Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Tears for Teddy

I woke up crying this morning, real early. I took Cyrus out, I think I fed him. Gave him his pills, got my coffee, and felt awful for no good reason. I looked at the clock and it was 7:30. I tried to calculate what time I had gone to sleep, and like always it was late, but I shouldn't feel this bad.

I tried to go back to sleep, couldn't, gave up, got up and turned on TV. Then I went to the computer. I get email alerts from Salon, Slate, and The Washington Post. I always get at least these three red numbers on my mail icon in my dock, but often ignore them. I drank my coffee, read a couple of comments on last nights post, god I was uninspired yesterday. Actually the meme was a relief from my boring post. Checked tracksy, low traffic yesterday, not much today, but it is early. And then the sound of the news starts to penetrate my hearing. Ted Kennedy has been diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor. I open my mailbox and see that it is indeed true. Teddy Kennedy, the last Kennedy brother has a fast growing malignant brain tumor. It will of course be treated as aggressively as possible, but... These tumors are very aggressive and deadly. That's my undoing. I start to sob. It's been going on, off and on, all day.

The end of an era. I hope he lives long enough to see the first African American President of the United States inaugurated.

14 comments:

Will "take no prisoners" Hart said...

My wife died from brain cancer. I hope they don't give him radiation. The side-effects from that are worse than the cancer.

Utah Savage said...

I think Teddy will probably be urged to fight it, but if I were in his shoes I'd opt for the hospice side of that equation.

DivaJood said...

It breaks my heart. His quiet leadership in the Senate has been amazing - I was shocked to remember he's actually 76, as I still think of him as young. I'm sure he will fight it, although I echo the Hospice route. If it were me, I would do that.

D.K. Raed said...

I know how you feel. I always see him as Uncle Ted. The Kennedy's will always be family. But you gave a ray of hope with the thought he might live to see the first AfricanAmerican president. I will hang on to that. I don't know what I would do if it were me. Part of me says with his unltd funds & access to all the best healthcare, go for it, fight it all the way. The other part says, make it gentle, make it short, dope me up & make it easy.

Unconventional Conventionist said...

I obviously need to fuck with your head via the "meme thingy" more frequently. I rarely get so razor edge with people-on-blogs, but in your lovely and erudite case I'll make an exception. (Since you're packing in your Gucci.)

Let's just try this out, and tag me back since I'm the rude originator, so I stick my money-slash-foot where my mouth is.

Tag your favorite blogger with the following rules:

We're losing a Senior Dem Senator. Put yourself in the upstart Republican challenger's space: literally, try to win on the opposite platform.

What can you possibly say to win that venerable seat?

Do your best in challenge of fact and challenege of snark; tag 3 others to do the same.

The outcome should be consideration of a) the opponent and b) what values are held dear.

A should come out funny. B should be interesting.

Just an idea.

UC

Petrosexual said...

UC, ur totally fUCked.

What you write is total gobblygook. Are you on or off your meds?

Unconventional Conventionist said...

Um Think about it, petrosexual. [That does mean "rock hard" right. Let's hook up. :) ]

I think there are moreover three categories. That portion of us who accept life in a bovine herd like fashion (the true hominus wankus), those who catch the scent of liberty but fear it because it involves risk, and the very few for whom it is a congenital howling in the bones.


Read Joe Bageant's book. Every liberal in America should. To understand our redneck bretheren and actually HELP THEM will probably do us all a lot of good.

That's all I mean by my suggested meme. Put the other shoe on, literally (if you're not already a lefty), and have at it.

Understanding the Big Deal is hard won, but well worth it as far as I'm concerned.

Distributorcap said...

kennedy truly is a person that cares about his family and country --- despite all the flaw and mistakes, he has fought to make this a better place --- and while i do not pray -- i wish all the best to him and his family.

what is really sad is that the folks over at place like michellemalkin.com (the bitch of all bitches, may she get....) have quite the opposing view and compare it to chappaquidick

as for the bush family......lets remember laura is a murderess

Blueberry said...

I love the Kennedys dearly. This is very, very sad news.

Big Yellow Forehead said...

It is sad, but he has lived a long and productive life. Can't be too mad about that...

(Also, Utah, I saw the premiere of "The Visitor" in D.C. I actually wrote a blog about it a few months ago, recommending it to everyone. I'm definitely going to make him watch that movie!)

Petrosexual said...

Is The Chappaquiddick Kid going over the bridge one last time?

Stella by Starlight said...

I, too, am saddened, having experienced the horrible loss of all the Kennedy brothers. Ted is, indeed, the liberal lion on the Senate. His illness pains me so much remembering a more innocent time when Kennedy was president, or when RFK was the hope for the future. A great generation is about to end.

And you, Petro, how come no one's talking about Laura Bush killing her classmate when she was 17? I'm hearing nothing from the MSM. Can you elucidate? Was she drunk? Too stupid to drive a car? I mean, she'd have to be pretty dumb or a gold digger to marry that hideous creature.

What are you, 12? This man has cancer. Do you have any idea what a hideous ordeal this illness is? And if you do, have you no compassion? If I looked up cocksucker in the dictionary, I'm sure I'd see your nom de plume as the definition.

You're not good enough to call yourself a Republican.

Blueberry said...

If you compare Chappaquiddick to the legacy of Dubya in the category of screw-ups where death and disaster occurred, it's nano-sized... and Dubya's not even sorry for his, and hasn't done anything good to balance out his legacy. Plus Dubya does it all as part of his job, represents America as part of the process, and claims he's doing God's will.

enigma4ever said...

oh will I am so so sorry....

and Madam savage...I am so sorry...it has been like carrying a 20 pound bowling ball room to room....I don;t know what he will do...he is taking a few adays home with his dog and wife and family and to go sailing....I like diva forgot he was 76...I still have him much younger in my head...

so so sad...many hugs...

( I thought I left a response here the other day- I must have not word verfied right)...

Btw I did put you in my Blogroundup today...