65redroses

[plumtreeblossom]

Several months ago, LJ spotlighted the journal of 65redroses, a courageous, inspired, beautiful young woman in Vancouver living with cystic fibrosis. CF is a brutal and incapacitating tragedy, and it is rare for those suffering it to live into adulthood. In spite of it, she has been a teacher, activist, charity fundraiser for CF research and a blogger read by tens of thousands. A documentary was made about her life with CF and her work, and in the crew of the documentary she met and fell in love with the love of her life, who continues to be her beloved partner. Several yeas ago she underwent a double lung transplant, and her body has been in chronic rejection ever since. Most of her work has been done from her hospital bed.

Her name is Eva, and yesterday she received news from her doctors that she is going to die within the next few days. Last night, in the arms of her family and friends, she made a short video explaining that her body will be leaving very soon, but that her love and energy will remain always. It is true. In her short 25 years, she has changed lives around the world.

The video was posted last night, and I don't know whether she's already gone. Her dying wish is for everyone to love as much as they possibly can, and I want to share the things she has taught me in the few short months since I found her.

If you would like to meet Eva, first scroll back a few pages in her LJ, to see her many photos and poems that contain her spirit on both good days and bad, and see the "wall of love" in her hospital room made of cards and letters sent from strangers all over the world. Then watch the video.

65redroses, may you be tight in the arms of your many loved ones when your time comes. The love you've given the world will live on and on and on.

Comments

[hill-the-khore.livejournal.com]

CF is a brutal and incapacitating tragedy, and it is rare for those suffering it to live into adulthood.

I guess that's one point for me and 0 for Cystic Fibrosis. May I never forget how lucky I am.

[plumtreeblossom.livejournal.com]

Do you have it?!

Oh my gosh...

[hill-the-khore.livejournal.com]

I'm far luckier than Eva in terms of health, so most people have no idea. I'm not particularly activistic, so my way of giving back is to simply go into medicine. If you're not donating to the cure, you'd better be helping to find one, right? :-D

[plumtreeblossom.livejournal.com]

Wow. Good for you. I never even knew. I'm so glad your doing what you're doing.

Did you have a lung transplant?

[hill-the-khore.livejournal.com]

Never. I've always had very healthy lungs that function at about 105% of the average lungs for someone my age and height, so there's no need. Lung transplants are almost always reserved for those with lung functions much lower, essentially at the point of death, because lungs are so easily rejected.

[frodo-esque.livejournal.com]

What a moving entry. I hecked out 65redroses page and am at a loss for words...

[plumtreeblossom.livejournal.com]

I just want to cry. She has given the world so much love and inspiration.

When I discovered her journal, something in me know that I might witness the end of her life someday. I didn't know it would be this soon, or that it would hurt this much.

Do leave a comment for her if you're inspired to. They're being read to her by her family, and the love pouring in from the internet means the world to her.

[frodo-esque.livejournal.com]

I am getting ready to leave a comment for her right now, what a beautiful and brave young lady.

Would you mind if I copied and pasted your post in mine to share the word?

[frodo-esque.livejournal.com]

I hope you don't mind, that I went ahead and copied and pasted parts of this entry into my LJ. I figured that since you didn't friend-lock it, you were open to sharing the word about Eva. I felt some urgency as I don't know how much longer she has left, and wanted to allow folks to post in time for her to read it.

If you aren't happy with my crediting you or copying your words, please let me know and I'll remove the post.

[plumtreeblossom.livejournal.com]

Oh, that's fine! Eva does want her story to reach far and wide, and everyone is welcome to copy and re-post my text. I don't even need credit. I just want Eva to get as much love in the days or hours she has left.

*hug*

[plumtreeblossom.livejournal.com]

I can't imagine knowing I only had days or hours to live. I can picture having a terminal illness (after all, being born at all is a terminal illness when you think about it), but I think it would be so devastating to hear that I won't be here this time next week. My thoughts are with her and her family.