Luminous Landscape Forum

Site & Board Matters => About This Site => Topic started by: Rand47 on July 30, 2012, 06:44:35 pm

Title: May we ask how Mike is doing?
Post by: Rand47 on July 30, 2012, 06:44:35 pm
I know this quickly gets into areas of privacy, and respect for same.  But I suspect I'm not alone in having Michael on my mind a lot, praying, wishing him well and the very best outcome.
If it is possible, I'd love to know how he's doing from time to time.

With warmth and respect . . .
Rand
Title: Re: May we ask how Mike is doing?
Post by: Christopher Sanderson on July 30, 2012, 06:53:37 pm
As with any recovery from major surgery there are up days and down days: most of them have been up days.

I spoke with Michael this morning and he is in good spirits and recovering strength well and deeply encouraged and touched by all the support he has received from this forum and by email.

All of your support means a huge amount to him.

Chris
Title: Re: May we ask how Mike is doing?
Post by: bbjfoto on July 30, 2012, 09:18:12 pm
I wish Michael the best recovery and I am glad and hopfull that he is home in his own Bed. I have been a close folower to the site and I highly respect Michaels work and generosity to deal his knowledge to all off us. Best wiches from Sweden.

BBjfoto, Bertil Björk
Title: Re: May we ask how Mike is doing?
Post by: Rand47 on July 30, 2012, 09:34:02 pm
Chris,

Many thanks!  Keep us posted as you can.

Rand
Title: Re: May we ask how Mike is doing?
Post by: ErikKaffehr on July 31, 2012, 12:10:55 am
Chris,

Thanks for the update. I'm glad to hear that Michaels is in good spirits, and doing well under the circumstances.

Best regards
Erik

As with any recovery from major surgery there are up days and down days: most of them have been up days.

I spoke with Michael this morning and he is in good spirits and recovering strength well and deeply encouraged and touched by all the support he has received from this forum and by email.

All of your support means a huge amount to him.

Chris
Title: Re: May we ask how Mike is doing?
Post by: wolfnowl on August 01, 2012, 01:40:04 am
Indeed - thanks, Chris!  Our best to Michael.

M&M
Title: Re: May we ask how Mike is doing?
Post by: Martin Ocando on August 01, 2012, 10:01:42 am
Thanks for the heads up, Chris.

As with any recovery from major surgery there are up days and down days: most of them have been up days.

I spoke with Michael this morning and he is in good spirits and recovering strength well and deeply encouraged and touched by all the support he has received from this forum and by email.

All of your support means a huge amount to him.

Chris
Title: Re: May we ask how Mike is doing?
Post by: Bryan Conner on August 06, 2012, 02:23:07 pm
Thanks for the update Chris.  I imagine that I am like a lot of others here that feel like Michael is a part of our extended family.  While I do not know him personally, I feel like a friend to him due to the many hours spent with him while watching the numerous videos.  I will keep on keeping my fingers crossed (and my thumbs pressed as is done here in Germany) for Michael to continue on his road to restored health and strength.
Title: Re: May we ask how Mike is doing?
Post by: BernardLanguillier on August 08, 2012, 05:39:09 am
Please give him my kindest regards!

Cheers,
Bernard
Title: Re: May we ask how Mike is doing?
Post by: Pete Ferling on August 15, 2012, 01:06:28 am
My prayers for you Michael that you find the strength to make a full recovery.  -Pete
Title: Re: May we ask how Mike is doing?
Post by: dvhirst on August 22, 2012, 07:41:31 pm
Chris,

Thank you for keeping us informed of Michael's condition. 

Please add my voice to those already listed as one who doesn't know Michael personally, but who has benefited over the years from the knowledge and experience he has so widely and generously shared and who is very appreciative of the effort and care involved. 

Best wishes, Michael, for a speedy and complete recovery.

Regards,

Don Hirst
 
Title: Re: May we ask how Mike is doing?
Post by: Christopher Sanderson on August 25, 2012, 12:03:05 pm
Michael is updating 'On a Personal Note' (http://www.luminous-landscape.com/essays/on_a_personal_note.shtml) regularly
Title: Re: May we ask how Mike is doing?
Post by: Christopher Sanderson on September 12, 2012, 01:14:38 pm
Michael is updating 'On a Personal Note' (http://www.luminous-landscape.com/essays/on_a_personal_note.shtml) regularly
Again on September 9th
Title: Re: May we ask how Mike is doing?
Post by: Bryan Conner on October 19, 2012, 02:30:23 pm
I just thought about Michael and was hoping we could get an update.

 I hope that you are doing well.
Title: Re: May we ask how Mike is doing?
Post by: Christopher Sanderson on October 19, 2012, 05:57:20 pm
Michael is better than half way through his course of chemotherapy and doing well.
Title: Re: May we ask how Mike is doing?
Post by: Eric Myrvaagnes on October 19, 2012, 07:50:25 pm
Really glad to hear that.
Title: Re: May we ask how Mike is doing?
Post by: Christopher Sanderson on October 19, 2012, 08:32:05 pm
At the risk of repetition, I should add that Michael is enormously boosted and grateful for the shows of support that he has received from many readers of this site. Each one means a lot to him.
Title: Re: May we ask how Mike is doing?
Post by: Sheldon N on October 20, 2012, 01:06:04 am
Glad to hear that he is doing better. Chemo can be a tough road indeed. Please pass on my best wishes on a speedy recovery to him.

If you're able to post periodic updates that would also be appreciated. Many folks do wonder how things are going.
Title: Re: May we ask how Mike is doing?
Post by: Bryan Conner on October 20, 2012, 02:04:33 am
Michael is better than half way through his course of chemotherapy and doing well.

Glad to hear that. 
Title: Re: May we ask how Mike is doing?
Post by: ErikKaffehr on October 20, 2012, 03:28:47 am
Hi Chris,

That is great news, thanks for sharing!

Best regards
Erik

Michael is better than half way through his course of chemotherapy and doing well.
Title: Re: May we ask how Mike is doing?
Post by: alain on October 20, 2012, 04:38:17 am
At the risk of repetition, I should add that Michael is enormously boosted and grateful for the shows of support that he has received from many readers of this site. Each one means a lot to him.
nice to hear
Title: Re: May we ask how Mike is doing?
Post by: michael on October 20, 2012, 09:33:55 am
Thanks for everyone's thoughts and concerns. I'll be finished chemo in less than a month.

It's taking a toll on my strength, but I know that by late November I'll be able to start regaining it.

I've received a number of emails from the US asking if I have sufficient medical insurance. The answer is that in Canada we have a single payer system ( as it's called in the US). Health care for everyone is the same as education though high school, which no one has argued about for about 100 years. It's simply paid for out off our taxes.  

I've had countless CT scans, Bone Scans and MRIs. I've had two major surgeries, one of them at least some 8 hours followed by 13 days of hospitalization, and now some months of regular chemo. Oh, yes, regular home visiting nurses when I was first home from hospital, all drugs included, 24 hour hotline to specialist nurses if there were questions.

My total cost? Zero. Pre-existing condition exemption? Not in our vocabulary. Co-pay? Not in our vocabulary.

Universal health care, for every resident of the country, available freely to all. Just as in most advanced industrialized countries around the world for the past 50 years plus.

Why am I preaching here. Because for the first time my life was in the hands of the system, and I do mean  "life". Delays? I went from detection of a T3 bladder cancer with node involvement to surgery in less than 10 days. Change Doctors? Any time one likes, and I've done it before.

Does the Canadian system work? Yes. Is it perfect. No? Nothing ever is. But contrary to the misinformation that we hear daily on US TV it works well enough, and none of us would trade it for what we see across the border.

If some see this as a political encroachment on an inappropriate forum, so be it. But if you're considering the slow development of modern health care administration in the US as the topic comes up, talk to friends across the border to see what their first-hand experiences have been. Some will undoubtedly not be a simple as mine, but I'll bet that not a one of them would trade it for what exists currently in the US at the moment, even including Obamacare. Obamacare is simply a band-aid on a sick system that needs major surgery.

Michael
Title: Re: May we ask how Mike is doing?
Post by: Christopher Sanderson on October 24, 2012, 06:55:19 pm
Since this topic generated some debate about national Health Care systems, I have split it off and moved the resulting posts to the Coffee Corner (http://www.luminous-landscape.com/forum/index.php?topic=71738.0)
Title: Re: May we ask how Mike is doing?
Post by: Schewe on October 26, 2012, 03:13:26 am
Just to be clear, I'm very happy that Mike has posted information (regardless of the content) about his status...Mike, we're all rooting for you bud! Keep us posted as it suits you.

Thanks...
Title: Re: May we ask how Mike is doing?
Post by: Lloyd Mayeda on October 26, 2012, 05:52:32 am
Just to be clear, I'm very happy that Mike has posted information (regardless of the content) about his status...Mike, we're all rooting for you bud! Keep us posted as it suits you.

Thanks...

A big +1 to what Jeff said!  Thanks also to Chris for keeping us in the loop.
Title: Re: May we ask how Mike is doing?
Post by: michael on October 26, 2012, 09:15:39 am
Just a few more weeks of chemo left. Seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.

Lots of fatigue, but it'll pass eventually.

Thanks all for your concerns.

Michael
Title: Re: May we ask how Mike is doing?
Post by: Sheldon N on October 26, 2012, 11:38:56 am
Thank you for the update Michael. Glad to hear that things are heading in a positive direction.
Title: Re: May we ask how Mike is doing?
Post by: sdwilsonsct on October 26, 2012, 12:42:47 pm
Hi Michael,

Your description of the treatments makes the seriousness and discomfort of your condition much more concrete. I am amazed and delighted by your positive attitude, and your continued shooting, writing, reviewing, etc. Inspirational.

Thank you very much for this site. The tutorials and forum have been enormously helpful.

Best wishes,

Scott
Title: Re: May we ask how Mike is doing?
Post by: ErikKaffehr on October 26, 2012, 04:01:04 pm
+1

Erik

Hi Michael,

Your description of the treatments makes the seriousness and discomfort of your condition much more concrete. I am amazed and delighted by your positive attitude, and your continued shooting, writing, reviewing, etc. Inspirational.

Thank you very much for this site. The tutorials and forum have been enormously helpful.

Best wishes,

Scott
Title: Re: May we ask how Mike is doing?
Post by: Mike Normandeau on October 26, 2012, 06:28:40 pm
+2
Title: Re: May we ask how Mike is doing?
Post by: Philip Weber on October 27, 2012, 04:57:05 pm
Dear Michael - Try to "see the process from the end." Rather than "I will be well" make it "I AM well!"

My best to you...
Phil
Title: Re: May we ask how Mike is doing?
Post by: David Hufford on October 28, 2012, 02:05:44 am
It's good to hear that things are progressing.  I wish Michael all the best.
Title: Re: May we ask how Mike is doing?
Post by: ErikKaffehr on October 28, 2012, 09:37:27 am
Hi Michael,

Thanks for sharing. Lots of people caring about you here on LuLa forums.

Best regards
Erik

Just a few more weeks of chemo left. Seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.

Lots of fatigue, but it'll pass eventually.

Thanks all for your concerns.

Michael

Title: Re: May we ask how Mike is doing?
Post by: mvsoske on October 28, 2012, 06:44:00 pm
Hi Michael,

Thanks for sharing. Lots of people caring about you here on LuLa forums.

Best regards
Erik


+1. Your passion has had a significant impact on many of us.

Mark
Title: Re: May we ask how Mike is doing?
Post by: SJ.Butel on November 11, 2012, 11:11:17 pm
Hope things are going well Micheal.  Its funny how much effect someone can have on your life in this day and age when you don't actually know them in person,
Wishing you all the best towards a speedy recovery.