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Posted

Hello Hebbie, yes you are correct, he did opt. not to have any treatments. I really cannot fathom that kind of decision but as I have said before--everybody handles this differently and there is no absolute correct decisions. Karen and I saw the special on VH-1 and it seemed as if he was pretty doped up on pain pills and morphine the entire time he was being interviewed.

Posted

I cannot really comprehend that line of thinking either, however, I was just at a support group meeting Saturday morning with a 75 year old gentleman who was diagnosed a few months back and is still "deciding" whether or not he wants to move ahead and begin chemo. He's not sure. He feels he has led a good life and has had good relationships. Part of me thinks that perhaps if I was 75 I would not be so anxious to move ahead with treatment either, but part of me thinks that my age wouldn't matter and the type of person that I am would make me want to have treatment no matter what age I was!

But, as you said, it is a personal choice and there are no difinatives.

Posted

Actually he elected to delay treatment until he finished his last album. He was afraid he wouldn't be able to sing and finish the cd. He talks about this in the special and also how he would start chemo as soon as it was done. Don't you remember him joking with Dave Barry about how he'd look without hair and where he said he thought it was a sin not to want to live?

I bought his new cd last weekend. I think it's wonderful, he says a lot of good-byes to people through songs. I especially like "Keep Me in Your Heart."

Mitch Albom is playing past interviews with him on his radio show and doing a tribute as I write this.

Posted

Well I do remember he was just delaying treatments but when you are only given 3 months, statistics or not, It seems as if delaying is almost the same as denying treatment at that point. My stance is that I have to be as aggressive as possible in my treatments and any kind of delay is not being aggressive. We have not picked up his last CD yet but will be doing so soon and am looking forward very much to hearing it. I would love to hear some of the interviews you are speaking of Ry.

David C

Posted

He was DXed so late that treatment probably would not have been effective. His choice was to take what time and energy he had left to produce what turned out to be his own obituary and goodbye note to the world.

You have to respect his choice. I can't say I wouldn't have done the same in his situation, but since I am not there, it is hard to say.

He simply felt he had other things to do that were more valuable to him and those around him than the small amount and quality of time he may have been given with treatment.

He does clarify in the special that he feels "It's a sin to not want to live", so he must have weighed his options pretty heavily.

I have nothing but respect for his choice. He went on his own terms, so in a strange way, he beat this. He lasted months longer than "they" said he would, and he also went in his sleep in the afternoon. Thats how I would want to go.

The special airs again tonite at 10 eastern, 9 central and 8 Pacific on VH1. The name of the show is Inside Out.

http://www.vh1.com/shows/dyn/inside_out/series.jhtml

Posted

Hey Gina, thanks for letting us know it's back on again. I want to send an e-mail to my musician brother-in-law to watch it. My husband missed the beginning last time so he can see the entire show.

Guest Karen C
Posted

Hi, Karen C. here - I think Dave and I need to watch this again. I have the same impression of Zevon's attitude towards treatment that Gina does. I remember him saying that it was a sin to not want to live. I loved that.

Now - did "they" give him three months to live with or without treatment?

Either way, he beat their odds by 9 months, huh? Of course, who's to say that if he'd started aggressive treatment immediately he'd still be here, but I would betcha he did his homework before deciding which way to go.

Has anyone heard of Eva Cassidy? She was a young singer in the D.C. area who died of melanoma pretty quickly in 1996. Being a melahoma survivior myself I got really interested in her music when I was diagnosed - coincidentally someone gave me her CD just days before my diagnoses. She had made a CD or two but after her terminal diagnoses she went through aggressive treatment and was too sick to make a last album. Too bad, 'cause she was pretty incredible. Now her family and friends are digging up old jam sessions and recordings of her and putting out albums, thank goodness they have what they have.

Best to all,

Karen C.

Posted

> Has anyone heard of Eva Cassidy?

Yes, I have. She did nice stuff. A little Paula Colish without the power and whining factor :wink: Wasn't aware folks were trying to bring out more material.

I guess there was a big thing on Warren on Letterman last nite. I had obligations last nite and did not get a chance to tape either. It caught me by suprise and I was not prepared.

Posted
> Has anyone heard of Eva Cassidy?

Yes, I have. She did nice stuff. A little Paula Colish without the power and whining factor :wink: Wasn't aware folks were trying to bring out more material.

I guess there was a big thing on Warren on Letterman last nite. I had obligations last nite and did not get a chance to tape either. It caught me by suprise and I was not prepared.

Eva Cassidy is the bomb!!!!!!!!!!!! I have 2 of her cd's and i love the way she takes a song and REALLY makes you understand the meaning of it.

Posted

I am to old to know what this is all about. Until you posted his name I never heard of him, then this morning i pick up the morning paper and there is a pretty good size article on him.

I now know why i never heard of him (((((ROCK)))))). My music goes back to the big bands, Bing, Frankie, even Al Jolson.. How is that for being old :roll::roll::roll::roll:

All kidding aside, he must have been great!

Posted

Warren Zevon had Mesothelioma, for which there is no treatment available. This is the lung cancer caused by asbestos exposure. Hopefully this information will resolve his treatment decision. There actually was no decision to make.

Posted

Your it got caught up in the web site address so it does not work, could you go back and edit it? thanks Donna G

Posted

Today I sent an e-mail to Mitch Albom asking him to do something on his show during November for lung cancer awareness month. He replayed old interviews with Warren and did a nice tribute to him on his show. I thought he might want to honor him further by doing something for others with lung cancer.

The tribute by David Letterman was also very nice. He was almost teary as he talked about him and the band played all Warren Zevon music the entire night. Haven't e-mailed him yet.

Norme, Warren used to play piano for the Everly brothers. Does that go back far enough for you? :lol:

Posted

Warren had a sick and wicked wit. Whenever someone asks me about how I "feel" about all thats happened in my life since March, I use a line from his David Letterman interview that was done shortly after his DX.

ENJOY EVERY SANDWICH

It somehow puts life into proper perspective, and only a cancer patient (Or someone else with a life threatening condition) would truely understand the meaning of this line.

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