Farewell to a hero

Anyone who follows the Fat Cyclist blog most likely knows by now that Susan Nelson passed away last night. For those folks who have no idea what I'm talking about, here's the story as of 2007. And things went crazily downhill from there. For long periods, Susan would seem to be stable, and then they'd get horrendous news like this. By the time Elden posted this recent update, it was apparent that Susan's battle was drawing to an end. Even so, the news this morning was a surprise that left me in tears at my computer.

As I commented over at his sister Jodi's blog, Pistols & Popcorn, Elden's posts about Susan's battle have served so many times to help me regain perspective when I've lost focus due to stressful situations. I'm so very sorry for what they went through, for what he and the kids are going through now, yet at the same time I'm incredibly grateful that they had the courage to share it with all of Elden's readers. He and Susan will always be my heroes.

Helping out the Fat Cyclist

Elden's good buddy, Kenny, posted this in the comments to a recent update:

Dear Readers of Fatcyclist.com,
This last week has been truly tragic learning of the down turn of Suzan’s illness. As I read these comments left by all you good people, the over all theme is the same. “What can we do for Elden, Susan and their kids?” I decided it was time to stop wondering and time to start doing. I set up a bank account in Elden’s name at a local bank here in Utah. It is linked to pay pal. The pay pal account is winsusannelson@gmail.com. If you don’t have a pay pal account you can also donate by going to my business’s website http://www.kennysphoto.com/ and clicking on the link in the middle of the page, where you can donate with the credit card of your choice. Please know that all funds collected will go directly to this bank account and after a two month period will be given to Elden, Susan and Family. Elden is unaware of this account, until now, of course. I’m not sure how he will react to this comment, but if he removes it, I’m going to continue to put it back on his blog and I invite you as fatcyclist readers to also put this on your own respective blogs. I truly believe that we bless our own lives, when we help others, so I hope that Elden will allow us to help him through this very trying time in his life. He truly has touched each one of us, through his writing and his friendship.
Respectfully yours,Kenny

Reality check

Yesterday I read the latest post over at fatcyclist.com, in which Fatty (Elden Nelson) gives an update of his wife Susan's ongoing battle with cancer. Like so many other folks who commented on that post, I sat at my desk at work and felt my eyes well up with tears for two complete strangers whose lives I read about on the internet. Then last night, after posting my own latest blog, I thought about all the self-indulgent, self-absorbed whining I've done here on the 'net. I live a fairly peaceful, contented life, going to work, then going out to ride my bike or otherwise enjoy myself. Really, my life's so good that it's surprising that I'm as inclined as I am to pissed-off, depressed tailspins. After a short bit of wallowing, I come right back out of those moods and get on with things, but still, compared to Susan and Elden, wtf do I have to be pissed-off and depressed about? Susan Nelson leaves me humbled.

I'm sure I'll still post my usual rambling, self-pitying crap here from time to time (hell, this particular post is annoyingly self-obsessed). This blog's unfortunately my best outlet for those feelings. But Fatty's words served as a sharp reminder that I've got a lot for which to be grateful, and that people of Susan's ilk make any suffering I experience seem like small potatoes.