Post by kenl on Aug 28, 2022 16:17:01 GMT -5
Some of you may know David Lynch (Harpmaker) either from the EverythingDulcimer.com or from a festival in the midwest. Here is what he posted on Facebook today:
hadn't yet made this public but it is time.
As anyone else who has received this sort of news can confirm, being told you have cancer sucks. Big time
Being told that it is Stage 4 lung cancer that has metastasized to the lymph system, spine and possibly the thyroid sucks even more. Because I lit up the PET scan like a Christmas tree they wanted to do another biopsy to confirm the thyroid but I declined. After months of blood tests, MRIs, ultrasounds, biopsy's, CAT scans and PET scan I figured enough is enough. Knowing it has spread to the thyroid won't change the prognosis
Being told that your life span is now measured in "low months" is devastating.
There is no coming back from this. Radiation therapy and/or surgery are not options.
Chemotherapy will at best add a few months. However, because that extra time will be spent mostly dealing with the ravages of the therapy itself, after many long talks with my family, I have chosen to go for quality over quantity and will take a pass on the Chemo. I'd rather spend my time visiting my wide spread family than spend it in a hospital hooked up to IV bags.
It's funny (not sure if that is the right word to use) how your outlook changes when something like this happens.
A couple of years ago I got together with my daughters, son-in-laws, grandkids, and my twin sister and we rented a pair of cabins for a few days at Prizer Point, which is a resort on a lake in Kentucky. Although an uncomfortable amount of time was spent discussing my deteriorating health, we still had fun. So much so that we decided to make it an annual event.
When we met up again this past June I really wanted to avoid more awkward conversation so I did a couple of things differently.
First, I had a t-shirt made up that said "I may be bent but I am not yet broken".
Next, I went out and bought a bunch of stuffed animals. I was looking for stuffed elephants but couldn't find any so I settled for stuffed bears and unicorns. Why elephants? Well, have you ever heard the phrase "The elephant in the room that no one wants to talk about"? When all my grandkids were there I took them into a room and explained that this weekend there might be some conversations among the adults that would make them uncomfortable or unhappy. That for this weekend each one of them had their own elephant. It might look like a unicorn or a stuffed bear but it was really an elephant and if things got to be too much they were to go get their elephant, bring it into the room and the conversation would be changed. It worked out pretty good.
I'm hoping this family gathering becomes a tradition for my entire family.
A big issue I've had is how to respond to peoples reactions which have ranged from the offer of prayers to the suggestion of miracle cures.
One common one is the statement "If there is anything I can do, anything at all". At first I had trouble responding to that with anything other than "Thanks". But recently a neighbor provided me with an answer without even realizing he was doing so. He has watched me struggle and just stepped in to help whenever I needed it. Mowing my lawn, taking me to and from the hospital, checking in on me if he hasn't seen me for awhile, inviting me over for dinner, etc, etc. In other words, just sharing acts of kindness.
That's something this world desperately needs more of. Kindness. If someone wants to do something for me the answer is simple. Be kind to others.
If someone needs a hand, extend to them both of yours...
Pick up the check for a stranger the next time you go out to eat...
Open a door....
Volunteer at your local hospital, food bank, library...
Pass on a good joke to help someone smile....
Be a shoulder to lean on. Or cry on...
Listen without judging....
Leave an extra generous tip...
There are so many ways we can make this a better world, so just think of kindness you can do and then do it. I'd love that.
I just thought this important to share with fellow luthiers and dulcimer enthusiasts. Dave has made a significant impact on the dulcimer community, not only with the wonderful instruments he made, but also with his generosity. Dave made "beginner" dulcimers (a teardrop shape, made from baltic birch plywood and walnut) which he sold for a ridiculously low price for hand made instrument and started a program where people could send him unwanted dulcimers which he would refurbish and give to people who could not afford the dulcimer. When a woman wanted a dulcimer for her Marine son to take with him when he deployed, Dave designed and built a unique travel dulcimer. He has been generous in sharing his knowledge and resources with other dulcimer builders.
I support Dave in his decision and wish him well as his life here on earth draws to a close. I will miss him and mourn the loss of another friend. May God grant him a peaceful ending.
hadn't yet made this public but it is time.
As anyone else who has received this sort of news can confirm, being told you have cancer sucks. Big time
Being told that it is Stage 4 lung cancer that has metastasized to the lymph system, spine and possibly the thyroid sucks even more. Because I lit up the PET scan like a Christmas tree they wanted to do another biopsy to confirm the thyroid but I declined. After months of blood tests, MRIs, ultrasounds, biopsy's, CAT scans and PET scan I figured enough is enough. Knowing it has spread to the thyroid won't change the prognosis
Being told that your life span is now measured in "low months" is devastating.
There is no coming back from this. Radiation therapy and/or surgery are not options.
Chemotherapy will at best add a few months. However, because that extra time will be spent mostly dealing with the ravages of the therapy itself, after many long talks with my family, I have chosen to go for quality over quantity and will take a pass on the Chemo. I'd rather spend my time visiting my wide spread family than spend it in a hospital hooked up to IV bags.
It's funny (not sure if that is the right word to use) how your outlook changes when something like this happens.
A couple of years ago I got together with my daughters, son-in-laws, grandkids, and my twin sister and we rented a pair of cabins for a few days at Prizer Point, which is a resort on a lake in Kentucky. Although an uncomfortable amount of time was spent discussing my deteriorating health, we still had fun. So much so that we decided to make it an annual event.
When we met up again this past June I really wanted to avoid more awkward conversation so I did a couple of things differently.
First, I had a t-shirt made up that said "I may be bent but I am not yet broken".
Next, I went out and bought a bunch of stuffed animals. I was looking for stuffed elephants but couldn't find any so I settled for stuffed bears and unicorns. Why elephants? Well, have you ever heard the phrase "The elephant in the room that no one wants to talk about"? When all my grandkids were there I took them into a room and explained that this weekend there might be some conversations among the adults that would make them uncomfortable or unhappy. That for this weekend each one of them had their own elephant. It might look like a unicorn or a stuffed bear but it was really an elephant and if things got to be too much they were to go get their elephant, bring it into the room and the conversation would be changed. It worked out pretty good.
I'm hoping this family gathering becomes a tradition for my entire family.
A big issue I've had is how to respond to peoples reactions which have ranged from the offer of prayers to the suggestion of miracle cures.
One common one is the statement "If there is anything I can do, anything at all". At first I had trouble responding to that with anything other than "Thanks". But recently a neighbor provided me with an answer without even realizing he was doing so. He has watched me struggle and just stepped in to help whenever I needed it. Mowing my lawn, taking me to and from the hospital, checking in on me if he hasn't seen me for awhile, inviting me over for dinner, etc, etc. In other words, just sharing acts of kindness.
That's something this world desperately needs more of. Kindness. If someone wants to do something for me the answer is simple. Be kind to others.
If someone needs a hand, extend to them both of yours...
Pick up the check for a stranger the next time you go out to eat...
Open a door....
Volunteer at your local hospital, food bank, library...
Pass on a good joke to help someone smile....
Be a shoulder to lean on. Or cry on...
Listen without judging....
Leave an extra generous tip...
There are so many ways we can make this a better world, so just think of kindness you can do and then do it. I'd love that.
I just thought this important to share with fellow luthiers and dulcimer enthusiasts. Dave has made a significant impact on the dulcimer community, not only with the wonderful instruments he made, but also with his generosity. Dave made "beginner" dulcimers (a teardrop shape, made from baltic birch plywood and walnut) which he sold for a ridiculously low price for hand made instrument and started a program where people could send him unwanted dulcimers which he would refurbish and give to people who could not afford the dulcimer. When a woman wanted a dulcimer for her Marine son to take with him when he deployed, Dave designed and built a unique travel dulcimer. He has been generous in sharing his knowledge and resources with other dulcimer builders.
I support Dave in his decision and wish him well as his life here on earth draws to a close. I will miss him and mourn the loss of another friend. May God grant him a peaceful ending.
