I guess I could go at any time now...

Melissa - just enjoy life, I know that you'll do it.

Take care and much health to you.

Angie

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"Live your life, and forget your age." Norman Vincent Peale

Attitude, attitude! I've seen it so many times. You either agree with the doctors, who by the way, are just guessing how much time you have, or you don't. They are NOT GOD and do not know how long anyone has on this earth. I used to work in an oncology clinic, and one of the docs told me he hated it when people would ask 'how long do I have?" Because they don't know, but feel obligated to give some type of estimate.

Voodoo works because the 'victim' knows the curse has been put on them. If you don't know, it doesn't work. It's in your mind, and if you think you're going in X number of years, you WILL. If you refuse to go, you'll probably be around to thumb your nose at those who say you can't live that long! Hang in there! We need you!

Jan in Co

Ditto.

There is something to be said for postive thinking.Hope you prove doc wrong and live another 40 years.Prayers

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"The eye sees only what the mind is prepared to comprehend." Henri Bergson

My grandpa had congestive heart failure. He lived for many years after his diagnosis. He wasn't told how sick he was and he just kept going until one day he laid down and his heart just gave out. He long outlived the doctor's expectations. Just keep going until you can't go any longer, that's what he did.

Medical science is based on teaching hospital's experience with 50 yr old sedentary overweight white males having cadiac/lung cancer disease, and drug data is based on a 21 yr old male white guinea pig from a college that particiapated in a paid study.
How many doctors deal with homesteaders?
I bet because of your activity level, exercise and diet your doctor has NO paramaters to guess your prognosis.
Jes' keep on keepin on, OKAY?

I sure don't think Docs have any better clue than their pts. when their time will be up...have a young lung cancer pt. right now that came in April with 2-3 weeks to live...uh huh,right. Doc Morgan now keeps writing that it must be the excellent nursing care keeping him alive....I think it is the company,meals on time,friendships he's developed with the staff and other residents. Before he was all alone in a dingy apartment waiting to die...now he is living again. No one knows their time so we just have to live our lives to the fullest every day and not waste the precious time we have with our loved ones. DEE

Melissa, Hang in there. My Mom and Dad both told me I wouldn't live to see 21 at the rate I was going but God wasn't and still isn't ready to take me out of this world.I have done all the things I wanted to do and still do it just takes me a lot longer than it used to. I have jumped out of good airplanes, crashed race cars, been in burning buildings that I know now I shouldn't have been in, but it wasn't my time. They told my Great Grand Dad his smoking and drinking would kill him, and I can remember him sitting on his porch in his rocking chair with his jar of shine sitting beside him , and rolling his smoke, and taking a bite off that plug of chew. Well at the young age of 94 he fell down the steps and broke his neck. I ask people if they know what tomorrow is. Tomorrow is, THE FIRST DAY OF THE REST OF YOUR LIFE. Enjoy it and look forward to the next tomorrow. {HUGGGSSSS} and please stay around for a long time. Sam

Melissa,
It is waaay to early for you to go. Just think of all the activity on this board that will take place over the next 40 years:

10 Presidential elections
20 Congressional elections
40 Halloweens
40 Christmas'
40 Do you let your kids believe in Santa threads

I am sure I am forgetting some of the stuff...but you HAVE to be here to moderate it!!!!

Clove

we bought our farm from Eddie, who was born here and lived here all of his life til he and Vera sold us the place and moved to town. He was 73 at the time and told me he had heart surgery 6 years earlier and the dr told him he would be good for 7 years maximum.

That was 17 years ago and Eddie still drives himself out here and picks from the orchard, fishes in the pond, and sits under the now large oak tree he palnted when he was a kid.

I have 2 docs in my immediate family. Neither knows the rump from a hole in the ground.

You'll be here for a long long time to come!

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When I die, I want to go peacefully in my sleep....like my Grandfather. Not screaming and yelling like the other people in the car he was driving.

My DH's grandmother was told that she would probably only live another 20 years because of a certain medical condition. People with that condition just don't live to old age. That was over 40 years ago. She's just finally now starting to slow down at 92!

And she outlived the youngish doctor who told her she wouldn't live a long life.

I was dx with ovarian cancer in Oct(15th) 1997. My sister gave me a paper with my 'odds' and how long I'd probably live.I threw it in the wastebasket.I'm still here and 'bugging' the docs.I have Sjogren's Syndrome(possibly lupus),restless leg syndrome,foot surgery ,two hernia repairs,had a knee replacement in 2000,had heart bypass n Feb.My body looks like a map of some foreign country, but God isn't finished with me here yet. ONLY HE KNOWS how long!!!!!! The docs don't!!! One day at a time....

Doctors opinions are overrated.

Don't be too hard on the doctors. If they don't follow accepted medical procedures and drug treatments and something happens to the patient they can be sued, not to mention the patient's loved ones asking why the doc didn't do more to treat. People expect a perfect diagnosis and a miracle cure every time they go to the doctor.

That being said, I think doctors should be a little more open minded about alternative treatments.

Wishing a long, happy and healthy life to you Melissa!

Good grief- if that doesn't make me want to stick around I don't know what will?

Melissa, when my son was born -- after a very traumatic birth -- we were told that the wires and tubes were what was keeping him alive. He had more machinery attached to him, in that tiny little incubator, than I thought possible.

We finally made the decision to put it in God's hands, unhook him, and hold him for the first time. The doctors told us we may only have a couple of minutes. That "baby" is now nearly thirteen, normal in all ways that count, and is one of the many joys of my life.

When he was three, we were told that he would never be "normal", never progress past the fourth grade level academically, and would be reliant upon us for the rest of his life. At nearly thirteen, he is now doing a full 8th grade classical curriculum, and doing it well. He is more "hands on" than my other son, and he definitely learns differently, but he passed the fourth grade level some years back.

My point is -- only trust the opinion of "professionals" so far. They have only "norms" to predict by -- and you are unique. They can PREDICT, and sometimes they'll be right, but without knowing the personality, lifestyle and determination of a specific person, they cannot say with absolute certainty what your future holds.

Hang in there -- do what you feel is "right" for your condition, take care of yourself, avoid stress, and live your life as though it WILL be ending tomorrow -- pack as much joy and living into every minute as you can -- and you'll find the years pass and you're still going strong.

"Experts" don't necessarily know much about anything beyond their own experience.

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Ignorance is the true enemy.

I've seen the village, and I don't want it raising my children.

www.newcenturyhomestead.com

We all live on borrowed time. Some are more aware of it than others.

Life, a terminal condition.

Back when I was 44 I had congestive heart failure, thyroid stopped working, kidneys were not functioning as necessary and my liver was infected.

Through the Grace of God I survived and was told that I would live until the ripe old age of 60.

I am now 64 tomorrow and still kickin so I guess God Still Has chores for me to do.

When God Wants me I guess He Will Let Me Know.

Live each day as it's your last, cause it just might be.

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"When you have a freedom, Thank a Soldier"
"When you lose a freedom, Thank a Lawyer"
"When you read this, Thank a Teacher"

Well, come to think about it Melissa… when the grim reaper comes knocking, just let him have it! :baby04:

Hmm, I could talk him to death probably. Amazing how you got my wild hair-do just right.



I truly thank all of you for your stories of overcoming the odds. I guess homesteaders are a beat-the-odds group. I always figure if God is on our side we got it made no matter what happens. Hang in there and so will I.