Valerie Harper on The Doctors Yesterday

[hypomom]

She was so inspiring! I muted it when they asked how she knew she was sick (didn't want to hear her symptoms... ya know?) But she was basically given 2-3 months to live. She isn't worried sick like we are, she isn't fearful. She said something to the effect of "Don't have the funeral before you die" Wow! WoW! Wow! That is SOOOO us! We worry and plan and fret and don't live. She is amazing!

[tinam7]

Thank you for starting this thread. I only saw short clips but believe she'll be on Piers Morgan tonight (?). Maybe others can watch too and we can be helped and inspired. Perhaps she'll be on other shows or start a blog. She is being so very brave.

[ceh1354]

I agree. I so envy the way she is. I aspire to that.
Thanks for posting this.

[ejmommy]

I know, I felt the same way listening to her talk. It kind of made me feel guilty in a way. Like, she has actually been diagnosed with something terrible, and yet she is way happier than I am. She would probably give anything to be healthy like I am (or so I'm told), yet I just can't accept that and move on with life. She doesn't have that option.

I'm glad she is living the rest of her life that way. It is inspiring!

[LindaRK]

I didn't watch, but will agree that she is indeed inspiring.

Don't feel guilty over the way you feel about your health symptoms.  The difference between you and Valerie Harper is that she doesn't have an anxiety disorder.  You can't beat yourself up over this.

[hypomom]

OH ejmommy! I feel the same way! I was watching thinking "Sh*t! She is REALLY dying. REALLY soon and she is NOT sitting around worrying or harping on it, she is out living and trying to encourage others!" And then here I sit freaking over every little ache and pain. 

[tinam7]

She was on Piers Morgan and I watched it. She is almost 74, yet appears to be about 34. This is the imperative of the times which bothers me. Why can't we look our age? Otherwise she is nothing less than spectacular in her outlook. She talked about acceptance of the reality that we are all terminal. Does that mean we give up? No, no, no. We live each day we have.

She just wrote a book. But she has to write a last chapter (so I'd suggest), a very, very important one for many. She has the opportunity to make a contribution well beyond her role as Rhoda. Hope she realizes it and gets busy.

[tinam7]

Want to add that her appearance on The Talk (CBS) was pre-empted on Tuesday because of the big day in Rome. But there is a clip that can be seen (Google Val. H) and it is a joy to see and hear her and her darling daughter. The big message: we want to live in the moment. I'd have more to add since I am also close to the exit, more than a year older than she is and so we must be prepared.

And Piers was so moved by her, he replayed her interview from the previous day something I've never seen him do in the past.