First of all, I hope all is well with Ike. However, this issue of ‘what to do’ when someone doesn’t post or come on the forum for a few days or even longer came up on another forum. Sometimes people are tied up doing other things, and just don’t feel like posting, going online, and they don’t care to talk about it. I respect that.
Maybe that happens with some people, Arlene, but... I'm pretty sure that's not the case here. Ike was here every single morning with his morning greetings and stories. I look for his posts when I get here in the a.m. and he's just always here. I'm not sure what kind of people need that degree of privacy, but I like to feel that we're friends here, and if I'm going to disappear for a week doing other things or don't feel like posting, I'm sure as shootin' going to let *someone* here know. So would Ike.
Yes, plus the fact that he had health issues is what's troubling. If someone doesn't want to post on a forum that's their business but it's out of character for Ike, these are the reasons we are worried.
I too am worried about Ike, and I do think we should work out some way to make emergency contacts listing for all of us. We could make a list giving our avatar names and then add someone else on So that can actually contact us. If I go missing then ask Yvonne or Chrissy to check on me. They both can reach me by email or phone. If Yvonne can't get me in either of these ways, she know how to contact my step daughter on FB. Those that haven't done something like this then pick someone on SO and give them a contact number of one of your children, friends, or even a neighbor.
We could guess,til the cows come home. We can pray for Ike, and be patient. We are all strangers to one another, except for the rare cases where the buddy system is in place. We should realize our limits, as we walk the narrow path between concern and privacy. Let's not give up on Ike too soon. He is a survivor!
Some of us are quite friendly with each other, Joe. Meaning we text and know each others phone numbers. Haven't given up on Ike, just concerned.
I know that to some this is just a place of recreation, and it is for me as well, but for me you people have become my family since I no longer have one. All of you fill spots that I thought would always remain empty for me now. But that's not true. Many of you have given me the mental and emotional support that I wouldn't have otherwise.
I feel the same, Ina. I have family but not many friends in Fresno and I think of you as friends. Some of you I've known longer but I'm also making new friends here.
This is how I feel... I don't consider my friends here strangers at all. (Although there *are* many strangers in the mix, that's because I haven't made an effort to *make* them friends... I truly believe that strangers are simply friends we haven't met yet.) I am closer to a few people here than I am to my neighbors and "real life" friends where everyone seems to be in their own little world anyhow. I don't have the history with Ike that some of you have, but he's one of those "instant friends" that we come across once in a while... and I check for his posts every morning, just like I check for posts from some of the rest of you. So anyhow, this is where I came first to check today... I suspect that man's going to have one whopper of an interesting story to tell when he gets back.
Yes @Ina I. Wonder Chrissy and I have just exchanged our daughters email addresses, a buddy system is a good idea.,