deltaf508
06-25-2001, 11:23 AM
Well if your bored at work or whatever and need something to read....Here it is
OK, here's the deal. This will be kinda' long and personal so bear with me. At 17 months old I was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis. Some of you may know what this is. For the others that don't, it mostly affects my Respiratory and Digestive systems. To date there is no Cure for this Disease (but they are getting closer). The digestive part of my disease can be easily treated with enzymes etc., but the Respiratory portion of the disease takes it's toll on your lungs until ultimately there is nothing left. The only known cure for this right now is Lung Transplantation. I do not need advice on whether or not to go through with the transplant. I have already done much thinking about this and have decided, "I want to live a long and full life", Yes - is the only answer I could choose for myself. I am currently 24 years old and I got listed on the Mountain Region Lung Transplant list on May 2000. I have accrued about a years worth of time on the list, currently I am number 2-3 in line, and am hoping to be transplanted within the next 2 years - pending on how fast my lungs further deteriorate. I am a fighter and I will live, there no question about that. I graduated with the rest of my class in High School AND College (Colorado State University-Computer Information Systems) despite being in the hospital on average 2-3 months out of the year. My teachers where always willing to work with me and I did everything I could to ensure I would not get behind. I am a very strong willed person (you have to be in this sort of situation), and when I put my mind to something, it get's done.
Anyway now that you have a background on me, here's the question(s). I graduated Dec. 2000 from college and am at the point now where I am wearing Oxygen a lot of the time. I also try to take it easy most of the time. With my lungs as weak as they are currently (35% pulmonary function) any exertion causes me to get tired faster. So I am currently just enjoying the "retired life", if you will. But I am getting pretty bored. I have a list of things that I am waiting to do after my transplant since most of my life has been taken away because of my health issues. This transplant will give me opportunities to do things I have always dreamed of. Some things I want to do include: Mtn. Biking (I live in Colo. http://www.sysopt.com/forum/smile.gif), Hiking, camping, backpacking, Softball, traveling - I would love to see Europe, fishing. Basically anything that allows me to take advantage of my new found lungs I am going to want to try. But all this cost's money. I am trying to save everything I can before the transplant, so that afterwards I will be ready to go. But because of my current health condition I am prevented (physically) from doing a full, or even part time job on a regular basis. I am trying do dig up some Consulting work to have something to do, but it is very intermittent and I can't depend on getting a lot out of it. I also don't want my skills becoming obsolete because I am not currently working. I plan on getting a job about a year after transplant pending how long recoup time is etc.
So I guess what I am asking is if anyone has any ideas on what I can do to help raise some Cash? http://www.sysopt.com/forum/wink.gif I am not looking for handouts, although I have thought about setting up a donations form on my web site to see if anyone would generously want to donate to my cause http://www.sysopt.com/forum/smile.gif <--I think this might be a little extreme, but I might try it anyway http://www.sysopt.com/forum/smile.gif But if there is any cool ideas (computer or otherwise) that someone out there has for a fun way to make some extra cash, I am open to ideas.
Since I have little, if any, career related job experience, a lot of this stuff I am learning on my own (i.e. networking, web design, PC repair, troubleshooting, etc.) This is the stuff that most people in IS learn in there first job (OK, theoretically), but I am learning it on my own, and I sometimes feel like I am getting cheated out of something because of it. I want to go deeper, but I can't - at least right now. So what can I do to make it better? Maybe nothing, but I don't believe that, something is always possible.
Another thing I am worried about is finding a job after Transplant. By then It would be about 3 (maybe more) years since my graduation, and I want an employer who understands me as a person and what I have gone through to get to where I am. I can just imagine in an interview:
Employer: Let's see, you graduated in 2000, and this will be your first job
Me: Yes, Sir, I have a strong technical learning curve, and I believe with all that I have been through to get to where I am at today, I would have a lot to offer this company....
Employer: Well, We're looking for someone with more experience, Good Luck Son.....
What should I think about in planning for that dreaded interview 2-3 years down the road? I want to present myself as a person who is strong and smart, who worked hard to get where he is, who didn't take the easy road, but yet still came out on top - the victor. Who when life served him lemons - he made lemonade http://www.sysopt.com/forum/smile.gif My fear is that they will not fully comprehend what I have done to get to where I am, and I will walk away without a job because of it.
Anyway that is my story, and those are my questions/fears. I am grateful to wake up each day knowing that this moment is truly a gift from God. I love the outdoors and admire nature. I hope everyone finds time to enjoy life; no one knows how long they will be on this planet. In the end it is not about how much money we made, or how many toy's we've acquired, it's about whether or not we are/were truly happy...
Thank you for reading, and please if you have any advice regarding the questions I had, let me know. Hope this makes sense. Sorry it's so long, but to make it all understandable (as I think it was), I needed to ramble a bit http://www.sysopt.com/forum/wink.gif
Gary
OK, here's the deal. This will be kinda' long and personal so bear with me. At 17 months old I was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis. Some of you may know what this is. For the others that don't, it mostly affects my Respiratory and Digestive systems. To date there is no Cure for this Disease (but they are getting closer). The digestive part of my disease can be easily treated with enzymes etc., but the Respiratory portion of the disease takes it's toll on your lungs until ultimately there is nothing left. The only known cure for this right now is Lung Transplantation. I do not need advice on whether or not to go through with the transplant. I have already done much thinking about this and have decided, "I want to live a long and full life", Yes - is the only answer I could choose for myself. I am currently 24 years old and I got listed on the Mountain Region Lung Transplant list on May 2000. I have accrued about a years worth of time on the list, currently I am number 2-3 in line, and am hoping to be transplanted within the next 2 years - pending on how fast my lungs further deteriorate. I am a fighter and I will live, there no question about that. I graduated with the rest of my class in High School AND College (Colorado State University-Computer Information Systems) despite being in the hospital on average 2-3 months out of the year. My teachers where always willing to work with me and I did everything I could to ensure I would not get behind. I am a very strong willed person (you have to be in this sort of situation), and when I put my mind to something, it get's done.
Anyway now that you have a background on me, here's the question(s). I graduated Dec. 2000 from college and am at the point now where I am wearing Oxygen a lot of the time. I also try to take it easy most of the time. With my lungs as weak as they are currently (35% pulmonary function) any exertion causes me to get tired faster. So I am currently just enjoying the "retired life", if you will. But I am getting pretty bored. I have a list of things that I am waiting to do after my transplant since most of my life has been taken away because of my health issues. This transplant will give me opportunities to do things I have always dreamed of. Some things I want to do include: Mtn. Biking (I live in Colo. http://www.sysopt.com/forum/smile.gif), Hiking, camping, backpacking, Softball, traveling - I would love to see Europe, fishing. Basically anything that allows me to take advantage of my new found lungs I am going to want to try. But all this cost's money. I am trying to save everything I can before the transplant, so that afterwards I will be ready to go. But because of my current health condition I am prevented (physically) from doing a full, or even part time job on a regular basis. I am trying do dig up some Consulting work to have something to do, but it is very intermittent and I can't depend on getting a lot out of it. I also don't want my skills becoming obsolete because I am not currently working. I plan on getting a job about a year after transplant pending how long recoup time is etc.
So I guess what I am asking is if anyone has any ideas on what I can do to help raise some Cash? http://www.sysopt.com/forum/wink.gif I am not looking for handouts, although I have thought about setting up a donations form on my web site to see if anyone would generously want to donate to my cause http://www.sysopt.com/forum/smile.gif <--I think this might be a little extreme, but I might try it anyway http://www.sysopt.com/forum/smile.gif But if there is any cool ideas (computer or otherwise) that someone out there has for a fun way to make some extra cash, I am open to ideas.
Since I have little, if any, career related job experience, a lot of this stuff I am learning on my own (i.e. networking, web design, PC repair, troubleshooting, etc.) This is the stuff that most people in IS learn in there first job (OK, theoretically), but I am learning it on my own, and I sometimes feel like I am getting cheated out of something because of it. I want to go deeper, but I can't - at least right now. So what can I do to make it better? Maybe nothing, but I don't believe that, something is always possible.
Another thing I am worried about is finding a job after Transplant. By then It would be about 3 (maybe more) years since my graduation, and I want an employer who understands me as a person and what I have gone through to get to where I am. I can just imagine in an interview:
Employer: Let's see, you graduated in 2000, and this will be your first job
Me: Yes, Sir, I have a strong technical learning curve, and I believe with all that I have been through to get to where I am at today, I would have a lot to offer this company....
Employer: Well, We're looking for someone with more experience, Good Luck Son.....
What should I think about in planning for that dreaded interview 2-3 years down the road? I want to present myself as a person who is strong and smart, who worked hard to get where he is, who didn't take the easy road, but yet still came out on top - the victor. Who when life served him lemons - he made lemonade http://www.sysopt.com/forum/smile.gif My fear is that they will not fully comprehend what I have done to get to where I am, and I will walk away without a job because of it.
Anyway that is my story, and those are my questions/fears. I am grateful to wake up each day knowing that this moment is truly a gift from God. I love the outdoors and admire nature. I hope everyone finds time to enjoy life; no one knows how long they will be on this planet. In the end it is not about how much money we made, or how many toy's we've acquired, it's about whether or not we are/were truly happy...
Thank you for reading, and please if you have any advice regarding the questions I had, let me know. Hope this makes sense. Sorry it's so long, but to make it all understandable (as I think it was), I needed to ramble a bit http://www.sysopt.com/forum/wink.gif
Gary