A very good friend of mine and of a lot of you on this forum, has a very serious health issue. Our favorite chicken bestowed the name Snowman on him because his last name is pronounced Blizzard but spelled Blysard. I call him Houston Ed.
Ed was diagnosed a few months back with lung cancer. He went thru all the processes that go along with that diagnosis and everyone thought he had beat it. He found out about a week ago that they found more cancer - this time in his brain. He has had, again, more treatment and is now home.
Ed is not one to dwell on his problems, but cannot yet type too well or put his thoughts on paper. This should improve with time. So he asked me to tell you all that he will be back on the forum just as soon as he has improved enough to be able to handle thinking and typing.
I will leave it to you to send messages to Ed. If he has trouble reading them, he has a big family that will always be there to help him.
And maybe, sometime in the future, he will gift us with another short story for us to read and enjoy.
And to keep this on the subject of trains: Ed worked for Port Terminal Railroad in Houston Tx - where all the refineries are located. He is retired from there now.
Jen/Mookie
She who has no signature! cinscocom-tmw
Quite shocked and sorry to read this, Jen. I had no idea. Ed, you are now in my prayers.
Your complimentary pop-top can of PTRA water still sits on my office knick-knack shelf!
Brian (IA) http://blhanel.rrpicturearchives.net.
I had wondered about what was going on there.Brain cancer isn't necessarily a death sentence. My daughter found out about her breast cancer spreading to her brain, after being off chemo for a couple of months after her old regimen quit working. They used radiation on that, and--although she now has permanent hair loss...that was a wig on Jeopardy!--it had no effect on her cognitive capabilities. As far as I know, they got all of it in her cranial area.From what I've read, Ed won't be going back to work. That sounds serious. I'm pretty sure treatment in general will depend a lot on how quickly it was discovered in the first place. Linda had had problems for at least four months before diagnosis and treatment. Mine, on the other hand, was diagnosed with blood tests and I have yet to feel any discomfort from cancer itself (surgery and subsequent treatments are another story).Hang in there, Ed! We hope to hear better news soon!
Carl
Railroader Emeritus (practiced railroading for 46 years--and in 2010 I finally got it right!)
CAACSCOCOM--I don't want to behave improperly, so I just won't behave at all. (SM)
Best wishes Ed!
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
Best of luck, Ed. You know what you're talking about and it shows which can be incredibly refreshing. Thanks for grounding our conversations.
Ed, thanks for writing, and more please, when you're ready.
Thanks for the information. The Forum is a nice community and I often wonder who the person is that I am reading.
Highly unlikely I will ever meet anyone on here so this is the way we have to humanize things, with information, and that is good.
My best to you Mr. Blysard.
Never met you but I like to think I know you.
Jen,
Somber news indeed and not what I wanted to read.
Ed has always been one of the better posters here on the forum.
Wishing for the best possible outcome.
Ed,
Hang in there mister and don't give up. My sister beat lung cancer several years ago and I'm hoping you can do the same.
Norm
God bless you Ed and God speed your recovery!
"Fly on, and fight on, until the last drop of fuel, until the last drop of blood, until the last beat of the heart."
(Manfred von Richthofen)
Thanks for the information, Jen. Many of us have been here for quite a few years, so the odds are very high we'll learn of troubles from one or more of us....hopefully. Some slip away without us every knowing, and that's kinda sad...to me.
Ed, if you can read this, I wish you the very best of care, energy, motivation, empathy, comfort, and recovery that your team can muster for you. Be positive, don't fret, and enjoy the sunny days as they come.
-Crandell
Ed, your hands on contributions at this site have resonated; especially with those of us who also are or were employed by a RR.
I wish for you the greatest care and hope your recovery has you back on board here with your very meaningfull contributions.
Ed Blysard will be in my daily prayers, along with Senator John McCain.
Thanks for notifying us.
I had a serious cancer problem myself. I was told I would have to have surgery or go blind. With the help of doctors, an innovative treatment was proposed, and I agreed to be an experiment subject. It involves a particular medication, and also involved my health fund (insurance, doctors, treatment, and hospitals in one brand, and there are four competing in Israel, and insurance is compulsary for citizens) agreeing to my being an outpatient in a competing health fund's hospital. But one of the students at the Yeshiva also suggested that frequent doses of Lemoline and Louisa herb tea are proven cancer blockers, and I use a mixture of that with cinemon, and no longer need the special medication. I also am a vegetarian, but eat fish and eggs, and minimize both sugar and alcohol. Dad was diabedic and used Insulin, and to date I have not had to use Insulin and hope to keep it that way.
If Ed wants to try this kind of diet, he is more than welcome, assuming his doctor approves of course. Of course I have regular appointments with the doctor, and would go back on the medication if told it was necessary. So far for about a year, it has not been necessary.
The particular doctor usually had treated my kind of cancer with radiation before the special medicine was developed. He did feel I had made the right decision to reject surgery.
Dave,
While a subscriber to the Juedo-Christian ethic I choose not to belong to a church. Each one says all others are doomed and I don't believe that. They all have merit but sometimes conflict with one another.
Regardless of whether one has beliefs or not Ed Blysard has long been an informative poster here. He is, in my mind, one who should be held in the highest respect for sharing his knowledge.
Mookie's post was not what I wanted to read on a Sunday morning.
Best of luck,Ed.get well soon.
Russell
Ed, I'm praying for your return to good health.
Norm, I respect your opinion about religion, but I do have hard evidence to prove you wrong on one respect. I can attach proof of this statement presented not to prove anything religious, but simply to provide more peace between people of different views:
Today's religions respect one another. "My belief system is true for me, but I respect that your belief system is true for you." This is true whether your belief system is atheism or any of the world's rellgions. Obviously it is not true if "your" "religion" demands that everyone think like "you."
I just received a marvelous document that proves this, and I'll be glad to share it with anyone writing me at daveklepper@yahoo.com.
And let us not get into a religious discssion with bringing up current excesses and mayhem they cause. I can even prove that at one time worldwide Islam was a very tolerant religion. And I think most Muslims still are.
I certainly did not mean that because I pray for Ed's health that you should also. And I certainly did not mean that people should pray the way I pray.
And the others who said they have Ed in their prayers also did not insist that you also pray. OK?
Ed, I noticed that we had not heard much from you lately. I always looked forward to your posts as the voice of knowledge and reason when the rest of us were getting carried away with speculation and off-the-wall ideas. We all wish you the best and look forward to hearing from you for a long time.
_____________
"A stranger's just a friend you ain't met yet." --- Dave Gardner
I can't think of any words...
Randy Stahl I can't think of any words...
Ed, I have long appreciated your posts, and I am grieved to learn of your health difficulties.
May you and your family have all the support you need.
Johnny
daveklepper I respect your opinion about religion, but I do have hard evidence to prove you wrong on one respect.
And I believe that Kalmbach has been quite explicit about not wanting ANYTHING religious posted on this forum. All of you claiming to be 'praying" are just exerting your religious preferences on everybody else, and as such constitute 'contentious' subject matter.
Get well Ed, sorry this happened in your thread, but these guys take liberties they shouldn't have
Deggesty Ed, I have long appreciated your posts, and I am grieved to learn of your health difficulties. May you and your family have all the support you need.
Count Ed, Aimee, and the girls in my prayers for Ed's speedy recovery. Houston is at the forefront of Cancer treatments, MD Anderson is a destination that often comes up in conversations arount this neck 'o the woods. I am sure Ed will have the best of care, and prayers from many others around this country, possibly around the world.
daveklepper Norm, I respect your opinion about religion, but I do have hard evidence to prove you wrong on one respect. I can attach proof of this statement presented not to prove anything religious, but simply to provide more peace between people of different views: Today's religions respect one another. "My belief system is true for me, but I respect that your belief system is true for you." This is true whether your belief system is atheism or any of the world's rellgions. Obviously it is not true if "your" "religion" demands that everyone think like "you." I just received a marvelous document that proves this, and I'll be glad to share it with anyone writing me at daveklepper@yahoo.com. And let us not get into a religious discssion with bringing up current excesses and mayhem they cause. I can even prove that at one time worldwide Islam was a very tolerant religion. And I think most Muslims still are. I certainly did not mean that because I pray for Ed's health that you should also. And I certainly did not mean that people should pray the way I pray. And the others who said they have Ed in their prayers also did not insist that you also pray. OK?
While I respect your opinion I do not think this is an appropriate time to discuss religion. We are discussing the possible fate of one highly respected poster on this forum. I think it only appropriate that we all should wish him well. Ed has been an informative poster who has provided tons of information. I've had private conversations with him and wish him nothing but the best possible outcome.
Same goes for Carl's daughter Linda. I wish her the best. I have a friend who is a ten-year survivor of breast cancer. She is now 54 but ten years ago her family and friends were seriously concerned. With appropriate treatment and positive attitudes Cancer can, if not be beaten, can at least be held at bay.
I can thank my 'lucky stars' that I've never had cancer. It runs in my father's side of the family and I am a smoker. Nobody ever said truthfully that fate determines your future. Dieties aside as once said, 'You pays your money and takes your chances'. Life isn't fair and sooner or later we all meet our demise. In the mean we can all hope Ed beats the bad things in life.
My post was not intended to criticize anyone but meant to offer moral support to those in need of it.
And that's enough about religion. This is about Ed, not how an individual wishes to express their concern for him and his situation. I don't care if you pray for someone, or just keep them in your thoughts. And neither should anyone else.
Ed - You've always been a leader on this forum - hopefully you'll beat this and be back as your old self soon.
Larry Resident Microferroequinologist (at least at my house) Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you My Opinion. Standard Disclaimers Apply. No Expiration Date Come ride the rails with me! There's one thing about humility - the moment you think you've got it, you've lost it...
Mr. Blysard, get well soon. I'm looking forward to more of your posts.
Ed, it seems like just yesterday you were reporting from Houston on the hurricane. I hope everything goes well.
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edblysard I will get better, I will return, in what form I don’t know, but I will be back!
Looking forward to your return in whatever form.
- Erik
As Charlie Brown would say "Rats!". Ed is in our thoughts and prayers. I know that Ed has a sense of humor, as we've seen it a lot on here. Besides, photos of him always show that twinkle in his eye like Sam Elliot or Robert Duvall. So, I hope if Ed can't read this, he has someone read it to him. If he is reading it himself, I -l-l t-y-p-e r-e-a-l s-l-o-w.Give 'er hell cowboy!
Thanks to Chris / CopCarSS for my avatar.
edblysardI will get better, I will return, in what form I don’t know, but I will be back!
Better be back. Or else the forum will have to turn to people like me for RR wisdom. And the forum is not ready for that.
It's been fun. But it isn't much fun anymore. Signing off for now.
The opinions expressed here represent my own and not those of my employer, any other railroad, company, or person.t fun any
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