Author Topic: Passing the torch  (Read 6114 times)

sgerrard

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Passing the torch
« on: March 13, 2012, 10:55:55 pm »
I think that was the title of an article in Notes that I wrote when Daisy Head Maisy and I became leaders of the Portland ANA group. Here i am again, involved in another passing of the torch, this time as the passer, not the receiver.

In case you haven't noticed, I am no longer a moderator on the forum - as well as being decidedly less active on it. I think that is partly due to a desire to move on, as I am doing fine, if you don't count being pretty hard of hearing on both sides now. There are also a number of events in my life that require my time and attention these days.

DHM and I just had another good group meeting a few weeks ago, with lots of newbies. She is doing very well, and is always busy with her teenage kids. I am sure the newbies will keep showing up here, too. As far as I can tell,  there is an unlimited supply of ANs to be handed out.

Speaking of newbies, the torch is passing to Jay (jaylogs), who is no newbie on the forum, but qualifies as a newbie moderator. So take it easy on him (for a little while) - this means the three musketeers, and all you other scallywags.

Best wishes to Jay and all my forum friends.

Steve

PS: no, I am not still knitting hats. :)

8 mm left AN June 2007,  CK at Stanford Sept 2007.
Hearing lasted a while, but left side is deaf now.
Right side is weak too. Life is quiet.

ppearl214

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Re: Passing the torch
« Reply #1 on: March 14, 2012, 04:45:06 am »
Steve

What do I say?  How big a "thank you" can I put into black and white?  For the team work, for the words of encouragement, for the opportunity to meet you in person in Chicago at the symposium, for my toque but most of all, for your friendship.  I KNOW you will not be a stranger around here and I know life has it demands on you....... so check in from time to time....... and know that this Cursed Cruise Director will miss you on the Moderator Leer Jet very much! 

Truly, thank you for everything!

Jay, since you have now been given the Jr. Whip, know that you have passed Whip Class and know you are going to be a terrific Moderator! Welcome to the Moderator Leer Jet! Your turn to buy the liquid refreshments as part of the initiation! :)

Phyl
"Gentlemen, I wash my hands of this weirdness", Capt Jack Sparrow - Davy Jones Locker, "Pirates of the Carribbean - At World's End"

Jim Scott

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Re: Passing the torch
« Reply #2 on: March 14, 2012, 10:57:35 am »
Steve ~

Although only death and taxes are inevitable, I've learned over time that few things in life remain static.  I recall that you and I received our moderator appointment at the same time (2008) and we can all attest that you did an admirable job for which our members can be grateful and you can be proud.  Obviously, you will be missed but I understand the desire to move on with your life and that you have other things to attend to.  Frankly, I reassess my continued participation here on a semi-annual basis so I can easily understand when another moderator feels it's time to 'pass the torch'.  I wish you all the best and want you to know that your input here has been and always will be welcome.  May your good health continue and please accept my personal thanks for all you've done. 

Jim
4.5 cm AN diagnosed 5/06.  Retrosigmoid surgery 6/06.  Follow-up FSR completed 10/06.  Tumor shrinkage & necrosis noted on last MRI.  Life is good. 

Life is not the way it's supposed to be. It's the way it is.  The way we cope with it is what makes the difference.

cindyj

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Re: Passing the torch
« Reply #3 on: March 14, 2012, 12:22:06 pm »
Ah, Steve...you will be missed (you have been missed), but thank you so much for all your help in making the forum such a great resource for so many.  I enjoyed your wit and wisdom very much - the bookclub was just never the same without you :)  I will always cherish my knit hat!

Wishing you the very best,

Cindy
rt side 1.5 cm - Translab on 11/07/08 Dr. Friedman & Dr. Schwartz of House Ear Institute,
feeling great!

"Life consists not in holding good cards, but in playing well those you do hold."  Josh Billings

jaylogs

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Re: Passing the torch
« Reply #4 on: March 14, 2012, 09:39:57 pm »
Steve, thank you very much for all your years of being a mod here on the forum. I can only hope that I can do half as good a job in your place! And yes, I will have to buy that round of liquid refreshments (as Phyl so elegantly put it! :) ).  Hmmmm...a Leer Jet huh? That will make going to future symposiums MUCH easier!  ;D  Will be glad to see you on here from time to time Steve!
Jay
8.1mm x 7.8mm x 8.2mm AN, Left Ear, Middle Fossa surgery performed on 12/9/09 at House by Drs. Brackmann/Schwartz. Some hearing left, but got BAHA 2/25/11 (Ponto Pro) To see how I did through my Middle Fossa surgery, click here: http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/jaylogston

Suu

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Re: Passing the torch
« Reply #5 on: March 15, 2012, 03:04:13 am »
Steve? Did you come back to see how you're already missed or am I writing to thin air?  ;D

You're missed.

♥ ´)
.•´¸.•*´¨) ¸.•♥ ¨)
(,.•´ (.♥ •´ *Suu
4cm Left side AN Translab August 18th 2010
Facial nerve not working
Nerve conduction Jan '11 Repeated 23rd May '11
SSD left side
5 ops in 6 weeks to fix CSF leaks
Tarsorrhaphy 9 Mar '11 Extended 26 Aug '13
Sling Thur 16 June '11
12/7 nerve graft 9 Feb '12

Syl

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Re: Passing the torch
« Reply #6 on: March 15, 2012, 11:27:25 am »
Steve,

I wish you the best. You will be missed.

Syl
1.5cm AN rt side; Retrosig June 16, 2008; preserved facial and hearing nerves;
FINALLY FREE OF CHRONIC HEADACHES 4.5 years post-op!!!!!!!
Drs. Kato, Blumenfeld, and Cheung.

pjb

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Re: Passing the torch
« Reply #7 on: March 15, 2012, 12:11:31 pm »
Wishing you the best and never did get one of those wonderful hats, hope you will still continue to make them they seemed to truly make a huge difference in the peoples lives that have worn them.
Diagnosed with a 1 cm. AN had Retrosigmoid
Approach surgery July of 2009, several problems after surgery.

leapyrtwins

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Re: Passing the torch
« Reply #8 on: March 15, 2012, 08:19:35 pm »
Steve -

I'm missing you already  :'(  Although I'm glad that Jay is the new moderator - I think he'll be great!

I'm proud to say that I have a Steve original - I was the first hat recipient, wasn't I ?? - and although I haven't had a lot of chances to wear it this winter (incredibly mild in Chi-town this year) I always think of you when I do.

I still can't believe that you said you were going to learn to knit and then you actually did  :o

Kisses  :-*

Jan
Retrosig 5/31/07 Drs. Battista & Kazan (Hinsdale, Illinois)
Left AN 3.0 cm (1.5 cm @ diagnosis 6 wks prior) SSD. BAHA implant 3/4/08 (Dr. Battista) Divino 6/4/08  BP100 4/2010 BAHA 5 8/2015

I don't actually "make" trouble..just kind of attract it, fine tune it, and apply it in new and exciting ways

saralynn143

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Re: Passing the torch
« Reply #9 on: March 16, 2012, 07:54:43 am »
Well, as Elizabeth Taylor once said, “I fell off my pink cloud with a thud.” (Sorry Steve, had to get in one last pink quote.)

I thought about you just the other day when I came across a stash of yarn in the basement.

My best wishes are with you as you tackle your new challenges.

Sara
MVD for hemifacial spasm 6/2/08
left side facial paresis
 12/100 facial function - 7/29/08
 46 - 11/25/08
 53 - 05/12/09
left side SSD approx. 4 weeks
 low-frequency hearing loss; 85% speech recognition 7/28/08
1.8 gram thin profile platinum eyelid weight 8/12/08
Fitted for scleral lens 5/9/13

Keri

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Re: Passing the torch
« Reply #10 on: March 16, 2012, 07:54:40 pm »
I agree with everyone. Thank you for helping so many people. I'm sure you'll continue to do so.

Keri
1.5 left side; hearing loss; translab scheduled for 1/29/09 at Univ of MD at Baltimore
My head feels weird!!

windy

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Re: Passing the torch
« Reply #11 on: March 17, 2012, 11:15:25 am »
Steve,

You will definitely be missed!! Although I am not a constant on the forum, you left such a mark on me that I wondered where you were a few weeks back. I remember your encouraging words when I had treatment in 08. You are such a positive person!! You will be greatly missed, but you have done a wonderful job on this forum. Thank you for being a moderator and for all your contributions. Remember, you have left a stamp behind, so people can still learn from what you have contributed in the past.

Best of you luck to you in your future! Take care.

Windy

P.S. Jay, you will do a fine job!!
* Diagnosed w/AN (9mm x 11mm x 9mm) - 6-10-08
* GK @ UPMC w/Dr. Lunsford - 8-5-08
* Stable MRI - Aug. 2009
* 2 MM's Growth - Aug. 2010
* Lost 60% Hearing - Dec. 2010
* More Growth?? - Wait & Watch - Jan. 2012
* 1 MM Shrinkage - Aug. 2012
* 2 MM's Shrinkage - Aug. 2013
* Slight Shrinkage - Aug. 2014

Rich56

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Re: Passing the torch
« Reply #12 on: March 18, 2012, 10:57:46 am »
Hi Steve,

Thank you for being there 3 years ago, and many times since, for Scarlett and I as she began her AN journey.

This forum, and individuals like your self literally saved our lives!

Take care my friend,

Rich and Scarlett

P.S. Happy ANniversary Dear
SML (Scarlett's) other half, she had - 1.5 cm x 2.5 cm Cystic AN - Right side
Retrosigmoid on 3/18/09 at MGH in Boston, MA. Dr. Barker & Dr. Lee of MGH/MEEI
no facial issues, SSD right side, balance issues to work on.
The AN Calendar is here: http://www.my.calendars.net/AN_Treatments

mk

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Re: Passing the torch
« Reply #13 on: March 18, 2012, 04:09:05 pm »
Ditto what Windy said. Thanks for all the encouragement during difficult times.

All my best wishes.

Marianna
GK on April 23rd 2008 for 2.9 cm AN at Toronto Western Hospital. Subsequent MRIs showed darkening initially, then growth. Retrosigmoid surgery on April 26th, 2011 with Drs. Akagami and Westerberg at Vancouver General Hospital. Graduallly lost hearing after GK and now SSD but no other issues.

Tumbleweed

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Re: Passing the torch
« Reply #14 on: March 18, 2012, 09:03:15 pm »
Steve, thanks so much for all you've done for all of us on this forum. I remember you were one of the trusted voices I learned from and was consoled by when I first started participating in this forum, soon after I was diagnosed in late 2007. It was your giving (and that of a few other key people) that inspired me to pay it forward here on the forum. You will be very much missed. I hope you'll drop in from time to time.

Warmest regards and best wishes,
TW
L. AN 18x12x9 mm @ diagnosis, 11/07
21x13x11 mm @ CK treatment 7/11/08 (Drs. Chang & Gibbs, Stanford)
21x15x13 mm in 12/08 (5 months post-CK), widespread necrosis, swelling
12x9x6 mm, Nov. 2017; shrank ~78% since treatment!
W&W on stable 6mm hypoglossal tumor found 12/08