Dear friends,
This will be hard to read; it is certainly hard to write.
Jeanne’s doctors have ended her chemotherapy. There’s nothing more chemistry can do for/to her. Radiation was never an option. She is therefore now in Palliative Care Phase. We asked roughly how long this stage might last—repeatedly—and the only answer we got was, “somewhere between a month and a year—more or less.”
Some good news: the Palliative Care doctor she’s been assigned is considered one of the world’s best. His name, I swear, is Dr. Sugar. Dr. Paul Sugar. Jeanne and I both liked him on sight. Her best friend Anya has been a patient of his for many years, and gives him top marks. So do all his patient-reviewers online.
Jeanne has been in Lion’s Gate Hospital for the past week with digestive troubles, and may be there for as long as another week. She is extremely weak and tired, but not in pain. She is being well cared for. And today they finally diagnosed her problem, which should be easily fixable. It is hoped she will soon return home, and rally, now that the chemo is no longer battering at her system. We all know her strength and determination. Our pharmacist tells us she has many customers who’ve been in palliative stage for more than four years and are feeling fine.
Right now Jeanne welcomes prayers, good thoughts, short emails of love and support that don’t require an answer, flowers, letters, or cards. (NO FLOWERS, PLEASE!) Address the latter to Jeanne Robinson, Palliative Care Section, 7th floor, Lion’s Gate Hospital, 231 15th Street East, North Vancouver, BC V7L 2L7; her email is stardance@shaw.ca..
But please: NO VISITORS. NONE. THIS MEANS YOU. I’m serious: don’t even “pop in for a quick second.” She has blood family with her every day: me, her sister Laurie, her daughter and son-in-law and little 10-month-old Marisa. Her mom and her sister Dori is on the way. That’s all the fun she (or her immune system, or the nursing staff) can stand, at the moment.
And please, DON’T PHONE HER UNLESS/UNTIL YOU HEAR FROM ME THAT SHE’S BACK HOME AGAIN AND READY TO YAK. Right now talking on the phone exhausts her, especially with concerned friends. And no matter when you phone, you’re liable to wake her up. She needs to nap. Thanks for understanding; I know it’s frustrating.
Paypal donations for Jeanne and Spider are still being gratefully accepted at
I hope I’ll have better news to report next time. Meanwhile your loving thoughts are much appreciated.
Spider
35 comments:
Much love and energy to you both...and all of the family.
The PayPal link isn't showing. There's a space, a colon, and nothing else.
Thanks LongHair - I done fixed it.
Strength, Love and Positive energy to you all during this trying time. You are all in my thoughts and prayers.
Sending Light and good wishes to Jeanne, Spider and the whole clan - with love,
Sylvia
Many prayers and good thoughts in y'alls direction.
My best wishes to you all. (((hugs)))
Cheryl
All of our thoughts and hopes are with you all, friends and family both.
Fervent GoodThoughts...
Sending love and hope to the both of you from one whose life you helped save... even though you didnt know it.
Oh man. Oh man. Good thoughts, hugs, gentle songs to both of you, your family and friends.
(If you or she would like some music downloads that might make you smile, e-mail me at filkertom at yahoo dot com. I would be honored.)
Whether you know it or not, you and Jeanne got me through several years of very hard times, and I will keep you both in my thoughts and prayers for as long as need be.
Good thoughts and healing energy headed north as I type this.
Thank you both from the bottom of my heart for rescuing me, and I hope that I can repay that in some small way.
Sam and I are thinking of you and praying for you, every day.
You are both in my thoughts and prayers.
Oh, hell. I'm so sorry, Spider and Jeanne. Thinking of you during this tough time.
I am so, so, sorry. I hope the sharing of your pain has lessened it. And that what joy you can find and share will increase it.
I hope this message makes it to Jeanne & Spider:
You have both had a profound impact on my life. Spider's stories figure heavily into getting me past some very bad times.
Jeanne's enthusiasm and optimism infuses every one of those stories that got me though the hard times and helped me to savor the good times.
I felt honored to meet you both in 2007 at the Heinlein Centennial.
My wife Lorretta and I are thinking of you both, your family and close friends. We profoundly hope that Jeanne recovers from the effects of her chemotherapy quickly and that the palliative care phase of her illness is painless and that she continues to enjoy life for as long as is possible. In support of that goal, we made a small contribution to the fund. We hope it helps.
Jeanne and Spider are a nexus point for joy. Spider is the megaphone, but Jeanne is the power source. She enriches us all.
Jeanne and Spider have touched my life with their books, entertaining and enriching my mind. I am very sorry to hear that Jeanne is now in palliative care. Jeanne and Spider came to Necronomicon in Tampa a few years back, a convention which I happen to staff. Unfortunately, except for a very, very brief meeting in the hallway in passing, during which time I had only enough time to nod cheerfully at them (I was carrying something or other), and the wonderful chance to experience Spider's Beatles sing-along, we didn't interact at all. It's my loss, of course, more than theirs, to be sure.
May Jeanne spend as much time as possible in comfort, surrounded by family and close friends, and may she and Spider cherish their lives together. Joy to them both, for they have brought joy to us all.
Oh, no - I'm so sorry, Spider and Jeanne. Like so many others, your words helped me through some very rough times, and led to my meeting my current sweetie (ten years now and counting) and many, many friends.
I will be keeping you all in my thoughts and wishing for you the ability to find all the joy you can in time to come.
Dear Spider:
Years ago, when I was taking an English class in Summer school, we were given an optional assignment: write an imaginary letter to our favorite author. I was one of only two students in the class to do so (the other wrote to William Burroughs), and although my favorite living writer at the time was Arthur C. Clarke (now it's Greg Benford), I nonetheless chose you, since I wanted to respond to Rah Rah RAH! After getting an A and an extra 2% I read the letter over again and said to myself "you know, this is probably good enough to send," so I did. And little did I guess that you would respond to me! I showed it to my best friend, who shared my love for your books, and we all had a great laugh, since you used some pretty salty language there! But my dad was impressed by that fact because, as he told me, "he wrote back to you as an adult." I would never forget the act of graciousness on your part.
A year and a half ago, that same best friend passed away at the very young age of twenty-eight. To combat the emptiness, I pulled out some of the books from the shelves that reminded me most of him. Of course, I first went to your Callahan books. Not only did they remind me of the great times we shared together, but they gave me the much needed smiles and laughter that were necessary for such a dark time. You are far more than merely a fantastic writer and a true gentleman; you are a marvelous human being on every level. Thank you and Jeanne for everything you have done for all of us.
So not what had been petitioned for. Many thoughts are with you both, sharing the pain as much as we can...
Spider and Jeanne,
My thoughts are with you.
Prayers and good thoughts on the way.
Best wishes, and my hopes are with you both.
Kathy Sands
I've never met Jeanne or Spider except through Stardance and yet I'm aggrieved. I hope her and her loved one's days pass with peace and serenity. And there are miracles.
Bruce,
Calgary
What can I say that has not already been said...Spider and Jeanne, your Stardance trilogy was life changing for me...I have been praying for you and holding you in my thoughts and love as has my partner. We will continue to do so. Pallative care is not hospice, there is hope for time yet! And may that time be gracious and filled with love, laughter and grace! We both have treasured the gifts you have given us and will continue to give us...may we in our own way give back. We love you!
Spider and Jeanne, you have been one of the solid rock foundations of my life. I can't begin to account for all the joy and strength your works and your kindness have brought me.
On the too few occassions I've had the honor of meeting you in person, you've given me respect and interest that has propelled me towards my own best self.
I rejoice in knowing you. Peace and love to you and those close to you.
--Jacque Marshall, Boulder, CO, USA
All the best.
I only know you through your writing.
Wish it was twother.
To Spider and Jeanne,
I pray with all my heart all of the best for Jeanne's health. I will with my soul that all will be well for you.
Sincerely.
Blessings to you and Jeanne, and strength and hope.
This post is a little old; but I only just saw it. Is the address still valid for sending a card?
Thank you everyone for the outpouring of support for Jeanne - every one of your posts comes to me first for moderation and I am continually blown away by your thoughts and stories of how Jeanne and Spider have touched your lives. Jeanne and Spider truly appreciate all of your support.
Galadriel. Jeanne has made the transition and is resting at home now. She is reading everyone's well wishes here, and the email, of course, is still valid. I haven't talked to her since she's been home, but I've gotten to talk to Spider some. I will ask if there is another meat address he'd like to share with you.
Bless you all.
My thoughts are with you. Stardance still shines in my heart.
Dear Spider,
I just heard the news. Sam and I grieve with you over Jeanne's leaving this plane of existence.
Jeanne leaves a powerful legacy. So long as we all remember her and so long as her memory is beloved, she will always be alive in our hearts.
You know my email. If you need anything that we might be able to provide, do not hesitate to ask. It's yours.
Thinking of you,
Jenn and Sam
I hadn't checked my RSS feed in a very long time. I only know Spider & Jeanne through the books. The Stardance series was one of several guiding lights on my road to engineering. I am so sorry for the whole family.
My mother succumbed to cancer in January, and my mother-in-law is fighting a different cancer now.
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