Hello, Bev:

That's a wonderful tribute to your husband and your marriage.  I hope you
heal from his passing soon.  

All the best,

charlie

                      <<  TEAR-WRENCHING TEXT REDACTED >>

That was beautiful, Bev.  You were a lucky woman to have him.  He was a
lucky man to have you.

Brought tears to my eyes Bev.  God bless...ron

What a beautiful testimony to a cherished spouse and happy marriage.  May
God be with you at this time in your life.

 Norma

 > I don't know how to thank you all for your condolences. The love and
 > friendship that so many of you have shared means so much to me. I
treasure
 > the friendships that I have made out here with the brothers (and
sisters) of
 > prostate cancer. My heart is broken. There are no words to express my
 > feelings as I have lost my best friend, my lover, the father of my
children,
 > and my husband.
 >
 > George was a prostate cancer survivor. He had five weeks of EBRT on an
IMRT
 > and then brachytherapy with Iodine 125 seeds on May 3, 2002. We often
wonder
 > just how well treatments work. Through George's death I now know that
George
 > was cured of PC.
 >
 > George was an organ donor and a research donor. I'm not sure any organs
were
 > used as "gifts" (transplants) They don't want "old" hearts (I guess 61
is
 > old) and his lung had problems. The pneumonia he acquired eliminated
several
 > organs and his kidneys wouldn't flush in the OR as they were harvested,
but
 > I think the most important part of his donation is being used for cancer
 > research. They took tissue samples from all over his body that will be
used
 > to help develop cancer research markers. They were particularly
interested
 > in him because of his PC. My hope is that one day we will be able to
 > eliminate PC and if George was part of that, then his death was more
than
 > just a termination of a life.
 >
 > They did an extensive search looking for PC and found NONE! Not a single
PC
 > cell was found anywhere in his body. This tells me he was indeed cured.
 > Brachytherapy works!The cancer was caught when it was still confined to
the
 > prostate and it was eliminated.
 >
 > Right now it's very hard to explain how I can feel excited about that
fact.
 > When I heard the news I knew I had to share it with all of you. We
should
 > have had another 20 years or more together. We would have needlessly
worried
 > about each PSA test and jumped for joy when each one showed those zeros.
 > Brachytherapy was the right decision for George.
 >
 > I wish we could have had another twenty years of PSA tests to withstand
but
 > that was not the in the big plan for us. I took my ring off my finger
this
 > morning and slipped it onto my watchband where I have worn George's
wedding
 > band since he was hospitalized. I feel naked without that ring on my
finger.
 > I think in the next few days I will tie them together and put them into
a
 > box. My marriage is over and I am no longer a wife. I've been with
George
 > since I was 17. I'm not sure how to live without him; I guess I will
learn.
 >
 >  PC took something very special from us, our ability to express our love
as
 > we had for years. He tried the pills, the pump, and Muse. They all had
their
 > problems and often we just didn't bother to even attempt "normal"
 > intercourse but PC couldn't take away our love for each other. Our
 > lovemaking would probably be considered limited by a young person but we
had
 > reached a point where we considered meaning more important than the
actual
 > act. We both wanted more; yet, we accepted and rejoiced in what we had.
We
 > often joked about Sunday mornings as if we were a couple of Pavlov's
dogs,
 > but at least the Sunday that I made that fateful 911 call we had spent
the
 > morning together. I remember asking if he had taken anything and he said
no,
 > then he did that little chuckle, and said we'd see how well we could
manage.
 > Little did we know that it would be the last time we'd ever be together.
 >
 > George was not one to post out here; although, he did post a few things
a
 > few times. He found this group for me and he knew so many of you through
me.
 > He spoke to several people on the phone and he knew so many of you by
name.
 > If I said David, Steve, Curtis, JK, Ron, John, Clyde, Leonard, MH, etc.
he
 > knew exactly who I was referring to in our conversation. Keith, Joe,
Doug,
 > Mike, and a few others had to have last names to go with them or he'd
 > confuse them with other friends. Some he knew by their "handles" but I
 > promise he knew all of you. He often would tell me to tell all of you
 > something special. I don't know why he never really posted. He was the
 > computer guru and was actually part of the team that developed "email"
for
 > NASA.
 >
 > He was a quiet man. He never made a big deal over his accomplishments.
He
 > accepted what life gave him and found pleasure in so many small things.
He
 > was a city boy who learned to love the country. He knew the crops in the
 > fields and unfortunately learned to spot the weeds in my garden. He said
if
 > he knew it was a weed then the neighbors did too and I needed to remove
it.
 > He knew I loved dandelions with their cheerful golden yellow blooms and
 > their white puffs. He'd pull the nightshade and pokeweed for me because
I
 > hated to touch the stuff.
 >
 > He could spot an osprey by its flight before it was close enough for me
to
 > actually identify it by sight. There were nests near where he worked and
 > he'd watch them during his lunch break. A few weeks ago he came home one
 > evening and told me how he watched what he thought was probably the
first
 > flight of a young osprey from its nest.
 >
 > He loved babies, especially newborns. He'd never seen even a kitten born
 > prior to the birth of our first daughter and after that he was hooked.
Dirty
 > diapers never scared him. He didn't know how to cook and I swear he
didn't
 > know how to use or operate anything other than the coffee pot, but he
could
 > fix any appliance. He was horrendously spoiled and I know that was my
fault.
 >
 > He had a dry wit and the ability to toss puns to the point that I would
 > cover my ears and tell him to stop. He held a black belt in karate and
 > another in Tae Kwan Do. He loved to sculpt things especially in wood and
 > metal. I have a garage full of power tools and a lot of unfinished
projects
 > in this old house. He could type at the speed of light and he had an
 > exceptionally high IQ. He was a very unusual man and I was very lucky to
 > have him for almost 37 years. I'm just wishing I could have had him for
 > another 20 years or so as he spoiled me with his love.
 > Bev
 >
 >
 >
 >
 >
 >
 >
 >
 >
 >
 >
 >

Bev,

My deepest condolences. Although I've not known you and George as long
as others here, I will say that in a day and age where marriages come
and go, with far less serious trials and tribulations than you two
have endured, your loyalty and dediciation to each other is a fine
example of what commitment means and is inspirational.

Thank You Beverly for sharing yet another wisp of life.
A reflection of all of our lives in some way...
You do have to savour the past and then as George would have it......I am
sure,
look toward the future and continue to live a full life.
I am certain George would see it that way.
John Loomis

What a loving summation and Eulogy, Beverley.
My Heart is with you. So sorry.
H.

SNIP

Very touching, loving, eloquent, admiring tribute to the center of your
adult life, Bev. Even though your life with George was cut unnecessarily
short at the end, it sounds like those 37 years plus your family and
friends will sustain you many more years. Even when we were all much
younger, 61 didn't seem old. Now that so many of us are past that age,
it seems "criminally" young for an event like this. This group will be
here for you for as long as you need or want it, but we hope and trust
you will recover to the point you will just drop in for a visit now and
then. Please keep us posted with your thoughts and progress.

I.P. Freely

I don't know how to thank you all for your condolences. The love and
friendship that so many of you have shared means so much to me. I
treasure the friendships that I have made out here with the brothers
(and sisters) of prostate cancer.

My heart is broken. There are no words to express my feelings as I have
lost my best friend, my lover, the father of my children, and my
husband.

============

Our deepest condolences, Bev.  And you did eloquently express your
feelings with that last paragraph.  It broke my heart, and I write this
with tears in my eyes.   You and George had a relationship that many
would envy.

Ron and Heather

Bev,

My sincere condolences for your loss. I am sad that he is no longer
your earthly friend, but you have good memories of the time you
were together.  I pray that his spirit and your memories of him will
sustain you as you move on. May God be with youand your family
always.

My condolences, Bev.
My time posting here has been brief, but I had read many of your posts
from years past. We'll all hold our loved ones a bit tighter tonight.
We send you love and strength.
Z

Age 60 pre-biopsy PSA: 4.8
4/5/07: Biopsy: Gleason: 3+3, Stage T1c
5/22/07: RRP, Pathology: Gleason 3+4, Stage T2c
Positive margin, both nerves spared, no lymph or s.v. involvement
6/4/07: Cath out, dry, no leaks.
7/05/07: 1st post-RP PSA: <.04

That was a wonderful posting Bev and a wonderful to tribute
to someone who was obviously a very fine man.

Thank you very much.

All the best to you and your family.

   Alan

Bev,

As a lurker, I know you only from the posts you have made here, all of
which I have found very heart-warming as you expressed your love for
George and his for you. I am so sorry for your loss, and wish you
strength and peace as you cope with the future and relish memories of
the past. I'm not a religeous person, but my heart and sincerest
sympathies go out to you. The following says it well...

The Lord bless you and keep you.
The Lord make his face to shine upon you
   and be gracious to you.
The Lord lift up his countenance upon you
   and give you peace.

Larry

Please accept my sincere condolences on your loss.

I, too, have been blessed to have found a love such as you describe in
my husband Paul. We are among the lucky ones.

Carol Warman

Thanks for sharing all of this with us.  You and George had something
priceless, and that made both of you wonderful people.  Best wishes and
good luck.

What a beautiful tribute.  My heart goes out to you as you deal with your
loss - I can't even imagine what you are going through but I can tell from
youe posts over the years that you have much strength to draw upon.  I hope
you'll continue to be a presence on the board.  Take care, Debbie