Some encouragement

[Lettuce231]

I wasn't sure if I should post this, we read so many sad stories and hear of heartbreaking losses, today we've lost another brother.

I wanted to try to encourage some of you who have recently joined this esteemed club, that nobody really wants to belong too, fortunately it's free.

10 years ago on the 9th of October, I was told that I had prostate cancer, they left the biopsy until the new year, to find out that it had gone beyond the prostate and into a lymph node. What the hell did that mean ? P.S.A. 150 and climbing.

It turned out to an aggressive SOB and everytime we thought that we had it nailed, the damn thing came back 👋👋.

I remember looking at my wife and thinking that I don't want to leave you, my daughters and my grandsons and our beautiful Border Collie Beau, he was only 8 months old.

Yep, there have been times mainly due to the secondary effects of these drugs, ( those that nobody but us know about ) when I've felt like I might die, feeling that lousy that I just could not function and wondering when I sucumbed to that extreme fatigue, if I would actually wake up again. I remember forcing myself up off the bed just to get downstairs to fight this beast.

But I did and still am you lucky people and here I am, just to spite my lovely generous father in law 🤪.

Over the period of time and through various courses of treatments, I've been able to gradually build back some stammina, although if I stand sideways and stick out my tongue, I look like a zipper and I might even lose my balance and topple.

I've seen the strain on my wife over the years, due to the uncertainty, but she has alway's there to help me, never take your wife for granted.

Now guess what ! I'm 67 in November, they even thought that I was worth investing some money in and gave me a replacement knee, after 5 weeks I'm walking unaided, because I'm so mean I want to use it before the guarantee runs out....................................... I'm not sure if it's a lifetime one 🤭

This "hidden disease", that people think because you are still here, you must have been "cured ", can and will hit you physically hard, but we stay mentally awake, to fight back. I know that I haven't been hit as hard as some guy's here, but the train is still running, so who knows.

I wish you all well with your personal battle against this beast, seize the day and grab it with both hands, the day's will become weeks and the weeks become months and then come the years.

I'll shut up now 🥱

[GSDF]

Your path is similar to mine, same attitude too ... Hope is a very powerful force ... So is appreciation... God bless you brother... 👍🙂

[Lettuce231 in reply to GSDF]

thank you so much, god bless you too and keep positive.

[Carlosbach]

Leafy Greens, thank you for sharing your encouraging story. Living despite cancer is quite a journey. From the depths of, "you are going to die"; to "you're in remission"; to "you have new mets and need additional procedures/treatments/meds."

The good news is that it is a journey (which means that you are still alive), and not always a last call. Keep on living and loving, and wear that new knee out!

[Lettuce231 in reply to Carlosbach]

Thanks Carlosbach, I fully intend to keep on loving and living, I'm sure that you will too, you have a good humour and that's so important for the head.

Keep in there my brother, even if you did lie to me about those girls 😁

[Carlosbach in reply to Lettuce231]

ixnayy onyay ethay alktay aboutyay irlsgay

[Lettuce231 in reply to Carlosbach]

Have you been drinking 😄

[Carlosbach in reply to Lettuce231]

Just polishing up my grade school Latin 😉

[Lettuce231 in reply to Carlosbach]

Very impressive 👏

[Kaliber]

Nice post Lettuce …. Great attitude too. Plus ehugs out to the wife as well. Good for you buddy, savior this moment.

👏👏👏

❤️❤️❤️

[Lettuce231 in reply to Kaliber]

Kaliber my dear old war horse 🐎, you are one of the best on here and due to that you can give my wife "E" Hugs, is that a cigarette hug 🤗 she's trying to quite 😊.

Thanks buddy for those encouraging words 👍

[Kaliber in reply to Lettuce231]

I can speak for myself , when I say I don’t recognize the Hammer enough for all hard work she puts in. Plus the emotional drain. Sometimes we just have to put our arm around our wives-caregivers …. and give them long hug and a kiss, tell’em what a great job they do, …… then tell ‘ em how much you love them.

❤️❤️❤️

[Lettuce231 in reply to Kaliber]

Kaliber, what would we be without our wives, why do we forget so easily why we fell in love with each other, what did this life do to us all that we should forget.

I kiss my wife at every opportunity, I kiss her and hold her every night before we sleep, it could be my last chance.

You've hit the " Hammer " on the head, tell her how much you love her. We all should do that.

Much love my Brother ❤️

[Kaliber in reply to Lettuce231]

Yayahahahaya. … the darlings … danged if we don’t and danged if we do ..yayahahahaya. What’s not to love about that.

🌼🌹🌺🌻❤️❤️❤️

[Carlosbach in reply to Lettuce231]

I don't know how any of our caregivers continue to stand up under the loads they carry. Pretty sure that they all deserve love and care more than any of us old croakers.

XOXOXO to all of you wives, partners, kids, friends, etc. that are wearing yourselves out in order to provide love and support

[Kaliber in reply to Carlosbach]

Yes absolutely my Brother. Giant group hugs all around for our tireless ladies that keep us going. You’ve nailed it.

😁😁😁

❤️❤️❤️

[Lettuce231 in reply to Kaliber]

Carlosbach might have nailed it, but you've got the Hammer our Brother 😉

[Kaliber in reply to Lettuce231]

Yayahahahaya, funny . well … she sure is “ special “ alright.

😂😂😂

[Maxone73]

you are great!

[Lettuce231 in reply to Maxone73]

I've replied, but not in the correct order, sorry 😐

[Lettuce231]

Thank you so much, I feel quite embarrassed by that. But hang on, you too are great, just for hanging around with us lot, who Kaliber calls " croaks ". I think he means Crocus 😉 much more pleasant.

Keep hanging with us 😀

[Kaliber in reply to Lettuce231]

Yayahahahaya “ croakers “ , it’s an American slang euphemism ( ? ) .

“ A croak is the low, hoarse sound a frog makes. Crows and people with sore throats can croak, too. It's also a slang word for “die.” When people croak, they need either a glass of water or an undertaker. Croak is a noun or a verb. “ Vocabulary.com

Sorry I missed this big guy, I’ve been on the Zometa pain train since end of last week and not at my fluffy best ( code Also for : omg , I feel like rotten $*#@ ) it’ll wear off suddenly in a day or two , no biggie.

Boy !!! , you did really well with this great post. Good stuff.

👏👏👏

❤️❤️❤️

[Lettuce231 in reply to Kaliber]

Hello Kaliber my friend, I'm sorry to hear that you've been feeling like a sack of $h1t tied up with string, I really hope that you start to pick up again soon. We need you !

My dear old war horse, when ever did our cousins from across the water, teach the English, English 😄😄😄😄. Are you using the American Oxford Dictionary 😀

I think Crocus is better then potentially Croaking, frog, Crows, bad throats, or even popping my clogs, wait, I think , I know Britain had clogs along with many European nations.

" Clogs to Clogs and three generations " I think that was the life span of a Clog 🤔.

Really thank you very much about the comment regarding this post. I've been bowled over by the responses, I was very hesitant about posting. But it seems to have hit a nerve. It seems to have shown that we need a release, a way of expressing ourselves, without endless referrals or recent studies, which of course are pertinent.

❤️❤️❤️ to you from my "E" hug wife and myself.

[Kaliber in reply to Lettuce231]

Thanks bruddha …

You dialed it in ….. now we’ll be expecting your weekly “ column “ now that you have shown yourself to be able to feel the pulse of the group and stir up the camaraderie. Good work .

😁😁😁

[MouseAddams]

youtu.be/MtwMMqRihx0?si=tog...(Not working as expected?)

this is the idea… too

[Lettuce231 in reply to MouseAddams]

Thanks, still rocking but not in a chair by the fire, wrapped in a Tartan blanket. You keep rocking too Brother ! 🥳

[billyboy3]

rock on my friend, very good post, I too am reaching the end, but we must go for as long as are able and want to, as we serve as beacons for those to follow, sadly far too many, far too soon. Stay well and be at peace. This beast will one day be at our beck and call and booted to the hell that it created for so many.

[Lettuce231 in reply to billyboy3]

Thank you Billyboy3, I appreciate your kind comments and your thoughts.

I wish you well with your continued battle, your correct, we need to go on as long as we are able, so put some more fuel in your tank, for your brothers on here.

I wish you all the best 👍

[GMorz]

Thanks for sharing. We all need your fight and passion for life . Keep up the good fight

[Lettuce231 in reply to GMorz]

Thank you, we sure do, when you think about it, we're not here that long anyway in the big scheme of things. You keep fighting too our Brother, the more of us that do so, the better we all are ✌️

[Flaxseed]

Loving your sense of humor and strength to keep on going! The longer we fight and keep going the better chance we have of a new and more successful treatment option coming available that is one of the thoughts in my arsenal to battle this b@stard! 10 years and still fighting? - Well Done you! It’s 5 years for me and I share a lot of your thoughts and feelings…. Respect - and keep it up!

[Lettuce231 in reply to Flaxseed]

Hi Flaxseed, thank you very much for your reply, I appreciate your encouragement. I'm a bit overwhelmed by all the positive feedback as I was hesitant about doing the post.

5 years in for you, well done 👏 It would be nice to think that over the next 5 years there could be a breakthrough to really give us some hope of finally killing the beast. But maybe there's no money in that 🤔 So it will remain up to us stay positive and continue to encourage one another.

I wish you all the best, you have a great mental attitude 😊

[hopeful1956]

I love your positivity! There will be a breakthrough eventually.

[Lettuce231 in reply to hopeful1956]

Thank you very much, I see that you too have a 1956 date, its a good one 👍.

You know I feel somehow obliged to stay positive, not just for me, but for my family and taking the responsibility that comes with adulthood.

All of these things put together and the love shared, plus the beauty that still exists in this poor planet, keeps me going.

You too stay positive our brother 🙏

[hopeful1956 in reply to Lettuce231]

It's my husband that has stage 4 with a few bone mets. Caused by BRCA2. I go on the site to learn as much as I can. He too has 1956 date and always stays positive and grateful.

[Lettuce231 in reply to hopeful1956]

My apologies, your birth date is still a good one ! I'm sorry that your husband has bone mets, but its great that he too remains positive. This post is about people like him showing by example for those new members of this club what he and others have achieved.

I take my hat off to him, I too, hope that one day a cure will be found for all cancers, I've lost family and friends over the years. It just seems incompressible that it isn't already here, I think perhaps we know why.

Thank you again for coming back to me, I wish you and your husband all the best with your continued battle. ❤️

[Judymin]

Love reading your positive post, my husband also has gone through treatment, after treatment, good news still here after 12 years, he just turned 65, made it to Medicare, yay!! It is taking it's toll on his body laughed at your description of zipper. All so true, good luck to you and all of the men/and wives here. judy

[Lettuce231 in reply to Judymin]

Hello Judy, its great to hear from you and about the experiences you've faced together and what great news that Hubby is still standing after 12 years, he is exactly the type of person that I'm writing about on here, not just me.

Thank you for your good wishes.

Fantastic stuff and you both keep positive 🥰

[inthefight]

Thank you for these kind words. I (the wife) needed this today after the prior sad news. Your zipper comment made me chuckle.

[Lettuce231 in reply to inthefight]

Hello inthefight, that's made me happy that I was able to make you chuckle 😄. Wait until my wife gets some sticks out and plays a tune on my ribs 😉

I wasn't sure whether to post, because everyday we see sad news. But I'm glad I did, the post has been received as I hoped it would.

What has been so good 👍 is the number of people who have contributed to show our newer members that we keep our humour and lift ourselves to a point where we're almost normal 🤪. But not too normal.

Keep hanging around with us, all the best to you and your husband. 💪

[Joes-dad]

Phil, getting new "parts" will make you better than ever!Beau is going to need to help more gathering and bringing in the firewood this year😉. I wish we were there to help.

You hit it out of the park when you you married Lesley💕

Take care my friend,

Bob

[Lettuce231 in reply to Joes-dad]

Aw Bob, my long distance friend, yep they rebuilding me, well not all of me 😏 unfortunately.

Yes I sure did hit out of the park when I married Lesley, we met when she was 16 and I was 17, I stopped looking after that ❤️.

But you did too, Regina is up there at the top of the charts too ! I guess Bob you and I have been very lucky in love and that smashes most things out of the park.

Beau found a stick off the wood pile and buried it, he had a beautiful black dusty muzzle, but I couldn't decline the kiss 😊.

We send our love to you Bob and Regina, thanks so much for making contact. 🥰

Phil

[Lettuce231 in reply to Joes-dad]

Hey Bob, I forgot to mention, I bought a bottle of Tullamore Dew today to mark the 10 year point. I got Lesley a pressie too, its gold and glitters, but its not in a glass 🥃.

[Joes-dad in reply to Lettuce231]

Fantastic choice! We'll be toasting your 10-years at dinner tonight 🥳

[Lettuce231 in reply to Joes-dad]

Oh bless your hearts 💕 thank you 😊

[Currumpaw]

Well written Lettuce!

Strength in spirit can often overcome the weakness of flesh.

Currumpaw

[Lettuce231 in reply to Currumpaw]

Hello Currumpaw, wow ! Are you a Methodist minister by chance 😉.

Sincerely though, thank you very much.

Keep fighting our brother 💪

[Currumpaw in reply to Lettuce231]

Hey Lettuce,

I am not clergy. I was once athletic though--I'll leave that there.

One doesn't know how much one can do until one refuses to fail, until exhausting all the resources left within. If someone thinks what is left in the "tank" won't get you to the next gas station and quits driving--they don't get a few more gallons to keep going do they? Maybe they would have just coasted in and then been surprised to get a full tank!

You have done well because of your inner strength. Your post is inspiring and very welcome to many here.

Currumpaw

[Lettuce231 in reply to Currumpaw]

Hi Currumpaw, I thank you so much, your analogy, it's so true, I think perhaps over many years it's almost been instilled in us to know your weaknesses, but not your strengths, to do as your told and not to think any further, but refusing is against the norm. Like the word NO !

Such a nice thing to say " Your post is inspiring " it's blown me away, that anyone should think such a thing.

Thanks again Brother, again I feel very humbled.

[GoBucks]

PMA-positive mental attitude. Plus laughter helps me every day. Yes there are sad posts here regularly but your post and others like it are much needed. Lettuce all keep laughing.

[Lettuce231 in reply to GoBucks]

" Lettuce all keep laughing " 😆, that's as bad as " Lettuce Spray 🙏".

Thanks GoBucks, I very much appreciate what you have said, I am the same, life without laughter is unimaginable ( Daryl, where's the spellcheck ? ). There have been comments in the past about Healthunlocked becoming like Facebook. But we all need different kinds of medication, I don't wear " The big C " as a badge and I bet you don't either !

I do appreciate the trauma that it causes, I just hope that when that day comes, when they say " Lettuce Spray 🙏" I can crack a joke.

Take care and stay silly Brother 🤪

[Billy_Boe]

What a great post. We are not alone on this journey but this was so beautiful to read. Made my day happier! All the best to you and your family as we keep moving forward.

[Lettuce231 in reply to Billy_Boe]

I feel so humble, thank you so very much for your reply to me.

All of us, every man, woman and child who see's their loved one going through this, is going through it too. You've made my day, with giving me such a wonderful positive response, not just for me, but for all of us on Healthunlocked.

Billy_Boe, all the best to you and your family too, we're all moving in the same direction, we are not alone, any of us.

Our love to you 🥰

[Scout4answers]

Perseverance, a positive attitude and some good luck . Cheers to 10 Years.

[Lettuce231 in reply to Scout4answers]

Thank you, don't forget the whiskey 😉

[LongTimeRunning]

Good post man.

[Lettuce231 in reply to LongTimeRunning]

Thank you, I really do appreciate all the comments and feedback I've received today, I've been totally overwhelmed by the fantastic positivity that so many of my Brothers have out there.

I wish you all the best with your continued fight, stay positive 💙

[Bronzee]

thank you Lettuce! I am actually having the same experience as you. I am fighting this beast until I can.

[Lettuce231 in reply to Bronzee]

Hello Bronzee, that's all you can do, once you've got it caged, don't let it out ever again.

Thanks for your reply, I wish you well with your battle, we're all here for you 💪

[Kwstas]

Great post mate. I turned 67 in July, similar story to you but only been fighting this disease for 3 years. Let’s keep going.

[Lettuce231 in reply to Kwstas]

Hello Kwastas, thank you for your kind comment, I've been truly taken aback by everyone's responses, its been amazing 👏

3 years can seem a long time with the beast, I think at that point I felt at my worst, don't get despondent, you can always contact us on here for encouragement. Keep your mind positive 🧠, that's the key.

I wish you well our Brother.

[j-o-h-n]

Coumadin, no Lettuce............

Good Luck, Good Health and Good Humor.

j-o-h-n Monday 10/09/2023 7:58 PM DST

[Lettuce231]

Hi John, what's that 😀