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 BHW Resident Surgeon
Posts: 25351
  
Location: Bastrop, Texas | Recently I saw a real nice man for a routine annual physical who is around 70. He has been very healthy all his life. Without going into specifics, I found something when I examined him and I knew he was in trouble. He is the kind of person you really like a lot right away. I had to tell him that I was worried about what I found, and he needed a biopsy.
I just found out he has metastatic malignant melanoma. This has a very poor prognosis, to put it mildly.
This guy worked hard all his life and he and his wife were enjoying retirement the way all of us would want to enjoy it.
Anyway, I apologize for the sad story.
My point is I hope this serves as a reminder to life every day to the fullest. Don't squander days looking forward to a week, or a month, or a year from now. Enjoy it all now. We don't have any guarantees. |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 902
Location: Qld Australia | That is so true. My sister and mum have made a pact for her 12 months that she has been given - each and every day. Live it! |
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 Total Germophobe
Posts: 6437
Location: Montana | You are so right HotbearLVR. It is hard to do, but likely so worth the effort to live your life to the fullest. Thank you for posting and helping us (me) realize how precious life is. Blessings to you and to that man and his wife.  |
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  More bootie than waist!
Posts: 18425
Location: Riding Crackhead. | Prayers for your patient. |
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 The Original Cyber Bartender
Location: Washington | Pretty sure we are all guilty of forgetting that from time to time. With age comes the knowing that our days are short here.
That is a part of your job Doc I could never do..... |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 319
| So true. Thanks for the reminder. |
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 Rebel Without a Cause
Posts: 2758
Location: Adopt a homeless pet - www.petfinder.com! | So very true, and we can all use this reminder now and then. My dad passed away a few years ago at 70. He had been a little "off" for a few weeks (he was trying to hide how bad he felt and we passed it off as him recovering from a minor surgery on his hand). He was diagnosed on a Friday with AML (acute myelogenous leukemia) and gone two days later. He was the one person in our family that everyone thought would be around until his 90s. It was the biggest shock, and loss, of my life. You just never know. |
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 Love Me Some Robert Redford
Posts: 2335
Location: WV | So true, prayers for your patient. |
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 Accident Prone
Posts: 22277
Location: 100 miles from Nowhere, AR | This has really hit home recently. A young friend is going through testing for possible lung cancer (her mom passed away from it). She has a very young baby. And then yesterday, my 36 year old neighbor, who I had known her whole life, passed away suddenly. I have no idea what happened, but she wasn't sick. You seriously never know when your time is coming. |
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"Heck's Coming With Me"
Posts: 10794
Location: Kansas | Hot Lips Houlihan standing over the body of a young soldier who had just died on the operating table: "It never ceases to amaze me. You're alive and then you're dead."
Simple as that. For some reason when we're basically healthy we think we're going to live forever. It just isn't so. |
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BHW Resident Surgeon
Posts: 25351
Location: Bastrop, Texas | Frodo - 2013-12-11 6:49 PM Hot Lips Houlihan standing over the body of a young soldier who had just died on the operating table: "It never ceases to amaze me. You're alive and then you're dead."
Simple as that. For some reason when we're basically healthy we think we're going to live forever. It just isn't so.
Sounds almost trite, but it's very true. I have seen this more times than I care to admit. Like the young couple who had just gotten engaged and went out for a ride on his Harley on the same evening. An hour later they both died in front of me and I had to tell a room packed full of relatives. You just never know. |
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 Damn Yankee
Posts: 12390
Location: Somewhere between raising hell and Amazing Grace | Love the people God gave you......Because he's going to need them back someday..... |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 1118
Location: The South | So true. My mom passed away when she was only 56. She always looked forward to retirement (she was an RN) but she never got to enjoy it. That made me so sad.
Then I had my near-death experience in September when I hit my head while riding alone. That made me appreciate the fact that it could all be over so quickly. My husband and I are always putting things off for 'after we get our student loans paid off' but now I realize we need to enjoy these next 4-5 years, not just work our tails off and nothing else. So we're going to do a modified version of Dave Ramsey's debt snowball plan. I hope I can enjoy each day now and be thankful for my wonderful life. |
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 Underestimated Underdog
Posts: 3971
Location: Minnesota | Amen! |
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 A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | Life is way to short, I lost my dad when he was just 69 and then 3 years later my mother pasted and she just had turned 69, so yes I agree life is just to short for some |
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 Angel in a Sorrel Coat
Posts: 16030
Location: In a happy place | God bless and keep your patient and his family and most of all God bless you Scott. Thank you for posting this reminder.
No promises for just another day. I just wish there were more doctors like you and wish I had one like you. |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 836
Location: Southern Pennsylvania | I'm sorry for your patient. This has been on my mind a lot lately. My grandfather is in his 80s. He worked hard his entire life and never really retired. He used to do excavating and ditching (anything that involved a backhoe or shovel lol). He still continues to work, raise beef cattle, and honey bees. If something were to happen to him our family will fall apart. He's someone that is special to anyone he meets...As for myself I am just starting my life. I hope I am blessed to do everything I want to do. I hope this post helps everyone (and myself) realize what an impact we are having on others. I don't think I can ever replicate my grandfather, but I hope I can keep pieces of him alive forever. Work hard, keep your promises, and do what you can for family and friends (or even strangers).
I'm sorry I'm rambling.
Edited by SunnyGotMeGood 2013-12-11 8:42 PM
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 Own It and Move On
Location: The edge of no where | I firmly believe that it doesn't really matter what you do... when you're number is up, it's up. Make everyday count and live prepared to meet your maker. |
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Veteran
Posts: 183
Location: Wyoming | I think everyone needs to be reminded of this at times. I have never seen a calendar that says today's your last day. I have had so many close calls my daughter says to me this summer your going to die of something so stupid, like you forgot to put you C-pap on. This was after I got bucked off hit my head. broke my leg, jammed my thumb and walked to the house.
I have had my share of accidents. Honestly cannot count the near misses. Most noteable was a motorcycle accident in which I hit the Kelly barrier at the rate of 65mph should of killed me but for what ever reason didn't it has however changed my life forever. I have learned to get the most out of each and every day I make the extra effort to make sure to tell the one's I love how much they mean to me every morning and night. You never know if there will be a tomorrow. |
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 459
Location: La Vernia, TX | I'm sure there are plenty who would criticize the amount of money I've spent to keep my horses, or to travel...but guess what? I only regret the things I DIDN'T do, I hardly ever think about "what I might have done" with the money. I figure I can make more money, but I can't make more time. |
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