News of Jack

[staystronglivelong]

I don't get on the forum very often. I'm very upset about Jack. Heart goes out to his family and to all the forum members who where close to him.

Rest in Peace Jack, you were a very special man to us all. x

[gmyi]

My condolences go to his family, and all those here who are missing him

[Sangye]

I'm having a missing Jack day. :sad:

[ScreaminMeanie]

Oh my. I've not been on much lately and just saw this. Jack will be greatly missed here. My condolences to his family and close friends. :(

[Lightwarrior]

I'm having a missing Jack day. :sad:

Light and energy Sangye :hug3:

[Palmyra]

I love the idea of having a Jack in the race, drz!

I love the idea, too. I know I don't have enough $ to sponsor a dog individually, but maybe we could all pitch in a little or a lot, dependent on our ability, and have Jack run that race. Very cool idea :thumbsup:

[drz]

I love the idea, too. I know I don't have enough $ to sponsor a dog individually, but maybe we could all pitch in a little or a lot, dependent on our ability, and have Jack run that race. Very cool idea :thumbsup:

What do we need to raise? Does Cindy have a web site set up to receive donations?

[Jack]

Hey guys, it's Beckie, Jack's daughter again.

Me and the rest of Jack's family can not thank you enough for all your kind words and condolences, we appreciate them ever so much. We are pleased that Jack had easy access to an online community where he could advice people and share his own experiences with others. Also being able to have a laugh and a joke, I want to let you know that he spoke so fondly of the site and the people on here and howenjoyed spending a lot of his time talking to you all!

We were sent many flowers to the house from family and friends and we took one flower from each bouquet, being able to make a new small bouquet of pretty flowers for Jack. We then put it in his coffin from all of his friends on this Wegener's site.

In answer to one person who posted something along the lines of

'they got you in the end with the feeding tube'

They did fit it on the Thursday 22nd September, but Jack pulled it out over night, obviously staying true to word as per usual, he deciding he had no quality of life awaiting him and felt the end was near, knowing that these tubes were the only thing keeping him alive, he didn't want his death to be long and drawn out, he wanted it to be as quick as possible. He did also pull out his oxygen tube.

We later read the thread he started on, 'Your Thoughts on Dying' and understood that he did consciously decide that this was enough for him and he didn't have much in the way of a future. This does bring comfort to us, knowing that he decided enough was enough and he had made it a known fact that he had come to terms that he would have to face death at some point and it was not something he feared.

We have come to a conclusion that it was a huge flare up of Wegener's which got him in the end, but the symptoms were slow and we just thought that his health was deteriorating.

We found out that Guy's and St Thomas' Hospital in London were setting up a research programme in Wegener's and had set up a charity. In lieu of flowers, we asked for donations to this charity which can be found on

St Thomas' Wegener's Trust (http://www.wegeners.org.uk)

Once again thank you for being such great friends to Jack, we know that this site meant a lot to him. He will be/is greatly missed, but he is living on through our memories and will be forever more. His family and friends can't thank you enough for all of the support you all gave him throughout the years, he was glad he was able to help others who were going through similar sort of things.

Beckie & Family

[DEE]

Thank you Beckie,Thinking of you and your family .He will always stay with us .DEE and BARON x

[Trudy]

Beckie, Thank you for taking the time for us. "he was glad he was able to help others who were going through similar sort of things." Jack's advice will stay on in this forum for other in the future. I am sure they will also appreciate him as we all do now.

I am glad that you were able to find comfort in reading his own thoughts. We will all continue to miss him.

Wishing the best for your family. Trudy

[Sangye]

Thank you, Beckie for sharing that info. It helps. I will never forget Jack. He became a dear friend to me and I still hear his words in my mind at times. Please know that we are always here for you if you want to feel closer to that part of your dad that we came to know and love. Wishing you and your family peace.

[Daggar]

wow!!! I'm at a loss for words! I haven't been checking in of late due to Holly doing well and progressing each and every month so this comes as a blow. Our best wishes to Jack's family.

I had been a "lurker" on this site for awhile after Holly was diagnosed but joined to interact with Jack (and a few others) who seemed to have answers to many of the questions you just don't get around to during hospital/clinic visits.

He was a treasured source of information/experience and he will be sorely missed. Hopefully our paths will cross on the other side -- wherever that journey takes us. A tip of the fedora for an extraordinary gentleman.

[jola57]

Thank you Beckiee for your kind words to us. Jack meant a lot to us all and knowing him has been a salvation to me. He joined a very short while after I did and being new to wegs, I hung on his every word. Without his advice, my road to recovery would not be this fast. I have him to thank and many others on this forum for keeping my spirits up when the world was crushing down. He was a brave man to the end. Thank you for taking the time for making the flower bouquet and including our forum in his final farwell.

[Hammy8241]

I have found this year one of the slowest I can remembers since i was a school kid. I find it remarkable that this time last year Jack was fighting his last battle with WG.

For some reason I can only see this page of Jacks thread but think he "jumped ship" on the 23rd.

Never met the guy but his humility, wit and wisdom in life has, in my eyes, yet to be equalled. Hope life the other side is treating you well Jack :) RIP

[DEE]

Friday 23rd September.2011.at 11.05pm
Gone but not forgotten ,my friend . DEEx

[Col 23]

Was very upset to hear Jack had passed on when I logged on after so long.
My condolences to his family and other WG member on the forum. Very Sad.
A lovely man. Col 23

[Sangye]

I've had Jack on my mind this week, too. I miss him so much; the pain is still surprisingly raw. There have been many times when an old thread on here appears with his name and avatar, making my heart leap up, forgetting that he's gone. And every time we have a member who's very unwell but no one can figure out why, I remember how Jack went from being sure he had a routine lung infection, to being told he had terminal lung cancer, to being told it was really just a bad infection. And then he was gone and it turned out to be Wegs all along.

I don't only have tears for Jack, though. I still crack up laughing every single time I do my dishes because of our hilarious conversation on here (http://www.wegeners-granulomatosis.com/forum/off-topic-discussion/1351-silly-question-brits.html) about the British not rinsing their dishes. That conversation was many months before he died but it had already become part of my daily laugh as I washed my dishes. And Hammy, I sure miss you. Your poem on that thread is often in my mind while I wash dishes, too. "We're British!"

There was also the hysterical "Where is your washing machine (http://www.wegeners-granulomatosis.com/forum/off-topic-discussion/848-where-your-washing-machine.html)?" thread by Jack. I think of that every time I wash clothes!

I hope that Jack is healthy, happy and all his dishes are well-rinsed. Miss you, friend.

[mishb]

Freaky (Sam) has a gorgeous dog named Jack.

Everytime she puts a post on facebook about Jack, this truly inspiring man comes to my mind.

I don't know if this is the case, but I hope Sam named him after this Jack :thumbsup:

[freakyschizogirl]

I've got tears in my eyes. I still miss Jack and think of him often and wish he was still here to give us a dose of laughs or advice. Not a week goes by I don't think of you Jack x

And Mishb, sadly I had my dog Jack long before I came on the forum or was diagnosed but he provides a daily does of laughs and smiles for me.

[rif]

Just been reading the latest postings and there are tears in my eyes:crying:

Rif

[jola57]

I miss Jack too and every time I see his avatar, it reminds me how quickly wegs can turn deadly and yet he was the longest surviver of us all and that should give us hope, he "pioneered" with the drugs and we are living with the benefits.

[Sangye]

Today is Leonard Cohen's birthday. I think Jack would love it if we celebrated in his name.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YrLk4vdY28Q

[crackers]

i'm sure he would have enjoyed it as did i.a nice thought sangye.

[freakyschizogirl]

I dont know about everyone else but i am struggling to believe it has been almost a year since Jack passed on.

He was a great man in so many ways and his death hit me and our little community hard.

I wonder what his family are doing to remember him on the 25th.

[Lightwarrior]

I dont know about everyone else but i am struggling to believe it has been almost a year since Jack passed on.

He was a great man in so many ways and his death hit me and our little community hard.

I wonder what his family are doing to remember him on the 25th.

I know, every time I see news of Jack I hold my breath, but in many ways it is comforting to see his name back in the forum. I think that Sangye is right that celebrating Leonard Cohen's birthday today and...........maybe writing messages, short and sweet to Jack about how much we have missed him, how his wisdom has helped us to survive a year without him and how grateful we will always be for the connection we had with him.

[drz]

I am guessing Leonard's music was one of the things Jack loved about life. I thank him for introducing me to his music.

[freakyschizogirl]

Jack told me to go to Addenbrookes, it was the best piece of advice i've ever been given.

[annekat]

Thanks, Sangye, for sharing that great performance by Leonard Cohen. I'm glad I got to enjoy Jack's posts for awhile before he passed, and I thought it was cool that he used Mr. Cohen's picture for his avatar. I also remember a post where he discussed his reasons for doing so...
My heart goes out to his family, and may his soul be at peace.

[freakyschizogirl]

Has anyone looked on Jack's profile page recently? There seems to be activity on there from this year. I wonder if Jack's family still log in and have a look, would be nice to think so.

[Sangye]

I love that you're using a quote from Jack in your signature, Sam. :thumbsup:

[freakyschizogirl]

I love that you're using a quote from Jack in your signature, Sam. :thumbsup:

Makes me smile when I see it Sangye and I was reading through some old posts of Jack's and this was my favourite.