The Most Painful Thing about Lung Disease (So Far)
I can’t sing anymore.
My voice cracks. I can’t stay on key. I can’t carry a tune. I can’t sustain a note.
I was never what you (or anyone else) would call a great singer. Even “good” would probably have been a stretch. On the right song, though, there was a time when I could have been described as a reasonably convincing singer.
I hate not having that ability anymore.
June 21st, 2007 at 2:53 AM
Oh man, that sucks big time. I’ve been following your posts, and I’m sorry to hear of your poor health!
I’m big time looking forward to the Dr. Fate book with an Eclipso backup. Fate is one of my all time fav characters.
June 21st, 2007 at 9:42 AM
Steve,
I’ve been given the go ahead to do an article for The Pulse and would like to interview you – could you drop me an email with your contact info.
PJ
June 21st, 2007 at 1:29 PM
Maybe you’re trying the wrong types of songs. Maybe some Howlin’ Wolf or Leon Redbone would still be possible or, if all else fails, remember that they also sing who only stand and hum – or something like that. This may be crappy advice, but it probably beats my original thought – keep a song in your heart and a condom in your pocket: sure, you may never get a chance to do anything with either of them, but you know it’s not because you wouldn’t if you could!
June 21st, 2007 at 8:15 PM
At least you can still dance.
June 22nd, 2007 at 7:40 AM
A complete list of the things that most of us take for granted would probably be surprisingly infinite, and maybe infinitely surprising. My Dad had been wounded in WWII, losing some of the function in his right arm and hand. Looking casually at him, most people wouldn’t have noticed anything, since he was able to do quite a bit — as long as it didn’t require fine motor skills. For just two examples, he had great difficulty signing his name, and had to learn to shave and brush his teeth left-handed. It frustrated him, to say the least.
Sometimes it’s not the big gaping craters caused by a loss that get our attention; it’s all the little pits and dents.
Steve, I’m hoping everything’s gonna go well. Thanks for writing about your life, and about what you’re currently dealing with.
June 22nd, 2007 at 12:39 PM
I’ll echo with Charles and others have said. Thanks for writing about your life. We’re all pulling for you.
June 25th, 2007 at 1:55 PM
Thing is Steve, now I can only imagine you singing Ringo Starr songs.
Enjoy them roses !
😉
Best wishes.
Ade
June 26th, 2007 at 7:44 AM
Steve, I commend your bravery in your fight, in your optimism (through humor) and for going public with your illness with pulmonary fibrosis. It is a tough diagnosis and not for the faint of heart.
The Coalition for Pulmonary Fibrosis (CPF) is here for you (www.coalitionforpf.org). You are not alone in this fight; we are working to accelerate research in pulmonary fibrosis to find treatments (as you know, there are no FDA approved treatments) and ultimately, a cure.
I lost my father 10 years ago to pulmonary fibrosis and since helping to start the CPF, I have lost four more members of my family to it (less than 15% of cases have a genetic origin). I couldn’t be more committed to this cause.
The biggest challenge is raising the level of awareness of this disease that is not very well known and yet attacks so many. As many people die to pulmonary fibrosis each year as to breast cancer (40,000). The next biggest challenge is raising the level of funding for disease research.
Together, nothing is impossible.
Best,
Teresa Geiger
CPF
888-222-8541
June 26th, 2007 at 11:06 AM
I just wanted to drop a line since I read about your recent health problems. Your early work is an integral part of the 4 color pulp gumbo that is my cerebral cortex… lines from “The Kid’s Night Out” and “Master of Quack Fu” still come to mind as my first response…
What kind of consolation is that when you are facing your mortality? Not enough! However, there is value in the proposition that “Candor defeats paranoia”–your writing openly about what you are going through is consistent with your work and values.
My best wishes for continued strength and courage.
From a fan whose mind you helped warp,
Steven
June 26th, 2007 at 12:16 PM
I put the Pulmonary Fibrosis Federation on the causes section of my Facebook profile because of your health.
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=751425555
June 26th, 2007 at 5:49 PM
I’m assuming that you have the variety which is generally believed to be an autoimmune disease. Have you looked at nutritional and homeopathic treatment? I have read that anti-allergy diets can help a lot.