“You have taken too much of those medicines for too long. Things are bound to go sideways.”
Grim reading, this took a lot of courage.
“You have taken too much of those medicines for too long. Things are bound to go sideways.”
Grim reading, this took a lot of courage.
Log in required to read. No thanks.
I was able to read without a login, but I’ve updated with archive link.
Such a sad ending. The tears shed while writing this.. I can’t imagine..
archive link: https://archive.ph/OfOrK
Very touching. Authentic.
A heartbreak to discover that such an authentic voice will no longer be with us. Writing clean and evocative prose under the best of circumstances is difficult, but to do so on the way to one’s grave brought tears to my eyes. Such a brave and haunting elegy. RIP, sweet woman. Your words will live on.
[deleted. stay on topic. – ED]
Thank you Kate. Links to stories like these are why SDA is my first, middle and last stop on the internet every day. The breadth of content here is unparalleled, and much appreciated.
RNrn
Kate is a Canadian treasure. I’m not a Cannuck, but I read her morning and night.
RN and RT, I agree. Kate is one of SK’s finest, I’m so damned glad I found this blog years ago. Sometimes I wonder if I “have a problem” b/c I check in 2 or 3 (sometimes more!) a day, but the stories and links are great and the comments are hilarious but also eye opening.
I appreciate the hell out of this blog. Hope it lasts for a long, long time.
My mother had liver cancer and considered a transplant. There was a very high chance of getting cancer again because of immune system suppression.
I’m sure if this person got the jab it could have tipped the last bit of immune strength to the disease side.
I thought the same thing. I have two youngish friends who’ve developed somewhat debilitating illnesses in the last year and a brother in law who just died of cancer (although he was kind of a good candidate for it). Also my mother in law started showing obvious signs of dementia in 2021 not long after her first jab and it’s getting worse. Then I saw this yesterday. Last 2 minutes discusses the possible link between the vaccine and dementia.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=kEE5OfiVS7o
Excellent read. Reminds me why I am so glad I found this place.
“. But because the sorry state of transplant medicine took us down.
Organ transplantation is mired in stagnant science and antiquated, imprecise medicine that fails patients and organ donors”
What a load of rot!
If you had an even a scintilla of sense of what it takes to make a successful transplant you’d eat those words. The training, knowledge, time, effort and skill of the providers and the ongoing research attempting to improve on it are herculean. We all die eventually. By your own admission you gained 35 years of precious life over what Mother Nature handed you and now you’re throwing a hissy fit because the world isn’t Star Trek. It’s a great article for the New York Times — entitled brats pointing fingers, demanding more of others and building nothing. Sorry folks, but after another twelve hour day at the hospital I’m in no mood to coddle the ingrates.
DrD
There is a saying, be thankful for small mercies, and it is relevant here. I had cancer 22 years ago, and was promised only 5 years after treatment.
Yes the writer is playing the victim card. Blaming others rather than thanking those who gave her many more years than what she was entitled. If we are allowed to be born (instead of murdered in the womb), we will find that life is not fair. Some will die much too young, some will die with much pain, and others will be blessed with long term minds and bodies. When entering this world the only guarantee when leaving is death. Make the best of your time here.
Thank you for enduring long days at the hospital. To her credit, she did say “perhaps” but your point is well taken. I liked the old New York Times better.
“it has been way too easy for federal, state and nonprofit funding sources to overlook transplantation…Perhaps this is why life expectancy after heart transplantation is little changed”
I have nothing but gratitude for the health care workers who saved my life.
Strange, I did not get that sense of ingratitude from the article. It brought to mind Dylan Thomas’ poem “Do not go gentle into that good night …”. It’s my impression she’s raging against the dying of the light.
The article reminded me of the unsuccessful struggle against breast cancer 25 years ago of my late first wife, as fine a woman as I could ever hope to find and a better person than me. At the time I thought there was a huge unjust imbalance between money being spent on breast cancer compared to the fad of the day AIDS HIV, much like this lady’s complaint. Similarly to the article again, I could see that my wife’s oncologist was much saddened by what had become their failure to stave off the disease. There are multiple doctors in my family, DrD, so I can appreciate your hard work. Keep the faith and keep it up.
I had no idea the life expectancy for transplants was so low, or that the side effects of the immunosuppressant drugs was so severe. Some further research suggests that that impression I had of transplant surgery, that it was a cure and people lived a normal life, is utterly wrong. Startling to me but then, the practical aspects of this have never come near me or my family.
As far as the accusation of ingratitude goes, the author eloquently expresses gratitude. Asking that things be improved, suggesting that perhaps they could be better, and even making some constructive criticism, does not constitute ingratitude.