The Third Act
As some of you know, I've been dealing with a rare biliary cancer for many months. It has already taken my gall bladder, bile duct and most of my liver...and it's not done yet. It looks like in a matter of weeks I'll be facing chemotherapy, in an attempt to at least slow its progress...There are many things I need as I prepare for my third act--supplements, prescription drugs, counseling, expensive alternative therapies, etc--and they all cost money...money I don't have. So, after all these months of being silent and private about my illness, I recently said yes to my close friend Michelle Meyrink when she asked if she could organize a benefit concert for me. http://www.spiderrobinson.com/images/Dream%20for%20jeanne.pdf
Others have since jumped in, including my Vancouver Buddhist sangha, Mountain Rain Zen Community, and a dear friend in Florida, Jan Schroeder, who has been auctioning donated items (such as rare Babylon 5 scripts and other SF memorabilia) on eBay for me. Goods or services can be donated for the auction by contacting Jan at dreamforjeanne@aol.com. Several other methods of helping out, including a straightforward PayPal donation account, can be found at http://wedreamforjeanne.blogspot.com/.
Another way to help would be to buy our books from Amazon by clicking-through from Spider's site, so we can get the affiliate commission. We've spent decades holding up visions of humankind's highest evolutionary potential while entertaining you enough to keep you turning pages.
- Free-fall "zero-g dance" to be performed this weekend, inspired by ...
- Spider Robinson and Ben Bova win the Heinlein Award - Boing Boing
- Spider Robinson reads Varley's "The Persistence of Vision" - Boing ...
- Spider Robinson starts a podcast! - Boing Boing
- Spider Robinson's Hugo-winning "Melancholy Elephants" online ...
I needed an excuse to go out and re-buy a collection of his stuff. Lost one to water damage on a week long hike through Maroon Bells.
Ah, here it is:
First Credit Union,
Box 190
101-475 Trunk Road,
Bowen Island, BC
V0N 1G
Canada’s healthcare system is excellent, but not perfect. It won’t cover the full cost of prescription drugs (and I imagine a cancer patient will need a lot of these), nor, of course, vitamin supplements and counseling (Jeanne mentions these in her note). Alternative therapies are also not covered – it’s perfectly understandable for cancer patients to pursue these (even if the chance of them working is remote), but no kind of healthcare system will ever afford to cover them fully.
If you want to use this as a case to argue about the US healthcare debate, get the story straight. We’re not talking about someone being bankrupted to pay basic hospital/medical bills (that only happens in the US), but rather someone who’s finding it hard to cover the additional cost of dealing with long term, terminal illness.
My 0.02c: I’ve lived in the UK, the US and Canada for periods of my life, and dealt with all three healthcare systems. The UK and Canadian systems work reasonably well, and focus on treating patients as necessary, putting their health and well-being first. The US system is completely f*cked. The idea that anyone would object to reform strikes me a ludicrous.
I’m about to drop a few bucks in the hat, myself. Spider’s books are responsible for introducing me to several of my closest friends and, indirectly, my wife.
I know Spider holds dual US/Canadian citizenship, and they both currently live in Canada. Does Jeanne also have Canadian citizenship, or just landed immigrant status (the equivalent of a US Green Card)? Either way, shouldn’t her healthcare also be covered by the Canadian gov’t?
Reading Spider Robinson’s books and finding out that it’s possible to be happy and healthy and creative as a freak in this world, that they weren’t alone, has saved the lives of at least two people I know. Reading his books certainly did a lot for me. Of course I’ll buy all of his books I can afford to, and I hope that everyone he’s affected does the same.
I was upset by the news of Jeanne’s health problems, of which I first read here. I will spread the word to my fellow members of the Ottawa Science Fiction Society of which Spider was a member. I believe he has life membership. I was bulking up my collection of Andre Norton’s works via e-Bay. Spider’s works will be added forthwith! If I had an address to send a money order, I would. Can you inform me where to send it so it goes straight to the Robinson’s?
I may be retired with a ‘retire’ income level, but one cannot put a price on friendship. contact me at: [redacted] soon please.
Lyn Saunders
This seems like an opportune time for someone with connections in Hollywood to arrange an option on one or more of their fabulous books at a stiff premium.
Adam, with the way Hollywood seems to work, it’s probably when the predators will try to swoop in and snatch the rights up for cheap.
Here’s hoping that Jeanne pulls through.
To whoever requested information on Spider Robinson’s books, the best thing I can suggest is that you hit teh Google and search for:
spider robinson callahan’s
spider robinson stardance
spider robinson anthology
Pretty much anything you turn up will be worth your while.
#22 — yes, she is Canadian. I remember looking her up on imdb and seeing that she now lives on Bowen Island (just off BC’s lower mainland).
I remember helping out for this earlier in the year, by holding an online benefit concert for folks using Second Life, and donating the proceeds to the Robinsons. The “philosophy” in Spider’s novels really changed my life, so it was a real thrill to get to help.
Also, Bowen Island is a magnificent place; I got to visit there a couple of years back, staying at a bed and breakfast and visiting a couple of friends. I had no idea Spider lived there, but I can certainly see why. I don’t remember seeing any sort of chain outlet type business there, like fast food or the usual megamarts. It made for a really cool personal touch, like I suspect Norman Rockwell was getting at so long ago ;)
Sad.
Will do what I can for Spider and Jeanne.
Tom
University Place, WA
I’m down with the Robinsons. They should feel love in these trying times, as they gave so much out.
Is that the same Michelle Meyrink who played Jordan in Real Genius? I guess she is Canadian…
Mailing address?
I’ve cleaned this thread up a little. Being a jerk in a thread about someone with cancer is inexcusable.
Also, US healthcare is rather tangential to the topic since they’re in Canada.
Why not come to europe and get treatment here in Germany or the Netherlands. Quality of treatment is awesome in Germany and it would take only a fraction of the cost, if any. I mean if money is the problem… We have a lot of awesome sanghas here too, btw. People would help!
I’m sorry to hear this. I will be passing the word around Ottawa Fandom, I don’t know if Starwolf is still in touch with Spider, but it was back in the late 70’s when Starwolf pushed a copy of Telempath on me that I first discovered the wonderful writings of Spider Robinson. I will do what I can in spreading the word, and see how much money I can dig up!
NHS for the USA!!!!
And show your support for a public health-care option so _no one_ ever has to do what this person is doing to pay medical bills!
This really sucks.
Okay, so that’s James Randi *and* Jeanne Robinson who have cancer… and I assume Terry Pratchett still has Alzheimer’s… and yet Dick Cheney survives 20 heart attacks and still has the energy and the money to live on a daily diet of baby brains…
Life is unfair.
I’ll definitely kick in, for the reasons Cory mentions. However, given the massive health care debate in the US, I can’t help considering this as an example.
I note that she doesn’t mention having to pay for treatment, which is a big difference between her story and a lot of US ones. But I’m interested in her mention of other costs, and what other Canadians think. E.g., are prescription costs high? Are the “alternative therapies” she mentions the sort of personally appealing but medically unproven things that insurance probably shouldn’t pay for?
Well, I’m French (sorry for my bad english) and I still don’t understand how such a situation is possible in a modern state. I live in a free country (France isn’t a “communist” country) and we feel normal that everybody (rich or poor people) can be cured when life is in danger.
Mrs. Robinson, you are welcome in France !
It’s depressing to find out that even very successful writers like Spider and Jeanne Robinson can’t afford their medical bills.
I just can’t wrap my head around the individual paying for their treatment. I think the system here in Sweden is imperfect, but it leaves me with a maximum yearly medicine/healthcare cost of around U$300.
It’s still a bit too bureaucratic, but seems to work reasonably well.
As for the alternative therapies she’s pursuing……. If something gets proven to work, it instantly stops being alternative. Big buck companies are DESPERATELY looking for fixes and medicines to sell. It’s a competitive business and whoever gets the most efficient solution (cheap to produce but effective so it can be sold expensive) makes the most money
Farrell: Been doing some of that word-spreading in Ottawa-Gatineau myself via Livejournal and National Capital Freenet. Hoping it helps!
Dwight Williams
Cory,
I’m not familiar with the work of Spider Robinson – might I suggest that you review some of your favorite SR books. I’ve often bought books on your recommendation.
Sal
^ This…
I know people who have been put against the ropes by being ill and being unable to work. But NEVER been made poor by paying to stay alive.
The NHS has HUGE problems, but things like this make it worth my Tax dollarpounds.
N
Thanks for spreading the word, Cory. Please go back and linkify the post with the links from the original so people can help most easily? Some are obvious, some are not.
http://www.spiderrobinson.com/images/Dream%20for%20jeanne.pdf
eBay
http://wedreamforjeanne.blogspot.com/
Spider’s site
This is so upsetting for many reasons, but it’s also so disheartening that writers of the Robinsons’ stature would be in such a precarious financial situation. I know people don’t become writers for the riches, but you’d think that at least the most celebrated of the lot could make a comfortable living.
Poor Jeanne. I owe Spider more than I could possibly pay in cash.
http://wedreamforjeanne.blogspot.com/
Go there and use PayPal. It’s a kick to pay in Canadian.
“Sorrow shared is diminished, happiness shared is increased.”
l’ll do what I can.
Using this example to rail against NHS-type systems would be hugely douchey. Let’s not make this political, people. That’s the worst kind of behavior, not to mention a dire insult to the Robinsons.
Sucky situation. :/
In addition to giving some cash everyone should call their senators and representatives today and demand that health care reform, including a public option, be passed so no one in the US will be in this position.
Unfortunately for Ms Robinson (in response to Talia’s comment above), the personal is indeed political in this and in far too many other instances. I just returned home to France yesterday after a brief trip to the U.S. to visit friends in rural Michigan. The story of Ms Robinson’s cancer hits me the same way as what I saw during my visit: in every store (so it seemed), in every restaurant, there was a donation can with a sign pleading for people to donate to help pay for someone’s transplant or cancer treatment or other kind of medical expense.
Heartbreaking, outrageous, and totally infuriating. No one, no American, NO ONE should have to rely on the generosity of strangers to receive the health care they need and deserve. And still the teabaggers and right-wing insurance shills spread their lies and deceit about other countries’ “socialist” health care systems. As one who has benefited from France’s excellent care (including short wait-times) for the past eight years— without ever fearing that my care would bankrupt my family, and without ever having to choose between buying food or filling a prescription — the fearmongering and deceit makes me livid beyond words.
It is my hope that President Obama will champion the public option in his speech to Congress tomorrow night. It is my further hope that the “murder by spreadsheet,” profiteering insurance companies will ultimately be removed from basic health care. Let them provide the same kind of supplemental health insurance as private companies do here in France. But keep them totally out of basic and catastrophic coverage.
Best wishes to Ms. Robinson and her family.
Having read and re-read the Callahan books many times over I cansay that they have the same effect as PTerry’s do. They lift me out whatever slough of despond I happen to be in at the time.
And as for Spiders’ reading voice it is comprised of awesomeness.
Right, off to donate!
While I’m certain that her health care issues are being cared for by the state, what we’re probably looking at here is a loss of income; Jeanne worked as well, so it is no stretch to imagine that she is not working at this time. While Canada supplies medical, I doubt it supplies food, electricity and the other goods that make life easier. My guess is that with their income taking a major hit, the costs of those other things have added up (Bowen Island is not that inexpensive a place to live).
I also think that Spider has spent all his time with his love. If you’ve read any of his writing, you know that Jeanne is the world to him.
To #1 – Poor form, very poor form.
Whoops! Typo, can say.
James.