One less competing for new Stang.....

Thanks everyone. It been really reassuring to have your support. I know we are all strangers, but we are all human and thats what it all comes down to. I've been busy the past couple weeks. There's a lot of planning involved in all this. I went back to work but they let me take my pension and retirement package ahead of time. I will still be doing some work from home mainly consulting. Been traveling a lot lately catching up with old friends and family. I decided to take this weekend to relax with the family at home. I can really feel my body weaken as things progress. They are afraid its become more aggressive and they shortened me to another 6-8 months at its current aggresson. Just enough time to test a GT. Its Easter and Passover not to leave anyone out, I justed wanted to wish you guys a good holiday and thanks for the good words. Next week I'll be at the NYC autoshow, I'll try to sneek some pics for you all. Thanks
 
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this renders everything else irrelevant. the only advice i can possibly give is for you to make as many videos of yourself as you can so that when your kids are older, they can get to know their father. best wishes for you and your family.
 
Spanky-You have already recieved a bunch of advice from different people but the best advice I can give you is to make sure you know where you stand with God. This life seems like it goes on forever sometimes, but eternity is literally forever. I read in your post earlier that you were a christian but not religious...I will pray for your comfort and also that you find God in a new and different way than you ever have. You will be in my prayers and it is very admirable that you are taking the time to unselfishly look out for and take care of your family. Hopefully I will see you one day in the future.
 
Ive had tears since page one. Im gonna spare you the repeats of what everyone said, but wanted to say something.

Youre a very honorable man/father/husband. Hang in there and life live to its fullest. Everyone says life is a test, and now it looks like its your turn. Study up and be ready for the exam cause im sure youll ace it. I wanna keep it positive, so ill leave you with this. Do us all a favor and stop posting... get out there and drive that Mustang man!! :):):) You and your entire family is in my prayers! Have a blast on your trips and remember to always smile, its the little things in life bro and think of how your boys would want to see you all the time. Happy. :) I wish you nothing but the best of luck in defeating this and let us all know when you do :flag: :flag:
 
spanky, i'm sorry man. enjoy your time with your family and leave your wife and kids some great memories. i know you love your family and that seems to be the first thing on your mind. good luck to you man. god bless. :(

remember, live it up!!! :banana: :flag: :nice:
 
I wish you the best and will pray for you and your family. As a few people have already stated it would be great to videotape moments for your family to enjoy forever. My father was 29 when he died of cancer. My brother was 5 at the time and I was 3. I cherish the few things of his that I have and always loved to hear family members talk about him at reunions. I only wish I had videotapes of him. I still remember the first time I heard his voice on a recording and couldn't believe it. You may not know what to say or do but please take the time to record moments with your family. To this day I look at photos of my dad (i'm 30 now) and would love to have film footage just to feel closer to him. A picture can only capture so much. Good luck to you and your family.

Jason
 
Spanky: My thoughts and prayers are with you and your entire family and friends. This has been very hard to read and I wish you the best of luck! Keep your great attitude and remember that miracles do happen. Stay strong and keep fighting! my Mother was diagnosed with breast cancer when I was a freshman in high school, so i understand how hard this must be on you and your family. We prayed for a miracle and thankfully, we got one. Continue to pray! I believe in miracles and know you will recieve one! One thing that helped greatly through my Mothers treatment was to talk about our feelings as a family. We agreed to not keep anything from each other and asked my Mom when we didnt understand things. Talking will help greatly! She talked to us and we talked to her, I suggest trying that out with your family as well.
I will continue to pray for you and your family and ask for a miracle! Keep your spirits up....DO NOT lose hope or your will to fight! Get well soon Spanky! God Bless!
 
It makes me really think about what I have and the things we all take for granted. Seems like things are going well and life sucker punches you. I wish there was something more we could do but I do know the power of prayer. My oldest son was critically ill when he was a baby. The doc didn't expect him to make it through the night. My bro-in-laws mom, who I had never even met at the time, got together with her church group and started a prayer circle. To this day I do not know how large it got but I had recieved hundreds well-wishes from all over the country. I honestly believe it worked because he is here today...nine years to the month to be exact...and is healthy as ever. You and your family will be in our prayers and I will make it known to everyone I can to keep you and yours in their thoughts. Good luck and here's to seeing you in 2010 COBRA for your test drive. Man....I'm at work now with tears in my eyes. Bless you man...
 
I lost a dear friend a couple years ago only to realize later that if we had got him to a major medical center he might have lived. I don't know where you live but if you haven't already tried this I would suggest getting to San Francisco, Chicago, D.C, or Boston. My uncle is a M.D. (retired) and I know that he would reccomend S.F. or Boston. Don't lose your hope!
 
Spanky -

Man, you really sound like you've got a good head on your shoulders. I'm glad you've come to grips with everything & have made plans. Just take this time now & enjoy every precious moment you have left with your family. I hope like hell the doctors are wrong. We can all take a lesson from the way you are handling things & the way you are living each day to the fullest!

There has got to be someone out there that has some kind of pull & could get you in that '05 Stang at the NYC auto show!!! I'm crossing my fingers on that & hope maybe you could get a test drive.

Hold your loved ones tight. I like the idea of videos for your children or pictures or letters - anything to let your kids (and your wife) know how much you love them.

God bless you man!!
 
well first off not to worsen your spirits, but i feel for your family the most, may God bless their lives if you are ever to leave them. i cant begin to imagine what youre going through, but if youre right with God, then soon youll be in a better place with Him.

When i was very young, two of my grandparents passed away, one from lung cancer and the other from stomach cancer. my mother's mother drank frequently and lived not much longer after the doctors predicted. my mother's step father, however, never smoked, but his close friend did, and he contracted lung cancer from second-hand smoke. he was given four to six months to live by many different doctors, but outlived that prediction by two and a half years.

I believe fully that good things happen to good people. you sound as if you have been taking this all extrememly well, i admire your courage and faith. one of my teachers in high school had a poster up on his wall that said, "To leave this Earth knowing that one person's life has been made better because you existed, this is to have truly lived." I go to Harvest Christian Fellowship, one of the largest religious establishments in southern california, and id like to bring your story to their attention, to have them pray for you and your family. i really don't know what to say right now, theres a million things id love to say but i cant really put them all into words right now, your story has made me appreciate so much more out of life, really. if nothing else, your ordeal has changed mine and, hopefully, everyone elese lives who hear about you. god bless you and your loved ones, and i wish you the very best and a Happy Easter.

-Garrett
 
An oncology nurses prospective

I was an oncology nurse for over three years and return to it occasionally. I have seen "it" more times than I can count. You are doing well. Dealing with a terminal diagnosis is something that you can't prepare for. It's a frustrating alien experience. I think it's important that you know that you ARE doing well.

All the cliches about life being short are now so profound to you, and yet so hopelessly inadequate. Your life will probably be shorter than mine, but remember, the oldest person in the world hasn't really been here that long. None of us will have enough time to do it right. So don't be too hard on yourself. You are doing well.

Say everything that needs to be said. Forgive everyone of everything. Cut all the bitterness out. It's a waste of the soul. Don't try to find a reason for this to have happened. You will be missing the greater point. Nothing happens for a reason. Things happen for innumerable reasons. Think of all the souls this thread has touched. Your hardship has literally changed peoples lives. With faith, pessimism is impossible. I'm telling you, in ways that are hard to describe w/o sounding cruel, even now you are being bathed in blessings. The more you look, the more you will see.

As poiniant (sp) and heart breaking as you death and last days will be, there will be a certain beauty to it. A certain nobility can be found in letting the ones you have always taken care of, take care of you in the end. Knowing that they spent the time, heart, and tears to stay with you and protect and serve you in your most vulnerable state will actually edify and uplift them as time passes. Don't take their chance to be selfless away from them. They need to know that they made a difference.

I KNOW as sure as I know anything that there is a certain spiritual component to cancer. As I have walked the halls, I've felt the presence of the supernatural. I have approached the beds of all of my patients (the one's who are winning the fight, and the one's who are losing it) and felt the presence of angels. Seriously. Angels. I have never seen one in the room, but I know they were there. Ya know something else? The patients loved ones have angels too. The more people in the room, the stronger the presence. The closer the impending death, the greater the presence. My man, I have walked in rooms so full of the Spirit I could almost feel it swirl around me in eddys. You and your family are being taken care of RIGHT NOW! And power that you and yours may not even feel will continue to grow as the end gets closer.

Each and every one if our lives is custom-made to induce prayer. Kobler-Ross' Stages of Grieving is really just about hashing it out with God. We are in denial that God would let it happen. Who else would we be angry at? Who else would we try to bargain with? So you gotta work it out with the Lord. Your entire family needs Christian guidance. Get it soon, and get it often. And read Ecclesiastes.

Live well, and die well, and always believe that God loves us all beyond our present ability to comprehend.

Love and prayers,
Jim
 
I am sorry to hear what you are having to go through :(

I'm not sure what to say really, except that I am sorry... and that you should live each day to the fullest and have the most fun you can. In the meantime I pray they come up with something that can make you better.

Man... this really sucks. :(
 
Man just keep fighting and when the 05 Mustang comes out get you one. If worst comes to worse leave your 05 Mustang to your son (if one of your kids is a boy). And let him hold the flame where you left off. But I can speak for everyone on this board when I say we are all hoping for a miracle. We won't stop hoping until the end and you better not either. Keep fighting man, giving up wont get you anywhere. Best of luck to you. You have about 21,315,000rwhp backing you up on this site. I just did the math :) Keep fighting bro and keep us up to date.
 
man keep strong and it really looks like ur putting up the good fight and enjoying ur time. i hope ull be able to show those doctors and prove them wrong by going on longer than they think

you said you'll be going out to ca in june, which part are you going to? if u hit up Southern Ca let us know and we can set up a pacific coast highway cruise or something

good luck man