Where is RCB?

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Frankly it sounds like some depression to me. If that's the case, I hope things get better soon.

I'm not extremely familiar with his posting style but the more recent ones seemed pretty terse to me. But his experience has no doubt been and can continue to be extremely helpful to so many.

We all just have to remember that we can please some of the people all of the time with our comments, and we can please all of the people some of the time with our comments, but we can't please all of the people all of the time with our comments.

I have some opinions about my own valve choice that are not known to, nor understood by, all of you, based on my own definition of "quality of life." I don't look forward to a repeat surgery, but I didn't look forward to the last one either. (edit - And I sure don't want to be attacked for my choices.)

RCB, I hope you will come back and post again. Even if you need to let more time pass. There is much to be said about the support of experience and longevity. Furthermore, I am extremely glad that some of our other members, such as _____, whose mate has died, continues to post [their] extremely valuable knowledge and experience which is so encouraging and beneficial to so many. I hope you will consider posting again also. Best wishes and take care.
 
When he and I first locked horns, I thought I'd made a lifetime enemy that would snipe me at every corner. I've found the opposite to be true. Don't get me wrong, if he sees something wrong with something posted, he'll call shens right now and correct it or ask where that information came from. He may really come off as a curmudgeon, but it's just like the rest of us deep down. You simply have to get to know him and then you can understand why he is the way he is and he's posting style. It's no bull. No holds barred, posting. Some people do not like that, but they got the info they were looking for.

I do hope he does come back. This place is addicting and I know he feels hurt, but his experience is undeniable.
 
Karlynn said:
Been thinking off and on all day about Bob (RCB) and the significance of his historic life in the lives of all of us here. Quite a while back he posted a very eloquent thread on the courage of his mother. She agreed to a surgery for her sick child that no other child had survived, and only 4 adults had survived. He spoke of what she must have been feeling when she saw him wheeled into surgery, knowing that no child survived what she had just agreed to put her son through. It gives me a huge lump in my throat to even think of it.

Today we speak of the low mortality rate of VR and how successful the surgery is. In 1960, all Bob's mother knew was that she had just signed away precious days with her son in order to risk her son living a healthier life. At the time she signed the papers, over all valve replacement surgery mortality was in the 90 percentile range and for children it was 100%. What gave her the strength to take that risk?

I think of this and thank God for Bob's Mom, for Bob and for all those early people who risked their lives (and some losing) for a new operation that was totally unproven.
Click to expand...

Karlynn, this reminds me alot of Don's family. I usually don't say much about all the heart surgeries both sides of Justin's family have been thru. But Don was born in 1957. There were 5 kids and then 10 years later, Don was born. The oldest kid was Billy he was born w/ CHD, we don't know what since all his mom knew was his heart was enlarged, by the time he was 12, he didn't have much of a life and mainly was bedridden for the most part. this was a few years before Don was born so it was the early 50s. The doctor at CHOP told them about a heart surgery that could possible help him, but the odds weren't very good since it was so new. Billy really really wanted the surgery so they went ahead and did it. The surgery was technically a "success" but since his legs didn't really have much blood going thru them for years, all of a sudden they had normal blood pressure and how the doc later explained it, they ( the veins and arteries in his legs) were basically dry rotted and just ripped apart post op and he died a pretty horrible death. Don was born 3 years later, but his father never got over Blly's death and the fact they tried it and killed himself when Don was 10. I didn't even know about Billy when Justin was born, but one day my MIL was at CHOP in the CCU w/ all the babies that had heart surgery,(and even in 88 we weren't given very good odds) and she started crying, she told us seeing Justin and the other babies that were living because of things the doctors learned from Billy and the other kids that had surgery when he did really gave her peace. She said for the first time since Billy died she really was able to see all the good his life and death did and when she held Justin and looked at the other parents with their babies, it finally was able to be ok with the choices they had to make 30 years earlier.
Sorry to hijack the threadyour post just reminded me how grateful I am for people like RCB's and Billy's parents and the other parents like them
 
Just finished reading thru the thread. I'm still a new user to this web site, but I sure want to take the time to read his threads. Sounds like a pretty knowledgable guy.
Hope he finds his way back.
Terri
 
Bob is one of the kindest, most caring people I have ever met. Every post he has ever made has only had the best interest of valve patients in mind. Not everyone is able to fine tune their writing to keep from ruffling feathers. Bob merely tells it like it is and some find that threatening or unpleasant.

Everyone has their own methods of dealing with what is perceived to be attacks on viewpoints. Some writings are attacks and some are meant well and probably not meant to be attacks. I personally have chosen to not post any longer on valve choice threads because of some of the content of other threads. I considered leaving VR.com a couple of times but I like to think I do help some people. When I feel that is no longer the case, I will leave.

I, too, hope Bob comes back to post but I am not expecting it any time soon. Maybe he will surprise me.

RCB - you are sorely missed.
 
OK, I'll throw my 2 cents worth in. His wealth of information is worth more than the risk of offending anyone. Most everyone on this site is in some sort of emotional turmoil and therefore can be a little sensitive. More important, it is almost impossible to accurately convey emotional thoughts via text (at least for those of us who are not authors). I hope that he reads these posts and realizes that there are many of us that value his opinion and like someone said above - you can't please everyone all of the time. Either way, I hope that he is doing well.
 
Just a shame. Hope Bob reconsiders.

I have been a member of VR.com since day one. Actually...prior to day one if you count the original email list. It's amazing how we have grown. Honestly, I find it difficult to keep up.

Any opinion and or information that is offered is always an asset to this site. With that said, VR.com would not be the helpful, supportive place Hank intended it to be without this great "melting pot" of ideas we have brewing!

Few other members that were an integral part of this site have strayed off in the past years. Sure wish they would consider returning!
 
Karlynn said:
Quite a while back he posted a very eloquent thread on the courage of his mother. She agreed to a surgery for her sick child that no other child had survived, and only 4 adults had survived. He spoke of what she must have been feeling when she saw him wheeled into surgery, knowing that no child survived what she had just agreed to put her son through.
Click to expand...

Can anyone provide a link to that post?
 
I'm a bit late responding to this post since I haven't been on much lately, but I'd certainly like to echo the others in saying, I really thought a lot of RCB. He is truly a gem to our cyberfamily with his experiences and tremendous knowledge. As Gina said, I too have been on since the e-mail days and feel he, as well as many of the old-timers, have much to offer to the newer patients.

Bob, if you're reading any of this, we really miss you.
 
Sherry said:
I'm a bit late responding to this post since I haven't been on much lately, but I'd certainly like to echo the others in saying, I really thought a lot of RCB. He is truly a gem to our cyberfamily with his experiences and tremendous knowledge. As Gina said, I too have been on since the e-mail days and feel he, as well as many of the old-timers, have much to offer to the newer patients.

Bob, if you're reading any of this, we really miss you.
Click to expand...

he posted the other day, after this thread started
 
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