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R.I.P-Tom Roady in need of prayers, good vibes, Mojo, good karma!!


Dendy Jarrett

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Hey, Guys:

No matter your religious affiliation or beliefs, ... looking for prayers, good vibes, Karma, ... whatever you can send!

It is with a heavy heart that I report that one of our endorsers, Tom Roady was diagnosed this past week with Stage 4 terminal cancer.

He will be fighting the good fight!

If you are not familiar with Tom, ... google Tom Roady. His discography is astounding. He is one of the original Muscle Shoals percussion cats. He also played Drum Set for James Taylor and John Denver back in the day. He is still making great records (I know - that ages me) every week, and still plays on tour with Ricky Skaggs.

 

Here is his Facebook page:

 

His Facebook Page:

https://www.facebook.com/zendrummer

 

And his post:

Tuesday,October 25th, 2011.....

by Tom Roady on Sunday, October 30, 2011 at 11:59pm

Ok....this is going to be different for me.....I want to share something with those of you on Facebook....some of you know of me,,,some know me and are maybe friends or actual aquaintances,,,, and some of you really know me personally and are dear friends...this past Tuesday, Oct. 25th...I was diagnosed with stage 4 metastatic cancer....I have it on several places including my stomach, liver, and a lymph node...I met with an oncologist after having a CT scan last friday and was told this. Mel and I were in shock even though we were there because we were told something a little different after a colonoscopy and upper G/I scan on Oct. 17th...then they said I had stomach cancer and they would be scheduling me an appointment with a surgeon to remove my stomach and attach my esophagus to my lower intestine....My colon was clear thank the Lord....

 

The next morning I decided that I was going to take charge of my life and my health and not leave it up to someone else...be they a doctor or whoever...I told my GP ( who diagnosed me with an ulcer 6 months before and prescribed over the counter medicine) that I wanted to see an oncologist and gave him a name I had gotten from my pastor, Dale Robble at Highland Park Church here in Nashville...my GP got me an appointment with him and scheduled the CT scan before that appointment...tuesday. The oncologist said that removing my stomach was not going to solve my problem...that It was not contained there..hence the stage 4 diagnosis....I was stunned...and asked THE question..."is it terminal?" and he said "yes"....I asked how long I had and he said " a year, maybe more".....and he said he was sorry and that there was always hope and that they may find a "cure" in a year or two.....not having a great day at this point.......he said that they would be setting me up with a "port" and start chemo treatments on monday Oct. 31...I asked what a "port" was and he said they would be putting a device under my skin above my heart to administer the "medications"...more on my thoughts on this later also.

 

We left his office...numb,shocked,devastated,and pretty much crushed...no one ever expects to be told that their time on earth is running out quickly....we are all going to die.....its a fact....but when you hear that you definitely have a time frame, your mind starts spinning....your heart starts racing... and all your fears come to the front of your consciousness....We drove directly to my church where we gathered with our pastor and two other dear and wonderful friends and leaders in our church....we cried....talked...and prayed...they were as devastated as we were....but Dale told me.." either way Tom, you are going to be ok"....and I knew what he meant.....but I really would like to choose the obvious way right now..

 

After returning home we had received 2 or 3 messages from the oncologist's office...they said my Insurance , which was fantastic 2 years ago for my heart stem surgery, now would only pay for one of my chemo drugs....they wanted to try to get me into a clinical study with me paying the balance...but I would get the discount that the insurance would get......if they were paying for it....they wanted me to come in and bring all our financial records including my income tax return, pay stubs, Mel's financial info.....It was ALL about money and really seeing if I was capable of paying....but no one has told me what that would be...as best I can figure it out...it would be between 5K - 25K.......per treatment...The oncologist also told me that I would not be able to do the Skaggs Family Christmas tour again with Ricky and his family....something I have been doing for 8 or 9 years and is a considerable part of my yearly income....this really hurt...not just because of the lost income, but I would be missing being around a family that I love and they love me...and are one of the most Godly families I know and have the pleasure to work with....I immediately called Ricky to tell him...I left a message and sent emails.

 

The next day started out very emotionally for me...lots of tears and the why thing....but as the day progressed I started to pray and remembered something a dear friend told me when we talked about it 3 days after my initial diagnosis of stomach cancer...he said If I wanted to think about a different course of treatment to let him know...he knew someone that had really worked a God miracle for a mutual friend of ours wife....I called him...he sent me the info and I processed it....then later that day I went to see a friend who successfully battled breast cancer...18 months of chemo and radiation and she is cancer free for now...thank god...but she explained the treatments to me....I left there and got a phone call from another friend whose wife has gone through over a year of treatments....she told him to tell me to not go the chemo route...its was the closest thing to torture she ever experienced...they take you to the brink of death and hope that you recover from it....after your body, will, and spirit are decimated....

 

Now I understand that everyone that goes through the traditional cancer treatment of chemo and radiation has their own experience and journey as well as outcome...every patient is different....as is every cancer...I know that many people have beat it this way...and many others have not...many of them my friends....such as my friend Chris Kent who passed away 2 days after I learned I had cancer...he was a warrior for 13 years..thought it was beat 3 times I understand....and yet it kept coming back...the day I found out Chris had gone to meet his father was the day I went to play with Aretha Franklin at the Ryman....and she has been battling cancer as well....it was a very emotional day...the joy of playing with her and the sadness of my friend's passing. Two days later I had my CT scan.

 

The day after the oncologist told me what I didn't want or expect to hear..and I heard from my friends....I had a truly God moment...I knew what I wanted to do and felt for the first time a sense of peace...I am pursuing a different course of treatment...one that has God first in the front of everything...with prayer, scripture, meditation, etc... then diet to get my body in an alkaline state to not allow this disease to live in me...and supplements to help me achieve that state and get stronger...all brought together with the help of a Dr. I now have...and I feel so good about this choice...its my choice. THE QUALITY OF THE REST OF MY LIFE, TRUMPS THE LENGTH OF MY LIFE. I know some people may not agree with my course of treatment...including my oncologist who we are seeing tomorrow morning...but this is my body and my life and I have made my choice...with God's help I can be as strong a warrior as my friend Chris Kent...with dignity and an attitude that can prevail in conquering this disease...I know as my pastor has said, I'm going to be ok no matter what.

 

Ricky Skaggs and I have spoken and he is very glad with my decision and I will be out on tour with him and the family including the Whites....I know the power that this family has and they will take care of me out there as well as pray for me everyday and night......

 

All I ask from my Facebook friends is that they first of all respect my choice and that they if they are believers in Christ pray for me and a total healing....and I would like to say one more thing...if you have stomach pain...get checked out as quickly as you can...and not just the colonoscopy get an upper GI scan as well...If I had just had the colonoscopy they would not have found my cancer.

 

 

_____________________________________________________

 

Tom is a great friend. I have played with him both professionally and for fun.

He is one of the old school greats. The man can do things with a tambourine that will make your head spin.

Please keep him in your thoughts and prayers!

Thanks

Dendy

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I've lost 2 close family members in the last 5 years to cancer,one being way to young to leave this earth.I feel chemo and radiation just prolongs the torture longer and if it were me,I'd opt out and let nature take it's course.

It seems like everything we do causes cancer anymore.It doesn't matter how you eat if you smoke or drink, or how young or old we are,somehow it always gets people.

 

Thoughts and prayers being sent.

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I have a list of health problems but I am blessed. No cancer. I'm not stranger to it. My mother battled stomach cancer for the last ten years of her life. At 64, I still play my drums almost daily, can take care of my household tasks including a huge yard, and walk 5 miles 3X per week with my wife. I was commenting to her as we were going down the trail this morning how blessed I feel that we can still get out and do this. My prayers go out to Mr. Roady for a complete recovery.

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  • 4 weeks later...
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Guys- It is with an extremely heavy heart that I announce that Tom Roady passed away.

He and I just enjoyed time on the phone Saturday morning. He was leaving to do the Christmas Tour with Ricky Skaggs.

He left at mid-night, rehearsed all day yesterday, played a killer show last night, had a great meal with the band and artist, went back to the bus and into his bunk, fell asleep, and never woke.

Suspected he had a heart attack. While I am so very saddened, I am also thankful that he was able to play a great show, spend time with friends, and then leave in peace and that he did not suffer through the wickedness of cancer.

Please pray for his wife and family and those he has left behind.

Please take the time to learn about some of the great things Tom did for the world of percussion.

Rest in Peace Tom- I loved you so.

Dendy

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