What ever became of...

coinkat

Askari? Has he been around lately?

farthing

He has not been on the boards since the end of Feb. He has been bidding on eBay though.

ajaan

I was wondering the same thing.

spinaker2000

I'm sure his darkness is present, it's in the air.

JohnZ

No doubt he's busy preparing an elaborate, intricate, and impeccably well-researched thesis on something or another.

1jester

Darkhorse and Severo haven't been around too much either of late.

Askari

Alas and alack, the "real world" has had its steely claws in my hide.

My busy season at work has kicked in on overdrive and we've had a family situation with my mother-in-law -- a gracious lady, so no jokes! -- getting sick enough to have to go into the hospital where an intestinal obstruction turned out to be a large cancerous mass necessitating removal of a foot of her colon and rerouting her small intestine. The rest they couldn't touch because of the potential risk to her pancreas. They were to join us in taking the kids to Disney World for spring break, but instead, we left a week early to help her recuperate and then my wife and I took the kids down for 3 days and returned to let the grandkids regale them with their experiences. So far my 80-year-old mother-in-law has been healing rapidly and they expect to begin chemo soon to attack the remaining cancer. They let her return home last Sunday and she is already walking fairly well. I don't know that I'd do half as well if I had to undergo the same situation.

I know that having the grandchildren there was a great help to uplifting her mood and encouraging her to work through her pain. We even had my birthday "party" in her hospital room! It's hard to be festive in a hospital room, even a private one, but we did pretty well.

I don't know how much I'll be escaping from full to partial yetidom, but I sure as heck have missed y'all!!

oldshep

Welcome back - sorry to hear about your family illness - life is full of priority choices - join us when you can. I always enjoy your posts.
Shep

JadeRareCoin

Askari, sorry to hear about your mother-in-law. Sounds like she is doing well, so that's great news.

Askari

Thanks Shep & Dennis!

cacheman

Finally, some sanity....

Askari

<< <i>Finally, some sanity.... >>

Uh, why is everybody suddenly looking at me?

1jester

Askari, glad to hear from you and that most things are OK. Your mom-in-law is in my prayers, as is your whole family.

sumnom

I'm sorry to hear about your family troubles. My stepmother recently went through the same procedure. It was tough in the beginning but its been more than a year since the surgery and after some initial bumps she seems to be doing well. People do get through this.

cosmicdebris

Mark I hope she gets well soon.

Just don't go as yeti as the original yeti.

wybrit

Sorry to read about you mother-in-law. She sounds like a woman of much spirit.

Come back when you are ready! In the meantime, we'll hold down the fort, even though it be invaded by trolls at the moment.

Aethelred

Askari,

Know that your family will be in our thoughts and prayers and that you are missed here!

Askari

Thanks all!! "Granny Dot" is a woman with an indomitable Christian spirit and came through her earlier breast cancer amazingly well. The good news -- as relative as it is (and what you have to accept as such in cancer cases) -- is that her new cancer is not colon cancer, as we originally feared, but metastasized breast cancer. Breast cancer is much more amenable to treatment than colon cancer. Her doctor was quite surprised to find breast cancer there since it usually only spreads to the bone, lungs, heart, or brain (none of which are particularly good news in of themselves). Her oncologist had never encountered it going to the colon. It proved hard to detect with MRIs because it was on the outside of the colon and in a place where it's hard to see. Fortunately, the treatment will be less severe than her original breast cancer.

Please also keep "Pawpaw" in your prayers. He's a retired Air Force chaplain and has gone into "chaplain mode" as my brother-in-law (who is a Baptist minister) calls it. He was pretty worn down himself and I made it my responsibility to keep reminding him to "take care of the caregiver" as well. It is difficult enough taking care of someone who cannot take care of themself; having to watch someone you've been married to for over 50 years go through all that is altogether much, much harder.

Fortunately, their devotion, devoutness and many loving Christian friends who have been very supportive and steadfast in sharing their prayers have proven a boon to Dot's recovery. I know my mother-in-law was really pleased to be released (early) from the hospital. She truly has improved markedly since we first saw her almost two weeks ago. Having her grandkids around really lifted her spirits (although it often exasperated ours ... as is ever the case for parents).

Sorry to hear that there's been a need for jousting with trolls. Perchance news of my return may induce them to return to the dark glades and dank fens from whence they issued.

WhiteTornado

Mark,

I know from firsthand experience that family health issues are never easy to deal with. I can only hope for you that things turn out as best as possible. Hang in there.

coinkat

I am sorry to hear that your mother-in-law is not well... hope she improves quickly.

spinaker2000

TTT

joecool

SYRACUSIAN

Nice to hear that your mother in law is improving Mark. There's not much doctors can do if the patient is unwilling and it seems that your kids gave her the strength to continue.Keep on dropping by to update us, until your fulltime return .