Chappy (Sam) member needs our prayers and support

[SportsterBob]

OK Sammy Boy, this will entertain ya in-between the pokes and prods! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AWQo-...eature=related

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[chappy]

Howdy folks,

Lots has gone on since my last update was sent out.
And I wanted to get back to you all after I had the newest information and the plans that have been laid. Sorry I'm so long winded, I'm really trying to trim it down but there's just so much going on right now.

But first, I really what to make a very important point to you all. I'll start by saying Thank you from the bottom of my heart. You all have given to me and added to my strength while I walk down the latest path in my life. Your thought and prayers have helped me and Sue more than I can even imagine. So, let me tell you a couple of the things that has gone on in the past week. Last evening when Sue and I got back from a very long and extremly tiring day at the Boston VA (about a 12 hour day). These last few weeks have been weeks that has sucked at my strength not only physically, mentally and emotionally. But back to what's happened of late. We got home yesterday, it was dark as can be. I didn't really look around much, I just wanted to get in the house, put something in my gut and go to bed.
And that's what I did, so this morning when I got up, Sue said look out the windows, so I did. To my surprize and delight, my whole yard was clean, I was hard pressed to even find a single leaf. I have a pretty big yard, about 1/2 acre of rakeing. No note and no idea as to who did this for me. But Thanks to all that took part from Sue and I.
Next, because the price of fire wood has jumped to $250.00 a cord this year and I burn 3 to 4 cord a year, Sue and I decided that the cost and then reality of all the work that burning wood brings, well, it just isn't a bargin to say the least. We narrowed our idea of a new heat sourse to a LP gas furnance in out cellar, "forced hot air type" or one of those woodstove looking, fake log type LP gas heaters for the living room. Now we've been talking for some time about this heat supply change. Weeks before I found myself on this latest curve ball express. Anyway, we went to our LP gas supplier and asked him to help us with the cost difference between the two. He's been busy, a very hard guy to catch, so I had to call a few times to get a return call. He told me he'd get back soon. So, as time ticked it was soon well within the health issue. He called me last Thursday morning and asked to meet at my house at 12:30, because he wanted some messurements. He showed up, took those messurements and said let's go out to the truck. I thought he was going to write something up for me, but as we got to his truck, He turned and said, "The Lord has been good to me through the years and I think he wants me to share with you..." he then pointed to a brand new LP gas furnance, he then added, "this furnace is for you and Sue as a gift." It blew my mind, we went inside to tell Sue, She fell into tears. Our LP gas man said, "you guys have been customers of mine a long time and good paying customers." He had no idea of the situation Sue and I are in. This is without a doubt an answered prayer of the silent type.

Now, last but not lest, as you all know I went to the Boston VA Hospital for my last hope at a second opinion. I did sort of prepare myself, because I was told that the Dr at Boston wouldn't operate on me either. However, he said he would operate, I won't get into all the risks, but after coming to the knowledge that a body can only get so much radiation and that's it, Well, it seems if all goes well on the Operating Table, then Radiation and Chemo, I will have a better chance for survival and a longer time is a much better chance than just radiation and or chemo alone could provide. Now, are you ready, I'm due for surgery on Nov 12 at 6:00 am. I'll be in the boston VA Hospital for a week or so. The Dr told me that if my heart is damaged, because not only he a Thoractic surgent but he's also a heart surgent. He said it looks like the cancer has damaged my (something )cava. He showed me a model of the chest and pointed to the cava. Wow!! It does look like I should hold onto that one. Anyway, he said "don't worry he could repair it with gortex". It's still a rough road ahead, but now my hopes are based on things going well for a 60% chance of a 5 year survival. That's so much better than the meger months that I had for my hopes just the day before yesterday. There is so much more I could tell you, like the risks and one very possible risk is that he may open me up and change his mind and simply close me up. There are a few things that will happen as a result of the operation, but, they are small stuff compared to what this ride has been so far. So, I'm not out of the woods yet, so please keep praying for me and my family because I know that your prayers have helped tp turn this around a great amount all ready.

Also, it's still looking good for me to get radiation at the local Hospital. If it turnd out that I need rehab, there's a good chance for me to get that closer to home also.

Todays visit to the vermont VA hospital went well. The whole team it seems are as pleased as me and Sue. This ride has seemed as though round and round I have gone, and there was no brass ring to grab at all. But now it has a brass ring and I have grabbed ahold of it.

Thanks again for all your prayers.
I wish I could write each of you a more personal message to thank you for your willingness to even read about what's going on let alone all words of encouragment, and such heart felt thoughts and especially your prayers.

Many thanks to all of you.
Sam aka chappy

[GeorgiaGirl]

Sam, that is wonderful news about the surgery and I'm so glad they are getting you in quickly to go ahead and go after this very aggressive cancer. Continued best wishes!

[krwould]

Again chappy.. thought and prayers are out to you! There are still good people out there in the world and they will show therselves in atime of need. That what is happening to you now and may it continue. Good luck with your surgery!

[leche67]

stay strong bro,,looking forward to more riding stories,,

[Soft06]

Chappy, prayers and card sent to you.

[jd533]

Chappy,
I have never met you or Sue but it sounds like you have some people that really care about you. It was great to hear about the yard and furnace. It is really great to hear your update. I am still sending prayers and wishes for you both. If you weren't good folk you would still have yard work to do. Best of luck and I hope to see you on the road someday.

[petemac]

Glad to hear the good news Chappy and keep up the good fight.

[Gliden]

November 12th Chappy there will be so many prayers sent from all of us on this forum, the doctors will have to say "excuse me" to move around in the Operating room.

Best of luck to you and Sue from all of us. Also a shout out from the boys in NJ.

Good luck Chap.

[chappy]

howdy folks,

Sue and I just got a call.
Another couple that goes to Sue's MS support group and us have hit it off pretty good. We have gotten together outside the group funtion for cookouts at the lake. as well as helping each other get back and forth to appointments (oh, so many appointments) our friends are a sort of mirror image to Sue and I. With us it's Sue with MS, with them it's Phil with MS, with us it's me with cancer, with them it's Carin with cancer.
Now with great sadness and great difficulty just to say it, Carin passed today. Sue and I will miss her so much. As you must know Phil is in the valley of grief. It seems that even when we know we have some time, it's still the hardest time to actually get things in order. Just knowing you could have done a better job doesn't null and void all the hoops tha forms that will find their way to Phils door step. What a mess this old world can send your way. Please give a prayer or two for Phil, he's got a paperwork hell to deal with.

Please don't think i'm selfish, but this hit me hard today, it was like shock first day all over again. Here I was thinking, I'll give it my best shot. A wave or two went through me today saying, it doesn't mater, I'm headed for the same fate. Sometimes it shakes right off. Today The shakeing lasted much longer. So now I can say I was shakeing but I'm not shook.
Not seeing much humor right now, but tomorrow is a whole new day
96 hours and 42 minutes I'll be on the table
I'm hopeing for success and the most cancer possible will be removed.
Enough so the radiation and chemo will finish it off.

After all, I still got rubber on my sneakers on the Ultra, and juice in the tank.
I still want to connect the sidecar to my Heritage Springer
hook up the camper and go camping at lest one more time.

But, what do I hear, reality!!! Oh ya, I forgot I have to take the lawn mowing deck of the yard tractor and put the snowblower.

Been riding moto bike since 1964, as I grew so did the bike. Bare bone mostly (less to fix that way).
I'll start with my harleys
first harley 1972 XLCH, things liked to fall off, sometimes me! the Od broke over and over til I didn't replace an guess of miles would have to be "not eneough"),
second Harley 1985 FLT (nice bike for riding, I called it my ugly duckling. 55000 miles)
third Harley 1990 FLHS (this on I customized good job too. 75000 miles)
fourth Harley 1997 FLSTS (birch & Red most fun bike. 69500 miles) Fifth harley 2003 Ultra Classic (has the most extra parts, maybe more than what's on all the other harleys together). (But, The Ultra is by far my favorite to ride distance 86000miles).

I'm hoping I'll be rideing again in the spring.
I'd like the ride to be place to place just to shake the hands that typed this many encourageing posts to me.

I'll be there for at lest 7 days starting on th 12th of November
Not sure if there will be laptop internet hook up or not, I hope there is. I don't even know if I can use my cell phone there.
If I can't write what's up with me I'll hope my wife does.

If you want to drop a card in the snail mail
West Roxbury Veteran's Medical Center
c/o Chaplain Samuel Legasse
1400 VFW Parkway
West Roxbury, MA
02132

Sam aka chappy