Kate Worley Battling Cancer

From Doodles: "For those of you unfamiliar with who Kate Worley is, she's one half of the team that brought "Omaha The Cat Dancer" to life, an act which brought _me_ into this fandom. So you can imagine how much of a debt I owe her and Reed Waller.

This is all being cross-posted from the Cat-Dancing-with-OMAHA Yahoo Group with permission, and I'll let Reed and Kate say most of it. First, Reed posted this on 4/21/04:

The news is not good. After a short period of stability, just long enough for her to start getting some strength back and think about writing, Kate's cancer has flared up again. She is back in rad and chemo as of today, and more treatments. This despite the increased risks of repeated radiation to the spinal column, but there's really no choice."

Those desiring to send well wishes, address them to Kate and Jim at 323 S Yorktown, Tulsa OK 74104.

I am hoping, as I know you all are, that things go well, and Kate has some more time with us, Omaha or no Omaha.
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Naturally, those of us on the group have been upset by this, and there were a lot of get well messages on the group, to which, we recieved the following information tangentially via the group's moderator on the 24th:

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Had an email from Reed in relation to another matter yesterday
afternoon(Australian time) and I thought the following statment from him was worth mentioning in light of recent posts about Kate:

"I've just talked to her and things aren't all that bad and she's in
good spirits and is writing."

This all sounds a lot more positive for Kate.
So let's keep all them good vibes & prayers heading her way.

sycoesrule
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So the news is not the worst. But there's still a fly in the ointment, as explained by Kate in another message about the subject on the 25th:

-------- wrote:
>
> Is there a Kate Medicinal Fund?

Not that I know of. And if you''re offering help...Frankly, it is
desperately needed...whenever you find youself going "food or
prescription?"...wondering if we can string along the power company long enough for the next paycheck...Pride is one totally unaffordable luxury.

I haven't been able to work my old day job for over a year, and for
a long time Jim's older obligations were killing us....Timing is
everything, ain't it? That expires, but my income goes away...Well,
Les Humanoides will be righting that very soon, I hope, and I can
feel a bit better about myself...

Another thought I've had, if anyone would be interested, is selling
handmade polyclay Omaha portrait pins. Anybody interested> They are a cute little profile shot, with the hair hand-sculpted on, signed on the pin back. I may be jumping the gun here...my dead hand may make these harder than I think, but I think it can still be done. If
anybody's interested (and doesn't feel put off my my shameless
merchantilism), I'll try and get a new prototype made up and shot so you can see what I mean.

One thing I would hope, is, that, if that sudden catastrophe occurs,
that someone would do their best to see that my family got a little
help tidiing them over. Incredibly, I have paid enough dues over the
years that they will have benefits when I'm gone, but the gap could
be really tough. I plan to post some new photos of myself and my
kids soon...when you see my Sarah, you will truly know the meaning of emotional blackmail....lol

Kate
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Finally, Kate posted this addendum a half hour later in response to another post:

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Thanks a million to everyone for the good thoughts. I have believed
all through this whole thing that a great deal of the "cured"
portions of the program have owed more than a bit to the tremendous amounts of positive energy friends, family and acquaintances have sent on my behalf, in whatever form and direction. I've been on Evangelical prayer chains by the dozen, thanks to my MinL, Buddhist meditation groups, pagan healing circles, Jewish Psalm readers...It all goes to the Source of Peace, and has brought comfort, and, I believe, an increased chance of recovery.

It's a kind of strange situation as far as how the news is...The
basic problem is that the treatment in December DIDN'T work, and
there's been a bit of expansion on the lower tumor. The increased
danger, as Reed pointed out, is from repeated radiation of the spinal
cord, way up there at C-1. Basically, I look just fine, there is NO
other sign of cancer anywhere, except for the damage to the nerves that the tumors have impinged, everything functions just the same as always. It's just that....the little chromium switch could click, and that'll be it.

Yeah, we can all get hit by a bus at any moment. I just know the
number of the bus, its route, and its possible schedule.

I'm coping with that as well as I can, I think. Moments of raw
terror, of course. All the better to have this book to worry
about...You just can't work and worry at the same time. Time to plot the next 800 issues after this, I guess...(I've always sworn I
could't die if I had an outstanding deadline).

Thanks again for the good wishes. Feel free to spread the
word...You're doing me a huge favor by passing the word to those I
may have lost touch with or simply don't know. And a cheery word is always a day-brightener.

Kate
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And that brings us up to the present moment. Spread the word. Repeating the info at the top, get well cards and donations to help the family out can be sent to the following address:

Kate and Jim
323 S Yorktown
Tulsa OK 74104

The fandom hasn't let me down before. And I know you can do it again.

And so that the news isn't all doom and gloom, Les Humanoides, the French firm that publishes such comics as Metal Hurlant, has arranged to have the entire series reprinted, in color, with an additional 90+ pages of material to finish the story from where it was left off. Reed's already got the first page from Kate, and we're pulling for both of them.

The pretty litty lives. ;3