Although I have loved being part of Stamporama for the past two years, recent physical events have rendered me almost useless.
I just got home from a 10-day visit to the hospital, where they did a lots of tests, some yucky procedures, and made a tentative diagnosis of ovarian cancer.
As a result, I won't be able to pay your invoices, nor can I send our your won lots from the auction. Please consider all auctions won or lost to be null and void ....sorry!
I've made some good friends on here, and will miss knowing more about your lives.
I don't have the strength to mail each one of you, so please spread the word.
Know that God gives his hardest tasks to his strongest warriors.Apparently there is something yet for you to learn/do/teach. It will reveal itself. Be and stay strong Marilyn.
Blessings,
Dan C.
My warmest thoughts and prayers are with you. Stay strong my friend and please let us know how you are doing from time to time.
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"Appreciate the beauty of nature. You never know when life will deal you an unplanned twist of fate. Enjoy things while you can, because you just never know."
So sorry to hear about the problems you're experiencing. I have always enjoyed our pleasant exchanges. You have always been so positive and cheerful. STAY STRONG. Wishing you all the best and a speedy recovery.
Oh Marilyn I am so sorry to hear that you're dealing with all of this. If there is anything I can do to help, don't hesitate to let me know. You're in my thoughts.
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"Just one more small collection, hun, really! LoL "
Marilyn, my heart is breaking right now--we go WAY back well before SOR with probably 1000s of trades over what is maybe 20 years. Please be assured of my prayers for you and your husband. Please do keep us posted as you are able.
I'm mostly just a wise-acre here, but you triggered the memory of my mother who I lost 20 years ago this past Thanksgiving. I shed a tear for her when I read your news, and said a prayer for you. Your SoR family will be pulling for you as you know. Peace and blessings upon you in this trying time.
So many others before me on here have said it better, so let me just offer my thoughts and prayers for your health, and for strength for you and your family at this difficult time.
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"You gotta put down the duckie if you wanna play the saxophone. (Hoots the Owl -- Sesame Street)"
Thank you for letting us know of your health concerns. Please check back here, when you feel strong enough just to say "Hi"
I consider you a friend, Marilyn, and my thoughts and prayers are with you.
Gro
I am humbled by the great responses to my announcement. God bless all you caring people!
Each day I'm getting a little stronger, regaining a little appetite. Today I saw my primary physician, who is scheduling appointments for me with chest xrays (to check on the fluid levels around my lungs), a biopsy of the mass in my belly, and appointments with the local GYN oncologists.
Still haven't gotten to stamps, and I may not have the energy to do so. I have been a pack rat, for those plus some other hobbies, so my daughters are helping me to reduce some of the mass/mess. We took a couple hundred books to the local library's book sale this morning, and I hope to keep cutting down on the 'stuff' I have lying around.
"... Each day I'm getting a little stronger, regaining a little appetite ..."
Not an easy thing to do.
Decades ago, there was a staff meeting at a major hospital that, among other things, reviewed the results of turning-over the guests & visitors cafeteria in the lobby to one of the burger franchises.
Of course, one result was turning a money-loser into a money-maker.
But the cardiologists demanded that the board explain what they were doing selling burgers'n'fries to people in the lobby, while, up on their floor, they were busy treating people who suffered the ill effects of a burgers'n'fries diet. We're saving our patients at the same time that you are killing their visitors!
But then the oncologists stood up, and explained that one of their biggest treatment issues was getting their patients to eat. Anything. Period. Those greasy, salty french fries were saving lives in the cancer ward, because at least they were something that the patients would eat & keep down!
Moral of the story? Junk food, Marilyn, junk food. Rinse, repeat, and repent next year.
Wishing you a speedy & complete recovery,
/s/ ikeyPikey
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"I collect stamps today precisely the way I collected stamps when I was ten years old."
So sorry to read about what you're going through, but happy that you posted some updates for your fellow stampers!
I have enjoyed our stamp sales and purchases and was always impressed with the quality and variety you offered in your auctions.
I will say prayers for you and your family.
Sincerely,
Jeremy Borouchoff
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bobgggg President Cortlandt Stamp Club 30 Jun 2016 05:20:06pm
re: Closed Album: Marilyn Noll (SeawayMa)
Marilyn... four years ago the doctors gave me six months to live... I am now cancer free going on three years.. I beat it...so can you...you will be in my prayers
Marilyn just sent me an email with an update, so here it is:
"Had my first 5-hour Chemo today. It actually took almost 8 hours, since they ran each new drug very slowly, to make sure I had no allergic reaction. I’m home, and go back tomorrow for an injection for something else. The Benadryl and Xanax in one drug make me sleepy, which will be a help,, since I haven’t been sleeping too long or deeply lately. Also, a run to re-hydrate me....a real fruit cocktail of drugs, one after another.
Now I have a 3-week rest, then we do it again, for a total of six times, ending just before Christmas."
Marilyn, my wife Penny just completed her 5th chemotherapy session, one more to go before surgery. She has breast cancer. When it was first diagnosed we were shaken to the core, but as we go through the process of treatment we have learned that many advances have been implemented in the treatment of cancer the last few years, especially chemotherapy, where specific chemicals are used depending on the type of cancer.
If you are being treated there is hope!
And if you are like most people taking chemo, food will taste terrible. My wife swears by chicken soup and ginger ale. Also, during chemo, oncologists will tell you to eat whatever you can, even if it is cheese cake or something sweet.
During the times when you are not too tired, do what you love. For Penny that is sewing. Helps her relax and get her mind off her discomfort. Her oncologist said it is important for people to continue with their passions, but of course that all depends on how much energy you have.
A Service Dog gives a person with a disability independence. Never approach, distract or pet a working dog, especially when (s)he is in harness. Never be afraid to ask questions to the handler (parent). 01 Jul 2016 03:00:54am
re: Closed Album: Marilyn Noll (SeawayMa)
I battled Breast Cancer for 3 years recently as most of you know. The cocktails are hard on the system. I started to finally be able to handle chocolate protein drinks.
My first surgery they came through with clear margins but 3 months later I developed a rapid growth kind but I was too sick for them to operate. I had to wait a long 7 months before they could go in. They thought it was just my left breast because nothing showed on mammograms or ultrasounds on my right side. When they did the second surgery, they had to go down to the muscle sheath and discovered the right side was a ticking bomb - 95% full of grade 0 stage 1. Thank God they had to go that deep. Last year I had to have my 3rd surgery. The lump had wrapped around the bone so they ended up taking part of the bone and muscle and thank God, it was benign. It's a long recovery - still have a long way to go.
For everyone who has battled this beast in the past or present, always remember you are a WARRIOR.
I am now at the stage of psychological recovery now as well as physical. I imagine this differs for everyone but for all who are battling this beast or have loved ones who are - please remember that you are strong and don't ever give up even when you are sick from the treatments. It's hard but find that inner strength. I also found a Facebook support group that has been my lifeline for the past 3 years.
Remember, you are never alone.
â¤â¤â¤â¤
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"Let's find a cure for Still's Disease, Breast Cancer and Canine Addison's Disease. We CAN find a cure and save lives!!"
I received the following sad news in an email today from Marilyn's daughter Cindy regarding Marilyn:
"Hello there,
I don’t know if my sister or my father has been in touch with your group in the last 3 weeks….
Marilyn passed away on Thursday, July 7th in the evening.
I was so happy to come across all of the wonderful thoughts your stampers sent to her. She LOVED stamp collecting and had been doing it since she could read, I think.
If you find it necessary to let your subscribers know, you may give them this sad news.
In March, when my dad passed, she reached out to me and we began a very sweet and friendly correspondence. One day she said:
"Hi, Ernie.
How are you doing? I hope the good memories you have of your Dad are making more of an impression on you and your family these past few days.
When my son died, family from around the country visited or e-mailed... One evening we sat down and looked at slides that had been taken over the years by my brother. That started a lot of stories, and was a very close, warm time.
Later on, after some time had passed, we did the same thing in another setting, and even more stories showed up. We tried to focus on all the good memories we had, rather than the sadness we felt that he was no longer with us.
Don't know if that helps, but it might be worth a try, with your family.
Marilyn :-)"
She wrote, "don't know if this helps" but it absolutely did. When I mentioned a wedding anniversary she reached out and wished me well. Never met her in person but she sent me some cheer and I really appreciated it. I know I'm not alone because people like SeawayMa spread kindness wherever they go. This club just lost a good one. Rest in peace Marilyn
Marilyn will be missed. My prayers and warmest wishes to her family at this time.
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"Appreciate the beauty of nature. You never know when life will deal you an unplanned twist of fate. Enjoy things while you can, because you just never know."
It is often that we get to know others through our online interactions, but we never really get to learn more about them until we see their names show up in the titles of posts such as this.
Here is Marilyn's obituary for those who are interested:
OMG - What a shock it was to me to hear of Marilyn's passing. She was such a wonderful, kind person and I for one shared many stories and aspects of her life over the years she was a member of Stamporama. She picked me up many a time with her whit and wisdom when I was dealing with issues in my life.
Rest in peace my dear friend. Sending my condolences to her husband, family & friends.
Marilyn was an inspiration to so many of us here. I considered her a friend. She was a ray of sunshine. She has been missed.
Condolences to all her family and friends.
Gro
O my I am without words Just shocking...It just seems like just a month or two ago that we were exchanging stamps and words about our families....So sad to hear this....Rest in peace my friend....
I had wondered how Marilyn was doing, but this very sad news confirms my worst fears--that they caught the cancer too late.
Marilyn and I went back at least a decade if not more. She had posted a trading ad in Linn's and that was the beginning of a long friendship. She loved Stamporama, both from being able to acquire stamps for her collection and for the friends she met here.
This is such sad news. Marilyn was so much fun, so cheerful and upbeat about the hobby and life in general. Hearing that her albums are closed forever is tearful news. She will be greatly missed.
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"Just one more small collection, hun, really! LoL "
I never had the opportunity to meet or interact with Marilyn, but I can tell from the previous posts that it was my misfortune. She sounds like a wonderful person, may she rest in peace.
A Service Dog gives a person with a disability independence. Never approach, distract or pet a working dog, especially when (s)he is in harness. Never be afraid to ask questions to the handler (parent). 04 Aug 2016 10:34:08pm
re: Closed Album: Marilyn Noll (SeawayMa)
May she rest in peace. She was a wonderful lady. One of the hardest things about ovarian cancer is that it's very often only discovered in the last stage. I know too many ladies who have had this happen.
Marilyn and I talked after she was diagnosed and I'm honoured to have been her friend.
She will be missed by so many of us.
🌹â¤ðŸŒ¹â¤
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"Let's find a cure for Still's Disease, Breast Cancer and Canine Addison's Disease. We CAN find a cure and save lives!!"