Thursday, October 02, 2008

Sherrie Of The Jungle

Here we are.
We're the Princess of the Universe.
Here we belong,
Fighting for survival ...
(Apologies to "QUEEN")


Last night we received the wonderful news that Sherrie from Dundee has finally won her long battle with cancer.

[Cheering! Crowd noises!]

Sherrie endured the agony of chemotherapy, the sickness (and hair loss) of radiation therapy, and finally her doctors decided that surgery was her last best hope.

They operated two days ago, and she was released from the hospital yesterday. She was home before the flowers that SWMBO sent were delivered to her hospital room!

Sherrie told SWMBO that the doctors are convinced that they got every bit of the cancer, and now she is on the road to recovery from the surgery.

I know that she is far from comfortable today, but this Gallant Lady told Sandie that this is the end of active treatment. Sherrie is now a cancer survivor, and from what Sandie tells me she's understandably even more joyful than we are.

Sherrie has been in close communication with us ever since she heard that Sandie is fighting lung cancer. She has been a wellspring of support and advice for Sandie; she was just completing the chemotherapy course of treatment when Sandie was diagnosed.

Sherrie wasn't dealing with cancer by herself. She also had Lorin (Husband, head of her own Support Team, Chief Cook and Bottle Washer, reluctant Master of the Vacuum Cleaner, and always there to do whatever he could to make her as comfortable as possible.) Together, they taught us courage, the value of devotion, and that nobody can or should try to battle cancer alone. Sandie and I are grateful to them for their voluntary efforts to help us through the early stages of Sandie's treatment. They have been the exemplars of feisty folks who just won't quit.

They were there when we really needed them. We still do.


During her subsequent radiation therapy, according to Lori (Statsmistress at Dundee and Albany), Sherrie showed up at the Dundee range one day on the back of a motorcycle! She had already lost all of her hair, but her head was wrapped in a colorful do-rag and she was having the time of her life on the bike. This is not a lady who is ready to be voted off the island!

(click on the photo for full-size)

Sherrie and Lorin are perhaps best known locally for their annual efforts to design, build and officiate the famous Jungle Run stage at the Dundee Croc Match.

In celebration of this most excellent day, here (once again) is their favorite video taken from the 2005 Crock Match. It was, of course, filmed on the Jungle Run.


(Raw video courtesy of Ron D.)

IPSC people are among the best in the world. We don't just "go shooting", we make friends.

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