"So long and thanks for all the fish"

"Four years ago I was diagnosed with stage four metastatic breast cancer. I've fought it in the breast, in the spine, in the brain, and back again. Over the years I became a giant human shaped game of whack-a-mole, trying to cut it off and drawing lines in the sand to hold it at bay, and sometimes coming in to work with the latest and greatest in medical fashion. But in late January we failed to hold the line. An infection slipped through and went septic, and in that time the cancer managed to grab hold in ways that have made further treatment impossible.

Around the same time the battle lines fell a company email went out asking for our six-word-stories regarding Tyler and what is meaningful about the company and workplace. Due to the situation I never got a chance to submit mine, so I would like to share it now:

"In family, strength. In Tyler, family."

Thank you. To everyone for supporting me, to Tyler for allowing me to continue working even as my health began slipping. Thank you to my teammates, to the people I worked closely with and to those of you I only ever met over the phone. Thank you to the people who called in like clockwork every time your password expired and needed reset (you know who you are).

I never intended to set something like this up, but the outpouring of support badgering me to do so (you should never badger an IT specialist, and I can not be held liable if your account is suddenly locked out) has been both overwhelming and touching.  Don't feel obligated, don't feel like you have to send anything just because the situation. But if you do, thank you. My husband and daughter are about to get saddled with a debt that I wish I didn't have to leave them, but I know that I'm leaving them in supportive hands, and my daughter in a wonderful career. And that makes it a little easier to rest.

Again, thank you. From family, to family."

- Debbie