I am so blessed I had the opportunity to meet Cactuskate. I hope that we all have the same will and perseverence to climb onto our trusty steeds until the very end. 
Come and visit the horses at: http://www.angelfire.com/ca2/CrossCreek
I became fond of CactusKate from the moment I first saw her fun & unique name, and it was lovely to find out she had a personality to match. Although I did not know her except from reading her posts, I too will miss her.
My thoughts are with her family and loved ones.
Because I, blonde, do not get “Cactu Skate” at all. But she would have expected this of me.
I’m so sorry. I dont know what to say.
Ugh…this is just making me so sad. The picture of her riding that big horse with an oxygen tank on her back is ingrained in my memory.
Always,
FairWeather
"Just call me mint jelly cuz i’m on the lamb!–Grandpa
http://www.fairweather-farm.com
[This message was edited by FairWeather on Apr. 16, 2002 at 09:12 AM.]
The fact that you all can be so funny on this very sad thread leads me to believe that the spirit of Cactus Kate has possessed everyone here. What a wonderful legacy for her to leave.
oh no She seemed like such a great person.
From someone who only “met” her recently, I have to say I am greatly saddened by this news.
My prayers are for her family and all her friends who will miss her.
“I am not afraid of storms, for I am learning to sail my ship.”
-Louisa May Alcott
Oh I am so sorry to hear this.
I was just thinking about her this morning when I woke up and was going to post asking how she was doing.
My prayers and thoughts are with her and her family.
I never got to meet her, but felt I knew her through the BB and our PNW connection.
Well, a 1/2-page COTH color ad would be about $1469. B/W would be $587.
I contacted the original poster of this thread earlier today to see if she knew if any charities had been named for donations in Kathy’s memory, but haven’t heard back yet.
There would always be the American Cancer Society, or maybe a horse rescue group in Arizona. Or perhaps there’s some kind of fund set up in the name of Barbara Silverman, the woman who competed in dressage at Gladstone while suffering from cancer.
Those are just some ideas… I’m sure many members of the BB would be intersted in doing something… we’d just need to figure out what.
OMG When I saw the thread title, I started to shake. My heart goes out to her family. May all of us gain strength from her battle.
I think everybody has said all that can be said and much better than I could ever say it, so I will just say how sorry I am. She will be missed.
“Stupidity should be painful.”
I can’t believe this happened - I was just thinking of her this weekend, thinking it was about time for another update on her therapy trip. It honestly never occurred to me that she’d never be sending out another update - she just seemed to strong for that. May Kathy find all her loved animals over the Rainbow Bridge. sniff
I think the tribute in COTH is a great idea. I just emailed a couple of her very close friends to find out what we might be able to do(as far as family permission etc.). I’ll keep you all posted. I also sent the link to this thread to them, and hopefully they will forward it to the family. I think it is very telling as to just how many people cared for this woman. Thank you everyone for your responses…I know they’d mean the world to her.
Though nothing can bring back the hour
Of splendour in the grass, of glory in the flower;
We will grieve not, rather find
Strength in what remains behind;
In the primal sympathy
Which having been must ever be;
In the soothing thoughts that spring
Out of human suffering;
In the faith that looks through death,
In years that bring the philosophic mind.
Ode. Intimations of Immortality
William Wordsworth, (1770-1850)
Thanks for the laughs, Cactuskate.
How awful. She will be sorely missed.
So pleased to have known her. So honored to have called her a friend.
My deepest sympathy goes out to her family and friends…both in real-life and cyber. She will be greatly missed here SUZ
Proud member of the following:
Rust TS Clique
SC’ers Clique
EBayers Anon Clique
~~~Flying an airplane is easy: You pull the stick back, the houses get smaller, push the stick forward, the houses get bigger. If you pull & hold the stick back, the houses get smaller, then REALLY bigger!~~~Cactuskate! You will always be remembered here, by us. Thank you for being strong, for being an inspiration, for being you!
I know this sounds hokey, but I recently did a will and in it I specified that if something happened to me The Chronicle needed to be notified.
Why did I do that? Because you all here are a real virtual group of friends and I would want to know about you too.
I’m so happy we were able to know that Cactuskate passed away. Because we could celebrate her and remark openly about her and what strength she brought to our bb. I would never want to think that she just stopped posting.
I’m giving virtual hugs to everyone. We have lost one of our own and it makes me appreciate you all very much.
Robby
I am very saddened by this news. May God hold her near and bless her family and friends. I too will always picture the Rocketwoman photo. She was a beautiful person both inside and out. May she rest in peace.
Member Of The Texas Clique & BEQS
I wanted to post this email from Kathy, which she’d sent out in March. It sums up, in her own words, her amazing courage, grace, and humour.
<BLOCKQUOTE class=“ip-ubbcode-quote”><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Greetings all;
Well we are back from our March rendevouz at the Mayo clinic. We should have been back last Thursday, but my white count was down so I had to take some Neupogen injections daily to get it back up there. Thank goodness it responded since I told my doctors I was not leaving Phoenix until I got my “Mayo Fix”. I might be one of the few people that actual beg for Chemo treatments. <grin> We didn’t start until Friday so that meant Fri, Sat, Sun.
Test results from the Monday there were good. Did a CT scan, bone scan and chest X-ray. Everything showed some sign of improvement somewhere. So we are scheduled to go back April 2nd.
I am getting a little concerned though. That god-awful “barium milkshake” I have to drink for the CT scan didn’t taste that bad. I would hate to think I am developing a taste for the stuff. Yuk.
Still no yukky side effects. Haven’t lost any more of my fuzz for hair. My breathing has gotten a little labored if I exert myself. But I do have the portable oxygen when I go out and I have a machine with a 50’ “leash” at home. It does help. I just remind myself I don’t dash anywhere. What’s the rush?
Spring has hit the desert. It is a small window you
know. Weather was 87 degrees yesterday. Unfortunately the wind was blowing like a son of a gun today so I laid low. Hopefully it will break by the weekend. Bud needs a bath soooo bad. He is shedding like crazy, since I didn’t body clip this year. My friends are helping with that task.
Hope this finds all of you in good shape and spirits.
Things are good in the desert.
Hugs and kisses, Kath
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Agree with coreene and JustaLurker - think it very fitting to memorialize Kathy in the COTH.
