Rumors of death greatly exaggerated: US humorist Art Buchwald

[wicket]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20060523/en_afp/afpentertainmentus_060523192938

Months beyond what was to be a three-week deathwatch, US humorist Art Buchwald is frustrated: rather than passing away quickly as his doctors predicted, he has to start shaving again, rewrite his will, and change his funeral plans. And get a new cellphone.

But Buchwald, the Washington Post columnist who was diagnosed with fatal kidney disease early this year, said Tuesday in the paper that his unexpectedly long-lived last weeks haven't been so bad -- his doctor has now prescribed a holiday to Martha's Vineyard, the Massachusetts island resort.

"I never realized dying was so much fun," he said. Buchwald, 80, refused to take dialysis in February. His doctor then gave him three weeks to live without the treatment for kidney failure. "I decided to move into a hospice and go quietly into the night," he said, announcing the decision in his regular Post column.

But it hasn't turned out exactly like that -- as his newest column in the Post attests. Four months on, "for reasons that even the doctors can't explain, my kidneys kept working." After a 50 year career as one of the country's best-known humorists, people rushed to his hospice bedside to pay their last respects when his demise seemed imminent.

"The more publicity I got, the more attention my kidneys got, and instead of going quietly into the night, I was holding news conferences every day," he said. "Everybody felt they should make the pilgrimage. They came with flowers, cheesecake and corned beef sandwiches."

[Botany]

1. Art wrote this book

Go check it out ... it is very funny.

[babylonsister]

2. Art Buchwald-a funny national treasure! nt

[kenny blankenship]

3. Can't somebody spare him a kidney?

Not one of mine of course, I'll need them for later this week.

[mcscajun]

4. Who knew?

The key to a long life is "...flowers, cheesecake and corned beef sandwiches."

And a wry, wicked sense of humor. :)

C'mon. We knew. :evilgrin:

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

5. The power of mind

I find it interesting that Art is still around. I have a feeling he (or at least his kidneys) didn't take the doctor's diagnosis seriously. I've heard of this sort of thing happening before, and also its reverse; a fellow who had a very treatable form of cancer was told by his primary care physician that he would die in three months. Despite going to specialists who felt the cancer was very treatable and put him on various therapies, the fellow resigned himself to death and passed away on the exact day his doctor predicted.

[Karenina]

6. I was born on his birthday

We've corresponded over the years as I became a fan in my adolescence and was greatly influenced by his wit. When the "deathwatch" began, I sent Martinez a message to forward, fearing snail mail would not arrive in time. Somehow, after having done that I felt very relaxed about my Unka Artie, taking the many weeks required to get a stamp for an envelope. So serendipitous to see this post... I googled earlier today for an update and my monitor is fortunately none the worse for the spittake it endured.

LOVE YOU, UNKA ARTIE!!!! :loveya:

[wicket]

7. Great story, thanks for sharing

:hug:

[wicket]

8. kick

:kick: