Lately though, I've been coming here and finding that I am simply retyping the same message over and over. There is so much new information out that that I haven't kept up and I often feel I am no longer effective.

Next Monday, I have a CT scan schedule to see if they can figure out a new pain I've been getting in my side. So far tests haven't shown what it is, but it hurts from time to time. It's not related to PC.

It's time. I have other projects, passions, and places to work. I'll pop in from time to time, perhaps with a poem or a reflection, but it's time to shift my focus elsewhere.

Peace to you and yours,
Andrew

[quote="InTheShop

It's time. I have other projects, passions, and places to work. I'll pop in from time to time, perhaps with a poem or a reflection, but it's time to shift my focus elsewhere.

Peace to you and yours,
Andrew

Andrew...ummm...NO. You are allowed to focus on other things but reducing your esteemed presence on HW is simply not allowed! The moderators have special powers that you don't want to test. Your contributions are far beyond advice and we all appreciate it. So rethink this, dude, otherwise you will face some mysterious consequences....



Jim

Andrew, thanks for the inspiration and guidance you have provided. Hope your occasional pops in will continue to help the travellers on this weary road.
Richard

Andrew, you said

"I've done my best to give back by posting what little I know and offering encouragement and hope to folks joining…"

As for "what little you know," you know a LOT more than you realize, and as for "offering encouragement and hope to folks…" you have done that splendidly.

Andrew, I can only assert what I'm convinced virtually all of us who regularly read and post here are thinking, that it would be a sad loss indeed if you were to go away from us and not come back.

I know where your thinking is on this. I think all of us who have been here for a while eventually reach a point at which we begin to think that we have said all we have to say, that we are no longer able to make any further useful contributions, and it's time for us to go.

Frankly, I have had similar thoughts myself in the past couple of months or so. Wondering if maybe I have said all I had to say, and maybe it was getting to be time for me to hold my peace, let others have the floor, and even consider moving on myself. Lately I haven't been posting as much here as I used to, especially new threads, although this is consistent with my own policy of only starting threads or making comments that I really thought were useful.

Maybe it's forum writer's block, or the online version of a baseball batter's slump or something such, and it eventually catches up with all of us, but in my own case I'm determined to ride it out, and see if in a while the ideas for posting start coming again.

Andrew, I would be delighted, as I'm sure all of us here would be, if we could possibly persuade you to take a similar approach. Take a break if you would like. But rather than just check in occasionally, stay with us as an active member, and allow us to continue benefiting from your good sense good and good humor.

It's been said before, but it is worth saying again: that we are stronger with you than without you.

InTheShop said...
Lately though, I've been coming here and finding that I am simply retyping the same message over and over. There is so much new information out that that I haven't kept up and I often feel I am no longer effective.

Peace to you and yours,
Andrew

sometimes things need being said that only one person can.

I hate you lost your cat ... that's difficult.

If you find out what's causing your side pain.....let me know. I've been chasing mine for 2 years.

take care man

Hi Andrew,

At 8000 posts, you have certainly done more than your share, and you will be missed.

I am very sorry about your cat. My cat is 13 years old and still makes me laugh almost everyday - I dread the loss when the time comes.

Good luck and hope they figure out the issue with your side.

-Paul

Andrew...you are truly one of the special guys around here. Level-headed, knowledgable and funny, not to mention our resident poet. Heck, how are we supposed to replace all of that?

I wish you all the best, but I do have two requests. Please pop in and say hello every once in a while. And two--please continue to share your poetry.

Happy New Year and congrats on your six year anniversary!

Andrew, I hope you really do continue to pop in as often as you can. Your posts are always one of my favorite parts of HW. Your sense of humor and compassion are second to none. Good luck with your side pain. Thank you for all you've done for us! Sue

Andrew... ditto to what everyone else has said. Thanks for giving back. -JR

Andrew
All the best in your new endeavors! You have given much more than 8000 posts.
Thanks for your contributions! They have made a difference to me in many ways.

“For everything there is a season, and
a time for every matter under heaven".

Your journey is just starting Andrew, just like your cat. Everything we're given comes back, as your 8,000 empathetic posts will, again and again. The flow of life is a process of change. Accept the process and go with it. There's no stopping it anyway. The flow is now pulling you in a new and wonderful direction.

Like prostate cancer, nothing in life is static for long. The process is “grow and go.” As soon as you've grown to the next higher level it's time to move on. And on and on we grow and go, like it at the time, or not, the flow demands it.

Best of everything to you Andrew, as you move on that next level. I'll look forward to your occasional pop in.

I wish you peace and thanks for sharing. Denis

Andrew,

First, may I add my own THANK YOU for all you have done for me and so many others. That you have been here that long, making that many valued posts says much about you and your willingness to share. There is no way we can assess a value to that, for sharing such as yours is priceless.

I understand very clearly how you now feel. Although I have only been here for a year or so, I have been a "key" contributor to another board (for a heart condition) for over 15 years so far. On that board I often feel that medical science and technology have progressed so far since my surgery that my contributions may now seem "dated" and less relevant. When I voiced my concerns there, I was sternly told that even if my technological knowledge is out of date, just the fact that I "made the journey" for so many years and am still around to tell of it is priceless knowledge to those who now must begin their own trek "over the mountain." The same is true, my friend (I can call you a friend, no?). Whether you have all the current medical/technical knowledge is less important to new folks than is the fact that you have successfully made "the journey" and still are able to tell of it. I invite you to re-allocate your time, but please do not leave us entirely.

I can also sympathize with your feelings over losing a much loved pet. We had a wonderful little Shih Tzu for almost 15 years. He has been gone for over 20 years now, and still I miss him. We decided that he was irreplaceable, and have been without pets since, but still we love a chance to hug and pet a furry four-legger.

Whatever you choose to do, Andrew, know that we will not forget you.

Thank you.