Time for a new place. Please update your links appropriately.

http://cakeeaterchronicles.com

Thanks!

Posted by: MRN aka "The Husband" at 11:25 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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Man, this makes me sad. In that, I actually welled up upon hearing of the passing of a person I didn't know---and that's rare.

Mr. Snow was a classy, well-spoken man. I was not the biggest viewer of his, while he was hosting Fox News Sunday and as I never listen to Limbaugh, I hadn't ever heard him sub for the fat man. But I knew who he was and was very happy he had decided to use his communications skills to help out an administration I believed was doing right, but needed his services immensely to get their message across.

On a more personal note, even though he had no idea about it, he actually helped me be a better, less whiny, cancer patient. His cancer had recurred around the time I was originally diagnosed and he returned to work at the White House after I started treatment. I kept my eye on him, and his progress, as much as I could while I was on my own roller coaster ride, and I sincerely hoped for the best for him. As he was generous enough to talk about his situation in front of rolling cameras, I was grateful enough to have been given a clue as to how to deal with all of this from someone who, sadly, was more experienced in all of this.

From the White House Briefing on April 30, 2007:

{...}Let me also just -- some personal comments -- and I'll try not to get choked up, so I'll go slow. You never anticipate this stuff, it just happens. I want to thank everybody in this room. You guys -- (thumbs up.) (Applause.) I'm getting there.

Q We're glad you're here.

MR. SNOW: Thanks. And thanks for the basket. (Laughter.) I want to thank you all. It really meant the world to me. Anybody who does not believe that thoughts and prayers make a difference, they're just wrong.

Q Take your time.

MR. SNOW: I will, thanks -- especially you. Just a couple things about my situation. I'm not trying to feel sorry for myself, I'm just going to stop being choked up, because you guys have been so wonderful.

I'm a very lucky guy. As I told you before, we were, out of an aggressive sense of caution, going to do an exploratory surgery that did indicate that I still have cancer. Now, I know the first reaction of people when they hear the word "cancer" is uh-oh. But we live in kind of a different medical situation than we used to. And I have been blessed to be treated by, supported by some of the finest doctors in the world. What we are going to do -- we had surgery, where we did disclose -- and there are some cancers in the peritoneum and we are going to attack them using chemotherapy -- I'll start chemotherapy this Friday.

The design is to throw it into remission and transform it into a chronic disease. If cancer is merely a nuisance for a long period of time, that's fine with me. There are many people running around -- and I must tell you, I have received a lot of notes from folks who have had far worse cases than I have, who have survived many years with the kind of regimen that we're talking about, which is chemo up front, and then maintenance chemo to continue combating cancer tells.

I won't tell you how it's going to work out, because I don't know. But we obviously feel optimistic, and faith, hope and love are a big part of all of it.

The other thing is that I hope folks out there who may either have cancer or have loved ones with cancer need to know a couple of things. First, don't go it alone. The support I've received from you and from my colleagues at the White House and people around the country has been an enormous source of strength. You can't -- there's no way to quantify it, but you feel it. You feel it in your heart. And in many ways, that may be the most important organ for recovery, to have the kind of spirit and to realize that, in my case, I'm unbelievably lucky and unbelievably blessed -- and really happy to be back.

The other thing is -- so don't go it alone, and the other thing is be of courage. Realize that in an age like ours, things are happening very rapidly in the medical realm. I'm taking a cancer cocktail this time around, a chemo cocktail that's going to contain two agents that were not in broad use two years ago. Things are moving very rapidly, and there's always hope.

Not everybody will survive cancer, but on the other hand, you've got to realize you've got the gift of life, so make the most of it. And that is my view, and I'm going to make the most of my time with you. I'll take questions. {...}

Note the lessons here: be grateful for what you've got, because every day is a blessing; accept help from people who want to help; choose to be optimistic about the future, because you don't what it holds, and it could hold just as much good as bad; and the lesson that was unsaid, but came through clearly enough: even though you're going through pain and suffering---and I'm fairly certain the poor man was suffering at that point---you shouldn't feel the need to deny it, because that wouldn't be honest, but instead be brave, assume that, yes, there will be more of it along the way, work through it, realize it's part of the process of living for you, and hope for the best.

Tony Snow was an incredibly classy man, and our lives are lesser for his passing. Rest in Peace, dear man, and thank you for your wise words.

My sincerest, most heartfelt condolences to his wife and family.

Posted by: Kathy at 01:19 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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Saw Dr. Academic yesterday and we have good news.

CANCER FREE BABY

The biopsy came back negative for cancer, and my CA-125 that I had done last week as well came back at 10.

I have not recurred and all is well here in Cake Eater Land. Well, except for the pain thingy, for which Dr. Academic has prescribed Celebrex, which my insurance company is currently balking at shelling out for. It'll get sorted. It's just going to take some time. Sigh.

Thanks for all the prayers and well wishes, my devoted Cake Eater readers. The husband and I are in your debt.

Posted by: Kathy at 12:37 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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Inspired by the ever fabulous Margi.

A little Marvin Gaye...

Some Bill Withers...

Some musick that takes me straight back to the summer between junior and senior year...

And, of course...

I am STILL pissed of that Michael Hutchence isn't around. Dumbass. A talented dumbass, yes. But a dumbass, nonetheless.

Feel better? I do.

Posted by: Kathy at 09:09 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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To prove, mainly, I haven't been entirely wrapped up in myself the past couple of days. Don't worry, my devoted Cake Eater readers: there will most likely be more cancer-related narcissism over the next couple of days. In the meantime, though...

• Barack Obama: the slumlord's best friend in government. Please read this article from beginning to end and then ask yourself, "Gee, do I really want the Daleys and the Chicago Political Machine running the country? " Because if you think Obama will suddenly drop the Brothers Bozo and the machine they inherited from Dear Old Dad, (and have manipulated and enhanced in ways that Dear Old Dad never thought of, and would have been so proud of) when he gets elected, well, you're deluded.

  One wonders when the MSM will ask this question. Oh, yeah, right. I know. They're too busy licking his balls to possibly apply critical thinking to his campaign. SLURP. {HT: Ace }

• I'm a little late on this one, but do check out Martini Boy's problems with Bobby Jindahl's latest bit of legislative largesse down in Lousiana. The relevant posts can be found here, and here. Make sure to clicky through on all the links, too.

  Well said, sir.

• Uhm, if you really think Steve Jobs is showing he cares about "the little people" with the "$199" iPhone, you might want to think again. Read the fine print.
• All I can say about this is "Go ahead and try it on, buddy and we'll see what the Fifth Fleet has to say about it. "
• To paraphrase the husband: Who knew the French actually had live ammo?
• Anyone else think Sarkozy might be getting a wee bit too big for his britches?

  Too bad he can't turn all that energy toward reforming his own country, which if memory serves, still needs some work.

And now I'm off to make my hip hurt by walking around the lake!

Posted by: Kathy at 08:49 AM | Comments (4) | Add Comment
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