Happy New Year all y'all crazy landlords!

The clock has already rolled over in Indiana and so far this year is going great! Not a single service request has come in so far this year.

I'd love to hear your business resolutions for the new year and how I might pray for you personally.

BRAD

Brad20K,

My only resolution for 2017 is to continue paying down debt each month and be debt free in 18 months.

Now,...for some bad news. 6 weeks ago, I had a biopsy done on a very small lump in my neck. The results were not good. I have cancer in a lymph node. Next week, I begin radiation/chemo which will last 6 weeks. My oncology doctor has given me a 90% chance that I will survive this.

Roy, best of luck for a speedy recovery. I can't imagine having to deal with that and have to manage tenant drama at the same time.

We will be thinking of you Roy.

We will move closer to debt free... Paid off over 130k last year and more this year.

Watch our cash flow more (if that is possible)

Budget better

Have a daily schedule of things I can do to save time(be a multiplier)

Do more things for people that need help

(Carpet company guy had the same years back...lets say four, maybe three. All fine now.

But what I wanted to share was what the doctor said at the time, " Don't worry about this, we have what it takes to get you through this now and if it were to ever come back, by then they will have a cure for you....you'll be fine).

And besides, Unlike you rich mean bald landlords, the angels still listen to me and know just where to deliver my prayers. I know people in high places - so to speak...I'll take care of this.

So sorry to hear about your health issue, Roy. Have a friend who had this 8 years ago. Outcome was fine. He gets checked out a couple of times a year, and no further problems.

In early November, I was in my dermatologist office having a Benign Cyst removed from the back of my neck. At that time, I asked my dermatologist/surgeon to check out a small lump that had recently appeared on my neck about 1 inch below my right ear lobe. He felt it and then referred me to an Ear, Nose and Throat specialist at UA in B'ham (UAB). A fine needle biopsy was done and 10 days later, I got the news that I have a tumor.

The following day, a full body PET-Scan was done and it was determined that my cancer (squamous carcinoma) had originated in my right tonsil. The following day, both of my tonsils were removed and I spent two days in the hospital.

10 days later, on Christmas Eve, one of the stitches on my tonsil busted open and I could not stop the bleeding. After spitting/swallowing blood for 2 hours, I called 911 and took an ambulance ride to the ER and spent Christmas day and the following day recovering in the hospital.

I still have cancer in my lymph node. On Wednesday, I will begin preparations for 6 weeks of radiation and chemo. One thing doctors do not do is give out guarantees, but they do give out 'odds of success'. My doctors are giving me 90% chance of surviving this. It is that 10% of uncertainly that does concern me a little but what choice do I have?

Roy, I'm sorry. You must be extremely scared. I understand about the 10% worry. But 90% is very good, so keep that in mind! Very very good. It's not like 50/50!

Cancer is survivable in this day of modern medical miracles.

The thing is, you need to take care of yourself physically and not let the TREATMENT harm you.

WMH,

At 1:30 a.m. on Christmas Day, I arrived in the ER by ambulance. When the paramedics got to me, my blood pressure had dropped to 50 over 30. At the ER, I got two bags of O-Neg blood and some plasma. To stop the bleeding inside my throat, a doctor inserted 2 medical devices inside my mouth down my throat and I could do nothing but scream in intense pain.

So far, this trip to the ER was the worse day of my life. Right now, I feel fine and I am still eating only soft foods. Radiation/chemo is my next hurdle to cross.

Homer (TX)

Thank you so much for that offer to 'cover me'. This brings up an interesting point that is worth sharing here.

Since I have no wife or children to 'cover me' in my time of need...I have spent the last 5 years building up a 'support team' of people who I can call on if an emergency health situation ever arose and I needed help with the 14 rentals. Actually, my support team is very small and consist of a carpenter/jack of all trades handyman, my plumber, an electrician, and an elderly lady who has painted/cleaned houses only for me for the last 10 years! When I told her about my situation 2 weeks ago, she moved out of her daughters house, drove 600 miles (her daughter lived in Florida) and today moved into the spare bedroom at my primary residence. So, I do have help here just in case I need it.

Yesterday, I told my 73 year old handyman about my situation and he nearly broke down in tears. He offered to help me in any way he could. On Monday, I will call my plumber and tell him about my situation. His wife has had colon cancer for years and I know he will also be there if I need to call on him.

So far, my 'support team' has not been tested yet, but I can now begin to see where creating relationships out of your best business associates can pay huge dividends. The key to building a good support team is to find above average people, then use their services on a regular basis, pay them promptly, and be willing to pay them slightly MORE than they can get elsewhere.

When my situation is over, I will report back on this very subject and I should be able to tell you just how good my support team turned out to be. My advice to you now is to build a support team,...even if you have a spouse or adult children who you think can cover for you in your time of need.

I am planning on attending the next Mr. LL convention in May. By then, I am sure I will have a story for a great round-table discussion which were always my favorites. Plus, I have some unfinished business talk with Brad20K which I started at the Indy convention bar room.

Roy, Thanks for sharing your story candidly. It truly brings out the family/community part of this forum. Talked to you briefly at the convention, Wish you best of luck!

We love you ROY!

Business wise - organization!

Personally - more prayer

Roy, I just saw this. Wow. All our best thought's and wishes to you my friend. Hang in there.

Roy I just now read this post. I'm glad you

Charlie,

Thank you so much for sharing your experiences with an oncologist. On Wednesday and Thursday of this week I will meet with my oncologist and get the low-down on the type of treatment schedule they will be planning for me. I know it will be approx. 20 minutes/day,..5 days a week for 6-8 weeks straight. Total of 35 short visits. I will get chemo but not on every visit.

Thanks again for sharing your story.

Wishing you a speedy and successful recovery.

The odds the Dr.'s give you is just guess work on

their part. They always gave my mother only a 50%

chance of coming through all her 4 cancer surgeries

and they were major 8 hour surgeries but she came

through them with flying colors.

Roy. I am so sorry that you have to go through this, but we never know how strong we are, until we are faced with difficult situations.

I went to my doctor a few weeks ago, for another issue (can't even remember why) but asked her to look at a sore on my upper arm that never seemed to heal. She said it looked suspicious for cancer so, while I was there, I allowed her to cut the crusty top of the sore off (with it being numbed of course). I never heard anything back for 2 weeks so thought I was ok. Then her nurse called and said the sample did indeed look suspicious for cancer. An appt was set up for a specialist who saw it and again said it looked suspicious for cancer. He cut even more of it out and sewed it all back up with stitches. Both seemed sure it was cancer so I started basing my future on the fact that I had skin cancer.

Friends and family prayed for me and of course, I prayed as well that I did not have cancer. A week later, I got a phone message that it was only a skin lesion and not cancer and I could not believe it at first. They had both convinced me that it was cancerk, so I thought I had misunderstood the message at first. I called the nurse to confirm it. What a relief!

I did have them look at my hands which have scaly spots on them. He told me to keep an eye on them and let him know if they start hurting or bleeding or looking different, as that can be cancer, so I am not completely out of the woods but I will take what I can get and will watch them carefully.

I know how hard and scary it is, to get that first shock and the cancer word. You will make it through this with prayers from family, friends and Landlords here and elsewhere. I understand how a person goes from normal life to second guessing their future and what may change. Prayers were just said for you and I will pray for you daily.

Brad(20,000) - I'd appreciate prayer for handling a sticky extended family issue that just cropped up. Thanks!

Roy(AL) - Thanks for the advice about assembling your team. I'm working on that myself - but am blessed with a partner who can handle the handyman side of the rental biz. I'll work on vetting an accountant or bookkeeper to have waiting in the wings if I can't do that end of the biz.

Glad you shared your burden with us - I will keep you in prayer for strength and endurance - and healing. Bless that wonderful lady who has come to help you out! Remember to reach out to us when you feel up to it.

FWIW, I'll echo what a couple of others have said about nutrition - if your insurance will cover it or you can afford it, see if you can consult a nutritionist about ways to boost your immune system while on chemo. I've heard others say that it helps a lot.

Wilma,

Thank you for those kind words of wisdom. I can delegate out (ie. support team) all chores of getting a vacant house ready to rent again. It may not be to my high standards but it will get done. The only thing I can't hire out is the choosing of the next tenant(s). Only I can do that.

If I am well enough to talk on the phone, I can screen the next tenant. When you think it about,...this LL business is not rocket science. There are things you need to know but in the over-all scope of things,...this business is fairly straight forward. Choose good tenants and then wait for the monthly checks to arrive. Why so many LL's fail with this simple business strategy is beyond my comprehension.