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About Lugnut -- Patrick Malone

Many of us have come to know Patrick Malone (Lugnut) as a friendly, helpful, knowledgeable and kind individual. He is a frequent and enthusiastic contributor to our analog discussion forum. He has initiated only 17 threads, but responded to 559 threads. I would guess that many, if not most, of us can recall a time when Pat replied with helpful advice to a question we posted or helped us track down a rare recording. I have come to love Pat as a friend, and to respect him as a man, and I suspect many of you share those feelings.

Today I write to share difficult news with you. Pat has been diagnosed with an aggressive stomach cancer. It has yet to be determined whether surgery will even be worth it. If surgery is performed, most or all of the stomach will be removed, and Pat would face a difficult and long post-op period in the hospital. The medical course is still uncertain, but will be determined soon. Whatever is decided, it will not be easy or pleasant.

Something may be planned in the future to assist the family. For now, Pat could use some of the friendship he so often and willingly showed us. You can email Pat at: lugnut50@msn.com. You can also mail cards, letters ... or whatever. You may email me for Pat's mailing address. My email is: pfrumkin1@comcast.net.

I hope to spend a few days with Pat in Idaho or Nebraska (from which he hails) soon. Between this news, my legal work, getting ready for family arriving for the holidays, Audio Intelligent, and trying to make plans to visit Pat, my head is spinning. If you email me and I don't respond, please understand that I am not ignoring you, but rather simply do not have time to reply.

Pat may or may not have time to respond to posts here, to emails, or to cards mailed to him. But he has asked me to convey to each and every one of you that he has cherished your friendship, your comradery, and sharing our common hobby on this great website.

As we prepare for our holiday season celebrations, and look forward to -- as we should -- enjoying this time of year, I ask that you keep Pat and his family in mind ... and softly offer up, in quiet moments in the still of night and early morning, prayers for Pat and his family. God bless.

Warmest regards to all,
Paul Frumkin
paul_frumkin
springbok10
711 posts
 
Pat,
Sometimes words are inadequate. I think you get the sense of what the Audiogon community feels for you and wishes for you. It's strange, but the impact your thread has had is quite enormous. I think my wife summarized it this weekend, when a non-audio couple whom we haven't seen for a year, asked me how I spend my "non-working" time, since I told them I'm too busy to socialize. She said "He used to spend all his time reading about Audio equipment on A'gon, now he just wants to know how Lugnut is doing". Like many of the other contributors on this thread, I have never personally met you, but your honesty and fortitude has touched all our lives. And our perspectives on what's important.
nrchy's avatar
nrchy
2,124 posts
 
I'm sure Pat will be embarrassed by this, but hopefully not upset...
I only met him on one occasion, but have had the pleasure of corresponding with him over the last year or so. The level of respect and friendship I have for Pat increased immeasurably when I met him in person. He is in many ways a throwback to a bygone era when men were polite, considerate, and anything but the doormats they have become. His struggle has been an inspiration to me, and his example, one worth following. He is a trooper, but inspite of all he is going through, his thoughts and concerns are for his family and those around him. In a culture where selfishness is considered a virtue, Pat shows how meeting the needs of others actually meets our own needs.
To quote a better man Pat, "I thank God for my every remembrance of you..."
tobias
1,534 posts
 
Intellectually I realize that ... I'll just need to succumb to the inevitable and let this process do its thing. ... Accept ... apparently, I'm just along for the ride.

To say this, to accept, in the face of ordinary obstacles is difficult; to live it through in the face of ordinary obstacles takes strength and courage. To say it in the face of life itself is great honesty. To live it in the face of life itself means, to me at least, the greatest courage and love a human can possibly achieve.

Pat, to share your difficulties as you have done is to keep us grounded in the reality of the struggle to live and grow. There is no use in high-flown words if they have no grounding. Your sharing has made my difficulties easier to bear.

We are just humans, prone to error, in impermanent bodies. To manifest eternity--the eternity of life, of reality, of the universe, of God, of love--from this position, is our challenge. Lugnut is doing his job, and what a job. I am immensely grateful.
cello
645 posts
 
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Tobias, Beautiful post....Thanks

Rgds,
Larry
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jdodmead
257 posts
 
I am a man of few words, a few very close friends. But now I feel like I belong to a big family that has come together in support of one another. I am in awe of all of you and I am thankful to be a part of this family.

Jeff
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