<p>Epistrophy,</p>
<p>Thank you for all of your words. You truly made a difference to LTS and all of the rest of us who treasure your posts.</p>
<p>Epistrophy, I know how very meaningful your posts were to LTS. When we had the problem with a âbroken threadâ at one point (could not access the end of the thread due to some link issue and so had a temporary Part II) LTS had written to me and expressed how much reading the posts daily meant to her.
Thank you for your wonderful contributions to LTS and to our entire community, and best wishes to you.</p>
<p>I thought about LTS last night. While watching the news, I learned that there was flooding throughout the northern VA/DC area. I remembered about LTSâs place flooding this past yearâŠI miss her. And I also miss all of the people on this thread who posted.</p>
<p>I was thinking of LTS on 9/11, 3 days ago.</p>
<p>For her amazing courage, she is hero to me. Still canât believe she is no longer here with us. I tried searching through these threads to see if her daughter will be able to read this or the other thread that was a tribute to her. I remember at one time after LTS passed, there was some discussion that maybe she would. Another thought, LTS seemed to bring out the best in all of us.</p>
<p>She did bring out the best in us, didnât she? I miss her, too, and still find it hard to believe that she is gone. </p>
<p>I do remember the flooding, and often worried that there might be mold in her apartment contributing to her lung problems.</p>
<p>You know, when I saw this thread, my immediate thought was that LTS had posted⊠That speaks volumes, I think.</p>
<p>It was a year ago, September, during these few daysâŠmid September, that LTS was diagnosed. During her battle, I kept thinking, if she could hold on to September, the 1 year mark, it would be such a victory. I wanted to believe that somehow it would mean her chances at remission would be greater. </p>
<p>Thinking of LTSâs daughter.</p>
<p>My first reaction when I see that there is a new post on this thread is sort of an eager anticipation of reading something either uplifting or comforting or encouraging. I miss her so much, but am glad that all of those good things she elicited in usâŠthe mutual support and encouragementâŠlives on here. </p>
<p>And, of course we are all seeking to lift up her daughter in any way we can.</p>
<p>LTSâ style of writing made us feel like we were there. And we went through so much with her⊠insensitive nurses, lying doctors, brain scans, subway climbs, digestive tract problems, her constant consideration of what others are going through, the flood, ⊠so much moreâŠ</p>
<p>I think her optimism (reflected in her last post) was wonderful but it may have made it harder for us who were left behind. We were with her through so many difficult moments and we donât know what happened in the last few days and at the end. At least, thatâs how I feel.</p>
<p>Joshua Bell (violinist) has a nice response to Randy Pauschâs lecture. I thought of LTS when I read it.
[Violin</a> player Joshua Bell on his inspiration| USA WEEKEND Magazine](<a href=âhttp://www.usaweekend.com/08_issues/080914/080914joshua-bell.html]Violinâ>http://www.usaweekend.com/08_issues/080914/080914joshua-bell.html)</p>
<p>And another:</p>
<p>
</p>
<p><a href=âhttp://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/23/arts/music/23hend.html?scp=1&sq=hubert%20sumlin&st=cse[/url]â>http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/23/arts/music/23hend.html?scp=1&sq=hubert%20sumlin&st=cse</a></p>
<hr>
<p>Reading this piece in todayâs New York Times, my immediate response was to think âthis is something I would have posted for LTS to see.â What a difference small changes in a verb can signify. Were LTS still alive, my response would have been âcan postâ; now, with her gone, it is âwould have posted.â Posting it anyway, despite her absence, somehow seems to blend the two.</p>
<p>Thank you, epistrophy. I think of her often.</p>
<p>Weird⊠when I just clicked on âParent Cafe,â I thought how much I missed this thread in so many ways. And, here it was with a little addition. Thanks, epistrophy.</p>
<p>I keep thinking how much Iâd like to hear LTSâs take on the political goings-ons this season. I have no doubt sheâd have some great spot-on analysis.</p>
<p>I, too, think of LTS often.
LTS was a deeply conservative person, and also one who valued efficiency and effectiveness. She would not have appreciated Sarah Palin. While she did not have a college degree, she was always extremely articulate and thoughtful and highly valued education. She was not a know-nothing populist. She would also have been dismayed by the way McCain has run his campaign. So, tentatively, I would say she would have leaned toward Obama, as there are elements of his platform that probably would not appeal to her.</p>
<p>Thank you, epistrophy, and please keep posting.</p>
<p>Marite: how is LTSâs daughter doing? Iâm not worried about LTS these days, but I was thinking about her daughter. What a deep loss she must be feeling, with such a forceful personality missing from her life!</p>
<p>As I recall, she told us she would be voting for ObamaâŠor did she tell me that in a dream??</p>
<p>I just did a search, and in a post on July 1st LTS wrote:</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>LTS was leaning strongly toward Obama â I know this from private correspondence as well as her posts. </p>
<p>Several weeks before she died, I offered to send her a âRepublicans for Obamaâ button - she emailed back that she wanted several, for some of her caretakers as well â I sent her 6 & she was very happy to have them. However, she was very worried about the VP choice â she had a strong dislike/distaste for Hillary Clinton and she made it clear to me that she would not support Obama if he chose Clinton as his running mate. I assured her repeatedly that it wouldnât happen, but unfortunately she didnât live to see my prediction confirmed.</p>
<p>Obviously, given her dislike of Clinton, the Palin selection could not possibly have done anything other than to horrify her and solidify her support for Obama. That is, she would not have been pro- anyone based on gender, and I believe she would have been appalled and embarrassed by Palinâs speech, mannerisms, & ignorance of foreign affairs. LTS was involved in a line of work that involved national security and brought her in contact with top government officials, and certainly had a high regard for education. I am sure that LTS worked very hard to educate herself on issues important to her work.</p>
<p>Also, LTS was herself embarrassed by her own lack of a college degree â no amount of reassurance from me seemed to get her past the feeling that there was a big hole in her resume â and I think she would have seen Palinâs gaffes (like not recognizing the term âBush Doctrineâ or rambling on incoherently) as representing her own worst fears played out over and over again. That is, I think LTS was always afraid that she might say something stupid or ignorant at some important conference attended by Army Generals â so the spectacle of a woman doing exactly that on national television would have been particularly galling to her. </p>
<p>(She might have liked Palinâs red high heel shoes, however.) </p>
<p>I am convinced that Latetoschoolâs support for Obama was 100% due to what she observed about the state of our health care system, as she was as conservative as they come on other issues. LTS was absolutely horrified by what she saw happening to the uninsured, the underinsured, and those who thought they were insured but ended up fighting their insurance companies.</p>