Messages By: coloradozombie

I think that this credit care craze started in the 80's and has steadily gotten worse.  People have learned to supplement their income with credit cards.  They have learned that they do not need to save in order to have things.  They have items instantly with little plastic cards.  Paying on time.  I can tell you that I am guilty of this myself.

It is only of the last 2 years that my husband and I have buckled down and started paying off our debt slowly and surely and delaying gratification (yes, it is hard) to get where we need to be.  Luckily we realized in time that we needed to get in control of our spending.  And it was something that was silly that made us wake up.  We actually ate out alot.  On a whim one month I added up what we were spending each month eating out at restaurants.  Believe it or not it was 500-600 bucks a month!  We about passed out!!!  Imagine our surprise.  We are not big spenders and we aren't at the mall every weekend.  So I would bet we are a lot like most of you all.  It just creeps up on you.  It isn't like 3 big purchases and you are up to your ears.  It just is something that you turn around a couple of months and there it is too big to pay off and then starts to grow and then gets away from you.

It happened to us.  I would hate to tell you how much because it is rather embarrassing.  But two years ago we buckled down and started our plan.  Our big splurge was pizza on Friday night.  Take and bake pizza which is pretty inexpensive.  When we did go out maybe 1 every month or 2 it was a special treat.  Believe it or not... you actually get excited about it.    I think it makes it like it is supposed to be.  Our TV broke on the main level of our house.  Guess what?  We did not replace it.  We waited until we had the cash to buy a new one.  It took almost 9 months.  What did we do for Christmas?  Actually we did a "gag" Christmas.  We had a great time.  Something funny and revelant to that year.  My Father has cancer and it made it more special because you put more thought into the "present" and we all laughed and recalled that years events.  It was special. 

Guess what?  We paid off our truck 1 year early.  I made the last payment on our credit card on Friday.  Except for our home we are now debt free!  We worked hard.  If we can do it any one can do it.  We are the same as anyone else. 

You can do it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anyone know about this?

My Father was diagnoised with colon cancer in November of '05.  He had surgery to take our part of his colon and has undergone 3 different types of chemotherapy.  We are at the point now that it has metasized for the 2nd time to his liver, lung and adrenal gland.  Chemo now has been stopped.  He is 78 years old.  Very healthy otherwise.  Very active and vibrant besides the cancer.  But the cancer has taken its tole.  He has lost 60 lbs.  Chemo has made his face break out with terrible boil like sores that were terribly sore and itchy.  And some of the other terrible side effects that come with chemo.

He has endured it all with dignity and without complaint.  Probably more than I could have done.  I have been more than proud of him.  He isn't ready to go but who really is.  There is always things that you want to do in life.  But he has had a wonderful life.  I have been spending the last few weeks making his dreams come true.  He wanted to ride in a helicopter and I made it happen.  My parents celebrated their 48th wedding anniversary and they won't make 50 so I decided to do a faux 50 and got them remarried.  I thought it would be wonderful for them to share and great memories for my mother.

I guess what I am looking for is if anyone has been through this and what timeline looks like for this type of cancer.  And how to deal with it.  I feel like if I would slow down I would fall apart.  If I cried I would not stop.  I almost feel numb to what is to come at this point.  Logically I understand.  I get it.  But I feel as if I am living in a fog when it comes to this part of my life.  I am my Father's daughter.  We have always been super close.  I still feel like he is the big Dad and I am the little daughter with my tiny hand in his big Dad hand.  My sister and I came a little later in life for my parents so we are losing him earlier in our life than most people lose parents.  So, it feels life we are getting cheated but in a way we are luckier because they so wanted us and they probably did spend more time with us and appreciated us more.  They certainly doted on us. 

I am hoping for someone to maybe tell me what to expect.  I just am afraid.