Beloved TV star Valerie Harper may have done something incredible: she may have beaten the odds and whipped cancer.
According to news reports, her doctors have said that she is "nearly in remission," whatever that means, with the cancer that she was diagnosed with in January.
The reason that I say "whatever that means" is that the cancer that she has--which affects the brain and the spinal cord--is incurable. Yes, I am not a doctor, but if the cancer is incurable, how can she be in remission with it.
But to move on ...
If you remember, the star of :"The Mary Tyler Moore Show," "Rhoda," and several other shows was diagnosed with what was then termed "terminal cancer" right after the New Year, and given roughly six months to live by her doctors.
As is the norm today, she went on every talk show known to man to spread the word about her disease and its eventual sad outcome.
Perhaps that was part of her therapy, but because of her therapy, now, seven months later, she is close to beating the odds, say her doctors.
This is really a remarkable story, but it probably happens every day.
Cancer doesn't pick and choose those that get it. You can be a famous actress, or a stay-at-home mom, and and can get you.
I applaud Harper and everyone else who beats cancer. They are true warriors.
Harper is guest starring on an episode of TV Land's "Hot in Cleveland" next week with several of her co-stars from the Mary Tyler Moore days, including Cloris Leachman and the lady herself, Mary Tyler Moore. Moore is a survivor in her own right, being diagnosed with a tumor on her brain a few years back.
My aunt had something very similar, and these ladies are warriors too.
Another TV actress, Fran Drescher, has had her own battles with cancer, and she has also won them. She refers to cancer as "Cancer Smancer," and that offends a lot of people.
But what she is simply trying to say that cancer can often be beat--and ladies like her and Harper prove that that can be done.
My mother is a survivor too. She has had cancer, and beat it, so she belongs in that group too. While her cancer was very mild by some standards, any cancer can be a killer if not properly diagnosed and taken care of under a doctor's care.
Yesterday, I had a small growth removed from behind my ear. Prior to having this mild procedure done, I was a little worried, I have to say, to have the doctor check this thing out that was growing on me.
A few weeks ago, I went to he doctor, pointed it out, and he said there was nothing to worry about and that it was not cancerous, just something to remove if I wanted it removed.
I breathed a sigh of relief, I really did.
So here is to Harper and all the other cancer survivors. Reports are that Harper is not totally out of the woods yet, and she has battled a cancer that has to be closely monitored for the rest of her life.
But at least right now, it appears that she has won.
And with that, I say congratulations. She has outlived her original diagnosis, and the 74-year-old actress, it appears, will be around for many more cast reunions.
And that is a good thing.
As an aside, yes, I have to labor on Labor Day, so I will be here with Ranting and Raving on Monday. Speak to you then.
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