# I'm scared. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 3, 2015, 9:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-scared/716696 "2015-04-03T09:09:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2015, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-scared/716696/21 "2015-04-03T13:18:04Z")
Hang in there, man. You’ve posted enough cryptic hints about your past that I can believe you were an asshole, so I won’t insult your intelligence by trying to convince you otherwise. But I will tell you that, asshole or no, you are smart and kind (now, if you didn’t used to be) and funny as hell. You have touched a lot of lives here, hundreds or thousands of them, and you’ve made us think (which is even harder than being smart yourself) and you’ve taken us on wonderful flights of fancy which end up revealing things about ourselves and our assumptions that we rarely face in real life. That’s good stuff. I won’t try to fill you with false hope, because, again, I don’t like to insult your intelligence, and I don’t know exactly what’s going on. But I will tell you that things are \*rarely \*as dire as they seem alone in a hospital room at 4 am. And if you have any need or desire to vent or ask questions about medical stuff you’re not clear on or whatever, just PM me. I may not have all the answers, but I can usually point you in the right direction to get them. ---
**Author:** ![you\_with\_the\_face](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/ecccb3/32.png) [@you\_with\_the\_face](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/you_with_the_face)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2015, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-scared/716696/22 "2015-04-03T13:28:29Z")
{{{{{ **Skald** }}}}} ---
**Author:** ![Streetsinger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/0ea827/32.png) [@Streetsinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Streetsinger)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2015, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-scared/716696/23 "2015-04-03T13:34:12Z")
I don’t usually post, but from your stories you’ve long been one of my favorite people on the board. Whatever you may have in your past, I know you now as a brilliant, funny, perceptive, generous, and compassionate person. Your children are going to be proud all their lives that you’re theirs. I hope you feel better soon. ---
**Author:** ![EmilyG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emilyg/32/364_2.png) [@EmilyG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmilyG)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2015, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-scared/716696/24 "2015-04-03T13:50:36Z")
Hoping you feel better soon, **Skald.** ---
**Author:** ![Master\_Wang-Ka](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/master_wang-ka/32/3325_2.png) [@Master\_Wang-Ka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Master_Wang-Ka)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2015, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-scared/716696/25 "2015-04-03T14:11:53Z")
First of all, don’t die. Keep your options open. And the longer you don’t die, the better things will tend to get. You are in a low place. The bad thing for me about low places is that I tend to think I will be in that low place forever. Not so. Things change. It gets better. Sometimes even only in a change of attitude, but things change. The trick is in keeping your mind busy and the fear at bay until this happens. Hang on and be strong. Fake it until you make it. Do what you have to do. And remember that you are not alone. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2015, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-scared/716696/26 "2015-04-03T14:34:06Z")
Whatever may or may not have happened before, you’re a good person now, with many people who love you and care about you. When you get right down to it, that’s the pinnacle of life’s achievements. Best regards for your recovery. ---
**Author:** ![kayT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayt/32/3633_2.png) [@kayT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayT)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2015, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-scared/716696/27 "2015-04-03T14:42:35Z")
> [@Master\_Wang-Ka](#): > > First of all, don’t die. Keep your options open. > > And the longer you don’t die, the better things will tend to get. You are in a low place. The bad thing for me about low places is that I tend to think I will be in that low place forever. > > Not so. Things change. It gets better. Sometimes even only in a change of attitude, but things change. > > The trick is in keeping your mind busy and the fear at bay until this happens. > > Hang on and be strong. Fake it until you make it. Do what you have to do. And remember that you are not alone. There is some really, really good advice in this quote. Really good. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2015, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-scared/716696/28 "2015-04-03T14:49:16Z")
Jeez, dude, Dopers all over the world are crying right now after reading that! We love you here, we’re all rooting for you. ---
**Author:** ![Satchmo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/satchmo/32/4223_2.png) [@Satchmo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Satchmo)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2015, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-scared/716696/29 "2015-04-03T14:49:32Z")
Hang in there Skald! We’re all hoping you get well. Don’t be afraid to cry. Tears are the sound of pain and sadness leaving the body. There is no divine retribution, sometimes things just happen. Life has knocked you down before, the secret is ‘get knocked down 10 times, get back up 10 times.’ Athena is not through with you, for good or bad and neither are we. Satch ---
**Author:** ![Grrlbrarian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrlbrarian/32/4048_2.png) [@Grrlbrarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrlbrarian)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2015, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-scared/716696/30 "2015-04-03T15:13:50Z")
Hang in there, **Skald**. Wishing you all the best. {{{hugs}}} ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2015, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-scared/716696/31 "2015-04-03T15:24:35Z")
Feeling a kîtkre better. Got painkillers. Going titb tests. Dry hif I freaked anyone out. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2015, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-scared/716696/32 "2015-04-03T15:26:20Z")
Ahhhh…_those_ drugs. Hang in there, dude. ---
**Author:** ![grude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47774/32.png) [@grude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grude)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2015, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-scared/716696/33 "2015-04-03T15:56:04Z")
Skald, I’ve never ever heard a single spouse or kids complain their spouse or parent didn’t leave enough money or insurance. Get better. ---
**Author:** ![Suburban\_Plankton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suburban_plankton/32/219_2.png) [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2015, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-scared/716696/34 "2015-04-03T15:57:17Z")
See, you’re already back to speaking in tongues…if that’s not an improvement, I don’t know what is! Hang in there…it’ll get better. ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2015, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-scared/716696/35 "2015-04-03T16:07:30Z")
Glad to hear that the painkillers are helping. Hoping that they pin down the cause soon. You know, don’t you, that if it turns out that you have a GI proplem that could be helped by a fecal transplant, you’ll have a board-ful of volunteers, right? ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2015, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-scared/716696/36 "2015-04-03T16:23:35Z")
Sorry to hear. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2015, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-scared/716696/37 "2015-04-03T16:33:32Z")
> [@Master\_Wang-Ka](#): > > First of all, don’t die. Keep your options open. Death is counterproductive. No dead person ever did anything! Well, OK. There was ‘Major William Martin’ in Operation Mincemeat. And the dead passengers helped out after that soccer team crashed in the Andes back in '72. But the point stands. So you’d be making a grave mistake if you died! ---
**Author:** ![jayrey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/47e85d/32.png) [@jayrey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayrey)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2015, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-scared/716696/38 "2015-04-03T16:36:30Z")
**Skald** , my dear friend in crime, I am sending hugs and healing energy. As others have said, regardless of what you think, you are a kind, compassionate, funny, caring man who loves his wife and family and who has positively touched many people’s lives. Many of us have pasts we are not proud of. You have worked so hard to rise beyond yours. Please be gentle with yourself, my friend. You are not being punished. You are tired, and ill, and scared, but you are NOT being punished. Keep us informed. We are all pulling for you! ---
**Author:** ![MacTech](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MacTech](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacTech)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2015, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-scared/716696/39 "2015-04-03T16:37:39Z")
Sending good thoughts your way [b]Skald\*\*, surely RhymerTech Enterprises has some form of Get-Better-Inator they can use on you… There’s always the Continua-buggy… ---
**Author:** ![Helena330](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/helena330/32/531_2.png) [@Helena330](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helena330)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2015, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-scared/716696/40 "2015-04-03T16:49:21Z")
> [@Yllaria](#): > > Glad to hear that the painkillers are helping. Hoping that they pin down the cause soon. > > **You know, don’t you, that if it turns out that you have a GI proplem that could be helped by a fecal transplant, you’ll have a board-ful of volunteers, right?** Yup, we’re all full of shit and ready to donate. 😃 Hang in there, **Skald**. Hugs. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-scared/716696.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-scared/716696.md?page=3)