Questions?

Can’t believe it’s been over 4 years ago since I last blogged.

Lot’s has happened between now and then.

I wonder if there are any questions out there you have.

I know I have plenty.

My life has been kinda filled with medical stuff regarding my Ovarian Cancer. Last scan was clean so fingers crossed.

I’ll update on the questions of Ovarian and Cancer in general.

Just wondering if I might have an audience out there.

 

 

Can there be any greater loss than that of a child?

I think not.

It is with much sadness that I post here, the passing of Christopher Ritchey. His almost 2 yr battle with Lymphoma ended yesterday Dec 3rd 2009.

His mother/Loraine; an inspiration to many, has suffered the worst loss any human can imagine, the loss of her 29 year old son.

Hopefully one day she will recount the long battle they both fought against this horrendous disease, but in the meantime our thoughts and prayers are with the family.

Visitation Boyer Cool 5th St                     2-7 PM Sunday Dec 6th

Memorial Service St. Mary’s 8th St       11 AM Monday Dec 7th

I asked about starting a Memorial Fund (statue, carving at Settlers Watch etc) but Loraine has requested donations be made to St. Jude’s.

www.stjude.org

http://shop.stjude.org/GiftCatalog/shop.do?cID=10195

Please respect the privacy of the family at this time of mourning.

God gave you a gift of 86,400 seconds today. Have you used one to say “thank you?”

Thanksgiving is two weeks away.

Now more than ever, we need to be reminded:

Thanksgiving, after all, is a word of action.  ~W.J. Cameron

My sister helps St. Joseph’s on 16 th St. each year with their Thanksgiving dinner (needs 60 pies). Please contact me if you know of anyone that can help.

I’m sure there are many agencies that are helping the hungry, homeless and needy this year especially. (Please help one)

“Let us remember that, as much has been given us,

much will be expected from us, and that true homage comes from the heart

 as well as from the lips, and shows itself in deeds.”  ~Theodore Roosevelt

The Holiday season is coming soon and we will be preoccupied, overwhelmed and time starved.

But Please Remember:

If you count all your assets, you always show a profit.  ~Robert Quillen

 

The Port Works Levy Committee Presents

Oktoberfest 2009

Thursday, October 22, 2009

Black River Landing       5:30-7:30pm

Help support Issue 31 at Oktoberfest 2009.  Enjoy authentic German Cuisine with meats from Fligners Supermarket and prepared by Chubby’s Family BBQ.  Big Bill’s DJ service will provide you with an evening of German Hofbrau music!  The menu includes:

Bratwurst w/sauerkraut

Chicken Sauerbraten

Cabbage & Noodles

Potato Pancakes served w/ apple sauce or sour cream and chives

Desserts

Beer

Wine

Soda

Tickets are $20 per person and can be ordered by e-mail at theportworkslevy@yahoo.com
or call 714-0734

What are you doing Oct. 25th?

The “Friends of Chris Ritchey” will be hosting a benefit to raise funds for the escalating health care cost which have been accruing over the past 19 months while Chris has been battling Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.

The event will feature a silent auction and 50/50 raffle. Also, sports fans will be able to enjoy the Browns game in a big screen TV.

Tickets can be purchase at Jenkins and Bevan Insurance at 47375 Cooper Foster Park Road Amherst, OH 44001 or Marsha Funk State Farm Insurance at 3004 Oberlin Avenue Lorain, OH 44053. Or by calling 440-989-5141.

“Friends of Chris Ritchey”

Spaghetti Dinner

 Sunday October 25, 2009

1:00 pm -5:00 pm

Rosewood Place

4493 Oberlin Avenue Lorain, OH 44053

$15 per person

Kids under 5 eat free

If you are unable to attend the event, but still want to contribute, donations can be made to:
“Friends of Chris Ritchey”
First Federal Savings and Loan of Lorain                                   
 3721 Oberlin Avenue Lorain, OH 44053

What did you do Sunday?

Every time I go to Lakview there’s something new. Usually the view.

The people and events are always different.

I always feel better after a day at Lakeview.

In the mood for a sunset cruise?

Contact: Ralph Bruening
Phone: (440) 714-0734
Date: September 15, 2009

Port Works Committee to Host
Sunset Cruise on the Jet Express

LORAIN – The Port Works Committee will host a sunset cruise fundraiser for Issue 31 on the Lorain Port Authority’s newest attraction, the Jet Express IV on Friday, October 2nd, 2009.

The boat will depart from the Black River Landing dock at 6:30pm and return at 8:30pm.

The sunset cruise will feature hors d’oeuvres, beverages and live music provided by Paul Christensen. Tickets for the fundraiser are $100 per person or $175 per couple and are available by e-mail at theportworkslevy@yahoo.com, or by calling Ralph Bruening at (440) 714-0734

Issue 31 is the Lorain Port Authority’s 1 mill renewal levy on the ballot November 3rd. The renewal will provide funding for local projects that boost the local economy and sponsor festivals and special events that bring over 200,000 visitors and their dollars to the City of Lorain annually.

Issue 31 is not a tax increase. With Issue 31, the Port Authority will be able to invest in small businesses-allowing them to borrow funds and expand the local economy. The development financing does not use taxpayer dollars and it helps the City of Lorain compete in a global market.

The Port’s events bring in 200,000 to the City of Lorain every year. Without funding from the levy, the Port Authority will cease to exist and future development in the City would be in jeopardy.

Did you get a chance to see the Jet Express Browns Shuttle?

You couldn’t have asked for a better day for a boat ride to the Browns Game.

There was a little tailgating going on.

Friends & family were there.

And no matter what the outcome of the Game, the ride is sure to please.

Have you read “The Last Lecture”?

It’s by Randy Pausch, professor at Carnegie Mellon and a Pancreatic Cancer victim (3% survival rate).

I finally gained the courage to read his best seller. I learned he was originally in Pittsburgh and thought to myself I hope he was able to work with our Team at University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) Dr. Bartlett and Dr. Zeh.

http://www.upmccancercenters.com/search/page_physbio.cfm?id=21716

http://findadoc.upmc.com/FindADocQuery.aspx?PP=Prac&N=Division+of+Surgical+Oncology

And sure enough into his book I saw that he was a patient of Dr. Herbert Zeh and then went onto M.D. Anderson (another GREAT facility)  http://www.mdanderson.org/

His book is an easy read, reflections of his past and wishes for the future, a vehicle to share those with his three children when they grow up. But it brought back a lot of memories for me as well.

A few of the thoughts especially struck me.

• Brick walls are there for a reason. They give us a chance to show how badly we want something.
• In review, “I don’t think we ever said to each other: “This isn’t fair'” We just kept going. We recognized there were things we could do that might help the outcome in positive ways.. and we did them. Without saying it in words, our attitude was, “Let’s saddle up and ride.”

We learned this after our Journey with Pancreatic Cancer and find it interesting he did as well:

• Time must be explicitly managed, like money
• You can always change your plan, but only if you have one.
• Ask yourself: are you spending your time on the right things?
• Develop a good filing system
• Delegate
• Take a time out, “Time is all you have. And you may find one day that you have less than you think.”

In our experience and working with other cancer patients, hope is key.

Randy mentions, “My personal take on optimism is that as a mental state, it can enable you   tangible things to improve your physical state. If you’re an optimist, you’re better able to endure brutal chemo, or keep searching for late breaking medical treatments. Dr. Zeh calls me his poster boy for “the healthy balance between optimism and realism: He sees me trying to embrace my cancer as another life experience.”

I also was glad to see he mentioned he and his wife received counseling while going through this experience and wished he could go to every oncology patient and tell them to seek help/support as well.

Randy died July 25, 2008, only 47 years old leaving behind a wife and three young children.

Two organizations that are dedicated to fighting this disease:

www.pancan.org

www.lustgarten.org

We have a friend who lost his father to this hideous disease, his yearly tribute is this Sunday. www.eveningforchuck.com

I was attending an event recently and was talking to a friend who has a friend who’d been diagnosed with PC.

Recounting a little of our experience I saw Frank in the crowd (we had gone separately), realized I could have been without him for 7 1/2 yrs now…. the tears welled up and I had to excuse myself.

I just emailed our healthcare providers at UPMC and thanked them once again:

“I’m still amazed at what I continue to learn from this awful disease, the worst of times has brought to us the best of people. 

If kindness were a cure…. this disease would be long gone…”

Would you be interested in a boat ride to a Browns Game??

  

 2009 CLEVELAND BROWNS SHUTTLE SCHEDULE

SUNDAY, September 13^TH

SUNDAY, October 4^TH

SUNDAY, October 25^TH

 

Avoid the traffic, PARK for FREE at Lorain’s Black River Landing and catch the Jet Express Game-Day Shuttle for transportation to Cleveland’s North Coast Harbor, downtown Cleveland.  The Jet Express departs Lorain at 11:00 AM and departs Cleveland 1-hour after the end of the game. *Does not include game ticket

                   

                    DEPART LORAIN:           11:00 AM  

                 DEPART CLEVELAND:  1-HOUR AFTER GAME

$25.00 PER PERSON

Transportation Only

 Buy online at http://www.jet-express.com

or CALL 1-800-245-1JET(1538) FOR RESERVATIONS