I wanted to share something very meaningful that happened to me today.
It's always been my dream to have a house at the coast. When I was diagnosed with stage 4 prostate cancer two years ago I thought the likelihood of that happening was pretty small. Since we had no real plan on the horizon at that time, I figured I would just have to let it go. It made me sad to think about it.
In the last few months a lot of things came togther and we were able to buy a wonderful house on the coast of Oregon with ocean views. I am so grateful for this. It really is a dream come true for me. I am here now with my wife for the first time, still trying to believe it happened in my lifetime. We took our first walk to the beach a few days ago and it was so surreal. I felt like I was in a dream, finding the whole thing hard to believe.
While looking at houses, there was one house that we wanted to see, but never got the chance. So today, we called up our real estate agent and asked if we could just look at it even though we already found the house of our dreams. The picture in the post is a view from that house. I didn't know much know about it, other than it had some parts that needed to be finished. Turns out the entire house was built by a man that died while building it and was not able to finish it. As we walked through the house, I thought of that man. I felt really sad for him that he wasn't able to finish such a beautiful house with breath-taking ocean views. It looked like he put so much of himself into it. I thought about how the house really needed so much done, not something I would consider taking on at this point. I thought too about the things I wouldn't be able to do, things I wouldn't finish in the time I have left here. And the things that I have been able to do and how appreciative I am for them.
On the way back to our house, my wife and I discussed the house with all it's steep slopes, concrete reinforced retaining walls, separate 3 story "lighthouse" building with each level outdoing the views of the one below.
Then my wife said something to me that really hit me: "The caption on the real estate ad said: Finish the Dream". That was so meaningful. Finish the dream. I keep thinking about that.
Don't give up on your dreams, even if they look impossible. Keep dreaming, keep living. Finish the dream!
Thanks. On the way over to see this house I was thinking: why are we looking at this house? We had already found the one we wanted. But we just wanted to see it anyway. So glad I went, such a meaningful message was there for me.
And you shared it with us, and now your testimony impacts all of us. Bless you gregg57 and your wife. My sister and brother-in-law just moved to Newport, OR. I love it there. I keep looking at real estate listings, but alas it really isn’t my husbands dream.
We couldn't afford the California coast, but Oregon prices are quite reasonable by comparison. The way I figure it is if you can't afford the coast you love, love the coast you can afford!
This Is awesome - congratulations!
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Thanks.
Wonderful days ahead in the dream house by the seashore . You’re not Fn around . Buddy ...Right on . Put a great smile on my face . lighthouse ? Are you kidding ? Nice ...
So nice to hear that you have realized your dream of having a beautiful house on the coast! I wish I can say the same for us someday. Last yr, we were about to start building our dream house, construction was about to commence but then suddenly, husband was diagnosed with stage 4 pca, so we realised we needed the money more for my husband’s treatments so we had to abort the plan. It was such painful setback. But i know, somehow, someday, we will be able to build and finish the dream.
May you have many wonderful memories in your new home!
Such a positive, thought inspiring post! Thank you for sharing and congratulations to you and your wife on living your dream. May you live in your coastal home many happy years. 😊❤️
Thanks. There was always this feeling of: What am I doing? Should I really be doing this at this stage of my life? But the answer was YES! I decided I wasn't going to stop living because of the cancer. I wasn't going to stop reaching for my dreams. Doing something like this in the face of a deadly disease is so empowering.
Thanks. Great post. I appreciate the work and sentiment you put in it. My dream—like that of most of us, I imagine—is to defeat and banish this aggressive monster known as CRPC. Good luck to all of us!
I fight the disease with everything I have. I also try to defeat it by not letting it take the things away from me that I love, not letting it take my hopes and dreams away. My hope is to help others do the same.
I needed this today more than you know. Thank you! Today, April 24, is my birthday. I turn 53 today and was diagnosed with stage 4 prostate cancer almost 6 months ago. Today I am living the dream. Thanks for sharing this story.
Great. It's not what you have, it's how you live that matters. We are afraid of losing our lives, but we only lose our life if we don't live it to the fullest.
gregg57, thank you so much for posting about your day and your experience. The post really touched me. It is so wonderful that you were able to purchase the house of your dreams. And I think you are right: While we are here, we should never stop dreaming and we should keep thinking that anything is always possible. I can imagine how happy you must feel. When my husband and I found our house here in Bray, Ireland after a long search, we just knew it was the right house, immediately felt at home, it needed work done and around this time three years ago we were filled with excitement every single day as we moved closer to the day when we would be able to move in. It was such a feeling of elation, nothing felt impossible then. So enjoy the feeling of owning such a beautiful house now!
You capture what we all need-THE DREAM. 15 months ago I developed pleural tumors with Small Cell cancer and a massive left chest effusion. We were told to get our affairs together. I was given palliative chemo and a chest catheter. Seven months ago the fluid stopped and tumors stabilized in growth. Since then we have attended cousin reunions on both sides, did a Road Scholar Trip to the Metropolitan Opera, spent 2 weeks in Maui and enjoyed a weekly family dinner with our kids and grandkids. Next month we will attend our 60th High School reunion. Best of all, I got to return to fishing.
People ask how I keep so active with the burden of cancer never cured. It is by only looking forward and having great support.
Enjoy the High School reunion but keep away from those teen age girls you used to fool around with in the empty class rooms. Remember the Boss will be with you, so behave.
Great post.... Coincidence, I was looking to move to San Francisco for a house with a water view. Real estate taxes triple what I pay in New York City. So I had to settle for a house right across the street from the YWCA's locker room windows. Woe is me. I'm finishing my dream.
Glad that all this happened for you. I moved back to California desert, from Ca coast many years ago. One of those things in life I regret. Enjoy the beautiful coast.
I teared up when I read your post. Thank you, it was heart felt. I too have always wanted to live on or next to the ocean. Oregon is beautiful. My wife and I stayed in a private condo rental on the beach for a few days in Lincoln City. It was several months back (off season). The Sea Gypsy was the complex, I forgot the name of the unit. Where along the coast did you end up?
We ended up in Lincoln City, about a mile north of where you stayed. We really like the area and compared to California, the prices are cheap. We couldn't afford the California coast, with the exception of one place: Shelter Cove. But you have to drive for one hour on an insane road. There's almost nothing out there. People who need medical care use a helicopter service to get them out. We said no thanks to that.
Interesting. The few days we spent in Oregon we drove it tight around some residential neighborhoods. We saw a lot of nice homes. The weather was nice, so we were able to take a lot in with the top down in our convertible (Miata). We found a few places where we would park, and walk up/down 'public access' beach waterfronts where we viewed the backside of some nice homes. I'm happy to hear you've found your dream home!
This is a great story Gregg57, thanks for sharing. Best wishes to you and your wife in your dream home. Hope that the dream continues to be a long and happy time.
Congrats on finding your dream. I live an hour from Lincoln City and drag my trailer over to a campground on the Siletz River often. In fact I'm camped now enjoying the beautiful sunshine on the river while the swallows circle overhead finding breakfast on the fly.
We recently purchased a home on the northern Oregon coast. We love living on the coast. Our other house in on the Pacific in Todos Santos, MX. With retirement we moved to small places after living in big suburbs and we enjoy the lack of traffic and the slow pace. We smile more on the coast! We have lived many places but always return to the coast and now I am done moving!
We actually bought a different house before we saw the lighthouse so we were just going to look at it. So that will be someone else's dream to finish. I was just so amazed by the experience and the whole idea of "finishing the dream". It would not have been possible for us to finish that house, just way beyond what we would have had the time, energy and money for.
The "lighthouse" it comes with is not an actual lighthouse, but a separate 3 level building with each floor smaller than the one below and with better views. It is a cylindrical building with windows all the way around, not an actual lighthouse, just made to look somewhat like one. Still, it's very impressive with almost 360 degrees of spectacular views on each level..
I think the house we bought is even more amazing. It is only 12 years old and finished, although my dream of being there is not. It also has good ocean views, though not as dramatic as the unfinished house. Our house is also quite a bit closer to the beach, only a 4 minute walk to be exact. It's huge, 4 bedrooms, 3,000 sq. feet with 3 full bathrooms, decks on 2 levels with access to decks from 2 bedrooms. On the top level, it has a great room that's 30 ft. x 22 ft. with ocean views and a deck facing the beach. It's really a spectacular place. We are really happy with it. And I just got back another blood test with undetectable PSA! That makes me so grateful. I'm hoping to have more time to enjoy it. Live the dream!
It helps staying undetected .. I was thinking that finishing the light house seemed like a major job . Great decision to a finished home instead. Sounds awesome to me . Enjoy the views.
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