"THE FIGHTING HADDOCK"

"Don't Give Up... Don't Ever Give Up." - Jimmy Valvano

Saw this quote today…

“Nothing is more beautiful and powerful than a smile that has struggled through the tears.  Don’t regret your time, even the moments that were filled with hurt.  Smile because you learned from it and gained the strength to rise above it.  In the end it’s not what you have been through that defines who you are, its how you got through it that makes you who you are today, and the person you are capable of being tomorrow”

No idea who came up with this… but theres nothing more true. 

Its been just over two months since dad moved on. Needed a few weeks to regroup before starting to write again, and I still intend to. The break has been nice though. I took this picture this morning at sunrise on Scusset Beach, Sandwich MA. Goes nicely with a quote I read a while back. “Grief is not a disorder, a disease or a sign of weakness. It is a emotional, physical and spiritual necessity, the price you pay for love. The only cure for grief is to grieve.” - Earl Grollman

Its been just over two months since dad moved on. Needed a few weeks to regroup before starting to write again, and I still intend to. The break has been nice though. I took this picture this morning at sunrise on Scusset Beach, Sandwich MA. Goes nicely with a quote I read a while back.

“Grief is not a disorder, a disease or a sign of weakness. It is a emotional, physical and spiritual necessity, the price you pay for love. The only cure for grief is to grieve.” - Earl Grollman

2012 Relay For Life of Boston - Caregiver Speech at Luminaria Ceremony -

Presented by Mike Fawcett (Author of thefightinghaddock.tumblr.com)

He found his courage to fight back at the relay for life.

He found his courage to fight back at the relay for life.

A Special Thank You

A special thank you this morning to Danielle Murr “News Lady Extraordinaire for WAAF’s Hillman Morning Show” for the Retweet on Twitter which led a bunch of you to thefightinghaddock.

Whether your here because you were intending to get an insiders view the roller coaster world of caregiving for a cancer patient,  or just hit the link because Danielle posted it… Thanks for stopping by.  If cancer has had no effect on your life… I’m willing to bet you know someone who might benifit from reading about the experiences you’ll find within this blog.  Take a minute and send it along to them. 

Thanks for stopping by!

Regards,

Mikey

Courage

My thoughts are with all of you.  Bobby fought this battle with courage, just like the way he lived his life.  He did not fight this alone though for he had the love and support of his family and friends.  A good friend to anyone who knew him and an inspiration to all.

Scott McKiel

Prayers from down South

Mike and family

So sorry to hear this news. My thoughts and prayers are with you during this emotional time

Our list of survivors and fallen fighters continues to grow…

Last night over dinner, Lesley told me something that dropped just a little more salt in an already open wound.  She told me that one of her RFL-Stonham committee members was terminally ill.  She had beaten her breast cancer… to have it come roaring back… she met it again, head on, with heavy duty Chemo.  It made her extremely ill…

When I woke up this morning… She told me that her committee member had passed away over night.  Her name was Lena Crowley.

Her courage only adds more fuel to the fire. 

Here are a list of those survivors and fallen friends for whom this team walks:

  • Bobby “Haddock” Fawcett
  • Grampa Boyd Arthurs
  • Papa Frank Fawcett
  • Papa Roger Bigold
  • MeeMaw
  • Mr. Timothy Sullivan
  • Mrs. Shirly Mewborn
  • Mrs. Peggy Carlson
  • Ms. Kimberly Jacobsen
  • Mr. Jose Miguel Rivas Molina
  • Mr. George F. Vanderschmidt III
  • Mr. Thomas Gallagher
  • Ms. Lena Crowley (Relay Committee Member - Stoneham RFL)
  • Mr. Ron Magoon (Survivor)
  • Sue Ritze (Survivor)
  • Ms. Michelle Shaffer (Survivor)

Mike Fawcett - Guest Speaker

Yeah you read it right kids… And cheers to the next step.

You all know I’ve been hell bent on supporting Relay for Life over the past two years. Its been yet another outlet for me… Something I could control in a time when I had none. I’ll keep on with that event because it’s a chance to engage with like minded people and continue to build hope and motivation in others.

Now that Dad’s journey is complete… My own healing process must begin. I’ve been brutaly honest with you throughout this blog about the physical and emotional toll this war has placed on me and my family. I focused on the raw nerve because being that transparent catches attention.

Now that I have an audience…

It’s a logical next step in my mind, to step out from behind the keyboard and talk about it face to face with friends I’ve never met… Who need to hear what I have to say. Beginning this friday night at the Relay for Life of Boston… Im honored to begin sharing my families journey as a guest speaker. My goal is now to reach out to groups and make myself available to discuss everything I’ve learned… and keep learning myself from the millions of Americans this disease touches each year. 

You’ll find a new tab in the blog header called “beyond the blog” which will help you find more details about the next chapter in my war on cancer, and how to you can contact me to speak at your next event. I’m really looking forward to it. Thank you for your support!!

Mikey

I took a few moments this afternoon to reflect on the past weeks events… From death-wake-funeral-cemetary to my arrival down here at his place of peace…(the beachouse in onset). It all seems like an unhappy blur to be honest, but what i never anticipated was the joy I felt being so completely engulfed in the love of our friends… Not just Dads friends… But the army of moms co-workers, Ryan’s co-workers… My friends from the Red Cross as well as my FEMA colleagues. The men from Mt Pleasent Golf Club who lined the doorways in silent honor… The Lowell/Winchester PD bike escorts standing in salute at EVERY intersection along the way. My/His dear friend Bobby playing taps at his grave side. Its was all a blur, but as I sit in his chair quietly looking out down the road to the beach… its becomes so much more vivid. It is my honor to be his son. It is a blessing to have experienced the love of that day… It did ease the pain. So now as I sit here in his chair… Its time to turn the page. A new chapter in this battle with cancer. The fights simply not over. I’ll continue to post here on thefightinghaddock; because there is really so much more to say. Memories of the good times, the path we chose to take through the bad. Most importantly the inspiration so many others may need to carry on their own fight. Haddock fought to the bittet end because he never accepted that it was his time, or that he would ever let the cancer win. I will carry on the fight…

I took a few moments this afternoon to reflect on the past weeks events… From death-wake-funeral-cemetary to my arrival down here at his place of peace…(the beachouse in onset).
It all seems like an unhappy blur to be honest, but what i never anticipated was the joy I felt being so completely engulfed in the love of our friends… Not just Dads friends… But the army of moms co-workers, Ryan’s co-workers… My friends from the Red Cross as well as my FEMA colleagues.
The men from Mt Pleasent Golf Club who lined the doorways in silent honor… The Lowell/Winchester PD bike escorts standing in salute at EVERY intersection along the way. My/His dear friend Bobby playing taps at his grave side.

Its was all a blur, but as I sit in his chair quietly looking out down the road to the beach… its becomes so much more vivid. It is my honor to be his son. It is a blessing to have experienced the love of that day… It did ease the pain.

So now as I sit here in his chair… Its time to turn the page. A new chapter in this battle with cancer. The fights simply not over.

I’ll continue to post here on thefightinghaddock; because there is really so much more to say. Memories of the good times, the path we chose to take through the bad. Most importantly the inspiration so many others may need to carry on their own fight.

Haddock fought to the bittet end because he never accepted that it was his time, or that he would ever let the cancer win.

I will carry on the fight…