90: Conquering Colon Cancer with Faith and Family | Jim Tabler

Ever wonder how a career in corrections can prepare someone for the battle of a lifetime? Meet Jim Tabler, who shares his incredible story from working in the psych ward and teaching trades to inmates, to facing a colon cancer diagnosis. Jim’s experience is a testament to the power of resilience. 

Jim and I discuss the practicalities of dietary changes and the emotional highs and lows of medical check-ups. We talk about the role of a supportive family system, specifically the encouragement from a spouse. Prayer and community support emerge as pivotal during the healing phase, and we highlight the invaluable resources provided by HealingStrong to help guide those on similar journeys.

Jim shares how cancer has a way of reshaping life’s priorities and perspectives. Jim opens up about the spiritual growth spurred by his diagnosis and the significance of addressing diet, stress, and emotional well-being. We discuss the joy of grandparenthood, the impact of small acts of kindness, and the transformative power of community support groups. Plus, learn about how you can support HealingStrong’s mission to empower healing communities. Join us and find the inspiration to face your own challenges with renewed hope and strength.

Contact Jim:
jimamytabler@yahoo.com

HealingStrong's mission is to educate, equip and empower our group leaders and group participants through their journey with cancer or other chronic illnesses, and know there is HOPE. We bring this hope through educational materials, webinars, guest speakers, conferences, community small group support and more.

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Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:00

We go out, we go meet couples and it's kind of hard to talk about, you know, cancer in front of everybody or what I've learned. But if you get in a group that is similar to your situation, it's much easier and you can. I mean, I just want to help people really.

Speaker 3: 0:19

You're listening to the I Am Healing Strong podcast, a part of the Healing Strong organization, the number one network of holistic cancer support groups in the world. Each week, we bring you stories of hope, real stories that will encourage you as you navigate your way on your own journey to health. Now here's your host, stage four cancer thriver, jim Mann. Now here's your host, stage four cancer thriver, jim Mann.

Speaker 2: 0:45

Well, I'm excited to bring another story to people so that they can be encouraged and find hope, and today we're talking to Jim Tabler all the way in Ohio. You're up there and of course, it's not cold right now.

Speaker 1: 0:59

You're probably sweating, just like us. We just had a heat wave, yeah what.

Speaker 2: 1:03

Is that like 70?

Speaker 1: 1:05

Yeah, in the 90s, close to 100.

Speaker 2: 1:08

Holy mackerel, are you serious yeah?

Speaker 1: 1:10

Yeah, it was warm yeah.

Speaker 2: 1:11

What part of Ohio Are you near Cleveland?

Speaker 1: 1:14

No, it's actually northwest Ohio.

Speaker 2: 1:17

Okay, I say okay, like I know Ohio, I've been to Cleveland once, and it was in February. I've been to Cleveland once, and it was in February.

Speaker 1: 1:24

A dumb time to go to Cleveland. Yeah, right on the lake.

Speaker 2: 1:26

It was very cold. I was over business so I had to be there, but still it was very cold, and I grew up in Baltimore, so I'm used to cold, but not quite that cold. And you've lived there for how long.

Speaker 1: 1:38

Oh, almost my whole life. We moved here when I was in the fourth grade. That winter was the year that ohio northwest ohio had its blizzard. So going from the, from the beaches of virginia beach, to the blizzard of ohio, just yeah for a kid it was fun at the time, you know yeah, I, I still love the snow, and I lived in florida for 22 years, after baltimore, of course, and uh, didn't get a lot of snow there now and here our blizzards are like a half an inch every two or three years.

Speaker 2: 2:15

It just shuts down the whole town because we have like one snow plow in virginia it was the same way.

Speaker 1: 2:21

They got half an inch and everything shut down yeah isn't that funny? Oh it is, it is.

Speaker 2: 2:29

Whoa, Jim, can I call you Jim?

Speaker 1: 2:32

Sure.

Speaker 2: 2:32

Yep, so your real name is James right?

Speaker 1: 2:36

It is yeah.

Speaker 2: 2:38

Okay, yeah.

Speaker 1: 2:39

But, like I said for 32 years in corrections, no one really knew my last name because when I started working there, my boss, out of the blue, just called me Jimbo. Well, everybody just started calling me Jimbo and someone would say, hey, go tell Tabler that he needs to come in the office. And they're like who's that? It's Jimbo. Oh, okay, yeah, I'll go get him.

Speaker 2: 3:03

Yeah, so you had most of your career, or all of your career was in in corrections.

Speaker 1: 3:08

Yes, it was yeah. So I did several different jobs. I was a vocational teacher, I worked in recreation, I worked in maintenance. I was a correctional officer. I worked in the psych ward. I worked in the psych ward in OPI where we had like 70 sewing machines and we made all the clothing throughout Ohio for all the offenders.

Speaker 2: 3:34

Wow.

Speaker 1: 3:35

Yeah, shirts, pants, bed sheets, pillowcases.

Speaker 2: 3:39

Did you enjoy that job?

Speaker 1: 3:40

Yeah, I mean, yeah, it actually was helping the guys learn a trade. You know, yeah, job yeah I mean, yeah, it actually was helping the guys learn a trade.

Speaker 2: 3:47

You know, yeah, it was actually preparing them for when they got released, to be have something in their their pocket to go out and be successful yeah, yeah, I know, like some, some people who think, oh man, working in a jail must be horrible, must be very dangerous and and of course at times it is. But I know, I've done. I've never worked in a jail but I've done. Uh, I've been in music groups where we would go and minister in jails. And I thought man, it's usually like your favorite place to be.

Speaker 1: 4:13

Oh, yeah, yeah.

Speaker 2: 4:15

We were playing outside and it was a high security or whatever you call that up in New York. And so we're out there and these guys are just huge and I thought, oh my gosh, most of these guys are in here, probably killed somebody. We're up on the flatbed truck playing and I'm playing bass and I'm like I'm just a skinny little fellow up here. They can just snap me in half.

Speaker 1: 4:42

I don't know why they would do that, but still A lot of those guys oh Jim, a lot of those guys appreciate that.

Speaker 2: 4:49

Yeah.

Speaker 1: 4:50

They really do.

Speaker 2: 4:51

Here's the deal we're playing and all of a sudden they start rushing the stage and I about lost it. Then we realized there's a storm coming behind us and they grabbed my bass amp and they took it off because it was very heavy. They took care of us. They're like here comes a storm, it's going to ruin your equipment. So it scared Stu out of me until I realized what they were doing. They're like well, these guys are great.

Speaker 1: 5:15

Right, yeah.

Speaker 2: 5:17

So that's my prison story.

Speaker 1: 5:18

There you go.

Speaker 2: 5:20

That's all I got. You have a few more, but we only have a half hour to talk. That's right. So you have a. You have a journey where you had a diagnosis, and it wasn't that long ago, right no, it was uh March of 23 wow yeah that's just a little over a year ago yeah, yeah so tell me what happened uh well, so it was my very first colonoscopy oh fun oh, yeah, yeah, and I'll tell you, it was like the whole world just crashed down on me.

Speaker 1: 5:53

He came in and said you know, we found this, we think it's, we think it's uh colon cancer and uh, he called it um, he called it lynch syndrome I don't know if you ever heard of that. So I guess an inherent genetic disorder that increases the risk of developing many types of cancer. Most common is the colon cancer.

Speaker 2: 6:14

Right right.

Speaker 1: 6:16

He started saying you got to have your kids tested, this is. It almost put us at a panic.

Speaker 2: 6:22

Right.

Speaker 1: 6:23

And so all of our kids have been tested, my brothers have been tested, and it put us in a whirlwind, you know. So I had to go back and I always look at what chris work said about genetics. Genetics loads the gun, but your diet and your lifestyle and your environment pull the trigger right and so my, my diet, my and your environment pulled the trigger, and so my diet and my lifestyle. Just it pulled the trigger big time. So then I had surgery in April.

Speaker 1: 6:57

They took half my colon. Funny story me and my wife months later driving down the road and she looked at me and she said, yeah, I was so surprised they took your appendix out. And I looked at her and I said what you knew that? Right, they took your appendix. I'm like no, I didn't know that. Wow, yeah. And then you know, just through that I got with so my cousin who had breast cancer at the age of 38, we called her right away and just she said clean your whole cupboard out, no artificial sugars, get rid of them, right. And so, and then I have two cousins, one actually had brain cancer at 40. And so it is in the family tree. I mean it's. If you see my family tree on the tabler side you'd be like Whoa, you know, cancer, cancer, cancer, cancer. So we did that and and and basically last June it's been a year that I went, uh, all vegan.

Speaker 2: 8:05

Wow.

Speaker 1: 8:06

And so no dairy, no, no, no meat, no artificial meat, none of that.

Speaker 2: 8:10

So was that tough for you, or you were just so motivated that it wasn't as hard?

Speaker 1: 8:15

well, you know you, it's funny, you say that word motivation I was. I was motivated and, and like I always, I'll quote chris work a lot, but he said motivation is is is just temporary. It's the determination that will continue on. For your life, and so I was motivated at first, but I am determined to stay healthy and just be around for a while.

Speaker 2: 8:44

Yeah, yeah, it's cause it's all about how much you want it. I know Chris says that too, that you got to want, you got to have a will to live. Some people are just like it's not worth it. You know I'm doomed, and then they get that mindset and it's downhill from there. But we all have that fight in us and we got to find that fight, especially for the family, if nobody else. Right, how many kids do you? He had?

Speaker 1: 9:08

we have four kids. We have three girls and a son who is uh, he's our youngest, he's 20 years old and, um, he's our farmer oh yes, amy's dad is a farmer and so he, our son, is going to two-year college road state going into ag technology. So he loves it. Yeah, yeah.

Speaker 2: 9:33

So you were a doctor? Did they he or she, whoever it was, did they just want to do chemo?

Speaker 1: 9:41

you know the typical or Well, so I've been lucky with my doctors I really have. So my oncologist we were getting ready to do the chemo and it was the Sunday before I was supposed to get my port in and my wife was out in our garden, in the backyard and that's why I always call my story in the garden, because that's where I went out there and I kind of told her I've just got this feeling in my heart, my gut, it's the Holy Spirit talking to me that God came in, the surgeons did a great job, but it's like God has repaired me and he wants me to go on this natural journey, and so she was all for it. We had a virtual meeting with the doctor that week and I told him and he said, like he was sincere, he's like you know what? That's fine, I don't, I don't care, but I'm, I'm here for you.

Speaker 1: 10:42

So it was great that way yeah. And so it is, it really is, and so he's been kind of on this journey with us and he gets little reports. Like you know, the tree, the tree nuts are good for you. Walking exercise, which you know I do every day or for five days a week. I enjoy my exercise. So when I first started out I was 271. I'm 210 now wow I lost 60 pounds, yeah that's a lot yeah, yeah, but I've maintained the 210, so my wife always worries if I get too low.

Speaker 2: 11:25

But yeah, if I lost 70 pounds, that would just be a head and feet.

Speaker 1: 11:30

Oh yeah, I don't have that much of me here, but I've always been scrawny I remember hearing some of your podcasts you talking about being the smallest one in the class and yeah, yeah, but with the biggest head, beautiful Anyway. So he's been great through this journey too, and my family doctor has been incredible, so I've been blessed that way, you know.

Speaker 2: 11:58

Right, okay, so obviously. Now, who told you to get on this diet?

Speaker 1: 12:05

Well with my cousin who had the breast cancer Right. She was a huge help. Um, but when I grabbed chris work's uh, crispy cancer book, that was just that. That was a.

Speaker 1: 12:19

That was a lifesaver for me right because today I feel I have so much more energy. I feel so much more energy, I feel so much better. You know, I got on his square one program, but to me he was, he was a, he was a lifesaver. I mean, I just so, I just followed his book to the T. No one really, you know, encouraged or you know right, followed me. Um, the only really thing that I haven't done, that I'm going to do, is start juicing. I haven't really juiced. I like the fasting. So every three months I fast for three to five days.

Speaker 2: 12:54

Wow.

Speaker 1: 12:55

Yeah, that's kind of my, that's kind of my gig and and and and and the Christian music uh. Tasha Layton. I know you had interviewed her, but I love my Christian music, so. But yeah, no one really, except for my wife. You know we've walked together in this. She actually lost 20 pounds herself and she's almost like you.

Speaker 1: 13:18

She had really nowhere to lose it, but you know, but uh, so when we fix our meals, we'll I'll fix my meal, we'll have like rice and beans, and then, you know, my son's still growing, he's still a young kid, but his eating habits have even gotten better through this whole process. But she'll fix some meat or we'll have sweet potatoes or something like that, and so we kind of cover everybody's meal plans there.

Speaker 2: 13:52

Yeah, I keep forgetting about sweet potatoes. For crying out loud.

Speaker 1: 13:56

Oh they are. Yeah, they're really good for you and I like them. I really like them.

Speaker 2: 13:59

Yeah, I love those. In fact, you know all my kids and everybody, but my wife likes sweet potatoes, so I'm writing that down. I'm going to go to the store after this. There you go.

Speaker 1: 14:16

you already got a a chore at the end of the day, yeah, sweet potatoes, they're easy to fix too they are yeah, rice and beans.

Speaker 2: 14:20

You want to get some rice and beans? Okay, I'm good. Now how have your numbers been? You know, when you go back to doctors, you go like every three months yeah, well, I just graduated.

Speaker 1: 14:32

It's six months now oh, look at you yeah, and so there was one time last november, my, my cancer marker, my cea, went up and he was like, okay, let's do another colonoscopy, let's do a. Was it endoscope? Yeah, and so we did that. My, so my ca marker went from three, two to five, four, and I'm supposed to be between two and four, and so we did that and everything checked out fine. I had two non-cancerous polyps and the whatever the endoscope or endoscopy.

Speaker 2: 15:12

Yeah.

Speaker 1: 15:14

Showed some small lesions on my liver and my pancreas and he said you know, if I would have took a biopsy, I would have hurt you more than anything. So he said I'll see you in a year. Both of them said see you in a year. And that was around Christmas. That was my Christmas gift.

Speaker 2: 15:29

All right.

Speaker 1: 15:30

To me yeah.

Speaker 2: 15:31

That was still a known rap.

Speaker 1: 15:33

Yeah, so fast forward. Um, in may I had blood work and it dropped all the way down to two, three. So uh he was. He was very happy about that, and now I'm at six months with blood work and so yeah, yeah, the numbers. And I remember Chris Warwick saying look, if the numbers go elevate, don't panic, that could be, a sign that your body's actually healing right so I didn't panic, but we used to look at. You know how you can get the numbers on the computer before you even see the doctor.

Speaker 2: 16:06

Like a week before well, we did that when it was 5-4 and we panicked and we came to a decision that we're not going to look at those results until the day we see the doctor yeah, I always do that after I get a scan and I and I read the stuff I look it either sounds like I'm dying or everything's perfect, and I can never figure it out.

Speaker 2: 16:29

And then they keep. I keep saying the word unremarkable. I said well, that it either sounds like I'm dying or everything is perfect, and I can never figure it out. And then I keep saying the word unremarkable. I say, well, that doesn't sound good but it is good in this case. Right, right, you want to be unremarkable.

Speaker 1: 16:38

Right, it's like you need a lawyer to read all those results and stuff. It's like wow, yeah.

Speaker 2: 16:49

So I just try not to read them until I go in, and then, yeah, they don't really talk much about them, so I don't, I don't understand, but anyway, as long as I pay them, right exactly yeah, so now, how'd you hear about healing strong? Is it through chris work?

Speaker 1: 17:01

it was through chris work, yeah, and. And so I must have not paid much attention to that part of his book, because here, just it last couple of months, I came across it and I opened the web page and I'm like, where have you been? I mean, this is incredible.

Speaker 1: 17:19

Just incredible Just the way they put on there how to help guide people through their cancer journeys. But you know, through me and my wife's conversations, the other side of that story is the people that are living with the people with cancer, like maybe your wife, my wife. You know they have a story and a journey too, but it's completely different than ours.

Speaker 2: 17:46

Yeah, I haven't told my wife yet and a journey too, but it's completely different than ours.

Speaker 1: 17:49

Yeah, I haven't told my wife yet. Okay, she'll be surprised when you bring the sweet potatoes in, right? Yeah, yeah. How did your wife respond? You know what? She was really a solid rock, because when we came out of the doctor's office, I just, in the car, I broke down, I said we're not telling nobody. And she's like, well, let's just think about this.

Speaker 2: 18:08

I just in the car I broke down.

Speaker 1: 18:09

I said we're not telling nobody. And she's like well, let's just think about this. She said if we tell nobody, how are people going to be able to pray for you? And so she has been rock solid through this whole thing. Now that's the surface part. Now, as far as there's been some rocky moments, like I said, some of the scan results have really gotten her worked up a little bit.

Speaker 2: 18:35

Yeah, that's where my wife shines also. Whenever there's a crisis, she just kicks in. It's like the emotion is gone and she just does what needs to be done, like when we brought my parents up from Florida because my mom was getting dementia. My wife is my, my goodness. I couldn't believe her. I'm like how do you do this? One time she even picked my dad up and put him in bed. Of course, he was less than 100 pounds by that time, but still and he laughed about it he's like 95 years old. She just picked him up, put him in there.

Speaker 2: 19:06

He snickered a little, but you know he's a world war ii vet, so doesn't necessarily like being picked up and put in bed right right but she's just a take charge person, so we need another crisis so I can see how good she is I mean it is just amazing to watch them go into action.

Speaker 1: 19:24

I mean I'm like, wow, I didn't deserve this, that's for sure. God sent me an angel. I know that.

Speaker 2: 19:30

Yeah, I just hope that gracious doesn't come her way, cause I'll probably panic.

Speaker 1: 19:34

So no, I don't think so. I think, you'll be good. You'll be good.

Speaker 2: 19:39

Yeah, okay, good, we won't have to do it. So where do you, where do you see things going now? I think you were talking earlier that you were looking for a group, and there's no group in your area.

Speaker 1: 19:50

Right, right, so I would actually like to. I was talking to Maya and I'd like to, with my cousin that had the breast cancer, maybe start up a group in Lima, ohio. Um, cause, she would be, she would be awesome too, but, um, I would. I would definitely like to start a group up and just start reaching out to those people that that just need somebody to talk to.

Speaker 2: 20:13

Right.

Speaker 1: 20:14

I told my wife you know everything I've read with Chris Wark. We go to, we go out, we go meet couples and it's it's kind of hard to talk about, about you know, cancer in front of everybody or what I've learned, but if you get in a group that is similar to your situation, it's much easier and you can. I mean, I just want to help people really yeah, and how's your cousin doing now?

Speaker 1: 20:41

she's doing great. I mean she's two years older than I, so 38, that that was years ago. She had four young kids, wow, and my cousin that was 40 with brain cancer. He's doing great. So I guess we're telling the older generation we can kick its butt, you know.

Speaker 2: 21:01

So what you're saying is it's not a death sentence. It doesn't have to be a death sentence, let's put it that way and it's different for everybody. We've said that a million times. It's not like you just do this one thing, eat this one diet, or do this one thing and you'll be fine, because everyone has a deficiency in their being, whether it's diet Most people diet has a big part of it but whether it's unforgiveness or anxiety, stress and I never knew any of that mattered as far as physical until, of course, until I got cancer. Then I've done all this research like man. That's a huge part. Stress is a huge part. It's not just a little thing, it's a huge part of the disease that comes to your body.

Speaker 1: 21:46

Yes, yeah. And so, with through my journey, I felt that my faith has grown even stronger than it was before. I mean, like you said, you know, just letting go of that, that stress bitterness you may have in your life, which you know I did, you just got to let it go. Got to let it go.

Speaker 2: 22:08

Yeah, I can see the bitterness now in your eye. Just kidding, of course, and that was something I was going to ask, like you know, before this cancer diagnosis. You know, up until a little over a year ago, you know, life was great, right, I mean, I'm sure you had issues or problems here and there, but life seemed to be great.

Speaker 1: 22:26

Sure, great, right. I mean I'm sure you had issues or problems here and there, but lights seem to be great. Sure it was just. Yeah, it was uh just kind of moving along, enjoying family and yeah uh, but to me I think it, I think I think I've heard you say it, and chris work said it's just a little tap on the shoulder to uh bring it back to reality. I mean it was hard to hear, but it's actually made my life better, if that's weird to say.

Speaker 2: 22:50

Yeah Well, we totally understand, believe me Right.

Speaker 1: 22:53

Health wise, spiritually wise.

Speaker 2: 22:56

Yeah, priorities.

Speaker 1: 22:58

Priorities. I mean, you know, I remember hearing one of your podcasts. You know, every once in a while you may feel something in your stomach or it's like oh, did it come back? Yes, and you know I'm like well, you know what, if it did, I would handle it. I mean, it's just keep living. You know, you know, like chris, work says, it's quality, not quantity.

Speaker 2: 23:18

So yeah, a divine touch on the shoulder or a punch in the gut, however you want to say it's a little bit of both, I guess I was about to say I got both, so yeah yeah, yeah, my mind was quite a punch because, uh and I was at disney world you probably heard that before of all places, the happiest place on earth, as they say, and they get the worst news. In fact, I came across a picture yesterday as I was going through, uh, facebook, which I never go to anymore, so I've had a lot to catch up and I saw a picture of me at the breakfast with some of the staff of the radio station and Goofy is behind me. You know one of the character breakfasts. And it was an hour later.

Speaker 2: 24:00

When I went up to my room from there and I got the call, I was like, oh my gosh. At that point there I thought everything was great, went upstairs and said, well, no, it's not great. Got a month or two to live, which they didn't tell me at that time, but that's what the prognosis was. So, yeah, my world changed right there. That was my. It wasn't a tap on the shoulder at that point, it was a punch in the gut, but yeah it definitely changed my life, and for the better.

Speaker 2: 24:29

I'm glad I don't have the cancer now. I'd rather not have it, I don't miss it at all. But yeah, like you said, my priorities have changed, the way I see things, the way I appreciate family more than anything else and other people. And yeah, of course I'm getting older. I think everyone is. If I remember correctly, I just had a birthday two days ago and I'm like, oh my goodness, it doesn't stop.

Speaker 1: 24:57

Well, happy birthday.

Speaker 2: 24:59

Yeah, not really. No, I mean, yeah, thank you, which you know, in my mind I'm still 40, and then I look in the mirror and I'm like well, I'm not, but you know, if you have hope in Christ, it's like what do I worry about? There's eternity to go.

Speaker 1: 25:15

Right, yeah, exactly, I mean, you know, and I've always told people that you know, whenever it's my time it could be cancer. It it's my time it could be cancer, it could be a car accident or something tomorrow, but I'm ready, I'm prepared to you know for that to happen. It's just that our loved ones around us would miss us so much that yeah, I hope they do yeah. It's funny you said birthday what my brother started doing after his 50th birthday he started counting backwards.

Speaker 2: 25:45

so yeah, yes, either way, he'll start wearing diapers. That's right, I just need that first grandkid, then I'll be more fulfilled.

Speaker 1: 25:57

There you go yeah.

Speaker 2: 25:58

You've already got that at your young age.

Speaker 1: 26:00

Oh, I'm telling you what they are just. Oh, they're a joy. I'm telling you, they are just wonderful.

Speaker 2: 26:07

Yeah, yeah, yeah, let me write that down.

Speaker 1: 26:11

That way you can tell your kids yeah. I hear that they're wonderful. There you go.

Speaker 2: 26:17

Great, let's see some action here.

Speaker 1: 26:19

I want some kids there you go.

Speaker 2: 26:22

So you're going to start this group Now, I can tell you, because I had the same thing, as you probably know. I thought, oh, there's got to be a group in Greenville, south Carolina. It's a very healthy place and of course there wasn't one that I felt obligated. So I started one, which we just met last night, and I am no leader and I don't. I mean, I enjoy the group, don't get me wrong, but I feel like, you know, everybody in the room knows more than I do. They're doing all this research and they're coming up with stuff and I'm like who's that I'm supposed to be the leader? Settle down everybody. But it's great and you know, all I do is I play those videos that are the curriculum, which is filled with all kinds of stuff, and then there's all kinds of other videos to watch there, and then there's different guests I can bring in both, you know, in person or over the internet.

Speaker 2: 27:10

Or if you're a natural leader, you can do. You know a whole lot more than what I'm doing. I'm waiting for somebody to step up, but they haven't done it yet. I'm getting closer. I think somebody looks like they might be able to step up, but until then I'm going to be obedient to God.

Speaker 1: 27:25

There you go.

Speaker 2: 27:26

And do that because you know he uses the week. So I'm right there.

Speaker 1: 27:32

Yeah, there you go. But you know it's nice with those groups. Like you said, people bring different information, different things to the meetings and that's what makes a meeting go. I mean, when you're running those meetings you're just there to kind of oversee it. I mean when you're running those meetings you're just there to kind of oversee it. And everybody else helps out, you know, with information for people to learn and, you know, find their own journey to go.

Speaker 2: 27:55

And I have the code to get in the building, so that's also.

Speaker 1: 27:57

Yeah, that's why you're there. Yeah, that's.

Speaker 2: 28:00

Exactly when do you see things going from here? Obviously starting a group, and you feel like you got to give back, which that definitely is one way of doing that but just pretty much spreading your story and they have the Ridge Project, and so I met Ron years ago in prison, but I was a staff member and he was an inmate and he did 14 years in prison and he was innocent. Wow.

Speaker 1: 28:40

Yeah. So what they do is they go into the correctional facilities and help out with men and women becoming better parents, fathers, mothers, husbands, wives. Their program is just incredible. So I have went back into the correctional facilities telling a little bit about my story. But I'm telling you their story is just. It's filled with friendship, faithfulness, fortitude and forgiveness. I mean it's.

Speaker 2: 29:13

Wow, that's huge.

Speaker 1: 29:14

Yeah, yeah, it's, it's an incredible story. And so, yeah, going out telling my story, just trying to find places to where where I can help out and I think God already does that my wife had a big event this past weekend and we were helping the older people, I like to say, with golf carts, transporting them, and this lady got in my golf cart and she says, oh, can you take me over there and get a cup of coffee? I said, sure, we'll go over there. So I took her over and she went in and got a cup of coffee. I said, sure, we'll go over there. So I took her over and she went in and got a cup of coffee. And she came out and on the way back she was telling me how her husband had just passed away six weeks ago, and so she started crying. I'm like, oh, I'm so sorry to hear that. And when she got out I said, but you know, he's here with us, right.

Speaker 1: 30:04

And she just shook her head and she just kind of walked away. I never got her name or anything, but God puts us in those positions to be there to help people.

Speaker 2: 30:14

It's not necessarily the big things, it's the little things that make the difference.

Speaker 1: 30:17

Right, yeah, most definitely yeah.

Speaker 2: 30:20

Obviously, if people want to get a hold of you pretty soon, they can just go to HealingStrstrongorg and look up the groups in Ohio and you'll be there Until then. Is there a way people can get a hold of you if they have any questions or want to talk to you?

Speaker 1: 30:35

I've got my email, which is jimamytabler at yahoocom.

Speaker 2: 30:40

That's simple enough. It's table with an R at the end right.

Speaker 1: 30:44

That's right. Table with an R.

Speaker 2: 30:46

Jim and Amy, or just Jim Amy Taylor.

Speaker 3: 30:49

Yes.

Speaker 2: 30:51

Okay and we're looking forward to hearing about your group what happens. It was great hearing your story. You got anything else you want to share for people who maybe just got a diagnosis and they're like scared to death right now Because you know you and I both know that feeling.

Speaker 1: 31:05

Yeah, like scared to death right now, because you know, you and I both know that feeling. Yeah, first of all, I just want to say thank you for the interview. I really appreciate this and I would say just take a deep breath and, if you can reach out to people that have already been through this, because they are a wealth of knowledge physically, spiritually, mentally and just before you make any decisions. I was almost like Chris Wark. I wish I would have tried to shrink my tumor before getting the surgery. But it's your life. Don't let anybody push you into anything. It's your choice. You have the choice of picking what doctors you want as far as how you want to deal with your cancer situation or your illness, and just take time and patience and really search with prayer, search and just listen to God.

Speaker 2: 31:59

All right, good advice. Well, jim, thank you very much.

Speaker 1: 32:03

Well, thank you, Jim.

Speaker 2: 32:05

All right, see you, jim.

Speaker 3: 32:06

All right, jim, you've been listening to the I Am Healing Strong podcast. A part of the Healing Strong organization. We hope you found encouragement in this episode, as well as the confidence to take control of your healing journey, knowing that God will guide you on this path. Healing Strong is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to connect, support and educate individuals facing cancer and other diseases through strategies that help to rebuild the body, renew the soul and refresh the spirit.

Speaker 3: 32:40

It costs nothing to be a part of a local or online group. You can do that by going to our website at healingstrongorg and finding a group near you or an online group, or start your own, your choice. While you're there, take a look around at all the free resources. Though the resources and groups are free, we encourage you to join our membership program at $25 or $75 a month. This helps us to be able to reach more people with hope and encouragement, and that also comes with some extra perks as well. So check it out. If you enjoyed this podcast, please give us a five-star rating, leave an encouraging comment and help us spread the word. We'll see you next week with another story on the I Am Healing Strong podcast.