Surviving
How we loved through pancreatic cancer
by
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When the time came to wash Emma's body rigor mortis had set in, her hand was stiff and still curled around mine. I washed her, gently caressing the body that had once been so full of life, now just an empty container. I stroked her hair and kissed her face and neck, I made earplugs for her from a tissue that I had used for my tears, Emma had always slept with paper earplugs. As I put them in her ears I whispered to her “This is the last time we'll share bodily fluids”. She would have found that statement hilarious. Then I helped place her body into the bag and onto the gurney. They go to great lengths to hide death in the hospital, there was a special gurney that had a table top over her body that they draped a sheet over, it looked like a catering table as they rolled her away, so ironically fitting for her.
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About the Book
"Emma was still channeling Rocky Balboa, talking about how she was going to beat cancer. She defined survival as completely defeating the disease. I defined survival as weathering the storm with grace. She was so strong, surviving on the force of her will. But her body wasn't cooperating, no matter how hard her spirit fought." "Surviving" is the story of one couple's journey with cancer, from diagnosis to death, written by the surviving member of that couple, K.Blake Cash "Beautifully told...honest as an arrow." -humorist Barry Parnham "a beautiful piece of work...I know in my heart that she is "out and about" watching over us even now." -Dr. harish lavu, Assistant Professor of Surgery, Thomas Jefferson University
About the Author
K. Blake Cash witnessed the daily effects of pancreatic cancer and cancer treatments during his wife's fourteen month battle with the disease. "Surviving" is the story of their journey, from diagnosis through the loss of his wife. He used the website he created to record her struggle and eventually memorialize her in the creation of this book. Mr. Cash continues to redefine surviving today as a writer, living in Princeton NJ with three cats, two step teenagers, and his very supportive new wife. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of this book will go towards funding Emma's website (http://blakeandemma.mysite.com) and contributions to the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network.