Two astute Redbadbear discussion observers, John Salter and Edward Pickersgill, have posted the sad news that Lucy Vodden of UK -- who inspired the song, Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds [Beatles] -- has died of Lupus at the age of 46. Here is a link from the WSJ: http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2009/09/28/lucy-vodden-of-beatles-song-fame-dies/
It's worth posting this sad news a little more broadly, mainly to remind people that this still relatively rare [almost obscure disease] which I call "Lupus Predator" and which affects certain minority peoples [very much Natives, Blacks, Chicanos] regardless of gender, and women generally -- remains all too alive and lethally functional. As the editor of my huge 1350 or so page Lupus medical book calls it at the very outset, it is "a deadly disease." This is especially true with the systemic version -- SLE -- which is my own personal companion. The recorded "tally" of Lupus deaths is disturbing enough. But it's highly likely that many others whose passing is recorded as, say, "kidney failure" are actually Lupus victims -- since the disease has a great preference for those organs [as it does for many others]. Then too, it's also probable that many in "remote areas" -- one thinks of certain geographically far flung Native reservations and reserves -- die with no specific medical designation given. It's a cliché to call Lupus "a mysterious disease" -- but that's what it is. It's often very difficult to diagnose. [In my case, a dozen medics reached that conclusion -- which was then confirmed by a rheumatologist [they're considered the High Priests in the trade.] Research funds are always very limited for Lupus and, as we should all know by now, many people indeed with many ills are not privy to decent health care. I see Lupus as a bona fide "civil rights issue." It seems clear in my case that it's flared at a few points earlier in my life -- but I simply went to no doctors and, with a strong constitution, pushed it down. It's never affected my mind [it has for many] but this current episode -- more than six years now -- has led to much continual physical fatigue. [And it did nearly carry me away a few times in the Fall of 2003.] I like our far up Idaho home with its mountain view and its very close proximity to BLM and USFS lands, but the past six years seem, frankly, too much like House Arrest. Lupus incurs chronic depression for a majority of its victims. I've never been prone to that -- but it does help to keep creatively busy [e.g., writing.] And it's also, as I've noted many times, critical to have a solidly supportive circle of family members [including Furry entities] and good friends. The very probable medical breakthrough in this difficult context -- the new Lupus medicine, first in half a century -- may arrive in this country late in 2010. But it isn't expected to work with every SLE victim. I've seen mirages before. And, of course, always Keep Fighting. That's really the most basic thing of all. The Good News from here is that a hell of a storm is coming from the Pacific Northwest -- promising exciting weather with lots of rain, probably some snow. After weeks of too much summer heat [much in the upper '90s] that's great news for me, at least. Solidarity -- Hunter [Hunter Bear] HUNTER GRAY [HUNTER BEAR/JOHN R SALTER JR] Mi'kmaq /St. Francis Abenaki/St. Regis Mohawk Protected by Na´shdo´i´ba´i´ and Ohkwari' Check out our Hunterbear website Directory http://hunterbear.org/directory.htm [The site is dedicated to our one-half Bobcat, Cloudy Gray: http://hunterbear.org/cloudy_gray.htm See Outlaw Trail: The Native as Organizer: http://hunterbear.org/outlaw_trail1.htm [Included in Visions & Voices: Native American Activism [2009] And see Personal Narrative: http://hunterbear.org/narrative.htm ________________________________________________ YOU MUST clip all extraneous text when replying to a message. Send list submissions to: [email protected] Set your options at: http://lists.econ.utah.edu/mailman/options/marxism/archive%40mail-archive.com
