tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20309032.post8383605694826645078..comments2023-11-05T04:19:37.197-08:00Comments on Katie Schwartz: Cancer Is A Bitch, Gail Konop Baker's MemoirKatie Schwartzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00502953107364624296noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20309032.post-47892402544475794632008-08-23T17:09:00.000-07:002008-08-23T17:09:00.000-07:00yes, please contact me. I LOVE to dish...yes, please contact me. I LOVE to dish...Gailhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05526275635891602588noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20309032.post-51582758567113268442008-08-23T10:59:00.000-07:002008-08-23T10:59:00.000-07:00Gail is really approachable. You can dish with her...Gail is really approachable. You can dish with her about anything. I encourage everyone to contact her.Katie Schwartzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00502953107364624296noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20309032.post-14746587480498524602008-08-23T10:58:00.000-07:002008-08-23T10:58:00.000-07:00Seriously, Doreen?! That is hysterical and so much...Seriously, Doreen?! That is hysterical and so much like my family.<BR/><BR/>You will love Gail's book.Katie Schwartzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00502953107364624296noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20309032.post-67497048820338628872008-08-23T10:57:00.000-07:002008-08-23T10:57:00.000-07:00FreidaBee, I didn't know that. How do you deal wit...FreidaBee, I didn't know that. How do you deal with it? I hear where you're coming from.Katie Schwartzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00502953107364624296noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20309032.post-49768605317730295722008-08-18T03:05:00.000-07:002008-08-18T03:05:00.000-07:00JG: I'm too much a neurotic Jewish hypochondriac t...JG: I'm too much a neurotic Jewish hypochondriac to read this post, but I did award you the BOOT for being a KICK-ASS (tm) BLOGGER.<BR/><BR/>Spartacus gave me the award and has a better description of the rules than I could ever give.KELSO'S NUTShttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14636889771989672795noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20309032.post-39829074586516216502008-08-17T18:49:00.000-07:002008-08-17T18:49:00.000-07:00wow!! All these amazing comments!! First of all th...wow!! All these amazing comments!! First of all thank you thank you thank you and please IF you read the book I honestly want to know what you think!!<BR/>A<BR/>lso, I would love to meet all of you and sign a copy of the book with a personal message to you. I will be in San Francisco September 30th and October 1st and NYC the following week... xo, gGailhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05526275635891602588noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20309032.post-75072771943588235812008-08-17T16:48:00.001-07:002008-08-17T16:48:00.001-07:00We couldn't even say "diabetes" in my family. Hell...We couldn't even say "diabetes" in my family. Hell, we weren't even supposed to know my mother had been a nightclub singer in her youth. I swear I grew up thinking all the secrecy around that meant she'd been a hooker.<BR/><BR/>Can't wait to read Gail's book.Doreen Orionhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12026294659806001562noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20309032.post-31721984909916440652008-08-17T16:48:00.000-07:002008-08-17T16:48:00.000-07:00We couldn't even say "diabetes" in my family. Hell...We couldn't even say "diabetes" in my family. Hell, we weren't even supposed to know my mother had been a nightclub singer in her youth. I swear I grew up thinking all the secrecy around that meant she'd been a hooker.<BR/><BR/>Can't wait to read Gail's book.Doreen Orionhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12026294659806001562noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20309032.post-341174820323936072008-08-17T10:13:00.000-07:002008-08-17T10:13:00.000-07:00I will. I will. Everyone and his dog has had can...I will. I will. Everyone and his dog has had cancer in my family and I have almost the reverse fear, that my saying <EM>that</EM> (a partial truth) will create it.Freida Beehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11489663202315694313noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20309032.post-81501967989829942532008-08-17T08:39:00.000-07:002008-08-17T08:39:00.000-07:00Shalom Gail;I'm so happy you allowed me to read CI...Shalom Gail;<BR/><BR/>I'm so happy you allowed me to read CIAB! I can't thank you enough, it was a gift. <BR/><BR/>You're right about cancer being so stigmatized. ENOUGH ALREADY with the stigmas, right?!?!? OY VEY. Women, especially have way too many stigmas we deal with. <BR/><BR/>I want all women to read your memoir to feel empowered and to jump into their lives head first. You remind us of that, Gail. You're brilliant, brave and beautiful. I admire the hell out of you.<BR/><BR/>xoxo<BR/>Katie-Katie Schwartzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00502953107364624296noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20309032.post-72550715084395466422008-08-17T08:30:00.000-07:002008-08-17T08:30:00.000-07:00Hi Jess Riley;Thanks for stopping by. Ya such a do...Hi Jess Riley;<BR/><BR/>Thanks for stopping by. Ya such a doll. Gail is brilliant, inspiring, loving, nurturing and that broad has moxie for days. I adore her to bits. I am IN LOVE with her memoir! <BR/><BR/>See you in the blogosphere, bubbie. I'm clicking your name now to check out your bloggy.Katie Schwartzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00502953107364624296noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20309032.post-51947240533063174092008-08-17T08:29:00.000-07:002008-08-17T08:29:00.000-07:00Frannylish, I'm so sorry you lost your friend to c...Frannylish, I'm so sorry you lost your friend to cancer, so very, very, very sorry, my love.<BR/><BR/>Though I grew up in a world where <I>cancer</I> is hushed and I see you did, too (oy vey so sorry), it's been unhushed in my immediate family for a long time now. In fact, it's screamed. I think we're overcompensating. Better that than a shhh. News?!?!?!<BR/><BR/>Frannygirl, please read CIAB. I found it so very empowering. I needed the reminder, especially right now in this moment that I matter, that whatever health issues and external circumstances I can't control, they don't have to swallow me, not if I don't allow them to. I matter. I need to drag my ass from the trunk and into the driver's seat -- IT'S MY FUCKIN' LIFE, YO! It counts and so do I. You'll feel like SuperGirl after you read it :) <BR/><BR/>PS: Love the "John and Cindy McCain references aside" thing.Katie Schwartzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00502953107364624296noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20309032.post-76746276386807856172008-08-17T07:22:00.000-07:002008-08-17T07:22:00.000-07:00Katie!! First of all thank you for your honest and...Katie!! First of all thank you for your honest and amazingly insightful review of CIAB! You read the book the way (in my most idealized dreams) hoped people would read it. And I appreciate you putting right up front your fears of reading it because of the "C" word. In fact I was afraid to write for the same reasons. I also grew up in household like yours and my mother still likes to remind me that I'm the only one in the family who's ever had cancer. In writing the book I made a conscious decision to wear that label (even though I didn't want to... really) I guess in an effort to de-stigmatize it for other cancer survivors. I believe it is one of the last standing taboos. But, that said, the book, as you pointed out is really more about what it means to be a woman, how difficult our choices are and how cancer changed my life so dramatically and woke me up to NOW and taught me to live more fully and freely and openly. Thank you again, Katie!!! You are a beautiful and courageous and brilliant woman with a big heart and soul! ox, gGailhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05526275635891602588noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20309032.post-51266169267150286752008-08-17T06:16:00.000-07:002008-08-17T06:16:00.000-07:00Gail's brilliant, and I love this review! Clearly,...Gail's brilliant, and I love this review! Clearly, you are brilliant, too.<BR/><BR/>I just discovered your blog via Gail, and I'm sad that I didn't know about you before. So yes, I'll be the stalker-type reading your archives.Jess Rileyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06987689969282168406noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20309032.post-65755988886922336632008-08-17T04:37:00.000-07:002008-08-17T04:37:00.000-07:00Holy crap Katie. Any book that makes you feel that...Holy crap Katie. Any book that makes you feel that way is likely to make me feel that way.<BR/><BR/>The word <I>cancer</I> was never uttered in our house when I was a kid. It was called, all John &Cindy McCain references aside, <I><B>"the C word"</B></I>.<BR/><BR/>The very mention of it was to practically fling open the front door and to ask "mal-OYK" (aside from the constancy of my Jewish inspired Catholic life, we lived in a very Italian neighborhood and that means "mal occhia" or evil eye)to come in and eat with you. God forbid a hundred times!<BR/><BR/>So I get it. <BR/><BR/>When I was still in my twenties my friend D died of colon cancer and it was the first loss of a friend my age and has influenced my life profoundly.<BR/><BR/>This book sounds great,I was just over at the website and I must get a copy to read. <BR/><BR/>Thanks for this Kateleh- insight into you and a good book.Franhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07181529277715646835noreply@blogger.com