Rest in Peace Bill "Epoman" Halcomb

[del]

I am shocked and saddened by the news He did a wonderful job with this site.  Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family. ]

[billoggblog]

Like everyone on this site, I was absolutely devastated when I heard about Epoman.  I am over in Scotland and feel so far away! but this truly amazing site Brings us all together!  I wanted to mark my respects with some sort of small tribute to this "special man"  thought about a card , or maybe some flowers, I wanted someting a little more permanent!.  So I decided, I am going to become a Premium Member of HIS site, I know how he felt about his IHD family.  This is a small gesture, and I wish I was able to do more.

Bill.





EDITED: Merged Topics - Sluff, Moderator

[thegrammalady]

shock, tears, sadness and a profound gratefulness to have found this site and gotten a chance to see a little into the life of a great person.

[tamara]

Tamara xxx ooo

Like everyone on this site, I was absolutely devastated when I heard about Epoman.  I am over in Scotland and feel so far away! but this truly amazing site Brings us all together!  I wanted to mark my respects with some sort of small tribute to this "special man"  thought about a card , or maybe some flowers, I wanted someting a little more permanent!.  So I decided, I am going to become a Premium Member of HIS site, I know how he felt about his IHD family.  This is a small gesture, and I wish I was able to do more.

Good on you Billoggblog 

Epoman would have appreciated it, as he did all the people that contributed and helped out in this site, in everyway they could.

 

[Amanda From OZ]

I am in complete shock, sadness.... words cant even describe..... Our prayers and thoughts are with trina and nick.

RIP Bill.... 

[boxman55]

God saw you getting tired, when a cure was not to be, He closed his arms around you, And wispered "Come to me" In tears we saw you sinking, We watched you fade away, Our hearts were almost broken, You fought so hard to stay. But when we saw you sleeping so peacefully free from pain, we would have not wished you back to suffer that again. So treasure him Lord in your garden of rest, For he on earth was one of the best. RIP Bill             
Boxman55

[kitkatz]

The Man I Never Met

We never met face to face in life
You were my friend anyway.

We often spoke over Skype
Or we talked on line.
Or we posted messages
To pass the time.

I never met you.
You were my friend anyway.

We talked about the disease
That brought us together
With many, many people.
You told of your experiences.
I told of mine.
Together we made it through
A few rough spots in our lives.

I never met you
You were my friend anyway.

You had thirteen years on dialysis
To my eight years.
I looked up to you as my role model.
If he can do 13,
I can get up and do mine.
I guess eventually
I will surpass your number.

I never met you
You were my friend anyway.

You and I,
We had plans
To get together.
I will go anyway.
In your memory.
I lift my cup of ice chips
To you!

I guess I am never going to meet you.
You are still my friend anyway!

[Sluff]

Very nice Kitkatz.

[okarol]

Kitkatz...
Well done.. and not ONE word misspelled!
 

[Ohio Buckeye]

Oh what great sadness we all now feel,
On hearing of the loss of our hero, Bill.
So now we must carry on his dream,
And work together as a team.
For this is what he would have us to do,
In the hard times to see each other through,
So may we all together unite,
In memory of Epo, and for his web site.

[kitkatz]

And it rhymes! Great peom Buckeye!

[tamara]

( Sorry it’s pretty lame but hey it’s all my silly lil brain cells could come up with )

My Ode To Epo

There was this man called “Epo”
 He made a big impression
 His site made sure I didn’t suffer depression

He had some rules and a spell check
And there were times I could hide under a deck
But it was a place we all could meet
It was like he said “Hey, take a seat”

He told us some stories and some facts
And I even have met a person called KITKATZ

There are games to play, Hey Asteroids is my one
Where my high score is out of reach
and I hope my playing days are done

Cause there is better places to be on this site
Places where it is shining bright

All due to a man and his vision
And it’s better than watching television

This place we are all drawn for the same reason
We have even sent each other gifts for the Season

I hate the reason we are all here
But there is one man I love for it and one day I will give him a beer

But hopefully that will be for a long time
See that man has left us now
He had to see the man upstairs and for now to us said “CIAO”

But you see he has left us IHD
And you and I must all agree
It’s like he has opened the car door and given us the Key

“Take a Ride” he says and this car is one hell of a ride
You’ll all do alright cause you will have me on your side

“I’ll be overlooking you all”
“And making sure you won’t fall”

“I’ve left you in safe hands with Goofynina and Sluff
and it won’t be long till lil Epokid gets tough

So for now from Epo its hasta la vista
All I can say hell we are all gonna miss ya


RIP EPOMAN

Love Tamara xxx ooo 

[anja]

   Such nice thoughts everyone is including in their poetry about Epoman!  A very talented bunch we have here!   

[kelliOR]

kitkatz,

i am so moved by your words.  i believe there is a piece of everyone of us in what you wrote.  thank you for writing so eloquently, love kelli

[kitkatz]

Does anyone mind if I print your poems and make a book for Epokid and Trina?

[Joe Paul]

 Tamara,Boxman, kitktz and buckeye..Those poems are aw-some, you've brought me to tears yet again. Such talent, thankyou I enjoyed them very much 

[sandman]

I am sorry if what I have to say offends anyone but I just want to say my peace as this could very well be my last post on IHD.


I still can't believe epoman is gone.    Pretty much the entire time I have known him, we have disagreed and argued on just about every topic we discussed. Since the beginning, I have never actually felt welcomed at IHD because a good number of it's members ( including epoman ) thought I was just using Angie for my pleasure and would just toss her away like yesterdays trash when I was done with her. Being that I am healthy, no one wanted to get to know me, nor had anyone even ask me any questions other then "why are YOU here?" Simply put, I am in love with Angie and I joined IHD with her to learn more about her condition. As the months progressed, I became accepted by some and remained disliked by others. I had resented epoman for insulting me, manipulating my words constantly and the frequent bans he placed on me but I had always respected him for what he had created and what his general ideals stood for. But it was not until last month where epoman and I finally sat down and had a very, VERY long voice conversation over skype. We called each other names and insulted the crap out of each other for hours but in the end, we finally found peace and decided to just start over as if we just met, again. Over the next week or two, epoman and I shared some enlightening conversation, shared some personal thoughts and we even geeked out together a few times with some computer related mombo-jumbo. It had seemed as if we had become pals for the first time in over 6 months of being at each other throats. He even offered to play a game of domino's with me with using the newest version of skype's games database but I had declined because I was already active in another game. That was the last time I ever heard from my new pal and if I only knew his final days were so close at hand, I would have taken him up on that game. I can only thank you epoman for finally making peace with me when you did. The only thing I feel sorry about is that we never got to be friends sooner. You had made a new friend here and this friend will surely miss you. God bless you epoman.

[Sluff]

Tamara, Boxman, Kitktz and Ohio Buckeye, your poems are lovely, very heartfelt and I'm sure Epoman is looking over us.

[Black]

I am heartbroken and devastated.  This site has become my lifeline and my support.  Bill was the rock I always knew I could go to for whatever information or support I needed.  There is no way I can express my grief any better than what has already been said but I still feel the need to post.  Just when I think life cannot get more unfair, another hero dies before his work here is finished.  The world has been diminished greatly by the loss of this man, who was wonderful beyond words.  He saved lives, improved the quality of lives, and enriched the life of everyone he touched.  I pray that those of you who have so generously volunteered to carry on are able to fill his very big shoes.

We will miss you, Bill, but I know you are in a better place.  Your work here at IHD alone is enough to have paved your road to Heaven.  You will forever be known as a pioneer in the dialysis community and will never be forgotten.
 
My thoughts and prayers are with Bill's family.

[mark j]

I am truly saddened by the news of Bills passing.  I joined the IHD family when the website started and there was only 4 or 5 members, and to see what its become today is a tribute to Bills insight.  I don't post regularly, but i visit everyday to check up on the latest.  I thank Bill for making this disease more manageable with all the info that we've been able to share.  I wouldn't have persued the home hemo options (which I am truly gratefull for) but for Bill taking us all on that journey with him.

Rest in Peace Bill...You will be truly missed!!!!

[Ohio Buckeye]

Kitkatz,
I think the book is a wonderful idea.
It's up to you bit maybe it could be not only poems but memories and thoghts of Bill
as well.  It would be a wonderful gift to give to Trina and Nick from the IHD Family.

[okarol]

Good idea OBE. I think that would be a big book!

[angieskidney]

But it was not until last month where epoman and I finally sat down and had a very, VERY long voice conversation over skype. We called each other names and insulted the crap out of each other for hours but in the end, we finally found peace and decided to just start over as if we just met, again. Over the next week or two, epoman and I shared some enlightening conversation, shared some personal thoughts and we even geeked out together a few times with some computer related mombo-jumbo. It had seemed as if we had become pals for the first time in over 6 months of being at each other throats. He even offered to play a game of domino's with me with using the newest version of skype's games database but I had declined because I was already active in another game. That was the last time I ever heard from my new pal and if I only knew his final days were so close at hand, I would have taken him up on that game. I can only thank you epoman for finally making peace with me when you did. The only thing I feel sorry about is that we never got to be friends sooner. You had made a new friend here and this friend will surely miss you. God bless you epoman.

Thx for posting that! I too won't be posting here anymore as the only reason I was is because Epoman encouraged me to (he wanted me to beat his post count and I finally did. We laughed and he faked the "noooooooo" when I tied his post count, and we had great laughs.

He will be missed. He started IHD out of problems arising from other forums and made something better for everyone all over the world. At first it seemed it was only for dialysis patients but then it grew beyond that. May it grow even more in Epoman's name.

[Sluff]

I hate to bring this up do to the fact that this thread was intended for condolences and a place for people to leave comments on the passing of Epoman.



Angie and Sandman if you don't want to post here anymore than don't. This is not the place to leave a post like that. What ever problems you have with IHD or the Admin team does not get handled here. Talk about a Lack of Respect.

We will handle this later, but for now please keep the posts in this thread Respectful. IHD is an extention of Epoman and always will be.

To the rest of our Members I am sorry for this post.

Sluff, Moderator

[angieskidney]

Sorry. You are right. I think both ours came out wrong. We have mixed emotions but both send out condolences.

I hope people will see that. Thank you Sluff.