It was not for a lack of praying that Anita Anderson passed away this morning.
The death of this Williamson County educator, mother and beloved wife has hit many people hard, particularly those of us who have included her and her husband, Rogers, in our daily prayers.
Besides the heat and drought, the summer of 2008 has been one too filled with death and pain. The death yesterday of the Rev. J. Howard Olds -- retired pastor of Brentwood United Methodist Church -- was difficult for those of us who have admired his long, courageous fight with cancer. We shared hematologists, Dr. John Greer at Vanderbilt, a man of integrity, skill and passionate politics. And my wife and I kept him in our daily prayers like Anita Anderson.
Nashville, too, has lost some of the finest people in hall of fame educator Mary Craighead and businessman philanthropist Monroe Carell, Jr. Both made it their life missions to rescue the most vulnerable among us. Who will fill this void? Who will say, "here I am Lord ... ?
Earlier this month, Sumner County lost former County Executive R.J. "Hank" Thompson. It was my honor to meet and speak with him four years ago at my speech to county Republicans. He died of lung cancer, which does not receive the kind of research dollars necessary to effectively battle this killer. You don't have to be a smoker to get lung cancer. And when you get it, the descent to death often is quick.
Don't lose heart. God does answer prayers, just not according to our weak wisdom. Still, His way is hard. I can tell you that the people who care for those of us with cancer are the more heroic, even though they'd refuse the distinction. My wife was still awake when I would slip in and out of awareness two years ago in a Vanderbilt Medical Center bed. These family members stay aware during all the terror. Then, they must think about the unthinkable if we die -- carrying on.
Rogers Anderson, mayor of Williamson County, definitely married up when he joined his life to Anita's earlier this decade. I got to have dinner with them at a local political function years ago before cancer became a part of our lives. Their eyes twinkled when talking of the other.
Rogers is one of the nicest and most competent public officials I've met. Yet like me, he has a rascally side and likes to tease those he likes and loves. Anita held her own and gave more back. She and Rogers were the perfect match. They had everything except the length of years.
Rev. Olds left a wife of 43 years. She, too, would probably not admit to her heroics. But like Rogers, Sandy Olds shares a kinship of deep love and difficult hurt. They should remain in our prayers.
Despite medical advances and lifetimes of longer length in this country, cancer remains a cruel master on this earth. It is good that more people go into remission, at least temporarily. We learn to live in the moment as the rest of the world passes by on its too-busy schedule. I know that if and when I come out of remission, my passing will be quick. And that's all right.
It is only then that cancer is defeated, by the most powerful and compassionate force of a forgiving and loving God.
Yes, faith abides, because earth is not supposed to be heaven. And life is unfair, as the late President John F. Kennedy once reminded reporters at one of his celebrated press conferences. Still, our selfishness clings to the delight of the presence of these wonderful people too soon departed.
O, Lord, console your people at such departures. Heal the wounds of these long battles against cancer and other diseases. And when our time comes, turn our eyes skyward, in anticipation of blessed reunions in thy light and thy wonderful presence. Amen
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2 comments:
I am sorry to hear that you have cancer, and I hope that you will get into and stay in remmission for many years. My parents died of cancer, so I know that will probably be my fate as well. Hopefully, it will stay away for a number of more years, at least until I can get Medicare,since I cannot get insurance through my work. My wife also had cancer and she is still in remmission for over six years now.
At the time she was not my wife, and she had just lost her business and she and her husband divorced and had declared bankruptcy. She of course had no health insurance, and found out she had cancer. She went to her doctor and was told she would simply have to die since she had no insurance and no means of paying for the operation. Fortunately, his partner came back, and falsified the forms so that she could get the operation. When she went to ask the county for getting chemo, she was told that there was NO money available and to come back next year and see what they could do then. The funds were all consumed by caring for the illegals in the ER at the hospital in McAllen. So she had paid taxes and lots of wages and health insurance for many years, yet when she was in need, it was too bad, get lost!
She was lucky to have a sister who lived in Galveston, so she moved there to be eligible for treatment at U of Texas Med Center. She had to enroll in an experimental program to get her chemo treatment, and is lucky so far.
Having lived in the Valley for many years, I know that I was paying lots of money for free treatment for Mexicans. If you live in Mexico, you can get what is called a border crossing card which allows unlimited entries to the US. There are over 5 MILLION of them that have been issued. All a person has to do is to walk or drive across the bridge, and go to the ER and get free medical care. You cannot do that in Mexico. Also, you can cross illegally too, and still get treated. The crossing card allows for shopping on the US side and restricts the person to 25 miles of the border, which is where the checkpoints are set up. The Mexicans do the same on their side as well.
Many Mexican women who have the Mexican health insurance will pay about $100 for delivery. If they go across the border, they get it for free, and the plus that the child is automatically a US citizen. Of course, having the child be a US citizen is a big disability for the child in Mexico since they can never hold elective office, nor will they ever be able to have a civil service job either. Mexico is not as lax about its rules, and they treat immigrants as second class citizens forever. I have a number of friends who became Mexican citizens, and they are nothing but second class citizens in most things. It is this kind of thing that really pisses people off.
I am a veteran, and if I get cancer before I hit 65, I will have to try the VA, and HOPE that they will take me since I do not have any disability that is service connected. The way the GOP is going in this is that I will be told to come back next year or wait until they have a vacancy. Our county will not pay or do anything for me, and I will simply have to die. The US medical system sucks BIG TIME.
Tim, I remember reading your columns in the Tennessean. I have been missing you lately. I had no idea that you were battling cancer. I am so sorry. I will pray for you and your family. I thought you might like to know that one of Dr. Olds visions for Nashville and Brentwood UMC has come to fruition. He dreamt of BUMC resources turning around a Nashville neighborhood. That is happening in South Nashville. A Christian Community Development Corp. called Harvest Hands is supported and led by BUMC. Rev. Brian Hicks and his wife, Courtney moved from Kentucky last year to the neighborhood to begin building relationships. The website is www.harvesthandscdc.com. Brian was mentored by Dr. Olds years ago in Lexington. We are so grateful to Howard for his vision as many people have come to have hope again in South Nashville. We would love to share the ministry with you sometime if you are well enough. Much love - Caren Teichmann
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