I want to share the story of Eric Sizemore. No, I'm not going to write it, I'm merely sharing it. He and his wife will actually tell it to you.
While I don’t know Eric or his wife Jill, they seem like pretty ordinary people. There seems to be nothing truly spectacular about them…nice people that you’d like to have for a neighbor and perhaps call friends. Unfortunately, Eric has advanced melanoma that has spread throughout his body. Sadly, too many people have experienced the same battle as Eric, whether through one’s personal fight, or through witnessing a family member or friend. Eric’s experience reminds me so much of my brother’s, it’s sometimes gives me the willies.
What makes Eric’s story special is that he is sharing it. I know…many others have written blogs about their melanoma battle, but he’s sharing even more. He and his wife, Jill started a blog at http://www.melanomasucks.blogspot.com/ in January, 2010. The postings were sporadic, but very effective as they showed the progression of disease on Eric’s leg. The postings stopped around April, 2011, but they started to post videos updates in March as his melanoma overtook his body…from the small pencil eraser-sized mole on his leg to the “too numerous” tumors in his legs, spine and throughout his body. This is what makes Eric stand-out. His videos are real, raw, tender and sometimes very difficult to watch. But his story needs to be seen and shared. I guarantee that anyone that watches the full series of his videos (13 in all thus far…I think) won’t go away feeling the same about melanoma. Please watch Eric’s video series. And send a prayer his way for a miraculous recovery.
Please give them my e-mail. There is more hope out there. I am in Santa Monica-is he BRAF by any chance positive?
ReplyDeleteNashville doesn't have much.
randi
www.randisohnomelanoma.blogspot.com
las vegas
Sorry-email-also-
ReplyDeleterandimuniz1@gmail.com
randi
las vegas
Can I add something please? People are going to mean well when they want to offer help and hope. Eric has done every treatment and trial he can. He is literally dying at this point and has come close in the not too recent past. Right now, the medical field has nothing it can offer. Only a true miracle is going to keep him on this earth and since that doesn't seem to be what's going to happen, they (meaning Jill specifically) has asked repeatedly that people please stop talking about further treatments and instead pray for them and help them walk through this. This is something after all that we will all face. They are doing this difficult job with dignity, their eye on helping others and continuing to tell Eric's story, and very much in love with breaking hearts. If there were further options they would be pursuing them. Please respect them and don't offer stuff when you don't know what they've already tried and you don't know what they've requested. People mean well, but that hurts in an already difficult situation. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteWell stated Carol. I hesitated to state that Eric is basically close to death as I know that Jill reads this blog, but it's obvious that both Eric and Jill have accepted the fate and placed it in the will of God. Honestly, it's a miracle that he's still with us and smiling as he was as recently as yesterday in his video.
ReplyDeleteRandi and others have the best of intentions for sure, but at this point, the best (and only) thing we can offer now is prayer...and to heed their wish to spread the word.