Have Any Of You Ever Had Any Life Changing Experiences

[av7]

Re: Have Any Of You Ever Had Any Life Changing Experiences

Beating depression after I stopped using medication, that gave me a huge confidence boost.

Almost lost my left hand after it was crushed but the docs did a fantastic job repairing it, looks normal and works fine. I often think of what it would have be like to have an amputated hand/arm.

[nyisles16]

Re: Have Any Of You Ever Had Any Life Changing Experiences

Have a few myself

-- my college suite-mate (RA of the floor) my senior year kill himself.

-- having my then 91 year old grandfather not realize who I was shortly before he passed away

-- and currently, losing my job and trying to get another is really an attention grabber for me. My family and friends have been supportive, but it's starting to take a toll on me mentally.

[Altimus]

Re: Have Any Of You Ever Had Any Life Changing Experiences

Joining the Marines.

It makes you really realize all the stuff you took for granted once it is taken away from you.

[RAZRr1275]

Re: Have Any Of You Ever Had Any Life Changing Experiences

9-11-01

[CS10029]

Re: Have Any Of You Ever Had Any Life Changing Experiences

My father is a retired police officer. In the early spring of 1997 an officer at the department was shot and killed in the line of duty. He was chasing a suspect when the suspect drew a gun and fired back at him multiple times. He was hit in the shoulder and knocked to the ground. The suspect then decided to run back to him, as the officer tried to draw his weapon he was shot in the hand, then then chest. As he begged for his life the suspect then shot him in the head, killing him.

This really messed me up for a while. Knowing it could have just as easily been my dad. It was very traumatic for a 17 year old to deal with.

Out of curiousity what happened to the guy who did it?

[PVarck31]

Re: Have Any Of You Ever Had Any Life Changing Experiences

Out of curiousity what happened to the guy who did it?

He was executed about 5 years later.

[GoToledo]

Re: Have Any Of You Ever Had Any Life Changing Experiences

Well, I just ended a one year battle with cancer (I hope). I was diagnosed with stage III lymphoma at age 26 on my 1st wedding anniversary (on the day). I had been feeling so sick and so weak, but I never imagined cancer. There is no way to describe what it feels like.

Well, long story short, after 3 surgeries and 6 months of harsh chemotherapy I am finally in remission. I am a pharmaceutical chemist and ironically enough, I have been studying cancer drugs my entire career. In fact, the drug I have researched the most is a "cousin" drug to one of the drugs that was in my cocktail. It produces similar results but with less side effects, and we hope to have it on the market in 2009 sometime.

This makes me so grateful for the medications that are out there today (and for having a great company who stuck by me when I couldn't work for 8 months). I plan on returning the favor by continuing cancer research. I wasn't sure what exactly I wanted to research when I first graduated, but now the answer is crystal clear.

[ehh]

Re: Have Any Of You Ever Had Any Life Changing Experiences

A very close friend I grew up with was killed in a car crash when we were 20 years old. He hit a Mack trunk head on going 80 MPH, he was driving on the wrong side of the road. He was probably drunk but we'll never know, obviously there were no remains. The funeral was the worst part, seeing hundreds of kids we went to HS with lined up around the corner of the funeral home. Every few minutes a girl would come running out hysterically crying and screaming - not easy to handle.

[ehh]

Re: Have Any Of You Ever Had Any Life Changing Experiences

from losing every male I had in my wife within 9 months.

[OSUFan_88]

Re: Have Any Of You Ever Had Any Life Changing Experiences

When I was 13, my best friend shot and killed himself. That was such a weird day and I don't think I've honestly ever gotten over it. I really don't have that many close friends anymore because of it and kind of became a loner. Not until senior year did I ever really feel normal enough to have close friends again. My parents wanted to take me to get help, but I never had interest in that.

Over time, I guess, time heals all.

[AlexBrady]

Re: Have Any Of You Ever Had Any Life Changing Experiences

For me it was the year 1991. I

n January my Grandfather died after a long battle with Alzheimer's disease, by the end he didn't even know who I was, which for an 11 year old who is the only grandchild is pretty hard to go through.

It took time to go over, then in May/June a close family friend who was basically like my second Grandfather (my biological paternal grandfather died before my mother was even born) committed suicide when he his cancer went out of remission.

Then in October of the same year my father died from a rare strain of pneumonia after battling leukemia for three years. When this happened his estate took forever to settle because of the way my Grandmother wrote her will. We went from living a very comfortable lifestyle to having nothing, my mother raided a trust fund left for me to pay the mortgage and then to buy a new home in Burlington.

It was around this time I came to the realization there is in fact no God, and if there is a God it certainly isn't one who is worthy of worship. This is what I learned at a young age (don't respond to this part) from losing every male I had in my wife within 9 months. What made this worse is my mother left me in Catholic schools for the next 6 years (I went to a Catholic college on my own) where I had to have that crap jammed down my throat. I had one religion teacher go as far as to say those who die of diseases like cancer or Alzheimer's do so because they were sinners who could not be saved. It was a miracle I didn't snap her neck in class honestly, I have my old friend to thank for telling me to let it go, we know who's really going to Hell.

At the end of the year for the first time this teacher had us write reviews of the class. I made the bitch cry and to do this day I take pleasure in doing so. I still hope she dies from one of those diseases, even 12 years later.

What did you write? I am really interested.

[funky_chicken]

Re: Have Any Of You Ever Had Any Life Changing Experiences

I am going through one of those now. My dad was recently diagnosed with colon cancer. He is doing fine and his spirit is good. He nor I ever expected it. It has made me realize to take one day at a time and make the most of it. You never know when it is your time. I have heard it said many times but it doesn't really register or set in until you have someone who is close to you sick like that.

[MassNole]

Re: Have Any Of You Ever Had Any Life Changing Experiences

What did you write? I am really interested.

I wrote that she was a horrible teacher and had no business teaching anymore. That she was a disgusting, bitter old woman who lacked the requisite knowledge to teach religion (she admitted she had never even read the entire Bible, because it was too long for any person to read). That I hated the schools last minute decision to move me from Mr. Wright's class (he was the best teacher at my HS and my former Little League coach) to her class is one that I would always regret. I think I ended by saying I hope one of those diseases that only killed sinners would afflict her as well.

[SlimKibbles]

Re: Have Any Of You Ever Had Any Life Changing Experiences

Well, I just ended a one year battle with cancer (I hope). I was diagnosed with stage III lymphoma at age 26 on my 1st wedding anniversary (on the day). I had been feeling so sick and so weak, but I never imagined cancer. There is no way to describe what it feels like.

Well, long story short, after 3 surgeries and 6 months of harsh chemotherapy I am finally in remission. I am a pharmaceutical chemist and ironically enough, I have been studying cancer drugs my entire career. In fact, the drug I have researched the most is a "cousin" drug to one of the drugs that was in my cocktail. It produces similar results but with less side effects, and we hope to have it on the market in 2009 sometime.

This makes me so grateful for the medications that are out there today (and for having a great company who stuck by me when I couldn't work for 8 months). I plan on returning the favor by continuing cancer research. I wasn't sure what exactly I wanted to research when I first graduated, but now the answer is crystal clear.

Wow...hang in there with everything, man. Glad things are in remission. Keep doing that research!

[shorty12345]

Re: Have Any Of You Ever Had Any Life Changing Experiences

I have had a couple that really changed the way i think

- A couple years ago my friend's dad killed his 2 sons and wife and a murder suicide

- Seeing a drive-by shooting in the Bahamas last year where my dad and I, had just been standing

- Watching my Uncle die in the hospital who was like my second father.