A Legacy

[Eggsander]

I just came from a visitation for a young fella who worked for us. He died at 46 years of age after a real bad half year battle with cancer. Not fair.
He wasn't into logging or sawing particularly, nor was he a tree hugger. But he had a real appreciation for trees. He planted and cared for them on his acreage, and I guess just liked fiddling with 'em. At the back of the church tonight they had a table with a few hundred small conifers, and you were invited to take them home and plant them as something of a memorial. Seems like a pretty cool way to be remembered.
I believe I'll have the kids take this little D.Fir under their care.
I also think I'll finally order some more trees again next spring.

[Jeff]

Our neighborhood is made up of mostly folks around our age. (40ish) most of us have lived here since before our children were born. We are now mostly at that age where we are loosing parents and grandparents.  It is now sort of a tradition in our neighborhood that when a neighbor loses someone, the rest of us get together and buy them a nursery sized tree.

My father in law's tree was beautiful this spring. A flowering plum. Its now about 12 foot tall. A very pleasant way to remember him as we look at "his"  tree in our yard.

[DanG]

Eggsander, I'm so sorry for the loss of your friend, but what a wonderful way to perpetuate his memory. It is also a great idea to put the kids in charge of this special project. It will give them a sense of appreciation for the importance and the fragility of human life, to be a part of this legacy.

This hits especially close to home, right now, as today I got the news that my brother's cancer has returned. He has been in remission for almost 2 years, but a lump he found in his shoulder was found to be a Melanoma. He will have some further surgery next week, and probably some radiation therapy. Prayers would be in order.

[Frank_Pender]

Dan, you and your family have my prayers from here.   Alice and I have set aside an area here on Tree Farm just for such things.  It is dedicated to the children i have had over the 30 years of my teaching in this  community.  We named it after a student I had at the time of setting the land aside. He was 12 at the time and has survived emense hurdles over the last 14 years.  You see is  not suppose to be with us today, as he has been tied to a wheelchair since the age of 6 with MD.  the tree planting idea is such a marvelious gift for everyone.  Thanks for sharing you hurt as well as joy with those of us on the forum.    ;)

[Bro. Noble]

Steve and Dan,

Will add your concerns to my list.  I recently lost a favorite uncle to cancer and have a good friend who's mother is about gone.

Frank,

I also was a teacher (Voc. Ag.) and have had the sad experience of attending funerals of past students.

We have a plantation of yellow pine (1958) and plan to plant some mixed hardwoods on hillside pasture the next two falls.  I guess I'm planting my own memorial, I'd never thought of it that way before.  My intention in planting trees and improving existing timberland is for the benefit of my descendants.

[Bro. Noble]

I always wondered how you guys got those smilies, due to my sloppy typing, now I know.

[L. Wakefield]

Eggsander, I'm so sorry for the loss of your friend, but what a wonderful way to perpetuate his memory. It is also a great idea to put the kids in charge of this special project. It will give them a sense of appreciation for the importance and the fragility of human life, to be a part of this legacy.

This hits especially close to home, right now, as today I got the news that my brother's cancer has returned. He has been in remission for almost 2 years, but a lump he found in his shoulder was found to be a Melanoma. He will have some further surgery next week, and probably some radiation therapy. Prayers would be in order.

   Dan, what's his name? God will know who I'm praying for but I want to know too.   lw

[DanG]

Thanks, L.  His name is Dave Gwaltney.  I spoke to him, briefly this morning. His spirits are good, and he was at work. He goes in tomorrow for a "PET" scan, whatever that is. That is supposed to help to develop the plan for stopping this thing, and the surgery will be next week, sometime.

Many thanks to all of you for your prayers and concern.

[L. Wakefield]

   The PET is, I believe, 'positron emission tomography'. It's a type of nuclear medicine scan. Radioactively labeled 'metabolic tracer' substances are introduced into the body and are taken up by selective areas. I've mostly seem images of brain scans done with this where is it used to show areas of higher activity color-coded- so if brain function is abnormal they seem to pick it up with this. They also use it in the heart. I don't know what areas they'd be scanning in your brother's case, but you mentioned melanoma and that is a very fast-growing, invasive tissue. I'll ask about this at work. It certainly sounds like an excellent way to spot the trouble areas.  lw

[Don P]

This is hitting pretty close to home. We're home for the night after another funeral.
 We lost Michelle's brother to carcinoma on what was truly the longest day of the year...he survived her father by 2 months 2 days. There's two lovely ladies and two little boys in our prayers. For the past four years he has taken care of his folks with dignity and grace, a hard pair of shoes to try to fill.  We've been setting up housekeeping at her Mom's and will move in at the end of the season, Michelle has been there for most of the time since her Dad passed.
I like the idea of planting them trees. Grandad's is an asian pear, we checked it on the way in...loaded.
I won't forget DanG ;)

[CHARLIE]

DanG, your brother has been and will be in my prayers.
DonP, your family is also in my prayers.
Also, I pray for our Lord to give y'all the strength to carry on each day.

[DanG]

Don P, my heartfelt condolences go out to your family. The loss of a loved one is always hard, but two so close together is almost too much.
I've been in your position, as the Son-in-law/Brother-in-law, and it isn't an easy one. They will look to you for strength, and a cool head, and a shoulder to lean on. Be that for them, but don't forget about yourself.
God bless, my friend.
Dan