<p>Marite, have you had any more contact with LTS’ daughter? I am thinking of her and wishing her peace throughout the holidays…</p>
<p>I lost a dear friend to cancer just before Thanksgiving. When I first met her more than 15 years ago, she was wearing a wig due to chemo for breast cancer. She recovered but a few years later, it came back in the other breast. Finally, in Nov. 06 she was again diagnosed with cancer than had spread to her spine. She did everything she could to fight it and lived nearly two years longer, but she finally lost the fight. </p>
<p>Like LTS, there was never a word of complaint. It you didn’t know her to realize that she had lost weight and that she had nerve damage to her extremities due to chemo, you’d never even know she was ill. Every horrible reaction it was possible to have due to chemo, she encountered. But she was truly inspiring to all those who knew her.</p>
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<p>We all recall things differently. And I wouldn’t presume to try to tell someone else how to recall someone. But the LTS I recall complained–plenty. </p>
<p>True (and this may well be the gist of what t14 was saying), LTS’s complaints were seldom of the “woe is me” variety. They were more like “woe is that doctor if he thinks he can get away with treating me like this,” or “woe are these other patients who, unlike me, don’t have decent health insurance and so have to put up with the very worst that our health-care system has to offer,” or “woe are all of us for having allowed our health-care system to become such an unbelievable mess,” or “woe is cancer for having picked a fight with the wrong person.” Etc.</p>
<p>The LTS I recall was in some ways a veritable virtuoso of complaint. I sure wouldn’t want to try to turn her into some sort of all-accepting, uncomplaining angel. Besides, I think she’d get really bored–really irritated, too–if her entire wardrobe consisted only of white garments.</p>
<p>LOL Epistrophy, that’s the LatetoSchool I remember. But now I have an image of a blonde angel in flowing white garb…and Red High Heels ;)</p>
<p>Thank you, epistrophy, for reminding us of what made LTS such a vibrant person that we all felt that we knew her. I do remember posts full of rightous outrage, on behalf of herself, other cancer patients, or society at large. Had she survived, I’m sure she would have found a way to make her mark on the system, to the advantage of all of us.</p>
<p>What a loss.</p>
<p>epistrophy:</p>
<p>You are so right! If she were an angel, it would be more like an avenging angel!</p>
<p>Justamom: I have not had further contact with LTS’ D. I have not wanted to push myself–or the CC community–on LTS’ D. Others have also offered to help. It may well be that she, like her mom, is extremely independent. I’ll be sending holiday wishes, and if I hear back, I will report.</p>
<p>[Cancer</a> Breakthroughs:Lung cancer survivor’s story | Cancer Free Washington | KING5.com | News for Seattle, Washington](<a href=“http://www.king5.com/health/cancer/stories//NW_121908HEK_cancer_breakthroughs_cecilia_SW.6ccfb6d7.html]Cancer”>http://www.king5.com/health/cancer/stories//NW_121908HEK_cancer_breakthroughs_cecilia_SW.6ccfb6d7.html)</p>
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<p>LTS, You helped me today. Thank you.</p>
<p>I am thinking of her, too.</p>
<p>and thinking of her daughter – the first holidays are tough.</p>
<p>Way back in January, in response to a poem by Harold Pinter that I posted, which concerned cancer, LTS wrote this (#944): </p>
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<p>And now Pinter, too, has died (of cancer).</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/26/theater/26pinter.html?_r=1&hp[/url]”>http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/26/theater/26pinter.html?_r=1&hp</a></p>
<p>We’re all “survivors,” I guess – until, that is, we no longer are. (And, no, I don’t find this depressing to think about it; I find it yet another reminder [if one were needed] to live as fully and intensely as possible right now.)</p>
<p>I sent holiday wishes on behalf of everyone to LTS’ D.
I agree with epistrophy. How many accomplished as much as LTS or Harold Pinter? In their own spheres and in their own ways, they were both fighters.</p>
<p>epistrophy and marite - I hated to have to tell D2 of Pinter’s death today; I first asked her if she’d seen any headlines and she said no, so I told her. She went up in her room and close her door for a couple of hours. She just finished a Pinter and Stoppard class, which has been one of her favorites in her college life thus far. She became a huge, huge fan of his, and I suspect it has something to do with her choice to study in London next fall.</p>
<p>thank you epistrophy and marite…for thinking of LTS, posting a reference to Pinter…and for sending a message to her daughter on everyone’s behalf.</p>
<p>And sadly, Eartha Kitt succombed to cancer today too. I always loved her depiction of Catwoman in the old Batman tv series…</p>
<p>My mom is in the hospital with endstage Ovarian Cancer as I write this. She has been fighting for nearly 5 years and we’re so proud of her, but she’s tired and her body just can’t take any more. All this chemo has damaged multiple organs, which lead to a crisis last week that involved my dad calling 911 for an ambulance. After a few days in the hospital, we thought that problem was solved and she would be home for Christmas, but a newer/more serious problem developed. She had an intestinal blockage that we hoped was due to her hernia, but a very nasty surgery revealed tumors had caused the blockages and little ones were spreading everywhere. The main blockages were removed along with part of her intestine. She’s spent the last 3 days waiting for follow-up surgery to re-attach the pieces of her intestines, with a huge painful OPEN wound in her stomach. The goal is to get her well enough that she can eat and feel better, and come home (probably with hospice) for a few months. She was so weak after the surgery she couldn’t even hit the button to get the extra doses of morphine. It is just pitiful. I spent the night after the first surgery with her in her hospital room, listening to her raspy breathing and answering her occasional weak requests for water for her dry mouth by swabbing her lips and tounge with a most wipe, and thought, “This is the lowest circle of hell.” </p>
<p>Her nurses and doctors have been WONDERFUL, these people are saints and I am so grateful for them working thru the holidays with smiles on their faces. At about 3 am, after yet another monitor alarm went off, I mentioned to the male nurse, “Well, maybe I’ll get some sleep in a little while.” He said, “Don’t worry. I’ll watch over her.” </p>
<p>God I hate this.</p>
<p>The follow up surgery is tomorrow morning at 9am.</p>
<p>Sorry for such a sucky post on Christmas.</p>
<p>So sorry lafalum. Good luck tomorrow.</p>
<p>Lafalum:</p>
<p>My heart goes out to you and your mom. good luck to your mome tomorrow.</p>
<p>Lafalum, I am so sorry about your mother. You are right, what you described is the lowest circle of hell. It must be such a comfort to your mother to have you with her. </p>
<p>Do not apologize for your post. This was your Christmas, and you have every right to write about it, especially in this cancer support thread.</p>
<p>Lafalum - sorry to hear this is how you’re having to spend the holidays. I have a tender spot in my heart for people who have to deal with health crises/death during the holidays. You sort of lose the innocence of the holiday, in a certain way, forever.</p>