APB: Cellarites missing.

[DanaC]

Nope. But pretty sure he's done with this place.

[sexobon]

Merc and Ibby eloped.

[Gravdigr]

And Monster and I enjoyed a quiet, candlelit dinner...

[Gravdigr]

Originally Posted by DanaC

Nope. But pretty sure he's done with this place.

I think he lurked for a while, but, yeah, what Dana said.

[slang]

Hello. It's me, slang.

It's been quite some time since I've posted here. With all the cross burning, chasing brown people and gays around with a red pitchfork, it's often hard to find time.

I've told this story too many time already, but here's the short version again for everyone here on the cellar.

My goal for this year was to launch my new offshore biz so that I don't have to come back to the US. YOU may still love it there, I've had more than enough. So, I've saved and planned to get an income while in the Philippines.

This was an aggressive goal since I've been an employee all my working life and there is a lot to know and many different attitudes and values in starting your own venture.

My flight to Manila was on Stressmas 2012. Merry Stressmas to me. Ho-ho-ho, I'm HOME.

My wife and I live in a rented little house here in the Phils. It's more than big enough for us so we often have family guests and my mother and father in law had lived here.

In the beggining of Feb 2013, my mil had a medical emergency and was rushed to the hospital. She had a mild stroke and spent about a week admitted.

Just a few weeks after her release for the stroke she was having major troubles in the stomach/abdomen area. Troubles eating, keeping food down once it arrived, that sort of thing.

The situation persisted and she went back to the hospital again. And finally, again with more testing.

Test revealed a large tumor in her stomach. So large that she had no capacity for food. Late stage 3, IIRC. The size of an orange.

We have insurance for everyone here at the house but things work differently here. The insurance picks up say, between 50-60% but at the end of the stay. A good estimate of costs here is about 20% of that comparable service in the US.

With a big rush surgery it's more expensive, though just a fraction of the cost that it would be in the US.

Let me speed this up a bit.

She gets the surgery. She then has almost zero capacity for food. She's eating all the time, in small amounts but I can just look at her and see she's losing weight quickly. Before the cancer, she was 4-9 and weighed about 80lbs. And looked good at that weight. A good BMI.

Mother in law is recovering with having her stomach removed and then father in law dies in the house. He was 83 and had late stage Parkinson's so his quality of life was approaching zero. Diapers, wheelchair, being fed.

Mother in law has now lost her husband of 40 years and in a life and death struggle with recovering from the surgery.

Has problem breathing one Friday night, goes back to the hospital...is admitted and dies early Saturday morning from heart failure (??) Weighs in at less than 60lbs.

So, our happy home has lost 2 people in the last 3 months or so.

In addition to the mental stress of losing both mother and father there's the issue of cash, which was intended to be used for people to assist in the launch of my new biz, but has been spent on other things related to this life and death event.

Just in the past few weeks things have improved and will likely continue to improve until our status goes from "holy-shit" to "good".

It's been so frustrating that I've not wanted to talk about it any more but FYI, there's the story. Without all the gory details.

[monster]

Hello all. Welcome back. I did actually laugh at one of Grav's jokes. it's true. I'm still in counseling.

[Griff]

Thanks for checking in slang. Things will obviously get better. Sorry its been so rough.

Pam and Wolf: I'm glad to see ya'll as well.

[glatt]

I'm so glad to see everyone checking in! Slang, sorry to hear about your crappy 2013. I hope it gets better real soon.

[lumberjim]

Hang in there slang. Glad to hear you're still with us at least

[Clodfobble]

Slang, even in the midst of this tragedy you are still one of the most upbeat people I know. It will indeed keep getting better until it has reached "good," because folks like you make your own luck. Glad to see you around, hope to see more of you as life eases off a bit...

[Sundae]

Pamela, Wolf & Slang; so sorry things have been tough for you.
Really, presonally tough too, not like just waiting-til-payday tough.
Great to hear fromyou.

I'm hoping for the reappearance of Limey.
She's been gone knwhere near as long but she had no reason to leave that I know of, and I've had no personal communications from her. Not like our Limes at all, she's very good at responding to poor unfortunates like me.

[Aliantha]

Limey has been posting on facebook. Everything seems in order. Actually, i thought she posted on here a few days ago.

[slang]

Thanks all for the encouragement.

I've got battles raging all around me. When this is over, I'll be back.

[limey]

[slinks back sheepishly] I've been away having fun in an almost internet-less (infact the last two days were no innernets and no mobile phone!) land on holiday*. No reason for anyone to worry about me.
And very sorry to see the sad reasons for others' absence from teh Cellar!
Love you all (especially Sundae - thanx for the phone message mwah!).

* The land was Scotland, funnily enough!

[xoxoxoBruce]

I hope Slang missed out on this earthquake.

A powerful 7.2 earthquake hit the Philippines this week, killing at least 160 and injuring hundreds. The quake was centered below the island of Bohol, toppling many buildings in the area including several historic churches.