Rooker Bird is gone

Hissy_Fitz
Hissy_Fitz Member Posts: 1,834
in Ovarian Cancer #1
I was hoping someone else would post this, but I guess I get to be the bearer of bad news, yet again. Rooker Bird (Kathy Salvie) passed away last Tuesday.

About 6 months ago, Kathy had her son drive her the 25 or so miles from her house to mine. She wanted to meet me, and give me some things for my local support group. She told me she had been given about six months to live and was going to start home hospice care. Like so many of our members, she didn't want to bring anyone down, or scare the newbies, so she had decided to leave the board. She asked me not to say anything about her bad news, for the same reasons.

I hate that our sisters feel like they can't share the bad news with us, as well as the good. Linda P posted up to the week she died, and she did it with honesty and grace and we loved her all the more for doing that.

Kathy was a lovely lady and a great friend to all her teal sisters. When I met her, she was able to talk about her journey, and what lay ahead, with such a calm resignation, I was totally in awe of her. Speaking of the end of life, Kathy said, "I'm ready....I'm just not willing."

If you were a close cyber friend of Kathy's and would like the address to send a sympathy card, let me know.

Carlene

Comments

  • kikz
    kikz Member Posts: 1,345 Member
    #2
    I am so sorry
    to hear this news. I am amazed everyday by the women on this board. For Kathy to think about not wanting to bring us down with what she was going through shows the kind of person she was. My thoughts and prayers go out to her family.

    Karen
  • poopergirl14052
    poopergirl14052 Member Posts: 1,183 Member
    #3
    kikz said:

    I am so sorry
    to hear this news. I am amazed everyday by the women on this board. For Kathy to think about not wanting to bring us down with what she was going through shows the kind of person she was. My thoughts and prayers go out to her family.

    Karen

    very sad news
    I saw a post on on on the Teal warriors site,,,was her name rockchick survivor or rookerbird..not sure if it was the same person...val
  • Susan53
    Susan53 Member Posts: 178
    #4
    Thanks you Carlene
    I have left direction for my family members to help keep my teal sisters up to date on my journey, if the time comes and I am not able to post. I did really appreciate Linda's postings as we all good be on that same journey some day. Sharon
  • Radioactive34
    Radioactive34 Member Posts: 391 Member
    #5
    Carlene, I am sorry you had
    Carlene, I am sorry you had to post it. :/ I saw this on FB,too. I was not very close to her and felt reposting it here would almost be like gossip. I wanted to leave the posting to someone who knew her a lot better.

    I totally understand her sentiment about not wanting to bring anyone down. There are days when OVC takes so much. Despite it being a reality it is considered "negative," if you focus on it.

    Everyone is different. I would honor final postings. There is so much that we go through and it is good to know that we have support up to the end. My mother in law died with no place to vent. I think if she had the capability to post it would have eased her passing.

    I am not sure about others, but my first question after learning about my cancer is "How long do I have?" The second question was "How would I know, recognize the signs that the end is near?" My third was "How will the end go?" Not because I was ending my war before it began, but to know when or how to plan it.

    Linda's posting really helped with those questions and the fear associated with it. Should I come to that point, I would post until I could not. We will face unique fears and things. I want to plan so I have the most control over my passing. Also, so to ease my family's pain over it.

    There are things/feelings that we do not want to share with even our closest loved ones. Here though, I feel an acceptance of it. Even if no one responds I feel a nod of acknowledgement and understanding. At least it is read and people understand. :)

    Yoly
  • Billie Mimi
    Billie Mimi Member Posts: 16
    #6
    Radioactive34 said:

    Carlene, I am sorry you had
    Carlene, I am sorry you had to post it. :/ I saw this on FB,too. I was not very close to her and felt reposting it here would almost be like gossip. I wanted to leave the posting to someone who knew her a lot better.

    I totally understand her sentiment about not wanting to bring anyone down. There are days when OVC takes so much. Despite it being a reality it is considered "negative," if you focus on it.

    Everyone is different. I would honor final postings. There is so much that we go through and it is good to know that we have support up to the end. My mother in law died with no place to vent. I think if she had the capability to post it would have eased her passing.

    I am not sure about others, but my first question after learning about my cancer is "How long do I have?" The second question was "How would I know, recognize the signs that the end is near?" My third was "How will the end go?" Not because I was ending my war before it began, but to know when or how to plan it.

    Linda's posting really helped with those questions and the fear associated with it. Should I come to that point, I would post until I could not. We will face unique fears and things. I want to plan so I have the most control over my passing. Also, so to ease my family's pain over it.

    There are things/feelings that we do not want to share with even our closest loved ones. Here though, I feel an acceptance of it. Even if no one responds I feel a nod of acknowledgement and understanding. At least it is read and people understand. :)

    Yoly

    what can you tell me
    I am not on this site everyday but I do recognize many of the beautiful faces in this post. And beautiful words. I am sorry for the loss of your friend.I write a blog to my family and closest friends and I have often wondered what I will do when it gets close to the end. I suppose I will keep talking cause well... I am a talker.

    I am trying to get my head around the ultimate and like Yoly, I have asked the same questions but never got answers from my doctor. Just vague wait and sees.

    I wanted to know if you could share with me what to expect. How will the end go? My last three types of chemo haven't worked and my numbers are through the roof. For now I have opted out of chemo so that my body can recoup a little. I feel so much better than I did 2 weeks ago. But, I know the ending of the story.... just not all the chapters from here to there.

    Can any of you guys tell me what to expect? Its okay. I am tough. My CA-125 is around 7500. My OC has spread to my liver and lymph nodes...

    I would really appreciate your straight forward info. Where would there be a better place than right here for that??

    Thanks in advance and Rooker Bird is in my thoughts and prayers.
    Billie
  • Cindy Bear
    Cindy Bear Member Posts: 569
    #7
    Saddened
    Thank you for sharing the news Carlene. I am deeply saddened to hear this. I don't come here as often as I used to and it's hard for me to keep track of everyone..I really hate this disease.. I've said that before and I'll say it again..a thousand times. Hate it, hate it, hate it
  • lovesanimals
    lovesanimals Member Posts: 1,366 Member
    #8
    Cindy Bear said:

    Saddened
    Thank you for sharing the news Carlene. I am deeply saddened to hear this. I don't come here as often as I used to and it's hard for me to keep track of everyone..I really hate this disease.. I've said that before and I'll say it again..a thousand times. Hate it, hate it, hate it

    Thank you for sharing, Carlene
    May Kathy rest in peace. My thoughts and prayers are with her family.

    Kelly
  • anicca
    anicca Member Posts: 334 Member
    #9
    So sad. I hate every loss.

    So sad. I hate every loss.
  • Mwee
    Mwee Member Posts: 1,338
    #10
    Thanks, Carlene
    I can only imagine how hard it was for you to be the bearer of bad news, but thanks so much for letting us know.
    (((HUGS)) Maria
  • azgrandma
    azgrandma Member Posts: 609 Member
    #11
    Mwee said:

    Thanks, Carlene
    I can only imagine how hard it was for you to be the bearer of bad news, but thanks so much for letting us know.
    (((HUGS)) Maria

    So sorry
    I am sorry to hear this news. I appreciated each new day the good Lord allows me to live
  • AnneBehymer
    AnneBehymer Member Posts: 738 Member
    #12
    azgrandma said:

    So sorry
    I am sorry to hear this news. I appreciated each new day the good Lord allows me to live

    Another teal sister has become one of our angel
    It hurst my heart to see another one of these brave ladies winning the fight by going home. I am still very new to all this it has not even been a year since I found out I was stage four with ovarian cancer. In a lot of ways I feel like I am still learning and to hear of another lost scares me so much because I don't feel like I want to go yet but it also gives me hope when I read how they leave in such peace. I pray that if I am not ment to be around much longer that I can handle going home with the grace I have read that other teal sisters have faced the end.

    Love, Hugs, and Prayers
    Anne
  • mopar
    mopar Member Posts: 1,972 Member
    #13
    THANK YOU, CARLENE
    For all who knew Kathy, for her family and friends, my heartfelt sympathy and prayers.

    Monika
  • Cafewoman53
    Cafewoman53 Member Posts: 735 Member
    #14
    So Sad
    I think it is important to acknowledge the passing of our Teal Sisters and I hope everyone knows they can share everything here.I am grateful for everyone who posts whether it is good news or bad news it has all helped me deal with my own illness.
    You were lucky to meet her Carlene, I hope her family takes some comfort that she was a part of a group of extrordinary women. May she rest in peace.
    Colleen
  • kayandok
    kayandok Member Posts: 1,202 Member
    #15
    Thanks,
    Carlene, for sharing. I had read this on the Teal board and had to go back to her page to re-fresh my memory about her journey. We did have one e-mail exchange a couple years ago, but I couldn't remember her story, since she had not been posting regularly. She fought hard and exhausted all her options like a true warrior!!!!

    I love the image of her driving 25 miles to your house to visit with you. That is so cool! I so wish I could get in my car and drve to see you or any of our lovely sisters on this board.

    Hugs,
    Kahtleen
  • JoWin615
    JoWin615 Member Posts: 150 Member
    #16
    Kathy's journey
    I just read the wonderfully detailed account on her page, and I learned a lot. Thanks, Kathy, for sharing. I know you are at peace now, and free from pain and discomfort.

    And thank you, Carlene, for posting this news.

    Jo

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