[Heathkit] W8DBF Has Left The Stage -

[Richard D. Reese]

Duane;

Sorry to hear the bad news.  Keep the positive thoughts and prayers.  I can
sympathize with you.  Last year I went in for a routine physical at the
insistence of my wife.  I was not going to go because I have one every year
and they have always said I was as healthy as a 25 year old.  (I am 57)  Any
way I had a complete physical and stress test etc. and all was well except -
my PSA was high.  Like you no symptoms or anything and in 2001 all was oky
doky.  In fact the doctor thought this was a bad read.  I was again tested
and it was in fact higher than the first test.

Long story short - I had additional test and finely a biopsy.  Cancer was
confirmed.  Had surgery August 9th of 2002.  I am fully recovered and last
trip to the doctor was the first week of June.  I received a clean slate.
The last two PSA readings have been ZERO and now just have to be tested
every six months!  Back to climbing the tower and doing everything else with
no problems.  I thank God for getting me through this and my wife for
forcing me to go for the annual physical.  If nor for her I would be
blissfully ignorant in thinking all was well.

Tell all of your friends so that they can be tested and also so they can
pray for you.  Prayer works and all things are possible if it is God's will.
Everyone  over 50 should get to their physician and have that annual
physical.

73 and may God bless.


Richard D. Reese WA8DBW
http://wa8dbw.ifip.com
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Duane Fischer, W8DBF" <dfischer@usol.com>
To: <heathkit@mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Monday, July 14, 2003 9:46 PM
Subject: [Heathkit] W8DBF Has Left The Stage -


>
>
> As announced during the Sunday July 13th HCI 20 meter Net, I am leaving
all
> things Hallicrafters, vintage, SWL and pretty much everything else,
> indefinitely
>
> If any of you encounter a problem with any list I currently administrate,
please
> contact Al Waller, K3TKJ, at: k3tkj@qsl.net He will be handling things
until
> return.
>
> Briefly, i went for a routine doctor's visit a week ago today. It was time
for
> my annual physical anyhow, so while I was there I had the blood work done.
>
> The next day the doctor called and told me that he wanted me in the
hospital
> immediately for a three unit, (pint) transfusion. I was stunned. My
hemoglobin
> was 6.8, less than half of normal. Everything to do with Iron was a mile
below
> the bottom of the scale. Such as Iron from 35-150, mine was 7. Additional
blood
> tests showed the only thing wrong with my blood, was almost no Iron.
Hence, the
> bone marrow uses Iron to produce hemoglobin, and I had no Iron. What
hemoglobin
> was stored in reserve in the liver had been used up. I was alive, he was
not
> sure why, but running on less than the fumes from an empty gas tank.
>
> Then he totally knocked me off the chair when he told me the probable
cause was
> advanced colon cancer. I had not had any signs of blood in the urine or
stool,
> and the urine test showed none whatsoever.
>
> Tomorrow morning I am in the hospital for a transfusion. Then more blood
work.
> Then I am in the hospital for colon, stomach and other intrusive tests.
The
> normal six to eight week waiting period is being waived, as he figures I
won't
> be alive by then.
>
> That is a brief overview of what has happened to cause me to put my life
on
> hold. I hope there is not a SK sale in my near future and I hope I will
survive
> whatever is going on inside me. Frankly, right now, my future is hour by
hour.
> Why am I still home? Well, first I had to get some areas of my life taken
care
> of in the event I could not manage them myself and second because I am too
> blasted determined to continue on and pretend this is not really
happening. But
> if I get any weaker, I won't be here, so it is time to put my life in
God's
> hands, do what the doctor says and try to think positive thoughts. I am
not yet
> ready to write Frogzilla's last chapter!
>
> Keep the Hallicrafters, and other vintage tube gear, glowing for me and
keep
> this list active, productive and peaceful. If there is any way to be on
the air
> Wednesday night, I will be there! If it is possible to do the Saturday and
> Sunday Nets, I will be there! But if I am not there, I hope that one or
two of
> you will step up to the plate and pinch hit for me as NCS.
>
> Keep the HCI web site furnished with material and help the Web Master Fred
> Mooney, KA1DGL, keep it going. Fred and I have carried the web site on our
> shoulders through thick and thin. Craig Carter has done a marvelous job
handling
> the 'forsale-swap' area the past year and a half. (thank you Craig!)
Whether I
> go on, or not, I want the HCI concept, the HCI Nets and the HCI web site
to
> survive. So please keep those things that still go glow in the night lit.
>
> I will not be answering e-mail for a while, but if I am able, I will be
reading
> it. If I have the strength, I 'may' answer a few now and then.
>
> Take care my friends, thank you for everything over the years, keep
Frogzilla
> out of the Sport's Illustrated swim suit photo sessions, keep those
Halli's lit
> and God willing, I shall return.
>
> Duane Fischer, W8DBF/W9WZE
> dfischer@usol.com