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[Roly Poly Oly-Garch]

Goddammit. I'm sorry to hear that, TP. That is such a difficult thing to deal with.

[LMNO]

Oh, no. My condolences. This shit is never easy.

[Eater of Clowns]

That's just awful. Best wishes to your family.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

Oh, shit, I'm so sorry TP.

[trippinprincezz13]

Thanks everyone. It's just seems so unreal. Except for the pain in his neck in early Nov., followed by the shortness of breath that led to them discovering the fluid in his lungs, there really didn't seem to be any indication of this until it had already progressed this far. I know doctors don't really test for this sort of thing unless there's cause to, and some people may shrug off symptoms that seem to be fairly minor, especially if they don't care for going to the doctor, but it just seemed like nothing. This past fall, summer and spring he, my mom and I would take frequent walks through the woods and what have you (I like geocaching and got them into it - good way to get them out of the house and all too) and everything seemed fine.

I feel awful for my sister since she's been away at grad school in Austin and came back for the holidays, and he's been in the hospital and doped up since shortly before she got back, so she hasn't been able to really talk to him lucidly. She and my mother had some stomach bug for the last few days, so my brother (after he got out of work) and I spent a good chunk of the weekend with him - I did 6 and 5 hours Sat and Sun, which is hard when you can only get small bursts of coherent conversation in. It was yesterday that he started mentioning pain on the right side of his neck (it had been mostly on the left) so I don't know if that's another sign of how quickly things are progressing. The neck's what they want to focus on, or else he could be paralyzed, but without the chemo, I'm sure the cancer's left to run rampant through the rest of his body.

I'm starting to get sick and now worried that I got him sick since I was in the hospital so long this weekend. All of my emotions are on edge. I'm trying not to be selfish and to be there for my family and my Dad, especially since I know it's got to be horrible being stuck in the hospital so long, but I feel like I'm burning out quickly. I'm trying to maintain some sort of sanity and control in my life, but I feel like such an asshole if I'm not at the hospital every second I can be. Even my Mom said 6 hours straight was probably too long, but I don't know. My boyfriend's been completely supportive, but he's on edge as it is with work this time of year, and his maternal grandfather, who was like a father to him and his brothers, passed away earlier this year so it's going to be his family's first year without him. Everything is awful.

[Doktor Howl]

I'm really not sure how to handle any of this.

You can't.  Just give him all the attention you can, and hope for the best.

[trippinprincezz13]

I'm really not sure how to handle any of this.

You can't.  Just give him all the attention you can, and hope for the best.

I know, thank you. It is hard coming to terms with the fact that nothing can really be done beyond what the doctors order. Just especially feel awful that he's stuck in the hospital and clearly doesn't want to be (who does) and doesn't always know why he is, but the reality is that's probably where he's going to be the safest (despite hospital horror stories) until they can get the pain under control - really hoping the radiation helps with this. But yea, we're trying to have at least one, if not several or all of us there, as much as we can each day, so at least he's not alone the whole time. Even if he's not completely coherent (at least he IS awake, compared to the first day of strong painkillers) he knows we're there. The aide he had sitting with him yesterday was great about engaging him, and us, and dealing with the hallucinations - seeing as how my Dad isn't a hippy at some music festival, I'm not quite sure how to approach them. I don't want to encourage him/promote the belief that they're real, but I don't want to make him feel like he's stupid/crazy. Not that I'm being harsh but...I don't want to sound like a broken record either. She was really good though, and nice. Just hope things start progressing in a more positive direction.

[Doktor Howl]

I'm really not sure how to handle any of this.

You can't.  Just give him all the attention you can, and hope for the best.

I know, thank you. It is hard coming to terms with the fact that nothing can really be done beyond what the doctors order. Just especially feel awful that he's stuck in the hospital and clearly doesn't want to be (who does) and doesn't always know why he is, but the reality is that's probably where he's going to be the safest (despite hospital horror stories) until they can get the pain under control - really hoping the radiation helps with this. But yea, we're trying to have at least one, if not several or all of us there, as much as we can each day, so at least he's not alone the whole time. Even if he's not completely coherent (at least he IS awake, compared to the first day of strong painkillers) he knows we're there. The aide he had sitting with him yesterday was great about engaging him, and us, and dealing with the hallucinations - seeing as how my Dad isn't a hippy at some music festival, I'm not quite sure how to approach them. I don't want to encourage him/promote the belief that they're real, but I don't want to make him feel like he's stupid/crazy. Not that I'm being harsh but...I don't want to sound like a broken record either. She was really good though, and nice. Just hope things start progressing in a more positive direction.

Tell him you love him, hold his hand, play some music he likes (that last bit was particularly effective during my grandfather's illness).

The most terrifying part about this sort of thing is not being sure if you have family around you or if you're only dreaming it.  So do your best to let him know you're there.

[Da6s]

95% sure I'm going to join the Navy in February. Studying for the ASVAB currently.

Will probably throw up a real post when I do.


Everything in my life is pointing towards it as being a great idea, not the least of which are the benefits and the perks.

[Doktor Howl]

95% sure I'm going to join the Navy in February. Studying for the ASVAB currently.

Will probably throw up a real post when I do.


Everything in my life is pointing towards it as being a great idea, not the least of which are the benefits and the perks.

Beats spinning your wheels.  Get a technical MOS if you can.  One really good one that almost nobody takes is electric motor rewinding.

[Da6s]

95% sure I'm going to join the Navy in February. Studying for the ASVAB currently.

Will probably throw up a real post when I do.


Everything in my life is pointing towards it as being a great idea, not the least of which are the benefits and the perks.

Beats spinning your wheels.  Get a technical MOS if you can.  One really good one that almost nobody takes is electric motor rewinding.

Trying like hell for a CT rate...

[Doktor Howl]

95% sure I'm going to join the Navy in February. Studying for the ASVAB currently.

Will probably throw up a real post when I do.


Everything in my life is pointing towards it as being a great idea, not the least of which are the benefits and the perks.

Beats spinning your wheels.  Get a technical MOS if you can.  One really good one that almost nobody takes is electric motor rewinding.

Trying like hell for a CT rate...

Well, if you can't get past the background check, hit this up for a look:

http://usmilitary.about.com/od/navynecs/p/EM4615.htm

It's what my brother did.  Got him into the trades, and he climbed all the way to a PhD in engineering out of it.

[Da6s]

95% sure I'm going to join the Navy in February. Studying for the ASVAB currently.

Will probably throw up a real post when I do.


Everything in my life is pointing towards it as being a great idea, not the least of which are the benefits and the perks.

Beats spinning your wheels.  Get a technical MOS if you can.  One really good one that almost nobody takes is electric motor rewinding.

Trying like hell for a CT rate...

Well, if you can't get past the background check, hit this up for a look:

http://usmilitary.about.com/od/navynecs/p/EM4615.htm

It's what my brother did.  Got him into the trades, and he climbed all the way to a PhD in engineering out of it.

Will definitely take a look. Thanks! Background check is a non-issue. I'm a typical nerdy white kid with no record to speak.

[Nephew Twiddleton]

Best wishes, Trippin.

[Doktor Howl]

Doobie Doobie DOOOOOOOOOOO

hxxps://www.facebook.com/theevancarroll/posts/731860416891165?comment_id=731976936879513&notif_t=like

Getting my troll on.