Hello Friends,
Thanks to everyone that has come over, called, e-mailed or sent a letter. It is has been great to hear from everyone, and all the small pinkie toe jokes have really made me smile. I want to thank Sarah for bringing the twins to the hospital to see me, I still have a big smile on my face!
And a special thanks to everyone that has contributed financially, it really is going to come in handy since its going to be about 3 months before am able to be back on my feet (minus my pinkie toe, ha, ha).
I had my surgery on Monday (August 31), and everything went very well. They thought they might have to cut more than the pinkie toe at first but as it turns out it was only the pinkie toe and a small portion of the foot, to balance the rest of the foot. They think they have removed all or most of the infected bone. I have been on intravenous antibiotics for about 17 days, and will probably be on them for six more weeks. I do not have to spend all six weeks in the hospital but because of the Chemo treatment I took in the past, my immune system is compromised. For this reason the doctors are being extra cautious and they do not want me to leave until the infection is completely under control, and the wound is on its way to healing. So I will probably be in the hospital for another 7 days. Then when I go home I will be on intravenous antibiotics for another six weeks. It is a great thing that Revolution DVD is now online, and I can watch it when I have time.
The stay in the hospital has not been so bad, my old roommate was an interesting woman, who had a lot of experience with police brutality and was glad to hear about Oct. 22 and came back to visit me to tell me she really liked Revolution Newspaper. The nurses on my floor all know about Revolution Books, and think it is "the craziest" thing for me to be a communist, given all the anti-communist slander they have heard. And from a scientific point of view, this infection and the cure is completely fascinating. The infection disease doctor thinks its great, that I say "well I have a lot of faith in science" when he explains the next step in the treatment.
Thanks, again for your calls, e-mails and visits, and I will send another follow up when things change. I have been moved to the 17th floor (which is an isolation floor) to room 1701. You have to wear gloves and a gown when you come in the room. Am not contagious and you are not in danger of catching anything, it is a precaution mostly for other patients that also have a compromised immune system because of Chemo. Oh, yeah I almost forgot my room phone number is 212-639-4555 or you can try my cell phone.
Hope to see or hear from you soon,
Quetzal
PS. If you want to contribute financially you can send a check made out to my sister Maria Ceja to 530 west 157th street Apt. 2D, New York, New York 10032....Thanks
Monday, September 28, 2009
Good and Bad News August 15, 2009
Hi Everyone,
I would first like to thank everyone that came to my birthday party, called me, text me, and e-mailed a birthday wish. Those who came I hope you enjoyed the tamales and cake. I loved the collective gift of the kindle!! It will go to great use believe me. And the Many flowers made my living room radiant for days. Thank you all!
Now, I would like to share with you the great news about my battle with cancer. The test showed that the spots on my lungs and the tumor in my pelvic are very small. Which means the medicine is working, it is getting rid of the cancer. I will continue on the pill and get a new test in three months. This means no chemo or radiation for now. It is extremely great news!
Unfortunately along with these great news I have to let you know that I have been in the hospital for the past week because of a bone infection on my foot. It is a serious infection that has been going on for a couple of months, but because the chemo caused severe neurapathy in my legs, I have not been aware of it at all. It was actually a "lucky" thing that I also got a skin infection on my foot last Tuesday, which brought me to the emergency room, and they were able to do a MRI and find the bone infection.
To make a long story short, or to get to the point. The next time you guys will see me I will have 9 toes instead of ten. In order for the infection to stop and not contaminate my whole foot, they will have to amputate my pinkie toe. I will still be able to walk, and the recovery is about a month.
It is a bit shocking, but it is the most aggressive way to deal with the infection, and I will just not be able to do any pinkie toe activities any more (can't think of any right know but am sure there are some, ha, ha). Am in great spirits and feel like this is the best treatment. Science is a great thing. The concept of evolution has helped develop antibiotics that can stop bacteria from destroying a body. This whole experience has given me a whole new reason to fight against the attacks on evolution and science. Being able to have as much as possible a scientific understanding of the infection, has given me the strength to make the right decision on treatment.
Am at Memorial Sloan Kettern and will be here for another 7 or ten days on antibiotics. If your thinking of sending flowers I would rather you send money since I will be out of work for about a month. You can send a check to Maria Ceja (my sister) and mail it to 530 west 157th street Apt. 2D, New York, New York 10032. Or you can just send a card with your thoughts I would love to hear from you. Am in room 1032 on the 10th floor, and my number here is 212-639-4285. I also have my cell phone with me.
Looking forward to seeing you all soon,
Quetzal
Monday, February 16, 2009
New Developments
Dear Friends:
We writing to relay to you a new development in Martha "Quetzal" Ceja's health situation. She had been in remission since last December '07 from Ovarian & Uterus Cancer, but recently, her doctors found some irregularities on her PET scan that could be cancer. Sloane-Kettering is very aggressive in their outlook on removing cancer (or possible cancers for those who have already been through treatment once). She had surgery on Friday and is doing well and should be out of the hospital in a week, or less! Her surgery went well and the surgeon is confident that he removed all of the cancer that he could see. She is alert and moving about as directed by the doctors. And like Sloane-Kettering she is aggressively fighting the cancer, with science, the ideology of MLM and a lot of enthusiasm for life!!!
The next step is recovery. For the next 6-8 weeks she will be unable to lift anything over 5 pounds, limiting her ability to do simple things like grocery shopping, laundry and working.
You may visit the bog at http://quetzalconquerscancer.blogspot.com to donate money and other things and to check on her progress. We will try to keep it as up to date as possible. And by the end of the week, we will have a medical update, and different ways in which people can help.
There is a strong chance she will have chemotherapy or radiation after she has recovered from the surgery.
There is a 100% chance that all of her friends and family will be an important part of her recovery, from running errands, sending food, visiting and helping to fundraise! If you would like to be a part of this, or if you would like to send a message of well-wishing and encouragement, please feel free to email back at this address.
Thank you all so much,
Friends of Quetzal
Here is what people can do right away:
Write her an e-mail wishing her well @ conqueringcancer@gmail.com
Make a donation to the blog for groceries, and other expenses (a budget is available upon request)
Send a Gift certificate for Whole Foods or Trader Joes (eating the right foods will go a long way in her recovery).
Research on the Tumor, treatment and meal planning (email conqueringcancer@gmail.com if interested).
Helping to run errands & other needed activities (laundry and so on). Again you can email conqueringcancer@gmail.com if you are interested, be sure to leave a phone number and a good time to call.
We writing to relay to you a new development in Martha "Quetzal" Ceja's health situation. She had been in remission since last December '07 from Ovarian & Uterus Cancer, but recently, her doctors found some irregularities on her PET scan that could be cancer. Sloane-Kettering is very aggressive in their outlook on removing cancer (or possible cancers for those who have already been through treatment once). She had surgery on Friday and is doing well and should be out of the hospital in a week, or less! Her surgery went well and the surgeon is confident that he removed all of the cancer that he could see. She is alert and moving about as directed by the doctors. And like Sloane-Kettering she is aggressively fighting the cancer, with science, the ideology of MLM and a lot of enthusiasm for life!!!
The next step is recovery. For the next 6-8 weeks she will be unable to lift anything over 5 pounds, limiting her ability to do simple things like grocery shopping, laundry and working.
You may visit the bog at http://quetzalconquerscancer.blogspot.com to donate money and other things and to check on her progress. We will try to keep it as up to date as possible. And by the end of the week, we will have a medical update, and different ways in which people can help.
There is a strong chance she will have chemotherapy or radiation after she has recovered from the surgery.
There is a 100% chance that all of her friends and family will be an important part of her recovery, from running errands, sending food, visiting and helping to fundraise! If you would like to be a part of this, or if you would like to send a message of well-wishing and encouragement, please feel free to email back at this address.
Thank you all so much,
Friends of Quetzal
Here is what people can do right away:
Write her an e-mail wishing her well @ conqueringcancer@gmail.com
Make a donation to the blog for groceries, and other expenses (a budget is available upon request)
Send a Gift certificate for Whole Foods or Trader Joes (eating the right foods will go a long way in her recovery).
Research on the Tumor, treatment and meal planning (email conqueringcancer@gmail.com if interested).
Helping to run errands & other needed activities (laundry and so on). Again you can email conqueringcancer@gmail.com if you are interested, be sure to leave a phone number and a good time to call.
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Quetzal Survives Hospital Food! And Hernia Surgery!
Hi Friends,
It has been about one year since our friend, Quetzal, found out that she had Ovarian & Uterine Cancer & had her initial surgery. Since then she has survived chemo, a broken shoulder, and most recently, hospital food (during her stay at Sloane Kettering for surgery on her hernia). I wanted to take a minute to thank everyone for giving in the past, and all of the support that people have shown in so many different ways as she went through this process.
The cancer is in remission, which is great news! Now she is battling the long-term side effects of chemo. I didn't know previous to this process that chemo affects the body in so many ways. For example, Quetzal has neurapathy in her feet and hands (lost about 80% of nerve sensation), her bones have become brittle, and it will created havoc in her immune system for at least a year. I think it's been a learning experience for everyone.
Quetzal's hernia operation (a hernia that was caused by her original operation) went well, but she will be spending the next 4 weeks recuperating & on a very limited work schedule. She was in the hospital for 5 days and her mother is visiting to help out. During this time, she will continue to have bills to pay that will exceed her income for working one day a week (I am hoping she will keep to this schedule and focus on her physical recovery... ahem!).
If you can help out in anyway, it would be really great contribution to the work that she does and to her personally. We have already received a generous donation of $600.00 from the Hayes-Humber family for her rent, and would like to encourage people to give whatever they can just to help out for this month. Her health insurance now covers 90% of her bills at Sloane-Kettering, which is really great, but there are still living expenses and helping to pay for her mother to be here in this busy, crazy time.
Her budget is as follows:
Rent $650.00
Utilities $125.00
Plane ticket for Mom$550.00
Food $475.00
Transportation (monthly passes for Q and her mom)$156.00
Bills (credit cards & student loans)$425.00
Health Insurance $495.00
Total:$2,876.00
Thank You Hayes-Humber family! -$600.00
Remainder Needed:$2,276.00
There are two ways to donate, either through PayPal or by sending a check to
M. Ceja
530 West 157th, Apt. 2D
New York, NY 10032
checks should be made out to Monica Ceja
If you have any questions, please email this address or bitterblossom@gmail.com.
Thanks again, and take care!
Best,
AiMara Lin, friend & comrade of Martha Quetzal Ceja
It has been about one year since our friend, Quetzal, found out that she had Ovarian & Uterine Cancer & had her initial surgery. Since then she has survived chemo, a broken shoulder, and most recently, hospital food (during her stay at Sloane Kettering for surgery on her hernia). I wanted to take a minute to thank everyone for giving in the past, and all of the support that people have shown in so many different ways as she went through this process.
The cancer is in remission, which is great news! Now she is battling the long-term side effects of chemo. I didn't know previous to this process that chemo affects the body in so many ways. For example, Quetzal has neurapathy in her feet and hands (lost about 80% of nerve sensation), her bones have become brittle, and it will created havoc in her immune system for at least a year. I think it's been a learning experience for everyone.
Quetzal's hernia operation (a hernia that was caused by her original operation) went well, but she will be spending the next 4 weeks recuperating & on a very limited work schedule. She was in the hospital for 5 days and her mother is visiting to help out. During this time, she will continue to have bills to pay that will exceed her income for working one day a week (I am hoping she will keep to this schedule and focus on her physical recovery... ahem!).
If you can help out in anyway, it would be really great contribution to the work that she does and to her personally. We have already received a generous donation of $600.00 from the Hayes-Humber family for her rent, and would like to encourage people to give whatever they can just to help out for this month. Her health insurance now covers 90% of her bills at Sloane-Kettering, which is really great, but there are still living expenses and helping to pay for her mother to be here in this busy, crazy time.
Her budget is as follows:
Rent $650.00
Utilities $125.00
Plane ticket for Mom$550.00
Food $475.00
Transportation (monthly passes for Q and her mom)$156.00
Bills (credit cards & student loans)$425.00
Health Insurance $495.00
Total:$2,876.00
Thank You Hayes-Humber family! -$600.00
Remainder Needed:$2,276.00
There are two ways to donate, either through PayPal or by sending a check to
M. Ceja
530 West 157th, Apt. 2D
New York, NY 10032
checks should be made out to Monica Ceja
If you have any questions, please email this address or bitterblossom@gmail.com.
Thanks again, and take care!
Best,
AiMara Lin, friend & comrade of Martha Quetzal Ceja
Sunday, November 11, 2007
A Letter from Martha Quetzal Ceja's Friends
Dear Friends,
In June 2007 Quetzal visited the emergency room in NYC with severe abdominal pain and ten days later she was diagnosed with Stage 1C Ovarian & Stage 1A Uterine cancers. She had a complete hysterectomy to have the cancer removed and is in the process of going through a course of six months of Chemotherapy. Afterward she will need to have intense tests for 3 months to evaluate the treatment and doctors appointments every 3 months over the next 5 years to monitor the cancer. Her struggle right now is to control her pre-existing diabetes and weather the Chemo like a champ.
In a day and age when science is being eroded in society, a health team (along with Quetzal) has come together, diligently applied Marxist-Leninist-Maoist (MLM) theory and relied on Bob Avakian's method of being steadfastly scientific in understanding the world to help her fight this cancer. We would like you to join us. This is not just one person's fight, it is a collective battle to learn more about a deadly disease and to keep a determined revolutionary in our lives. We want what Quetzal wants: for her to continue contributing all she can to transforming society from one that exploits to one that liberates.
During the months she must undergo treatment (and the recovering months) she is not be able to work as much as she did when she was well. We are raising the money necessary for cost of living expenses and the medical bills she will be accumulating. The pills she must take before chemo alone are $100 *each* and her insurance will only cover about half of that. There is chemo to pay for, and medical expenses will total over $100,000, with insurance covering only about one third. Then there are doctor's visits, prescriptions outside of the chemo and testing (a complete budget is available upon request). There are also some of us who are helping with a new diet and developing new eating habits because of the way diabetes and cancer/chemo interact. In short, there's a lot that we're doing and a lot that needs to be paid for. She has no trust fund to rely upon, no family coffers, and HIP, commonly regarded by medical professionals as one of the worst insurance plans available. But she has us and maybe she'll have you too! You can make a one time donation, or pledge $50 dollars (or more) a month. You can make a donation to a specific need (i.e. chemo, organic vegetables, emergency doctor visits, etc). Your pledge will be recognized by a regular email update on how she's doing. If you cannot make a financial contribution but you want to help, we have lots of ideas… just ask us!
Quetzal came to political life in the spring of 1992 after the masses of Los Angeles stood up. When reading a statement from Bob Avakian (upholding the LA rebellion) she decided to dedicate her life to serving the people and changing the world. by becoming a revolutionary communist. Since then she has been out in the world promoting the works of Bob Avakian and applying them to change the world. She has taken part in various struggles to help the people resist the attacks that come down on them, while discussing, struggling and promoting Avakian's vision of a new society (communism). She is determined to fight the cancer not only for herself but to contribute all that she can to change the world.
Throughout life there are people who are good at theorizing around justice for humanity, and then there are caring people who practice it without really having an ideology around it. Quetzal embodies BOTH a terrific outlook on the world and a caring heart. For us she has been the kind of mentor who has always pushed us to be better people and understand humanity. There is a fine balancing act when trying to envision beyond what we know is humanly possible and working towards that, while at the same time understanding that we are not actually superhuman. Being her friend through this has reminded us of the uncertainty of our own lives and taught us tons about the resilience of the human spirit.
Thanks for taking the time to read this, and for your continued support. A team effort has allowed us to learn more than we ever imagined about combating cancer. Collectively we will fight and succeed against the obstacles ahead of us!
Sincerely,
Friends of Martha Quetzal Ceja
conqueringcancer@gmail.com
In June 2007 Quetzal visited the emergency room in NYC with severe abdominal pain and ten days later she was diagnosed with Stage 1C Ovarian & Stage 1A Uterine cancers. She had a complete hysterectomy to have the cancer removed and is in the process of going through a course of six months of Chemotherapy. Afterward she will need to have intense tests for 3 months to evaluate the treatment and doctors appointments every 3 months over the next 5 years to monitor the cancer. Her struggle right now is to control her pre-existing diabetes and weather the Chemo like a champ.
In a day and age when science is being eroded in society, a health team (along with Quetzal) has come together, diligently applied Marxist-Leninist-Maoist (MLM) theory and relied on Bob Avakian's method of being steadfastly scientific in understanding the world to help her fight this cancer. We would like you to join us. This is not just one person's fight, it is a collective battle to learn more about a deadly disease and to keep a determined revolutionary in our lives. We want what Quetzal wants: for her to continue contributing all she can to transforming society from one that exploits to one that liberates.
During the months she must undergo treatment (and the recovering months) she is not be able to work as much as she did when she was well. We are raising the money necessary for cost of living expenses and the medical bills she will be accumulating. The pills she must take before chemo alone are $100 *each* and her insurance will only cover about half of that. There is chemo to pay for, and medical expenses will total over $100,000, with insurance covering only about one third. Then there are doctor's visits, prescriptions outside of the chemo and testing (a complete budget is available upon request). There are also some of us who are helping with a new diet and developing new eating habits because of the way diabetes and cancer/chemo interact. In short, there's a lot that we're doing and a lot that needs to be paid for. She has no trust fund to rely upon, no family coffers, and HIP, commonly regarded by medical professionals as one of the worst insurance plans available. But she has us and maybe she'll have you too! You can make a one time donation, or pledge $50 dollars (or more) a month. You can make a donation to a specific need (i.e. chemo, organic vegetables, emergency doctor visits, etc). Your pledge will be recognized by a regular email update on how she's doing. If you cannot make a financial contribution but you want to help, we have lots of ideas… just ask us!
Quetzal came to political life in the spring of 1992 after the masses of Los Angeles stood up. When reading a statement from Bob Avakian (upholding the LA rebellion) she decided to dedicate her life to serving the people and changing the world. by becoming a revolutionary communist. Since then she has been out in the world promoting the works of Bob Avakian and applying them to change the world. She has taken part in various struggles to help the people resist the attacks that come down on them, while discussing, struggling and promoting Avakian's vision of a new society (communism). She is determined to fight the cancer not only for herself but to contribute all that she can to change the world.
Throughout life there are people who are good at theorizing around justice for humanity, and then there are caring people who practice it without really having an ideology around it. Quetzal embodies BOTH a terrific outlook on the world and a caring heart. For us she has been the kind of mentor who has always pushed us to be better people and understand humanity. There is a fine balancing act when trying to envision beyond what we know is humanly possible and working towards that, while at the same time understanding that we are not actually superhuman. Being her friend through this has reminded us of the uncertainty of our own lives and taught us tons about the resilience of the human spirit.
Thanks for taking the time to read this, and for your continued support. A team effort has allowed us to learn more than we ever imagined about combating cancer. Collectively we will fight and succeed against the obstacles ahead of us!
Sincerely,
Friends of Martha Quetzal Ceja
conqueringcancer@gmail.com
About Martha Quetzal Ceja
A Revolutionary Communist
Quetzal is a proud follower of Bob Avakian and is a revolutionary communist with innovative thinking and an energetic sense of humor. She grew up in South Los Angeles in the 1970's at a time when many Mexicano families were making the long journey from small towns in Mexico across the 2,000-mile border. Like many immigrants her young dreams of America as a land of opportunity lost their gleaming facade and began to look more like an American nightmare.
A Fighter Against National Oppression and Police Brutality
Quetzal, a former MEChA Chair, spent years studying and struggling against national oppression She co-authored a position paper for broad discussion: The Chicano Struggle and Proletarian Revolution in the U.S.
Quetzal has facilitated workshops at numerous MEChA conferences across the country on topics such as the Chicano struggle and proletarian revolution, police brutality, September 11th and the Juggernaut of War and Repression, and the DVD of a talk given by Bob Avakian Revolution: Why It's Necessary, Why It's Possible, and What It's All About.
Quetzal founded the National Youth/Student Movement for the October 22nd Coalition to Stop Police Brutality, Repression, and the Criminalization of a Generation. She has made television and radio appearances, spoken at dozens of conferences and countless high schools and colleges throughout the Southwest and West Coast.
Envisioning a New Future
After moving in 2005 Quetzal has brightened New York City with her activism. She has organized and taken part in many of The World Can’t Wait – Drive Out the Bush Regime’s activities. She led a Jazz Funeral procession in protest against the abandonment of New Orleans poorest residents in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Battling cancer has barely slowed her stride. This past September Quetzal coordinated one of the only buses to take activists from Harlem into the Deep South to defend the Jena 6.
Today in all aspects of work she does, Quetzal puts forward the interests and aspirations of the world’s oppressed people. She is continually fueled by Bob Avakian's vision of a new society that will unleash people to know and change the world.
Quetzal is a proud follower of Bob Avakian and is a revolutionary communist with innovative thinking and an energetic sense of humor. She grew up in South Los Angeles in the 1970's at a time when many Mexicano families were making the long journey from small towns in Mexico across the 2,000-mile border. Like many immigrants her young dreams of America as a land of opportunity lost their gleaming facade and began to look more like an American nightmare.
A Fighter Against National Oppression and Police Brutality
Quetzal, a former MEChA Chair, spent years studying and struggling against national oppression She co-authored a position paper for broad discussion: The Chicano Struggle and Proletarian Revolution in the U.S.
Quetzal has facilitated workshops at numerous MEChA conferences across the country on topics such as the Chicano struggle and proletarian revolution, police brutality, September 11th and the Juggernaut of War and Repression, and the DVD of a talk given by Bob Avakian Revolution: Why It's Necessary, Why It's Possible, and What It's All About.
Quetzal founded the National Youth/Student Movement for the October 22nd Coalition to Stop Police Brutality, Repression, and the Criminalization of a Generation. She has made television and radio appearances, spoken at dozens of conferences and countless high schools and colleges throughout the Southwest and West Coast.
Envisioning a New Future
After moving in 2005 Quetzal has brightened New York City with her activism. She has organized and taken part in many of The World Can’t Wait – Drive Out the Bush Regime’s activities. She led a Jazz Funeral procession in protest against the abandonment of New Orleans poorest residents in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Battling cancer has barely slowed her stride. This past September Quetzal coordinated one of the only buses to take activists from Harlem into the Deep South to defend the Jena 6.
Today in all aspects of work she does, Quetzal puts forward the interests and aspirations of the world’s oppressed people. She is continually fueled by Bob Avakian's vision of a new society that will unleash people to know and change the world.
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