Lair · of · the · Wild · Archivist

Image courtesy of inutaka_karuki.

Well, aside from whirled peas, I can think of lots of things I want, but I will settle for a gym membership, new happy cookware to cook my new diet and people who will come to the gym with me. Oh, well, if I'm going to be shallow, I could say I also want some kickass emeralds. Bigger than Fort Knox.

Jeff, Lisa's brother, just called me to let me know what's been going on in Florida. Not so good things, he says. His wife has been in hospital with various bleeding/thyroid/etc. issues; Jeff's cancer is still giving him grief; Shannon at least is no worse; but Christopher, Lisa's nephew, just got home from the hospital -- he had been in a diabetic coma for several days, including several on a ventilator because he could not breathe, and has/had a blood sugar level of 1500 (Jeff said the doctors told him that they only generally saw a blood sugar that high in the morgue), pancreatis, and a fulminating infection. He is home, but not out of the woods, because he had NOT been diabetic before, and this came out of the blue. They still don't know what triggered it, and what is going on, although the insulin shots are bringing his blood sugars down to okay levels.

Interestingly, according to Jeff, Christopher is a rationalist, and not religious. He has decided that there is nothing except what can be materially appreciated -- but when he came out of his coma, he told his parents that "Aunt Lisa was there, telling me I could NOT give up". And he is not the kind of young man who believes in life after death. So I have to think that Aunt Lisa is still watching over her family, you know?

So prayers are actively requested, for "both the living and the dead" of their family, and I'm going to check in with them in a couple of weeks. I asked and was given permission to let you all know what's up with them, as I feel that Lisa would have wanted us to keep in contact with her family.

My friend Lisa Schmidt passed away of pancreatic cancer on Wednesday, August 26, at one am. Her brother Jeff just called me to let me know. He says "thank you" to her other internet friends for all of your love and support of Lisa, and that, in the end, all of her life will come down to the memories and love she leaves behind, that this is her true legacy. In that regard, Lisa left us a huge legacy. More than I can say.

If anyone wishes to send flowers, the funeral is Saturday, at Horizon Funeral Home, 1605 Colonial Blvd., Fort Myers, FL. Lisa's family, however, says that their biggest wish is that you donate either time or money to local cancer societies, hospices, and the like, since local action for those who are currently suffering would be the best memorial she could have. lisapt and I are walking in the Pancreatic Cancer Walkathon in Detroit at the end of September, so if you care to either join us or donate, our Team Lourdesmont page is here. This will be our small tribute to Lisa's love, courage, and stubbornness.

Lisa, I love you and always will. Until further notice.