Grateful

[KnightTemplar]

Not looking for sympathy, just some grateful feelings this morning.

I have been on hormone therapy for 12 long years due to cancer caused by agent orange. I spent 4 years in Vietnam, 2 as a Military Policeman, and 2 working as a civilian. The hormone therapy chemically castrates you, depletes your testosterone as that is what feeds cancer. It is supposed to be effective for around 7 years. I’m past that and recently learned it’s not quite working as it should, so on to another cancer drug. I know my friend IndianSummer struggles mightily, probably more than me. We keep in touch. I’ve become close with Jcar who had his own personal tragedy a year ago. Hammerhunker and Archie…and Armor (didn’t know he was an accomplished guitar player like me….altho my fingers don’t quite work as they used to).

To my point. As I think of my own mortality one thing I always wish for…dear Lord let me see the next version of The Show. Silly? Maybe so, but it, and baseball, have given me great pleasure. Such a simple thing….hitting a ball w/a stick. Well, if the creek don’t rise looks like I just have to make it to Wednesday, 9pm PST. Cool. Should be no problemo.

There must be others on the boards who have their struggles in life. It’s nice to read how excited many are for a video baseball game, the kid in all of us. Get as much pleasure in life as you can and…

PLAYBALL!!!

[jcar0725]

Not looking for sympathy, just some grateful feelings this morning.

I have been on hormone therapy for 12 long years due to cancer caused by agent orange. I spent 4 years in Vietnam, 2 as a Military Policeman, and 2 working as a civilian. The hormone therapy chemically castrates you, depletes your testosterone as that is what feeds cancer. It is supposed to be effective for around 7 years. I’m past that and recently learned it’s not quite working as it should, so on to another cancer drug. I know my friend IndianSummer struggles mightily, probably more than me. We keep in touch. I’ve become close with Jcar who had his own personal tragedy a year ago. Hammerhunker and Archie…and Armor (didn’t know he was an accomplished guitar player like me….all tho my fingers don’t quite work as they used to).

To my point. As I think of my own mortality one thing I always wish for…dear Lord let me see the next version of The Show. Silly? Maybe so, but it, and baseball, have given me great pleasure. Such a simple thing….hitting a ball w/a stick. Well, if the creek don’t rise looks like I just have to make it to Wednesday, 9pm PST. Cool. Should be no problemo.

There must be others on the boards who have their struggles in life. It’s nice to read how excited many are for a video baseball game, the kid in all of us. Get as much pleasure in life as you can and…

PLAYBALL!!!

There are many different people in the world, and many people in different phases of their lives. I don't judge anyone. But I know that I am, like you, very appreciative of the little things in life that make me smile. Laughing with my 4 kids, hanging out with my wife, friends, the sunshine, etc. The Show release makes me happy. Early release day is going to be fun. Glad you're still here to enjoy it all broseph.

[D Tom]

I was lucky enough to do a decade outside of "actual" war, but I was a major part of the base in Afghanistan getting shut down and decommissioned right after COVID. We lost a lot of kids from the Marine detachment that forward deployed from our base to go there, and we also took in a lot of the Afghani civilians that boarded the planes out. There is something... worse, to me at least, about seeing the civilian population stuck in the middle of a pointless power struggle. We had kids showing up dead from compressive asphyxia (from the stampede of getting onto the plane) and as you guys saw on the news there were countless others that just tried to hang onto the exteriors as the plane took off.

Sorry to hear about your Agent Orange struggles, my uncle-in-law (is that what they are called?) had the same as you. He loaded it onto planes and was part of a DoD settlement that pays on top of his VA disability. Hopefully you are receiving the same help and benefits.

There are many things more important, in life, than a game of baseball (digitally or otherwise)... but it's also a nice little hammock of safety to fall back on when everything seems to be moving too fast in life.

[KnightTemplar]

Hopefully you are receiving the same help and benefits.

There are many things more important, in life, than a game of baseball (digitally or otherwise)... but it's also a nice little hammock of safety to fall back on when everything seems to be moving too fast in life.

First….thank you for your service. That pull out from Afghanistan was rough. Yes, VA has been there all the way.

oh, heck yeah. You’re right about life, tho. Family, grand kids, etc. And this is an escape that allows me, and people like you, to just fill our minds w/some fun. Some peace.✌️

[snaz16]

Monday will mark my 39th radiation therapy for a recurrence of prostate cancer. Had the prostate removed 2 years ago,but with the cancer on the outer edges,some cells must have got free. I doubt if I'm going through what most here are going through,but just the mental mind f!!k one goes through when you think you beat it does take a toll. My sincere thoughts and prayers to all and their families that have to deal with this hideous disease. This will be my first foray into early release and I'm looking forward too it. As Robert Duvall said to Tom Cruise in the movie "Jack Reacher" "Thats your mulligan Mr. Ward, Play Ball !

[D Tom]

I work in medical lab now, the people that would have first identified your cancer all that time ago. It is never a fun thing to message back out to a doctor, so that they can inform you, but it always kind of throws your day back into perspective. I try to keep things like that in mind as I am going through my day. I was an angry youth, but as I've aged and learned more humility, I try to always remind myself that I don't know what others are going through as I cross their paths for the 5 or 10 seconds of my day.

It doesn't sound metastatic from your description, and obviously we hope that one of these next radiations finally kills the damn cells from proliferating. Sorry for the treatment that you are having to endure, I don't think a lot of people truly understand that radiation and chemo are so debilitating on the human body. It truly is a race to kill the bad cells before the treatment kills you. One day all of this tribulation will be moot because we will perfect genomic editing, but until then... stay strong and you got this.

Just curious, do you know if you have the BRCA gene? Although, in a cruel sense of humor... it wouldn't matter too much now I suppose.

[snaz16]

Thanks D Tom. They're pretty sure the renegade cell lays in the prostate bed. After surgery my Psa was 0.04 for a year and a half. The last couple of tests went to 0.05 and then 0.08. Still very low and the doctors want to nip it in the bud. The treatments themselves are approx. 5 minutes a day,and other than feeling a little fatigued towards the end of day I feel fine for a 70 year old man. Hell the drive there and back is worse than the treatment

[D Tom]

excellent to hear! I love those numbers... well they are rising, but like you said.. still low.

[KnightTemplar]

Monday will mark my 39th radiation therapy for a recurrence of prostate cancer. Had the prostate removed 2 years ago,but with the cancer on the outer edges,some cells must have got free. I doubt if I'm going through what most here are going through,but just the mental mind f!!k one goes through when you think you beat it does take a toll. My sincere thoughts and prayers to all and their families that have to deal with this hideous disease. This will be my first foray into early release and I'm looking forward too it. As Robert Duvall said to Tom Cruise in the movie "Jack Reacher" "Thats your mulligan Mr. Ward, Play Ball !

Yep, had 44 radiation treatments. Described as a bomb going off that messes up everything around it. You know, after 3-4 years I just told myself, ‘it is what it is’. Concentrated on making sure my wonderful wife is going to be o.k. Are you on Lupron?

[KnightTemplar]

Thanks D Tom. They're pretty sure the renegade cell lays in the prostate bed. After surgery my Psa was 0.04 for a year and a half. The last couple of tests went to 0.05 and then 0.08. Still very low and the doctors want to nip it in the bud. The treatments themselves are approx. 5 minutes a day,and other than feeling a little fatigued towards the end of day I feel fine for a 70 year old man. Hell the drive there and back is worse than the treatment

That PSA number is pretty good. Hope it stays down for you. Man, I know what you mean about the drive. It’s a 260 mile round trip, only twice a year, to get my Lupron injection.

[D Tom]

ahhh, another rural resident like myself... at least by the sounds of it. the joys of not wanting to be around a ton of people.

[snaz16]

No injections just the radiation machine pointed at both my hips and below the navel where the prostate was removed. My treatments are 5 days a week 35 minutes down and back home in traffic. it is Florida in season. If I had a 260 mile trip that would be an overnight stay for me. Hopefully the injection doesn't make you sick.

[MizzouRah]

I'm praying for you all, cancer is horrible, my mother just passed last year to lung cancer and my mother in law to pancreatic cancer a month before that.

Thank you for your service KT and DT, I served 4 years in the Marines and was part of Desert Storm. I thank God everyday that I wake up and I'm blessed to be able to have a great job, family life and the means to still play video games at 55.

[Ghost Of The Year]

I'm grateful every day I get to wake up and spend any amount of time playing The Show.
But I'm even more and deeply grateful for all of you that gave up part of your life (as well as others who gave up their whole life)
to serve and ensure my freedom to play video games, to work in freedom without fear, to eat and drink merrily, in freedom , and to sleep peacefully at night.
Thank-you Knight, and the countless millions others out there that sacrificed in service of our country's peoples as well.
I'm extremely grateful you have given me the ability to live the life I lead.

[SmashMan]

Nice to see this thread pop up today to help take a step back and put things into perspective. The worst thing I've got going on is that my cat died last night. Not to downplay that (because it sucks), but the crappiness of it is also something that will heal itself with time. I don't have to keep an eye on it or treat it like the physical stuff some of the other guys here are going through. I'm hoping for the best for everyone.

I'm also grateful to have a lot of solid sports games and OS to take our minds off of things for a while sometimes. It's not the biggest community online but even with the rocky new OS, it's nicer to have it here than not.

[D Tom]

there is not much that is worse than a pet dying to be fair. They are a big part of your life, and that void is hard to cope with... much less move on from. Grief is the price of love though.

[KnightTemplar]

Nice to see this thread pop up today to help take a step back and put things into perspective. The worst thing I've got going on is that my cat died last night. Not to downplay that (because it sucks), but the crappiness of it is also something that will heal itself with time. .

Well, that’s a big loss, imo. It takes awhile to get over the unconditional love your pet gives you. My wife w/our rescue dog, Toby. Born w/his 4 legs splayed straight out. Had to be fitted w/rubber bands to bring his legs together so he could walk. Cat, dog, losing one is really tough.

[SmashMan]

Tough but it’ll get better, yeah. I’ve only ever had dogs in my life so I just treated him like a small dog…he seemed fine with it, haha.

Initially wound up with him because my brother and his wife were looking for a second cat but they had to ditch that when their first cat didn’t warm up to the idea. I was asked to watch him for a couple weeks until they figured out what their plan was, but it worked well enough that it turned into eight years.

[tessl]

Tried to send a PM but got a message that your inbox was full. I'm also a Vietnam veteran with significant health issues that aren't getting better. 8 doctors bot at the VA and private have looked at me and the pain is worse than ever. The price of surviving to old age. God bless you.

[KnightTemplar]

Tried to send a PM but got a message that your inbox was full. I'm also a Vietnam veteran with significant health issues that aren't getting better. 8 doctors bot at the VA and private have looked at me and the pain is worse than ever. The price of surviving to old age. God bless you.

Me? I never looked at my mail. Just deleted all of it.

[Ghost Of The Year]

Me? I never looked at my mail. Just deleted all of it.

Ed McMahon and Publisher's Clearing House wondered why no one ever claimed that last million dollar check.