The end of my playing days.

[trevor]

Agreed, keep positive and remeber all those wishing you the very best.

[Drew Egerton]

Ivan,

I always appreciate your input here over the years.
I wish the best for you and your family. Just remember if you need a cheer up from a friend you have quite a few here!

[bigskygirl]

Hi Ivan, we don’t know each other but I’ve been thinking about you today, let us know how things are going when you can.

[Ivan Kelsall]

Hi all - On Monday,i had 3.25 litres of fluid drained from around my right lung - twice what they thought i had. The procedure was ok,but the afterpain was off the scale. I now have to wait until Feb 25th for the results. Until then i just need to get rid of the pain of the entry wound in my rib cage,& make sure that my right lung re-inflates properly,
Ivan

[John Kelly]

Ivan, words do not always work when we try to express what we feel, but you are in my thoughts right now. I haven't been so active here on the forums since my wife's very sudden and totally unexpected death in November, and have just read this thread. Music has been one of my mainstays since, and I would agree with all the others who are saying to you to keep with it as much as you can. Dum spiro, spero.
Hang in there.

[G7MOF]

Ivan, I've been there with a cancer scare, and believe me carrying on with little change to your life is very difficult.
One thing I did find was to keep in touch with people who really matter, and hopefully we (The Café) are some of those people.
This is a most uncertain time, but our thoughts are with you.
Peter.

[Ivan Kelsall]

Hi Peter - Yes,the understanding that you might have dose of the 'BIG C',does rob one of normal thought processes. It's hard to keep rational thoughts on track at times. Right now i'm wrestling with the problem of trying to get a label printed for the box of mandolins i'm sending down to TAMCO on Friday. Apparently DX require a printed label - not a hand written one. I'm hoping that the friend who built my PC for me can help out.

If all turns out ok,i'll buy myself a Parlour sized guitar & dig into fingerstyle Blues guitar,something i've always loved. My mandolin playing,as much as i loved it,was getting bogged down in the same way that my banjo playing did = playing on my own,for myself = not much funat times. I can still listen though,& if my banjo doesn't sell,i might 'get back on the hoss'.

John - My belated & most sincere condolences on the tragic loss of your wife. There's no more bitter pill to swallow than the loss of a loved one.

The guys & gals on here are totally AWESOME !! - but i (we) always knew that didn't we ?
Regards to all - Ivan

[trevor]

Hi Ivan,

It sounds as though it went OK, that's good news. Could you please email me a phone number.

Thanks.

[Mark Gunter]

Ivan, glad to hear all went well with the drainage procedure, hoping the pain subsides soon and the lung gets good and strong over time. Hoping for a good report on the biopsy results.

Also, best of luck with the consignment sales! A parlour guitar and fingerstyle blues sounds like an excellent thing to do going forward. I bought an inexpensive 000 recently and have been enjoying it tremendously. Also, recently selling all my instruments except for one each inexpensive guitar, mandolin and uke has helped me toward achieving a more financially independent and clutter free lifestyle. I applaud anyone who decisively does what needs to be done to face life's challenges - including finding the time to make music. Thanks for keeping us updated, Ivan. All the best to you and your loved ones.

[lukmanohnz]

Just saw this thread - I am sending positive energy your way, Ivan, along with everyone else here on the cafe, wishing you safe passage through this dark tunnel to a brighter shore ahead. Stay strong and please keep us posted.

[LadysSolo]

Ivan, as one who worked (and still does) in the medical field for many years, if the chest tube is still in, it hurts coming out too, but for much less time. As your lung re-expands, your breathing should get much easier. I am hoping and praying that the results are no cancer. Thinking about you every day, and wishing you all the best.

[Josh Levine]

Pullin for ya Ivan!

[Ivan Kelsall]

Hi all - The real pain from the draining op.came for the nerve endings in my right shoulder. The tube went through my rib cage high up on the right side & it did inflame the nerves. Nerve pain as you might know is as bad as it gets - it'll get better over time,
Ivan

PS - 3.25 Litres = 0.86 gallons ????????

[Tavy]

Hi all - The real pain from the draining op.came for the nerve endings in my right shoulder. The tube went through my rib cage high up on the right side & it did inflame the nerves. Nerve pain as you might know is as bad as it gets - it'll get better over time,
Ivan

PS - 3.25 Litres = 0.86 gallons ????????

That's a heck of a lot of fluid!

And yes those drains are pretty unpleasant going in - coming out, at least when I had it done, was nothing short of miraculous though, mind you, I suspect they dosed me up with something mighty powerful 'cos I floated all the way down to X-Ray

Wishing you the best, John.

[HonketyHank]

Hi Ivan. I'm just checking in to let you know I'm thinking about you. Here's to a smooth road to recovery.

[Pete Braccio]

I am so sorry to hear this, Ivan. My thoughts and prayers go out to you.

Have you talked to your doc about Lyrica (Pregabalin) for the never pain?

Pete

[Skip Kelley]

Ivan, you are in my prayers.

[ollaimh]

so sorry for your suffering. i'll put int a prayer. hope you recover

[CarlM]

Hopefully this song is not out of place or inappropriate for you. You are among good company with Sam in this. All the best to you and hopefully it works out for you. Nothing is easy.

[Ivan Kelsall]

All mandolins now gone down to TAMCO UK. Only my banjo & Tokai Elec. guitar & Roland amp. now to sell. Right now,i've no inclination even to listen to music of any sort,let alone play,
Ivan

[dang]

Hang in there Ivan, the rough parts can sure get to a person... We’re all hoping for you!

[Bill Clements]

Ivan, I hope that family and friends, like so many of us here, bring you strength and reassurance that you can prevail. Have hope. Take one day at a time.

[Markus]

It's been a long time since I visited here regularly, but you are one of the personalities who I remember best.

The mandolin world is pulling for you.

[David Rambo]

You have been in my thoughts and prayers ever since I saw your post. Dr.'s predictions aren't always correct, so don't despair. We're all pulling for your complete recovery.

[atetone]

Ivan,,, as a person who has been through all of the treatments for Stage 3B cancer which was discovered just about too late for treatment I feel for your angush at this difficult time.
All is not lost though.
In my case after some surgeries and months of copious chemo and the legal lifetime limit of radiation I am still alive and kicking after 8 years.
Not feeling too bad either, all things considered.
It really wasn't as bad as you might think.
It is perfectly doable.

The darkest days will pass once a plan is in place.
The feelings of fear and despair get replaced by concentration on the job at hand which is to make the treatment regimen your new job.
Once you get to that stage then it gets mentally easier.
I just noticed that you have not yet been diagnosed as definately having cancer which is a great thing but I know that the mental anguish of waiting is all consuming.
It gets easier.

Keep your chin up!