This truly wonderful woman lost her battle with cancer over the weekend. I know that many of you knew her on this forum as she spent alot of time providing advice and giving her insight here. For those of you who were lucky enough to know her personally, I don’t have to tell you what an incredibly inspiring person she was. For those of you who know her through this forum, I am sure she has touched many of you in other ways. I posted this message to you all because I believe she viewed many of you as “family”, and would want you all to know. Her strength through this illness was remarkable, and I never once saw her get down about it. Because of her, I will now do my best to live each day to the fullest, and I won’t worry about the small stuff anymore. I hope you all do the same. She will forever be missed…
Unlike Merry, I never got to meet Kathy in person, only on the BB. (And I, too, always seemed to misread her screen name … I couldn’t quite figure out what a “cactu skate” was.) But even via computer, I could tell that she was someone who I would have been honored to call “friend.”
What’s the adage? You can tell a lot about a person by the company she keeps? I think that judging by how deeply we’re feeling her passing, we can tell a lot about Kathy … or, as she’ll always be to me, Cactu Skate.
Put the jumps up in Heaven, get the dressage court ready … Kathy wants to ride. And that’s the way I want to remember her.
“When I can’t ride anymore, I shall still keep horses as long as I can hobble about with a bucket and wheelbarrow. When I can’t hobble, I shall roll my wheelchair out to the fence of the field where my horses graze, and watch them.” – Monica Dickens
I truly admire her strength and endurance throughout her disease. I hope that if I am ever faced in such a predicament that I too will be able to fall in her foorsteps. 
We will all miss her…
Sarah Beth
“You know, Hobbes, some days even my lucky rocketship underpants don’t help.”
-Calvin and Hobbes
Oh she will be missed.
From our “Trip across the border” back in February:
<BLOCKQUOTE class=“ip-ubbcode-quote”><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR> Cactuskate: Whew, made it across the border. Those Mounties are tooooo cute.
But I fear this “desert rat” did not dress warmly enough for this climate. Must shop for some fuzzy duds.
ETBW, do you have an extra horse cooler for me to bundle up in? I’m freezing my buns off here.
But boy that breakfast buffet is sounding much better than the bowl of soggy Raisin Bran before me now. I would love to join Louise in the Eggs Benedict line.
I knew I was going to like this new board. I just realized not only did I find a host of new friends but I just peeled 30-odd years off my age.
Go EMG!!!
[I]Stable: Legal drinking age in Canada is 28 posts Cactuskate - enjoy it while it lasts!!
Quinn: I know Cactuskate, we’ll just keep changing our name and we’ll stay forever young. I expect to see you shortly as calculate and I’ll be schwin![/I]
Cactuskate: Quinn, calculate would work, as I do bookkeeping. Close enough. So 28 huh? Interesting number, but hey it’s Canada, eh?
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world, indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” Margaret Mead
I keep getting drawn back to this thread again and again today. And yes, I’m crying again.
I was convinced that my deceased sister’s cat was going to die on the anniversary of her death: March 24th. Now I’m hoping she’ll hold on until Lorna’s birthday in July.
Lorna died of brain cancer six years ago and sometimes it seems like yesterday. She was much like Kathy, from what I can tell. She fought her cancer for over 2 1/2 years and although the cancer itself changed her personality somewhat, (because of where it was in her brain), her spirit and sweetness never changed.
God, I’m so sad.
“Kate” was terribly brave. She was also incredibly good. We shall miss you, friend. I know you’re in heaven, feeding apples & carrots to all the horses.
Damn, I thought she was invinceable.
Canter/Stable
That’s a good idea Heidi 
How much is a half page ad? I can’t contribute much (which in US dollars is even less ) but even if everyone one give a little we should be able to do it
“If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. Then give up. No use being a damned fool about it” -W.C. Fields
Thank you for taking the time to let us know of her passing.
She had so much to share with us all and was so kind, considerate and enthusiastic about living life to it’s fullest.
Please let us know if there is to be a memorial or service so we can send more than our thoughts to others whom she cherished.
Fly little hummingbird.
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world, indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” Margaret Mead
So sad. But it is a tribute to her life that remembering her brings forth such a tidal wave of hope for enthusiastic living in her memory.
And I, too, read “Cactu Skate” for the LONGEST time.
God rest your soul, CactusKate.
“And I think to myself, What a wonderful world;
Yes, I think to myself, What a wonderful world.” - Louis Armstrong
Very sorry to hear of this…
I happened to read the bumped thread that she wrote back in February,when she told everyone what she had. I was about to post a reply and then saw that she had died. She seemed like a very courageous woman, and I hope that she was an inspiration to others. She looked like she was having so much fun on that big guy in the picture!
I can only hope that if my disease gets worse when I’m older, that I can be half as brave as she was.
~ Laura ~
I am so sad. I was thinking about her the other day, wondering why I hadn’t received an update in a while. That is such sad, sad news. I knew I shouldn’t have checked the BB at work this morning.
visit www.victorianfarms.com
A thread on another BB recently brought back thoughts of a dear friend of mine who died of breast cancer at an age similar to Cactuskate. Coincidentally, my friend’s name was Kate. I hope they meet, they sound like very similar women. The strength and courage she displayed in the last months of her life inspired me and my mother. Our Katie rode with shunts for meds and visited her beloved horse even when her husband had to carry her. I think Cactuskate will find herself amongst kindred spirits now. My sincere condolences to her family.
I just saw the “rocketman” pics of her on her horse for the first time – that’s a confidence, bravery, and optimism rarely seen. Truly sad reminder that life can be too short.
“It is by no means the privilege of the rider to part with his horse solely by his own will.” – Alois Podhajsky
“Go on, Bill… This is no place for a pony.”
My condolences to her family and friends as well.
And thank you, so much, for posting the sad news to us. Since we might otherwise not have learned for a long time.
Kit
That is how I always manage to read her BB name.
I am very sad and send my best wishes to her family and friends.
I’m glad that we were all able to meet too Coreene, but I’m sad that our meeting was so short.
visit www.victorianfarms.com
Of opening the other thread on this subject before seeing this one. I guess I knew this would happen but never this soon. Then, I don’t think anyone expects it.
I can’t see the people that post here. For some reason that makes me think they’re invincible. MissD almost proved me wrong and then Cactuskate…
Cactuskate was a wonderful person and I’m so happy I got to know her. She always made me smile!
~Erin B #1
A priest, a nun, an Irishman, a Scotsman, a cowboy, a lawyer, a salesman, and a blonde all walk in to a bar. The bartender says, “Hey, is this some kind of joke?”
I am completely devoid of it. I very rarely get it. Ask Colin.
I’m sure there were a host of critters waiting for her at the Rainbow Bridge…
