Limited time only

[eldanko]

Prayers from Bristol as well - please keep us posted!

[atreidesheir]

Having your thoughts and prayers makes me feel great.

I  am working with severely disasbled 4 and 5 yr olds this week (for a graduate class I am forced to take and pay for myself, even though my school district passed a law last month taking away the $1200/yr for me having a Master's Degree).

I am spending this week working with a pre-kindergarten special education program.  These kids are really special and have kept my  mind focused on the task at hand.  Tomorrow is my last day.  
I have one little guy (4 y/o) who is autistic and will only respond to me for some reason when he becomes agitated.   I dread leaving them.  
We work really hard to help these children lead lives as independent and productive as possible.  But so many of them do not have the mental and/or physical ability to do it.

And these kids are suffering because of the budget crisis.  Most special education $$ comes from Federal Grant $$.  Those $$ disappeared during the budget sequester.  So these kids lose their money first.  Even their school lunches (quality and quantity) have been reduced this summer.  Most of these  children come from very poor homes and school lunch is often their best and sometimes only meal of the day.
In the fall term there will be no paraprofessionals to help with these kids (all laid off on the last day of school in May).  So we will have rooms full of children ages 3-22 years in wheelchairs and walkers spending hours waiting their turn to get their diapers changed.
It is ok to take from these children, but CEOs can steal billions from their workers' pension funds and no one goes to jail?
Who was prosecuted for the financial crimes of 2008?  The illegal bundling of worthless mortgage loans disguised as guaranteed assets and income.
I want to know who went to jail for the billion$$ of equity stolen while Wall Street firms and national banks were bailed out and awarded $100 billion in 2009 bonuses to themselves with US tax dollars?  Bonuses for trillions of dollars in losses?

I have little kids who now cannot walk OR eat because of this crap and I will not be here next week to feed them with my own meager grocery budget I had to feed myself for a few days.  

The point of my rant is  please include these little ones in your thoughts and prayers too.  They need them more than I do.   This is in TN, but I know this situation is repeated in practically every state at the moment.  Our political leadership in this state is adept at promising rainbows AND lower taxes.  They also do not believe in Free and Appropriate education for all children.  just for their own and their neighbors.  The public part of education is being dismantled before our eyes. 

Sorry for the rant and derailing my own thread, but so many children in this country are about to get screwed and I have not heard or read anything about it.

[gordo]

And we're the most powerful nation on the face of the earth...  just pitiful...

Lord God, I pray for this man and everyone he's touched and WILL touch in his future.

This is gut wrenching stuff and I hope you feel the power coming at you.  Chin up brother and know how much you mean to US, let alone them.

[GhostofJohnToad]

I wish you the best of luck in your fight.  I have lots of friends who have fought a similar fight, some have lost and some have won. But they all fought strong and I admire their courage so much.  It's truly amazing how ubiquitous cancer is.  It's hard for us outsiders to maybe say the right things, but our hearts are pulling for you and the others touched by this scourge. Stay strong and don't give up!

[atreidesheir]

thanks.

We are too afraid to say what we feel.  It shouldn't be awkward just because it is simple.

My wife and I are fighting, so not thinking to much about cancer.  Ever met someone who gets mean so they don't have to face feelings and stress?  I would rather be sick than fight.
People are so different.  who knew?
have a good weekend forum

[billstein]

thanks.

We are too afraid to say what we feel.  It shouldn't be awkward just because it is simple.

My wife and I are fighting, so not thinking to much about cancer.  Ever met someone who gets mean so they don't have to face feelings and stress?  I would rather be sick than fight.
People are so different.  who knew?
have a good weekend forum

All I know is whatever the fight is about it's your wife's fault. If my wife asks, I didn't say that!

[atreidesheir]

Hey!  you know the secrets of a successful marriage.

A colleague at work retired last month.  One of the really young teachers was getting married, asked him how to avoid a divorce.  He said the secret is for both of you to never want a divorce at the same time.

[DutchMF]

Dude, I've been reading this thread, thinking about what I would say to you.... Can't think of anything other than that I feel for you and your family, trying to send as much positive energy as possible to you guys.... My dad died of cancer 34 years ago (I'm 36 yo) and I had a big scare with my mom only weeks ago, turned out ok. Thing is, if you're positive, you can overcome anything! Just make anything you say, or do, or don't, count twice as hard! Let us all know how you're doing, we're here for you man!!

Paul

[wgc]

Hope you feel better soon, wishing you and your family every good thing.

Keep us posted!

[Tremster]

Good luck!

[LaceSensor]

Be well, and fight hard.

I dunno if you ever read Harry potter to those kids but there's a bit ( inner child moment here) when Harry has to save his godfathers life, and indeed his own using a frightfully difficult spell which he continually fails to master prior to really needing it.  Theres some magical time bending going on but the short of it is, he already did the spell once before, and so can he knows that he can do it again, and of course succeed in his hour of need.

Moral of this rambling is, you beat the big C one time, no reason to not step up and knock that guy out the park again.

All the very best.

[micromegas]

I'm not very good at giving comfort with words, I'm more of a "take a long hug and grab a beer" guy.
So I'll take the next beer on your health.

I wish you luck buddy.

I certainly hope you feel better so you could continue your labor with those childs, my gf is a speech therapist and works with dissabled childs too and now the new education policies in our country (Spain) doesn't give them the coverage and media they need to keep working.

Crisis should not be an excuse to leave our children aside.

[atreidesheir]

I actually read a news story about poor children and reduced school lunch for summer programs in Chicago.
So it is being noticed finally.

I just returned home from the doctor.  I have two nice sutures under some bandages.  The worst part was the lidocaine shots.  Otherwise I just felt the doctor pulling with the scalpel.  He said he only saw the one known spot on my left kidney.  The melanoma on my hip is gone now.  The stitches are closed so it should not be too painful or get pulled very much.  The doc found a new melanoma above my hairline on my neck, cut it out, not bothering me.  except that I never found that one.

I will take it easy for a couple of days.  My wife called each of my parents and they bought me Game of Thrones for an early Father's Day gift.  That was rather thrilling.  

I miss the children with whom I spent last week.  

[wgc]

Glad you're feeling better!

Remember, a Lannister always pays their debts.

[atreidesheir]

As long as they ao not repay with the Iron Price, it is ok.