Bill Keller’s Cowardly Measures

First of all, I am still speechless after reading Bill Keller’s NYT op-ed. There are so many things with which to take issue I don’t know where to begin. There is the fact that he (and his wife) decided to attack personally a woman for whom so many of us have intense and great admiration for – Lisa Boncheck Adams. And there are all of the completely ignorant statements that he makes about cancer, about being a patient, about so much. I only know what I know about cancer from my own personal experience and that of my friends and family who have had to endure the disease. And, I have experienced the loss of those who have not outlived cancer. I won’t say not survived it, and I won’t say they “lost their battle” . . . I hate that language in the cancer world. But, to each their own.

So, while I do not know where to begin, or how I could possibly ever address every point of Bill Keller’s op-ed that I find to be abhorrent, mind-blowingly ignorant, simply incorrect, wrong, factually not supported ANYWHERE, arrogant mischaracterizations of woman who has been incredibly transparent (so why can’t you – BILL – even read her blog correctly – clearly you haven’t – your words make that obvious), mind boggling, blood boiling – I will say this, because I HAVE to say something:

Bill apparently thinks we are all supposed to die in accordance with Bill’s approved, go quietly into the night, disappear, don’t educate, don’t have feelings, don’t be yourself, don’t do what is important to you, plan. Whatever Bill. I love the internet because when someone is as undeniably stupid as Bill Keller (and his wife – they SO deserve each other), it becomes a storm. And he thought the weather on the East Coast was bad…

I am so proud of my online friends who have taken him on. I know they share my anger and disbelief at what the Keller’s have done. But, they are able to do something I can’t right now – and that is to WRITE and write ELOQUENTLY and THOUGHTFULLY and PROFOUNDLY about all of what is wrong with what the Keller’s have done. I am still at the childish, angry, name calling stage . . . perhaps next week . . . after I recover from tomorrow’s fifth cancer related surgery (don’t worry – this one is for reconstruction purposes – hoping for good results, but just grateful that this will most likely be the last surgery in the series).

Much love and peace (and yes, disgust),

Lisa

P.S. I appreciate any prayers, positive vibes you can send my way – hoping for a good surgery, good result and quick recovery – got lots to do!

Tags: bill keller, breast cancer, cancer, dying out loud, heroic measures, lisa boncheck adams, Lisa Bonchek Adams, metastatic breast cancer, new york times op ed, nyt op ed, stage IV cancer, survivorship, the guardian