I will never forget you

Facing Death is never easy. Anyone who tells you otherwise is full of it. I've faced death in many of it's faces. I've seen quite violent death, that often could have been avoided if one had taken care. In my late teens, I often casually worked for a local funeral home whose owners my family have been friendly with for years. This funeral home buried my oft lamented grandfather. Facing death is never, ever easy but over time one does become numb...until the wound cuts too deep.
By the new year, the world will have lost another two human beings who were loved every well. One is older lady who spoiled me as a child and was a dear friend of my mother; the other certainly will be taken before his time.
'Auntie' Shirley Van Tankeren grew up with my mum from the time they were youngsters. Shirley helped my mum when she was going through her rough patch. They corresponded often. My family and I often visited Shirley, her husband and children when we went to Britain on holiday. It was accepted custom. During my childhood and teen years, Shirley would spoil us something rotten and we loved her for it. I loved hearing her reminisce with my folks about their time in Britain before I was born. Then Shirley's son, Leo, known to us affectionately as 'Archer', informed my mum that her best friend was not long for this world. Mum was torn; visiting her would be a financial strain, especially before Christmas. Mum asked my opinion which I said: "If you believe for a second that you would regret NOT going, pack your bags and go." So she went and they had a blast. Mum brought her a ray of joy that went unmatched.
Like my mum, I also refuse to be defeated by circumstance. During my mother's visit to Britain to say goodbye to her friend, I received news that a friend that knew for only a few years had given up his fight with cancer. Given my own health scare and my parent's own fight with cancer; this news stunned and depressed me but I refused to give up hope. Like Admiral Kirk, I do not believe in the 'No-Win' scenario. I expressed my grief and shock on Christopher Schenk's Facebook page; many of our mutual friends 'liked' my heartfelt comments.
I've only known Chris for a few years but I knew I would eventually warm up to him. We met at Old Academy Players in East Falls. I first thought him a bit to nerdy at first (and I admit that I was slightly jealous of his choice of girlfriend at the time) but I quickly appreciated his organizational skills, his humor, his wit and above all, his patience. We have done quite a few shows together and had lots of fun both on and off-stage. Chris has seen parts of me, few will ever see...depending on how much I am drinking at the time. He even directed me during the inaugural One-Act Festival, an event Chris created. (and whether he likes it or not, will probably be named in his honor.)
When the opportunity came to visit him before it was too late, I grabbed it with both hands. One of the Old Academy directors offered to drive out to visit Chris. She also intimated that she needed her moral support from somebody. That somebody turned out to be me.
I didn't know what to expect when I saw Chris but from reading his recent Facebook posts I knew there would be a man using a serious amount of inner strength. I was certainly surprised by how Chris looked but I was certainly struck by his own fortitude. Here was a man who was only interested in hearing the good and happy memories and faced down his own formidable father when plans seemed to become too grandiose.
I shall miss both when they are gone but like my grandfather and other departed friends, they will never, ever be forgotten.

A silly place for a mole

By Lorraine Scally as told to her son, Bernard Scally

Twelve years ago while visiting my optometrist, Dr. William Putterman, I told him that my right eye was seeing zigzag lines from top to bottom where I should be seeing straight lines. He sent me to Nova Care who sent me to Wills Eye Oncology. I had something on the retina of my eye but neither Nova Care nor Wills Eye knew what it was.

After four years of 3 to 6 month visits and numerous testing, the thing (not yet officially declared a tumor) started to grow. The doctors came to the conclusion that it was cancerous. Oh how I cried, I mean who ever heard of cancer of the eye?

Nine days after this prognosis, I was admitted to Wills Eye Hospital. I had my eye cut open and radioactive chips were placed on the tumor. I was kept in an isolated room for five days then returned to the operating room to the chips removed. As a result of this surgery, I lost about 75 to 80 percent of the vision in my right eye.

Soon now, the waiting game began. The six-month follow after my surgery showed that the tumor was shrinking and continued to do so for the next six years. Then two years ago, the doctors saw some changes and decided to give me a treatment with a nuclear laser. Six months after this treatment, I was informed that there was a very small bleed in my eye but there was nothing to worry about so we continued our visits.

Sadly, this past January, I had a vision in my affected right eye that scared me greatly because it occurred while I was driving. I can only describe it as my eye looked like it was kaleidoscope but all in back. Four days after this incident my eye returned to its normal condition. During my February visit this year, I was informed that the blood was a cause for concern. was referred to Dr. Joseph I. Maguire who felt it best to leave the blood alone as there was not enough to extract and the bleed may sort itself out.

On May 7, 2011, I obtained a massive headache and complete blindness in my right eye. Thinking that it would clear itself up, I tried to ignore it but after two weeks without abatement I returned to Wills Eye Hospital. Immediately, oncologist Dr. Carol Shields recommended removing the eye because it was full of blood and the likeliest source of the bleeding was the diminished tumor. I was stunned but I refused to relinquish my body part until I knew that it was the tumor for sure. I returned to Dr. Maguire within a week. I was again in surgery to remove the blood. When I returned the next day, everything seemed to be well but two weeks later, my eye again filled up with blood. It was also discovered that the tumor had grown even bigger than it had been eight years ago. There was no choice anymore; my eye had to come out.

While I had this tumor in my eye, I had headaches all the time. Since my eye was removed on June 30, 2011, I have had one had headache because I did not take my medications. Thankfully, the cancer was contained solely on the inside of my eye. my advice to all would be to keep a check on your eyes. Have your eyes tested as often as you are able. After some cursory research, I found that eye cancer is more common that I first thought. If you suspect something and your doctor doesn't listen, find a new doctor.

Now that I have a new prosthetic eye from Dr. Kevin V. Kelley, it is a new challenge for me but with the help of my family, friends and church, I will survive.

Photo credit: Bas Slabbers/for www.newsworks.org