Cancer is Buddha too

"Cancer is Buddha too," is what Laura, who has written here about her experience as a chaplain to eko, said this morning.

Just to let everyone know, Laura has been diagnosed with lung cancer and begins chemotherapy on Tuesday.  A cancer diagnosis wasn't what she suspected when she went to the doctor recently,  but she is digesting the news with grace and equanimity. 

I'll keep you posted.
~mokuan

Please send our love and concern to Laura. Cancer may be Buddha, but it's a tough one.

Mokuan, thank you so much for letting us know.

My love and concern to Laura as well.

Thank for letting us know I think Laura will have plenty of grace and equanimity to lead her through
Take care Laura

Laura, those of us who met you at the Abbey will have a good idea of how you are meeting this challenge. We and your other forum friends here send you the very best.

Mokuan, thank you.

with love,
Lise

Thanks very much everyone!  I've started a blog to keep my family and friends up-to-date on how I'm doing.  Feel free to pop in when/if you have the mind.  Here's a link: www.caringbridge.org/visit/lauradolan

Thank you Laura,
Look after yourself

Laura hold onto to what is true for you amidst any turmoil that may arise. Those you love can be your strength - and here we love you and will help in any way we can.

Laura, I am adding a current link here to keep everyone updated.

Best wishes to you in the serious cancer challenge you face, my dear Dharma sister (or, I guess more precisely, dharma niece!) All best wishes, and merit, to you my friend.

http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/lauradolan/journal/view/id/5425a74a4db9215c6834019d

How incredibly moving Laura

The beautiful cherry blossoms
Are effortlessly spread
Throughout
The Universe

Kozan wrote:

Laura, I am adding a current link here to keep everyone updated.

Best wishes to you in the serious cancer challenge you face, my dear Dharma sister (or, I guess more precisely, dharma niece!) All best wishes, and merit, to you my friend.

http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/lauradolan/journal/view/id/5425a74a4db9215c6834019d

It sounds like Laura my still be eligible for the trial using more sophisticated "targeted" drug therapy - fingers crossed.

Blessings and prayers for you Laura.

Laura has reported feeling better, today. She is now able to receive phone calls and visitors (as of Saturday, October 4th, 2014.

Clearly, no one knows for sure what the trajectory of her illness is, or what the outcome will be.

Laura has observed that her form of cancer is aggressive and not (normally) survivable.

I beg to differ.

Kozan wrote:

Clearly, no one knows for sure what the trajectory of her illness is, or what the outcome will be.

Yes, as medicine advances conditions that were once incurable become curable.  For Laura's condition that moment may be now.

Kozan an Isan, I very much appreciate your comments and keeping us up to date

To all,

I received an email a few minutes ago that Laura passed away peacefully today at Noon with her daughters at her side.  It was a beautifully expressed email from one of her daughters that said she died simply in the way she would have wished; and that Laura knew everyone loved her and everyone knew she loved them.....couldn't ask for more.  I will remember the many ways she touched my life and what a blessing knowing her was.

H Enida wrote:

To all,

I received an email a few minutes ago that Laura passed away peacefully today at Noon with her daughters at her side.  It was a beautifully expressed email from one of her daughters that said she died simply in the way she would have wished; and that Laura knew everyone loved her and everyone knew she loved them.....couldn't ask for more.  I will remember the many ways she touched my life and what a blessing knowing her was.

Thank you very much for letting us know. 

I met Laura while I was at Shasta Abbey.  I witnessed her faith and belief carrying her through a difficult time then, and so I'm not surprised that she went forward in love.

Godspeed Laura, and thank you.

I had a lot of respect for Laura,and I am pleased  to hear what her daughters said,as it says a lot  about Laura

Thank you Enida for letting us know.

I think that Laura navigated her passing, into Awareness, so well.

I didn't get a chance to see Laura before she died, but I saw her afterwards.  The hopsital was kind enough to allow her to stay in her room so people could wish her farewell.   
She was cold and colorless, yet she really did look peaceful.  She looked as if it was all okay.  We have spoken a great deal about death in these last six months since her diagnosis and she was fearlessly prepared. 

Does anyone out there know what happens when you die?  I really wish I did.

I only knew Laura through the forum and her caringbridge blog. From the forum I learnt of her strength, resilience and warmth, and her blog added dignity to that through an acceptance of death whilst maintaining her zest for life.

Thank you, Laura, for yourself and your example.

Mokuan I am really pleased you visited and saw Laura after she had died,she would have liked that.
I sat on a friends bed holding his hand and meditating when he died, the nurse came in and told me he was dead but there seemed no difference,she told me to stay and hold his hand and meditate some more,I did there seemed no difference,it was a lovely way to die it was good for me. All of  sudden there was a huge bang and clatter as the door was banged open huge screaming as his wife walked in ,and he left it was different, I waited through the night till about 3 am for his daughter to arrive from London so I could be there for her, because of this close experience I did not feel any sadness.
a few days later at the packed funeral I felt very sad to say goodbye in a different way to a great Buddhist friend

I attended a meditation group at Laura's home back in the 80s in Portland. She was a fervent practitioner. Her daughters were still in school so it was before she left home to become a monk. Doubtless her practice was her refuge and the doorway of her passing from this life.