Rocket Man's 2008 Bagged CC Silverado Build AKA "THE MACHINE"

[RAMurphy]

We will keep you in our thoughts and prayers Mark. One step at a time buddy.

 

[89Suburban]

It’s give IT hell, Tony! It’;s the big “C” but I’m winning. The fight has just started, keep me in your thoughts and prayers guys and gals. I don’t want to go into detail here but I’m not afraid or worried to say I’m fighting a pretty mean form of cancer. It scared the crap out of the doctors and so me too. I feel we caught it early and I am currently doing and feeling great both physically and mentally. Chemo has little to no side effect on me 2 weeks in and the first week is supposed to be the hardest. I’ve had one operation and hopefully that’s the last but there is no guarantee on anything. I figured I owed it to you guys an explanation as to why I haven’t come back like I said I would after my home improvement projects. This has kept me busy and all my focus is on beating this cfrap. I am putting all my effort into what I can do- exercise, eat better, be positive, go to my appointments. The truck is still at the body shop. My friend is fixing everything on the body and paint. Take care guys, I’ll be back here soon enough.

Sorry brother hoping the best for you. You are strong on determination and will. I respect you and wish you well with this.

 

[Fosscore]

Keep up the good fight Mark. We all be thinking about you!

 

[pwtr02ss]

My dad is battling cancer. It's been a tough year.

I hope the best for you buddy.

 

[Fless]

Mark, we're praying every day for your health and recovery. Thanks for taking the time and energy to post an update. You're much more than just a forum contributor (and a good one at that!) and although we've never met in person, I feel like you're a good friend and a straight shooter.

Take care of yourself -- top priority! And come back anytime with updates and words of wisdom.

 

[Tonyrodz]

I thought there might've been something going on. Unlike you to take such a long hiatus. I'll be praying for you Mark.
At least you don't have to worry about losing your hair lol.
You're in my thoughts and prayers my friend.
GIVE IT HELL!!!!!

 

[Big Mama]

“Take care guys, I’ll be back here soon enough.”

Were going to hold you to that!!

 

[Rocket Man]

She’s supposed to be done any day. Well… today actually but it looks like tomorrow at this point. My friend who owns the body shop where it’s being repaired rented me a Nissan Armada to get me by in the meantime. The Beast is down currently ( drivetrain issues again) so The Machine will be my daily for the near future. Luckily I’m retired now so I barely drive anywhere. He is actually painting the entire bed, as well as straightening out the rear fender wells where I rolled them and caused some minor wrinkling around the wheel wells, and also tasking care of any other minor scratches/ dings and painting/ blending where needed. For free. He feels bad because he’s had it so long. He is a one man shop and his wife died of cancer last year. His new office dude messed all his paperwork up and then quit on him. And to make things worse for him, he injured his neck and has been in pain for weeks and finally got an OK for an MRI from his insurance. But he is almost there., I stoppped in Saturday and he was there just to work on it. He also has to keep making money off the other insurance work in order to stay above water. I’ll get some pictures when I pick her up.

 

[Rocket Man]

I thought there might've been something going on. Unlike you to take such a long hiatus. I'll be praying for you Mark.
At least you don't have to worry about losing your hair lol.
You're in my thoughts and prayers my friend.
GIVE IT HELL!!!!!

What hair I had…I still have after round 3 of chemo. It’s not falling out. Nor am I feeling ill at all. 100% of my energy, no nausea, nothing adverse except a tiny bit of tinnitus that is hopefully temporary. I wouldn’t mind losing my chest hair, etc. but that doesn’t look like it’s happening, I read that if it hasn’t happened by now, it probably wont. Every round of chemo, I can feel a tiny bit of uneasiness right after the 3 days of infusions but then nothing for the next 2 weeks. Then the cycle starts over. I’ve been walking 4 miles a day now- 2 miles at 6:30 AM in the dark and freezing, then a mile at noon and a mile after dinner. I’ve honestly never felt better in my life, and I’m on a hard-core chemo regimen of Cisplatin plus Etopisode so I must be doing something right! I am definitely eating right. I bought a complete new kitchen suite with a new induction range with built-in air fryer and I have discovered cooking healthy. Most of my groceries were in boxes before, now there might be one box( brownies) in the whole cart otherwise it’s all made from scratch including sauces etc. And I splurged on a 98” Samsung TV as well as a new Denon 13.2 surround system with 6 Klipsch Dolby Atmos tower speakers that fire the second set on each up and off the ceiling without having to run wires into the actual ceiling. The Denon is the flagship model that’s still made in Japan, in a plant where that’s the only thing they make. It’s nice. A new Fluent turntable rounds it out. I figured if not now, then when? The TV upgrade is super nice too. Man it was a bear to hang, and it’s 1/8” out of level but it will have too stay that way for now. And if you notice a dent in the side of the new fridge freezer door- that is being handled by Best Buy. They have now sent no less that 4 new refrigerators to my house besides the original. and every one had the same defect so they are now ordering doors until they find one that isn’t fu*ked up.

 

[Fosscore]

Glad to hear Mark your new path forward and doing so well. Food, exercise, new top shelf appliances and some killer AV equipment.

Always liked the Denon AVRs and anything wireless makes it so much easier.

All things considered you sound great in your writing. Love the PMA man!!

Keep up the awesome work!