The Daily Kos community was deeply affected by the story of Michelle Caudle when it broke. You may recall that Mrs. Caudle’s husband joined the Army to keep his wife’s cancer treatments going. His decision was a torment because Army service took Bill Caudle from his wife’s side when she was so sick – but not to serve with the Army would have left her without health care. The bitter twist of necessary absence made the Caudle’s story seem like it had been written by O. Henry.
You will also recall that we, as a community, did something in response.. A number of Kossacks commissioned a message quilt for Michelle Caudle, as well, and we know it was received with grateful tears on a particularly hard day.
Mark Johnson, the reporter who broke the Caudle story, has written a follow-up piece which you can read here. The quilt is mentioned and a couple of the messages quoted – although I am a little disappointed that the Daily Kos community was not mentioned explicitly. But that is not what really matters. What matters is that Michelle Caudle seems to be rallying. Her chemo is working, her numbers are better. I like to think in a small way, although we are strangers, we helped.
Here is a bit of the article, do read the whole thing.
On Nov. 24, the 49th day since Bill Caudle left to join the Army so his family could have health coverage, Michelle sat in a small hospital room at Aurora Women's Pavilion in West Allis. Wrapped in a blanket, the 41-year-old waited to hear if her body had recovered enough from the last dose of chemotherapy to receive the next one.
From the moment she arrived that morning Michelle felt sick - the smell of the hospital, the click-click-click of the chemo pump.
The mix of nausea and dread she felt had nothing to do with the hospital staff, who made her feel like family. In October, when she came for chemo on her birthday, they'd given her a cake. This week it was a food basket and a gift card for a Thanksgiving turkey.
But Michelle missed Bill terribly. Her husband of 21 years had sat with her quietly through chemotherapy in 2006 and again in 2008. He'd been there to hold her in August when the doctor confirmed what she feared most: The cancer was back, yet again.
It is quite a journey the Caudle family has been on – today’s article captures the ups and downs beautifully – and leaves us on an up.
Wishing you good news from here on out, Michelle Caudle…