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Alaundo
Head Moderator
United Kingdom
5695 Posts |
 Posted - 02 Apr 2006 : 09:50:42
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Well met
I received the following this morn from KnightErrantJR, who asked me to post this herein...
quote:
Hello fellow scribes. I miss all of you, and am looking forward to getting a chance to talk to you all again soon. I have missed you all greatly. In the meantime, though, I have a favor to ask you all.
My friend, one of the members of my gaming group has a problem. If any of you are familiar with my campaign journal, you will recognize this friend as the player of Grim Greycastle, the druid/rogue of Mielikki from Eveningstar that has been dodging the People of the Black Blood.
But on Friday March 31st, 2006, Tanis was diagnosed with leukemia. As my friend put it, this is a parent's worst nightmare. All I am asking is that all of you that are inclinded to do so would take a moment to say a prayer for Tanis and his family. If nothing else, wish good thoughts and hope for the best.
No child should have to deal with something like this, and no parent should have to wonder what they can do to help their child. For anyone that is so inclined to do so, and that has the means to do so, I have put a few links to various charities in this message, so if you are moved to give, I hope that you will do so. I will admit that I am biased in my desire to fight lymphatic cancers, since my sister died of complications relating to her Hodgkin Lymphoma in her thirties.
Thank you all for your time, your well wishes, and your support. I look forward to seeing you again soon.
http://www.lrf.org.uk/en/1/dislymhome.html
http://www.leukemia-lymphoma.org/
http://www.ronaldmcdonaldhouseboston.org/
http://www.cmn.org/
KnightErrantJR
I have passed on my best wishes and thoughts to the family on this sad news and to hold out all hope at fighting this.
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Alaundo
Candlekeep Forums Head Moderator
Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
http://www.candlekeep.com -- Candlekeep Forum Code of Conduct
An Introduction to Candlekeep - by Ed Greenwood
The Candlekeep Compendium - Tomes of Realmslore penned by Scribes of Candlekeep
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31726 Posts |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36797 Posts |
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Kes_Alanadel
Learned Scribe
USA
326 Posts |
Posted - 02 Apr 2006 : 18:08:31
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Best wishes to all- Tanis, his family, and to yours as well KEJR- may the Many above shine their healing and protective light on all.
~Kes |
Ack! I seem to have too much blood in my coffee stream!
When did 'common sense' cease to be common? |
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khorne
Master of Realmslore
Finland
1073 Posts |
Posted - 03 Apr 2006 : 11:33:58
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| Good luck to ye, Tanis. Ye go an`give that wee leukemia a good an`proper beating, ye hear me! |
If I were a ranger, I would pick NDA for my favorite enemy |
Edited by - khorne on 03 Apr 2006 11:34:39 |
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Jindael
Senior Scribe
USA
357 Posts |
Posted - 03 Apr 2006 : 15:54:51
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That is horrible. Any parent must be shaken to their core learning this, and any child should never have to deal with it.
My best wishes, Tanis. And I echo Khorne's sentiment: give that leukemia a proper thrashing and let it know that it picked the wrong place to try.
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"You don't have a Soul. You are a Soul. You have a body."
-- C.S. Lewis |
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warlockco
Master of Realmslore
USA
1695 Posts |
Posted - 04 Apr 2006 : 02:50:02
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Need to have faith and things will pull through.
One of the ladies I work with was diagnosted with Leukemia a few years ago, and now is able to enjoy things like before.
Medicine has advanced enough that though things will be hard and difficult, the little guy should be able to pull throught.
My prayers will go out to the little guy. |
News of the Weird
D20 System Reference Document
D20 Modern System Reference Document
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Lucius
Seeker
98 Posts |
Posted - 05 Apr 2006 : 13:35:57
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| Likewise. No matter whom it concerns, it's a terrible situtation to be in. Espcecially for a child. Tanis will be in my thoughts. |
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ShadowJack
Senior Scribe
USA
350 Posts |
Posted - 05 Apr 2006 : 17:09:22
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| My thoughts and prayers are with Tanis and family. If only things were as simple as a Cure Disease spell... |
ShadowJack |
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Kajehase
Great Reader
Sweden
2104 Posts |
Posted - 05 Apr 2006 : 17:18:21
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Well the good news, (well, okay - the slightly brighter than pitch dark news) is that unless things have changed since my brother was diagnosed with leukemia at age 2 years old, children can take a much tougher medical treatment than adults.
And the mortality rate has sunk drastically in recent years - when my brother was diagnosed in 1989, 6 out of 10 patients died, when he was finally declared cured about 6 or 7 years later it was down to 3 out of 10. (Those numbers are for Sweden of course, no idea what it's like in the rest of the world). |
There is a rumour going around that I have found god. I think is unlikely because I have enough difficulty finding my keys, and there is empirical evidence that they exist.
Terry Pratchett |
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scererar
Master of Realmslore
USA
1618 Posts |
Posted - 06 Apr 2006 : 03:18:45
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| The Carpenter family's prayers are with you, the child, and the child's family |
Edited by - scererar on 06 Apr 2006 03:19:46 |
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KnightErrantJR
Great Reader
USA
5402 Posts |
Posted - 16 Apr 2006 : 05:30:12
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First off, let me thank Alaundo for posting this for me while I was away. I really appreciate it. Also, let me thank everyone that posted on this topic, and to all of you that I am sure also wish the best for my friend and his family. I really appreciate it, and I am sure my friend does as well.
A bit of an update. Apparently Tanis has been diagnosed with the form of leukemia that has the highest survivor rate, and they do seem to have caught his disease at an fairly early stage, so everything looks like it should be quite fortuitous. Tanis has had his bone marrow taken out to have it treated, so he is currently inside a sterile tent, with no immune system to speak of, but his blood and marrow are showing excellent progress.
Thanks again everyone. |
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31726 Posts |
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Reefy
Senior Scribe
United Kingdom
892 Posts |
Posted - 17 Apr 2006 : 00:16:35
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| That is a bit of a relief I suppose. My best to all concerned. |
Life is either daring adventure or nothing. |
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KnightErrantJR
Great Reader
USA
5402 Posts |
Posted - 04 May 2007 : 02:28:23
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As far as updates go, everything has been going fine on this front, but I wanted to post this message that Darkmeer had me post at Paizo as well. He was very impressed with Make a Wish people and with the Give Kids the World Village in Orlando:
Hello all . . . I'm posting by proxy for Darkmeer, who currently doesn't have internet access due to the trip that he and his family are on. He wants me to relate that is son is having a wonderful time, and that he is absolutely amazed at the "Give Kids the World" Village in Orlando.
He was really very impressed with attention that the children get that are staying there, and he also heard while he was there that Lay's is matching dollar for dollar donations to the Make a Wish Foundation, and he wanted me to post this so that they could get the maximum number of donations that they could before this drive is over.
You can find the details at Lay's site, right here:
http://www.lays.com/ |
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sleyvas
Skilled Spell Strategist
USA
11808 Posts |
Posted - 04 May 2007 : 13:58:51
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| I don't know why this is affecting me so much, but it is. I've never had any kids, and I've always told my wife if I ever had a son I wanted to name him Tanis (she put her foot down when I said if I had a daughter I wanted to name her Lauralanthalasa <g>). I have a step-son I've raised for the last 6 years, and I love him, but its not the same. Darkmeer, I do truly hope your son lives a long and healthy life, and hopefully the prayers I just said (which probably surprised the man upstairs since I haven't spoken to him in a while) help out. |
Alavairthae, may your skill prevail
Phillip aka Sleyvas |
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lokilokust
Seeker
USA
61 Posts |
Posted - 04 May 2007 : 15:59:09
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damn...
best wishes to your friends, knight. |
yrs. in exile,
-s.j. bagley |
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EytanBernstein
Forgotten Realms Designer
USA
704 Posts |
Posted - 04 May 2007 : 18:33:16
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| Best wishes on a speedy and complete recovery. |
http://eytanbernstein.com - the official website of Eytan Bernstein |
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Rinonalyrna Fathomlin
Great Reader
USA
7106 Posts |
Posted - 06 May 2007 : 23:05:24
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| Ditto. I guess I missed this news last year--best wishes from RF. |
"Instead of asking why we sleep, it might make sense to ask why we wake. Perchance we live to dream. From that perspective, the sea of troubles we navigate in the workaday world might be the price we pay for admission to another night in the world of dreams."
--Richard Greene (letter to Time) |
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Victor_ograygor
Master of Realmslore
Denmark
1073 Posts |
Posted - 06 May 2007 : 23:37:27
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I am really sorry to hear the bad news. I work as a child caretaker and it’s always hard to hear when children become sick. I have experienced children with this disease and its hard fore both the parents and the other children who know the child.
I really hope fore a complete recovery
Best wishes from Denmark
Vic.
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Victor Ograygor The Assassin and Candel keeps cellar master
Everything I need to know about life I learned from killing smart people.
Links related to Forgotten Realms
http://forum.candlekeep.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=9571
Adventuring / Mercenary Companies / Orders / The chosen from official sources
http://forum.candlekeep.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=11047
Priests in Forgotten Realms.
http://forum.candlekeep.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=9609&whichpage=1 |
Edited by - Victor_ograygor on 06 May 2007 23:38:09 |
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KnightErrantJR
Great Reader
USA
5402 Posts |
Posted - 07 May 2007 : 01:07:40
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Well, thankfully, he has been doing really well, especially the last few weeks. I'm sure Darkmeer can fill you in better than I can at this point. Last year he was so overwhealmed that he wasn't much of a presense online, and as such, I had Alaundo post this why I was away. The main thing I wanted to do posting to this thread a few days ago was the Lay's site matching donations to the Make a Wish foundation, because Darkmeer was so impressed with how they were providing for the children there at the Give Kids the World Village.
At any rate, he is enjoying Disney with his family right now, and last I heard from him, they were having a ball. Thanks for all the well wishes, and if you are moved to donate to the Make a Wish Foundation, its a great cause. I'm sure Darkmeer will have more when he comes back. |
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Darkmeer
Senior Scribe
USA
505 Posts |
Posted - 09 May 2007 : 07:28:56
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Thanks KEJR. This is a double post from Paizo, but not everyone goes there, so I want to make sure that everyone who is following my son get's the chance. Usually, I avoid his real name, but since everyone here already knows, Tanis had a blast.
So, I've been home about 2 hours now... And I want to spread some good words.
This is the story of how Darkmeer the Dark got at least a tiny portion of his faith in humanity back.
And it's about children being treated like CHILDREN.
I have been to the edge of the abyss, looked into its depths, and found it staring back at me. I have gazed upon the fear in my heart, the loathing, and the anger. I have dealt with it all, having been pushed down and pushed around for most of my life.
Here, all were lifted up. ALL were treated like people. And, most importantly, ALL WANTED TO BE THERE. Further: Please and Thank You held true meaning. That's all you can say.
This place is more special than anywhere I've been in the continental United States of America. It is founded upon someone who had been through a deeper abyss than I will ever have to (I hope). The founder went through the holocaust and lost a deep part of his family (parents and other relatives).
And yet, he created this special place. This place is beyond anything I can possibly describe. I cannot do it justice, and most will never know its depths of meaning to the families that go there. Most never know that this place, if only for a short time, removed that fear of the abyss, the anger at the world, and the hatred that burns so brightly at times.
Here, in this magical place, children are just that CHILDREN. Why bold? Because this place takes the children who aren't well. Some of them will never know what it's like to be normal. Some of them will never be treated like a human being ever again in there entire life. Some of these children go home to DIE.
But, for one small amount of magical time, they are not PATIENTS, they are not DEFORMED, they are not MISTREATED by their peers, they are given the most special gift of all. Being human, and being treated that way.
What I saw there, beyond anything else, brings tears to my eyes thinking about it. I saw children, who I am pretty sure will be going home to cease living, hooked to their chemotherapy riding rides in a train. Some of these children were in motorized wheelchairs, but the train lifted them to it's heights, and brought them wherever they needed to go. I saw children, deformed from birth or otherwise, able to walk around with their heads high knowing that everyone there cared that they were HAPPY. But most importantly is the fact that I saw them SMILE. They were happy, they were empowered. Nevermind the rest of the world for a moment. These kids were given that which most of us will never know or truly appreciate... a true chance to be treated like they are the special ones. And they are.
There was no shock at seeing a wheelchair, there was no shock at seeing a child with x deformity, or x implanted surcially into their bodies. It did not matter.
They got to have Christmas with snow, they got to ride horses, they got to eat as much Ice Cream as they wanted. They got to swim, they got to know which star is theirs to wish upon, and where, in the Castle of Miracles, that star lies. There are about 80,000 stars in the Castle of Miracles.
These stars are wished upon when they get home, to get better, to make the pain stop, to make the other children stop picking on them because they are not "normal." They are part of the hope in these children's eyes
Truly, we are winning our battle. I know some of the families at Give Kids the World Village aren't able to leave the Village. They have set up as much as they possibly can, with private 2-bedroom "villas" for families to use for the durations of their stays. They have set up an amusment park, named after a wish child (Amberville), they have an Ice Cream Shop that opens in the morning (Ice cream for breakfast), they have swimming pools, a fishing area, a place to eat normal (a la carte) style meals, and there is the Castle of Miracles. They really have done something truly, truly wonderful for the children.
GKTW is beyond anything I can describe in the happiness that it brings the families there, nor in the memories that will last a lifetime. Surely, I will see MY abyss again, but I will be armed with a faith of humanity and what we are truly capable of to fight my abyss with.
They rely on volunteers (3600-give or take), and a very small staff (126-ish). I hope that one day, I will be able to take Tanis, my wife, and our youngest, Landon, with me, and we shall all volunteer and return the favor to the other families going through their hells and making life better and happier for them, if only for a moment in time.
I am sad to have left, and for me to remember what I do, and know what I do now brings me to tears. What KEJR did not put in his post was that my voice was shaking when I called him. Not the same shaking that I had when I typed my email to everyone I knew when Grey was diagnosed with Leukemia, but a shaking... stammering... complete loss for words.
This was the most amazing trip I have ever been on in my life, and Grey will remember it all of his life I hope. He won't remember everything we did, but he'll remember Christmas on Thursday, the Mayor's Birthday party, and all the other things we did at GKTW. Further from that is all the amusement parks we saw (Disney, Sea World, and Universal Studios). This was a very, very special trip.
I'm still at a loss for words, as this post is meager to the true expression of my feelings towards the trip. I don't know that 1 million or more pages would cover it either. Not a single word I am aware of can possibly describe this.
The closest I can come: Awestruck. And that is at least 1 million times too soft a word.
Good night, Good morning,
Darkmeer the Dark
Mod edit: Fixed the coding on the link. 
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"These people are my family, not just friends, and if you want to get to them you gotta go through ME." |
Edited by - Wooly Rupert on 09 May 2007 11:09:34 |
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Kiaransalyn
Senior Scribe
United Kingdom
762 Posts |
Posted - 09 May 2007 : 11:28:00
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I'm sorry for replying late to this thread. The last few weeks have been busy for me as I've been relocating from The Netherlands to Southern Germany so today was the first time I've read this particular scroll.
I just wanted to let you know that Tanis has my family's prayers and good wishes.
Blessed Be. |
Death is Life
Love is Hate
Revenge is Forgiveness
Ken: You from the States?
Jimmy: Yeah. But don't hold it against me.
Ken: I'll try not to... Just try not to say anything too loud or crass. |
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Cyric-The-Insane
Seeker
65 Posts |
Posted - 13 May 2007 : 14:17:28
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Bump.
I will keep him in whatever prayers I can. (Not very religious myself).
I wish him the best. |
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Darkmeer
Senior Scribe
USA
505 Posts |
Posted - 14 May 2007 : 01:00:14
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All--Thanks
One thing I've noticed, primarily about the gaming community as a whole, is that there is a huge outcry of support (even if only words). So much happens in the world, and everywhere you go you only see the worst. Rapes, Murders, Suicides, among other things. Thanks everyone for the kind words, I merely wished to show what we are capable of... Not what the world would have us believe.
I'm still in shock over what we did there. I still don't know what to think, other than I want to move to Florida just so that I can volunteer there. I don't really care so much what I do, just that I get the chance to put smiles on the families who have gone through so much, and to know that the little amount of time that they get is truly appreciated and will be remembered a lifetime.
/d |
"These people are my family, not just friends, and if you want to get to them you gotta go through ME." |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36797 Posts |
Posted - 14 May 2007 : 02:17:04
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quote:
Originally posted by Darkmeer
I want to move to Florida just so that I can volunteer there.
Take it from some who has lived in Florida since 1987: You don't want to move to Florida!  |
Candlekeep Forums Moderator
Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
http://www.candlekeep.com -- Candlekeep Forum Code of Conduct
I am the Giant Space Hamster of Ill Omen! |
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Darkmeer
Senior Scribe
USA
505 Posts |
Posted - 13 Jun 2009 : 05:55:30
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A little thread necromancy (for those that don't go to Paizo to see the original):
Day 1169.
The bacterial growth from last week didn't show up anymore badness, so we got out of the hospital on Saturday (yay!). So, Tanis got to play back to back baseball games (yesterday and today). He even had a 11-person cheering squad (thanks all that made it out). All of this adds up, and helps to make this an even better update because:
The game has been won.
We've been actively working towards this goal for 1169 days, 9 hours, 35 minutes, and 8 seconds. I can't believe we're here finally.
Our exact duration (thanks very much timeanddate.com for existing, and yes, this is exact as I had it going as I gave Grey his final dose of medications)
From and including: Friday, March 31, 2006 at 1:29:42 PM
To, but not including : Friday, June 12, 2009 at 11:04:50 PM
The duration is 1169 days, 9 hours, 35 minutes and 8 seconds
Or 3 years, 2 months, 12 days, 9 hours, 35 minutes, 8 seconds
1169 days, 9 hours, 35 minutes and 8 seconds can be converted to one of these units:
101,036,108 seconds
1,683,935 minutes (rounded down)
28,065 hours (rounded down)
167 weeks
Don't get me wrong, therapy may be done, but Grey is still going to be on meds for pneumonia while his immune system heals itself, as well as having to remove the mediport. Outside of those things, there is somthing more important than all of that. Tanis... gets to be a real boy. That's something he lost 3 years ago, and he gets that back now. Let's make it count and not have any more hospital stays.
The one thing that really bothers me about this all is the impact that watching Blue run around as a normal child, something that we all lost with Tanis. As I drove home from work tonight, I listened to some Green Day (Wake me up when September Ends to be specific), and this line in particular stuck out:
"as my memory rests
but never forgets what I lost"
I lost my son for three years... and now I get him back, no drugs, no nightmare... Just Tanis.
Not only does he get to heal, we get our son back. Not the medicated child, the happy one, the one that we lost 3 years ago. I'll never forget what I lost that day, and I hope that he can. I gave him my word that he would have someone with him throughout his nightmare, and that word was not broken. Thanks for walking the nightmare with us, and thank you all for your support, prayers, good karma, voodoo to make the pain stop, and everything else that I've missed.
"Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me." Psalm 23:4
Plenty of fear... but at this point, the fear is gone.
ESOM
Steve
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"These people are my family, not just friends, and if you want to get to them you gotta go through ME." |
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sfdragon
Great Reader
2285 Posts |
Posted - 13 Jun 2009 : 09:24:34
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terrible news.
best of luck and hope |
why is being a wizard like being a drow? both are likely to find a dagger in the back from a rival or one looking to further his own goals, fame and power
My FR fan fiction
Magister's GAmbit
http://steelfiredragon.deviantart.com/gallery/33539234 |
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Markustay
Realms Explorer extraordinaire
USA
15724 Posts |
Posted - 13 Jun 2009 : 15:22:49
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Actually, he just posted good news.
I'm very happy for you and your family, and my thoughts and prayers will remain with you.
--- Mark
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"I have never in my life learned anything from any man who agreed with me" --- Dudley Field Malone
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Edited by - Markustay on 13 Jun 2009 15:23:18 |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36797 Posts |
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31726 Posts |
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A message from KnightErrantJR
