Etta James

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

Couldn't find an Etta James thread. Bad thing to start it with sad news.

Singer Etta James has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, her son said this weekend. The American music legend is currently in hospital, receiving treatment for several conditions including a blood infection.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2010/feb/01/etta-james

One of my earliest heroes.

MG

[Larry Kart]

Couldn't find an Etta James thread. Bad thing to start it with sad news.

Singer Etta James has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, her son said this weekend. The American music legend is currently in hospital, receiving treatment for several conditions including a blood infection.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2010/feb/01/etta-james

One of my earliest heroes.

MG

It may seem like it's just a language thing, but I wish people wouldn't say that someone is "fighting" or "battling" Alzheimer's or cancer or whatever. Those terms make it sound like the course of illnesses that may well lead to death are significantly a matter of the will, of a person's "fighting spirit," of his or her ability to think positively, etc. I'm not saying that miracles, or what seem to be miracles, don't happen, or that emotional states have no effect on physical states, but by and large the "fighting" metaphor doesn't fit what happens, and it can really fuck with the minds of the parties involved -- the patient and his or her loved ones -- e.g. you died because you didn't fight hard enough, she died because you let her give up, etc.

I know -- this is far from a novel complaint, but I wish...

[Dan Gould]

Sad to hear about Ms. James. I hope she has some good days ahead of her before the darkness closes in.

As for Larry's point, I think if the "battle" is properly understood as a very hard one, there ought not to be any such recriminations if the fight is in vain. At the same time, I don't think "battling Alzheimer's" is a proper description for the fact that its progressive and incurable. One can "battle" cancer because people can and do beat it.

YMMV.

[jostber]

Bad stuff. Hope it can be delayed in some way. Anyway this is a woman that demands respect, and deserves it.

[Larry Kart]

Sad to hear about Ms. James. I hope she has some good days ahead of her before the darkness closes in.

As for Larry's point, I think if the "battle" is properly understood as a very hard one, there ought not to be any such recriminations if the fight is in vain. At the same time, I don't think "battling Alzheimer's" is a proper description for the fact that its progressive and incurable. One can "battle" cancer because people can and do beat it.

YMMV.

Yes, but when cancer is progressive and incurable, as it often is, people often still talk about "fighting" or "battling" it -- which, again, can really fuck with the minds of the parties involved.

[Dan Gould]

Sad to hear about Ms. James. I hope she has some good days ahead of her before the darkness closes in.

As for Larry's point, I think if the "battle" is properly understood as a very hard one, there ought not to be any such recriminations if the fight is in vain. At the same time, I don't think "battling Alzheimer's" is a proper description for the fact that its progressive and incurable. One can "battle" cancer because people can and do beat it.

YMMV.

Yes, but when cancer is progressive and incurable, as it often is, people often still talk about "fighting" or "battling" it -- which, again, can really fuck with the minds of the parties involved.

Agreed, and its an unfortunate by-product of the tendency of medical professionals to favor ongoing treatment vs palliative care/end of life decisions.

[papsrus]

Yes, but when cancer is progressive and incurable, as it often is, people often still talk about "fighting" or "battling" it -- which, again, can really fuck with the minds of the parties involved.

At the point where a disease is incurable, the patient will sometimes choose to fight it knowing full-well they won't be cured, but rather with the goal of prolonging life and, hopefully, enhancing the quality of life in some way. Or, with some greater goal in mind.

I've seen this dozens of times, and it never fails to move me. He fought.

Edited February 11, 2010 by papsrus

[Stereojack]

I've seen this dozens of times, and it never fails to move me.

Thanks for posting this. A great spirit!

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

Yes, but when cancer is progressive and incurable, as it often is, people often still talk about "fighting" or "battling" it -- which, again, can really fuck with the minds of the parties involved.

At the point where a disease is incurable, the patient will sometimes choose to fight it knowing full-well they won't be cured, but rather with the goal of prolonging life and, hopefully, enhancing the quality of life in some way. Or, with some greater goal in mind.

I've seen this dozens of times, and it never fails to move me. He fought.

That guy, whoever he was, had it right.

MG

[jazzbo]

Maybe there's hope. My mother was diagnosed over two years ago with Alzheimer's and memory loss. After a year plus of treatment didn't help her symptoms as well as hoped she was finally tested further and it was discovered that she had medium pressure hydrocephalus, which was a treatable condition. A simple operation has led to a severe diminishing of her symptoms and a regaining of cognitive power and safer mobility.

A real trip for my family with a happier ending than we had feared.

[The Rep]

Sad to hear about Ms. James. I hope she has some good days ahead of her before the darkness closes in.

As for Larry's point, I think if the "battle" is properly understood as a very hard one, there ought not to be any such recriminations if the fight is in vain. At the same time, I don't think "battling Alzheimer's" is a proper description for the fact that its progressive and incurable. One can "battle" cancer because people can and do beat it.

YMMV.

Yes, but when cancer is progressive and incurable, as it often is, people often still talk about "fighting" or "battling" it -- which, again, can really fuck with the minds of the parties involved.

It is very sad news indeed, let us hope that the treatment helps or she might go into some kind of remission. Maybe battling Alzheimer's is not the right phrase but battling cancer is. It does not mess with peoples mind, win or lose. It focused my mind, I had a mental battle every day for a year and I meen every day. This was in addition to the medical treatment. I felt I was part of what was going on and now ten years later, I have just been given the all clear again after my yearly check up.

I will play some Etta tonight and think how lucky I am.

[Son-of-a-Weizen]

http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2011-03-08/the-war-over-etta-james-fortune/

The War Over Etta James' Fortune

by Christine Pelisek

The bedridden blues icon is too sick to speak up as her son and husband battle over her estate in court. Christine Pelisek reports on the sordid drama.

Once known for her feisty, outspoken riffs on stage, R & B icon Etta James can’t speak up about the vicious legal battle escalating between her husband and son over control of her savings.

[Dan Gould]

Too sad to contemplate.

[papsrus]

Yes, very sad.