May 12, 2009: Martha Mason

Neatorama pointed to this New York Times obit for Martha Mason, a most amazing woman that lived 60 of her 71 years in an iron lung.

you people are amazing. this is a woman who lived a whole interesting and happy life, who kept hope and kept BEING and made more of her life than most people with all the opportunity in the world. most all of you post comments that first of all reveal your complete lack of understanding about what makes life worth living and secondly, look like they have been posted by a bunch of simplistic, hormonal junior high boys. So, just leaving the cellar permanently now. was looking for intelligent comment and conversation. loooking... nope. not here.

I'm gonna miss that smesa person. He or She was a deep thinker, a compassionate reasoner and a well-rounded philosopher; a student of Life, if you will.

It's just too bad that he/she didn't have the "joie de vivre" that even a woman in an iron lung has.


long, wistful sigh *here*

Quote:

Originally Posted by smesa you people are amazing. this is a woman who lived a whole interesting and happy life, who kept hope and kept BEING and made more of her life than most people with all the opportunity in the world. most all of you post comments that first of all reveal your complete lack of understanding about what makes life worth living and secondly, look like they have been posted by a bunch of simplistic, hormonal junior high boys. So, just leaving the cellar permanently now. was looking for intelligent comment and conversation. loooking... nope. not here.

Ms. Mason was truly an awe inspiring individual. We could all learn a lesson from her. May she rest in peace.
I am at a loss for recipes on this IotD... Oh well.... there's always tomorrow.

@ smesa: Lighten up. Don't take life so seriously. And NEVER take the Cellar seriously. You will be greatly missed. Your one parting post was phenomenal. Almost.

Recipes? It's clearly a boil in the bag job.



Well, that will have driven Smesa off for good! Bwahahahahaaa. I am honoured that a single post of mine can be taken as a representative sample of The Entire Cellar.

The pressure is on Zen! lol

Leaving permanently? WTF did he/she sign up just to tell us he/she was leaving? Get a life. You won't be missed. We didn't get to know you, nor you us in the first place.

Oh and I read your name as smegma.

Morning, been a lurker for some time and finally decided to jump in...

So, aobut iron lungs, is this the best we can come up with for a paralyzed diaphragm? I mean, come on, how about something for just the torso or a pacemaker-esque implant that contracts the muscle? At least paint some flames on the side or something...

Oh, and btw, what a woman! The human mind and it's perseverence never cease to amaze...

Intubation. But then you got a tube jammed down your throat. This has to be more comfortable.

dacliff, apparently the negative pressure respirator (iron lung) is better than the modern positive pressure respirator for some conditions. I don't think that there are many iron lungs left tho.

There is also a tracheostomy (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tracheostomy ),
but then there is difficulty talking and eating. Not to mention the phlegm.

An amazing lady. I also had no idea that there were still iron lungs in use.

I guess there hasn't been a lot of pressure to innovate?

Quote:

Originally Posted by smesa I like to buttƒuck dead dogs in the arsehole, AND YOU PEOPLE WILL NEVER UNDERSTAND THAT.

hahahah. Flinthopper is wise.

Let's ask: Mods, sock puppet? You don't have to tell us who.

Quote:

Originally Posted by smesa you people are amazing. this is a woman who lived a whole interesting and happy life, who kept hope and kept BEING and made more of her life than most people with all the opportunity in the world. most all of you post comments that first of all reveal your complete lack of understanding about what makes life worth living and secondly, look like they have been posted by a bunch of simplistic, hormonal junior high boys. So, just leaving the cellar permanently now. was looking for intelligent comment and conversation. loooking... nope. not here.

Anyway, I keep thinking this is about a Neil Simon movie.

Quote:

Originally Posted by smesa ...most all of you post comments that first of all reveal your complete lack of understanding about what makes life worth living...

What we choose to laugh at

Quote:

Originally Posted by smesa you people are amazing. this is a woman who lived a whole interesting and happy life, who kept hope and kept BEING and made more of her life than most people with all the opportunity in the world. most all of you post comments that first of all reveal your complete lack of understanding about what makes life worth living and secondly, look like they have been posted by a bunch of simplistic, hormonal junior high boys. So, just leaving the cellar permanently now. was looking for intelligent comment and conversation. loooking... nope. not here.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flint We'll miss you, and your many wonderful contributions. Unless this account, created on May 12th 2009 (today), was a sock puppet made for the sole purpose of that one post. In which case you're still here (most likely) and don't have the guts to tell us how you feel under your normal username.

Wecome to the Cellar, ham4art.

Say, Ham4art, have you seen the BACON .... WTF? Thread. With a name like that, I think you might like it.

The Cellar: there really is something for everyone...

smesa is a big ole dumb head<---smesa

Quote:

Originally Posted by DanaC The Cellar: there really is something for everyone...

I say we ban Smesa. All he/she ever does is stir the shit, I find that intolerably irritating.

Any seconders?

:p

OH what the heck - ban the smegma!

smesa expressed an opinion, whether you agree with that opinion or not, it was her(his) right to do so. Don't forget that post was moderated and approved by the management. Can we stop throwing stones now?

Ohhh, da-a-a-ad.


*drops stone*

We were just kidding around.

I guess so - kicks dirts and stomps inside with head down.
sorry...

Great job, Bruce. Now they're going to be grumpy all day. :p

Don't make me stop this car.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZenGum We were just kidding around.

Quote:

Originally Posted by classicman I guess so - kicks dirts and stomps inside with head down. sorry...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shawnee123 Don't make me stop this car.

I wonder...?

When I was about 12 years old, around 1954 or so, I was in 4-H exhibiting poultry at the Palm Beach County Fair in Florida. A 4-H friend Barbara and I wandered around taking in all the exhibits. One of them was a young lady in an iron lung. We spent a great deal of time talking to her, and kept coming back to her. She was very friendly, very interesting, and seemed quite light-hearted and welcoming to two curious little girls.

I have never forgotten that young woman, lying entombed in that large whooshing machine, telling us no it didn't hurt, that she was quite comfortable and very much enjoying being there at the fair and meeting people, and talking to us. We felt encouraged to keep coming back and back. What pests we might have seemed! But we weren't. She made it very clear that she was really enjoying our questions and company. And truly, I think we understood even then that we were the lucky ones to be meeting her! What a gracious young woman! How fortunate for us to make her acquaintance!

I don't suppose it could have been the same person, though the age would have been about right. I have got to get her book. Thanks for the posting--it brings back good memories!

Very nice story and post T-stone. Wouldn't that be something if it was her?

Yes, it is done.

thanky UT

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZenGum Say, Ham4art, have you seen the BACON .... WTF? Thread. With a name like that, I think you might like it.

Smesa didn't look very hard for intelligent comments. I've been lurking for more than 5 years and some days, this is the only intelligent conversation I "hear".
"Dad"...sometimes you need to let the kids handle a bully by themselves. It's the only way they'll learn.

Bruce likes being called 'Daddy'..... just sayin'

Yes, but I hear "Mutha" more often.

Quote:

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce Yes, but I hear "Mutha" more often. A bully, yes. But for someone that just fucks up and makes a fool of themselves, a couple slaps is sufficient. We don't want to make lurkers afraid to post for fear of screwing up, or violating some unwritten code, and being unmercifully pulverized. That's not what we want to be about.

Since they have a good head start, OK, a small one.

By the way, Snits are all the rage because they have continued to innovate.

*throws small stone*


Ow. That hurt my shoulder. Wahhhhhwahhhhwahhhhh.

and didn't she write the entire first season of Branded!? /back on topic.

Series Writing credits
Larry Cohen (48 episodes, 1965-1966)
Jameson Brewer (8 episodes, 1965-1966)
John Wilder (8 episodes, 1965-1966)
Jerry Ziegman (8 episodes, 1965-1966)
Frank Chase (5 episodes, 1965-1966)
Frederick Louis Fox (4 episodes, 1965-1966)
Andrew J. Fenady (2 episodes, 1965-1966)
Nicholas T. Rowe (2 episodes, 1965)
Lou Shaw (2 episodes, 1965)
Jerome B. Thomas (2 episodes, 1965)
Chuck Connors (2 episodes, 1966)
Frank Paris (2 episodes, 1966)
Ken Trevey (2 episodes, 1966)

Cecil Barker (unknown episodes)

I'm too busy to give a snit. (Right now anyway.)

Seems the BBC had not heard of her 6 years ago when they published this article:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/3182096.stm

Interesting to note this guy had a portable version and only needed the full iron lung when sick. I noted that he had similar things to say about life in an iron lung. I wonder if he's still going?

I also found this story about an iron-lung patient killed by a power-cut in 2008. i wonder how many people are still living in these things?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7424571.stm

One fewer than there used to be.

Back in the 50s, you could buy an iron lung by saving Raleigh coupons.

I wonder if you could get one with Green Stamps.

My older brother got polio in 1954 while the family vacationed at a lake in upstate NY. he was lucky though. His main affliction was a smile that went up on one side of the mouth and down on the other. He also had very little muscle development in his right hand. His smile is better but not normal, and he built hand strength by taking up the bass fiddle in his jazz period in the mid 60's . He then went to asia as a zen yoga student where we lost track of him for many years. Now he has reamerged and is close to his family and is a potter which requires good hand muscle skills.

Don't know what the moral of the story is but he has really bad eyesight and very weak enamel in his teeth, could be from being a strict vegetarian in poor countries but who knows. Think I'll keep eating meat though...

Quote:

Originally Posted by chrisinhouston is a potter which requires good hand muscle skills.