Farewell my CC friends, from chesterh

Chester

I just want to say I wish we had a chance to meet. I have recently read your book and your cruising with teenage story. I feel that we could have been good friends. We started cruising at about the same time our first cruise was 2004 and have been on 10 since. Our first cruise was quite the expierence as my wife was in the middle of chemo treatments and My sister in-law was in the middle of dialysis. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. please don't give up. It is never to late to have hope. May God be with you.

Ray

aka chief 190

I just wanted to say this: My local library has a copy of your book, Chester. I'm currently right in the middle of it. (Just finished the Belize chapter.) It's definitely a fun read and I recommend everyone here should read it. Whether you're a cruise newbie or a well seasoned cruiser.

Thank you for sharing your experiences!

Thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. I remember not only reading your posts and books, but I think meeting you years ago.

Keep your spirits up! And, yes dogs know before we do!

Any further news ?

Thanks.

Here is his facebook page.

https://www.facebook.com/chester.holleran

This is the best news of the day! Keep fighting the good fight Chester!

Sending you good thoughts and many prayers.....

Thank you for sharing your life's journey with us.

May strength, courage and humor fill your days.

Keep up the Good Fight!!! What do doctors know - can they take into account the human spirit and other factors? Hopefully you can take one more cruise!!!! Healing thoughts and prayers headed your way!

How about sharing his good news with us not on Facebook? Thanks

Thoughts and prayers to you and your family.

I agree...not all of us do FB.......if someone would post what the good news is?.......it would be appreciated.

Chester, glad things are are going well:)

Cut and Paste from his Facebook page.

Giving Thanks

I’m still here. Surprised? Kris and I certainly are.

When I first met with the Oncologist, he insisted that I start chemo *immediately*. Without it, he said I could expect to live 1-2 weeks. With it, he thought we could stretch things out to 6-8 weeks, giving me time to get my affairs in order while relieving some of the pain.

Here we are, a little more than 4 months later. It’s a very strange situation. I feel pretty good, and have to consciously remind myself that I’m on borrowed time. I’ve completed 4 rounds of chemo, and though there’s no evidence that additional rounds will help matters, have been scheduled for 2 more. There’s even talk of radiation treatment after that, qualified with a big “if.”

Of course, there are no straight answers in the cancer business. For now, indications are that the tumors have shrunk nicely in response to the treatments. Inevitably, they will return in full force, but no one can even offer a guess as to when it will happen. It might be happening now, or it might be weeks or even months from now.

So, with my affairs as orderly as they’ve ever been, we wait. I do feel like Bill Murray in Groundhog Day. Wake up, hang out with the dogs, make dinner, watch some TV, and go to bed. Repeat. While I’m on chemo my immune response system is suppressed, so I have to be very careful about picking up any illness or infection. There’s a small window of time right before a treatment when it is safe to see my grandchildren – they are dear-but-germy little creatures. Luckily, Christmas will be within the safe zone.

For someone who routinely wore short sleeved shirts year-round, I now spend an inordinate amount of time trying to keep warm. Winter hasn’t even started yet, but cabin fever is in full swing. I swear I will find a way to get some quality tropical time while I can, even if it means getting in the car and pointing it south without a firm destination. It would be fitting if I could take Kris on a cruise, but airplanes and cruise ships are not good places for the immune suppressed to hang out. There – I just established a goal. I’ll be done with chemo and full of white blood cells by late February, again qualified with a big “if.”

I do so appreciate the continued good wishes from my friends and family. It means the world to me. I’ve had some nice visits from friends both new and old. Even managed to go out to lunch a few times, carrying my bottle of hand sanitizer.

Now that I have the energy to do some writing, I need to pick some topics. Maybe I’ll do chemo next. I lost every hair on my body except for my ears and nose, which continue to grow with wild abandon. Sound interesting?

I agree...not all of us do FB.......if someone would post what the good news is?.......it would be appreciated.

 

Chester, glad things are are going well:)

Giving Thanks

I’m still here. Surprised? Kris and I certainly are.

When I first met with the Oncologist, he insisted that I start chemo *immediately*. Without it, he said I could expect to live 1-2 weeks. With it, he thought we could stretch things out to 6-8 weeks, giving me time to get my affairs in order while relieving some of the pain.

Here we are, a little more than 4 months later. It’s a very strange situation. I feel pretty good, and have to consciously remind myself that I’m on borrowed time. I’ve completed 4 rounds of chemo, and though there’s no evidence that additional rounds will help matters, have been scheduled for 2 more. There’s even talk of radiation treatment after that, qualified with a big “if.”

Of course, there are no straight answers in the cancer business. For now, indications are that the tumors have shrunk nicely in response to the treatments. Inevitably, they will return in full force, but no one can even offer a guess as to when it will happen. It might be happening now, or it might be weeks or even months from now.

So, with my affairs as orderly as they’ve ever been, we wait. I do feel like Bill Murray in Groundhog Day. Wake up, hang out with the dogs, make dinner, watch some TV, and go to bed. Repeat. While I’m on chemo my immune response system is suppressed, so I have to be very careful about picking up any illness or infection. There’s a small window of time right before a treatment when it is safe to see my grandchildren – they are dear-but-germy little creatures. Luckily, Christmas will be within the safe zone.

For someone who routinely wore short sleeved shirts year-round, I now spend an inordinate amount of time trying to keep warm. Winter hasn’t even started yet, but cabin fever is in full swing. I swear I will find a way to get some quality tropical time while I can, even if it means getting in the car and pointing it south without a firm destination. It would be fitting if I could take Kris on a cruise, but airplanes and cruise ships are not good places for the immune suppressed to hang out. There – I just established a goal. I’ll be done with chemo and full of white blood cells by late February, again qualified with a big “if.”

I do so appreciate the continued good wishes from my friends and family. It means the world to me. I’ve had some nice visits from friends both new and old. Even managed to go out to lunch a few times, carrying my bottle of hand sanitizer.

Now that I have the energy to do some writing, I need to pick some topics. Maybe I’ll do chemo next. I lost every hair on my body except for my ears and nose, which continue to grow with wild abandon. Sound interesting?

jinx

Thank you Nancy and Neverbeenthere. I appreciate it.:)

Chester, sending you all good thoughts.

My dh just asked me yesterday how chesterh was doing. Thanks for the updates, Nancy & neverbeenhere.

Many more good thoughts are being sent your way, chesterh. We are routing for you.

Kathy & Jack

God Bless You, Chester. Keep on truckin'

All the best to you Chester.

Here you go, Lois. This was posted on December 12th:

 

 

 

 

Giving Thanks

 

I’m still here. Surprised? Kris and I certainly are.

 

When I first met with the Oncologist, he insisted that I start chemo *immediately*. Without it, he said I could expect to live 1-2 weeks. With it, he thought we could stretch things out to 6-8 weeks, giving me time to get my affairs in order while relieving some of the pain.

 

 

Here we are, a little more than 4 months later. It’s a very strange situation. I feel pretty good, and have to consciously remind myself that I’m on borrowed time. I’ve completed 4 rounds of chemo, and though there’s no evidence that additional rounds will help matters, have been scheduled for 2 more. There’s even talk of radiation treatment after that, qualified with a big “if.”

 

Of course, there are no straight answers in the cancer business. For now, indications are that the tumors have shrunk nicely in response to the treatments. Inevitably, they will return in full force, but no one can even offer a guess as to when it will happen. It might be happening now, or it might be weeks or even months from now.

 

So, with my affairs as orderly as they’ve ever been, we wait. I do feel like Bill Murray in Groundhog Day. Wake up, hang out with the dogs, make dinner, watch some TV, and go to bed. Repeat. While I’m on chemo my immune response system is suppressed, so I have to be very careful about picking up any illness or infection. There’s a small window of time right before a treatment when it is safe to see my grandchildren – they are dear-but-germy little creatures. Luckily, Christmas will be within the safe zone.

 

For someone who routinely wore short sleeved shirts year-round, I now spend an inordinate amount of time trying to keep warm. Winter hasn’t even started yet, but cabin fever is in full swing. I swear I will find a way to get some quality tropical time while I can, even if it means getting in the car and pointing it south without a firm destination. It would be fitting if I could take Kris on a cruise, but airplanes and cruise ships are not good places for the immune suppressed to hang out. There – I just established a goal. I’ll be done with chemo and full of white blood cells by late February, again qualified with a big “if.”

 

I do so appreciate the continued good wishes from my friends and family. It means the world to me. I’ve had some nice visits from friends both new and old. Even managed to go out to lunch a few times, carrying my bottle of hand sanitizer.

 

Now that I have the energy to do some writing, I need to pick some topics. Maybe I’ll do chemo next. I lost every hair on my body except for my ears and nose, which continue to grow with wild abandon. Sound interesting?

Comforting words teaching us how to "seize the day," and enjoy what life gives us. Kinda puts into sharp relief the complaints we might read about "terrible" food in MDR, "cramped" space in cabins, "inappropriate" dress on formal nights,

"unacceptable" customer services that pay too little for upsetting incidents …

Hope things continue to go well.

- Joel

ChesterH,

Keep the positives going.

The FB post is good news for the New Year.

Friends on CC are sending best wishes and prayers.

Very good article in one of the Sunday papers yesterday. Hope this works!!

http://www.unionleader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/search?crit=Chester+Holleran&SearchCategory=%25&DateRange=20150119%2C20150126&INDA=0&noblankcheck=0&BuildNavigators=1

Very good article in one of the Sunday papers yesterday. Hope this works!!

 

http://www.unionleader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/search?crit=Chester+Holleran&SearchCategory=%25&DateRange=20150119%2C20150126&INDA=0&noblankcheck=0&BuildNavigators=1

Thank you so much for posting this!

............................................

And, Chester, you're in the thoughts of all of us here at CC! So glad to hear about the good chemo results.:)

Chester,

It's great that you have more precious time with your loved ones.:)

What a nice article. Chester, we are so glad that you are doing better, & you are in our prayers. Thank you for all of the pleasant memories that you have shared with us here at Cruise Critic.

Chester, what a beautiful article.......made my cry......

Thinking of you and sending you all my best thoughts........