F#$& Cancer...

[CrimsonFox]

This Christmas...this recent Bloom County strip says it all...


One of the biggest inspirations I had growing up was Jim henson and his muppets. I was a Sesame street-o-holic. That show taught me an awful lot and the muppets and animation were huge creative influences.
From there the muppet show and the muppet movies and the various tv shows and specials furthered this love of them.

Around 2009 or so my paths crossed with a guy who was involved with all of it.
There was a company in LA that taught puppetry and was coowned and run by a man named Michael Earl, who was involved in all of these things. He played Mr Snuffleuppagus and Slimey among others. He was also in The Muppet Movie, The Dark Crystal and many other muppet movies.

He was a very soft spoken and gentle guy. Didn't really seem to have any anger at anything, not even sarcasm. Just a really nice guy. I took two classes with him in Seattle over 2 years. Very fun. Became facebook friends with him.
I didn't really get to know him at all and I can't say I was his friend nor vice versa. So typical facebook friend.

And then in 2012...without insurance he got cancer.
That really stunk. He was getting treatment for it and things seemed to go well with chemo and surgeries and stuff...

Since then, I would read update after update and a lot of positive and encouraging news. Things went well...then they would find more. THings went well. He'd lose weight. He'd gain it back. He'd have another surgery. Another round of meds, chemo, whathaveyou. Charity functions were held for him. Donations accepted. Clearly he was loved by a lot of people.

And then early last year he was told that they found it in his lungs and in his pelvis. THey didn't know if it was growing. They could not operate again.

He went on experimental drug from Japan.
It "seemed" to keep it at bay. But eventually they found it growing again.
By this time he had lost the ability to go to the bathroom and had to have something for that. Things continued downward superfast from there. He kept his spirits up. And continued to talk as if things were fine and things would be fine and whatever happened that was okay. He knew what was coming.
He was driving and started writing again.

Mid-late this year he reported he completely could not go to the bathroom anymore (#2) and thus could never eat again. A few weeks ago doctors told him he only had a few months to a few weeks to live. He was on hospice for a few months by this time.

On Christmas Eve Eve, he passed...this gentle soul who brought laughter and love to millions...and suffered through a really rotten 4 years. I didn't know him but he did touch my life at many points and it was really great meeting someone like that.

Goodbye Snuffy...

A Tribute to Michael EarlOn Christmas Eve it seems appropriate to give tribute to my friend Michael Earl who died...

Posted by Nancy W Stevenson on Thursday, December 24, 2015

[Chief Rum]

That sucks. Sorry CF. He seemed to be a wonderful man. No one deserves to have to go through that.

[SirFozzie]

My thoughts and prayers.

[tarcone]

Sorry to hear. Prayers to you.

I'm not sure if this is the place, I don't want to hijack your thread.

My family lost a friend to cancer on Christmas Day. She has 5 children ages 7 to 15. My daughter played BB with her daughter. We took her daughter on a family trip toflorida last December. The girl had been praying for a family trip because all their travel was to dealwiththe cancer. She was diagnosed when her youngest was 6 mos old. So sad and devastating to a really grea family.

[CrimsonFox]

quite alright tarcone. I kinda feel like this is more of a celebrity passing thread. I sent him wellwishes but i felt so awkward and bad. I spoke more with his business partner after the classes I took.

I actually thought things would turn out okay but this was a year or so ago.

[CrimsonFox]

man 5 kids....oh dear that so sucks...
poor family...
the husband still around?