Amy Alkon emails: "Cathy is so Cathy…still with us, defying all predictions of the doctors. Harvey went home for an hour, Moxie and I have been holding her hand and talking to her and telling her not to worry about Maia, and how there’s been this tremendous outpouring of love and admiration for her from so many people. Mox and I are going to go back with Maia and have dinner, and Emmanuelle and Matt will probably join us. I’ll stay overnight then bring Maia back in the morning. Moxie is holding her hand right now as I’m typing. Maia said she’s getting some kind of drug so she just feels bliss…we hope so."
Sandra Tsing Loh emails:
Dear Friends of Cathy, I come to you with the whitened Einstein (or Moses in the 10 Commandments) hair from Cedars’ "The Valley of Death" (so called because Harvey, Jerry, and Maia have now heard Last Rites recited in not one but two religions). I now realize that Cathy has hung on so long (her doctors admitted they were, and I quote, "shocked" that Cathy is still alive) as she wanted to f— with the completely-wrong bloggers announcing her early demise! Good work, Cathy! As always, you are ASTOUNDINGLY wily. And I also wish to mention, with wounded 45 year-old vanity, that when I left tonight at 6 p.m. Cathy actually looked BETTER than me (peaceful, relaxed, beautiful, with lovely color). (Albeit that Cathy was resting in the strange what I call Cedars-Sinai "Stanley Kubrick natatorium"–just when we were having that casino-like-what-time-is-it-are-we-all-going-crazy? moment, Cathy was moved to a room that is white, blank, and has the two metaphorical doors, accompanied with the lone electric outlet and ominous metaphorical humming.
Cozy George Burns and Gracie Allens Drive, where are ye? But no matter. . . Truly. . .Cathy looks at peace.) That said, from watching my own mother die, as Cathy’s breathing is shallow (and she turned bluish/ruddy at about 4:50) I think she will be gone in 24 hours if not actually tonight. In the meantime, as wonderful (and her well-chosen!) Rabbi suggested, Cathy will go when she will go.
I have two simple requests. One is that you support Cathy’s immediate family. . . Harvey, Jerry and Maia love Cathy so much, they have been there day in and day out, they have been troopers. . . Listen to them, support them, appreciate them. They have lost someone they loved so much, and they have poured out so much of their souls. They deserve medals. Michelle also come yesterday afternoon–it is hard to lose a sister, particularly when the dynamics were complicated, Michelle hung tough and truly deserves everyone’s support as well. Secondly, now that a core of us have faithfully (and I think heroically, I rate us all an A+!)–completed the Valley of Death phase–the hours upon hours by the monitors, the stroking of the hands, the loving memories emotionally recited, the sudden anguished stabbing declarations of "I love you, Cathy!," the hysterical Terms of Endearment-like chasing down of the nurses in the hallway ("She’s in pain, dammit, pain! WILL ANYONE IN THIS CRAZY WORLD LISTEN?"), etc.. . .
Anyway, now that this part of the journey is starting to move behind us (I think!) (when a Buddhist monk comes in to do Last Rites, followed by a Hindu, we will officially throw in the towel!), can any of you help with the joyous Irish wake(?) type part of our mourning. . . ? i.e. the part where we mention that Cathy was fabulous and foxy (as is evidenced in many photos), she was funny as hell, she was brilliant, she drove us crazy, etc.? This is a part of her (yet to be scheduled) service you might help with, and the joy and hilarity would be helpful (and appropriate) as some of us are dog-tired and a little wilted. And need a shower, at the very least (that would be me). (For content suggestions, please contact Debbie Gendel or Maia.) Because of course, my friends, you ARE the Wind Beneath. . . ! Etc. Even in the ICU, Cathy has been ridiculously over-achieving. (So much so that, after giving her up for dead, they actually THREW UP THEIR HANDS AND MOVED HER TO ANOTHER TOWER.) You would all be proud. Much love to you all, S
