Like most of you by now, the sad news has broken that the Queen of Soul ,Aretha Franklin is very sick. I'm not ready to lose another soul giant. I mean, we've lost Michael, Teddy Pendergrass, Luther Vandross,James Brown, James Moody, Soloman Burke, Gerald Levert, Rick James ,Barry White,Levi Stubbs and Issac Hayes just to name a few. I know ,that's very selfish of me....but this is the way I feel. If she never sings another note..I'd still feel better just knowing that the Queen of soul was still in the world.
I first got wind that something was afoot with Aretha when A few months back, Aretha Franklin cancelled all of her concerts through May 2011 and was said to be recovering from a mystery illness.Whenever I hear the term "mystery" anything I start thinking about either Aids or demon cancer...Neither one a welcome sight to anybody.
Meanwhile, an unnamed family member(it's always an unnamed family member or a source close to an unnamed family member that releases this kind of information.) told a local television news outlet that Aretha has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Another relative said the family is "very concerned." but would not confirm the pancreatic cancer report.
Just last week (Dec.2), The Queen of Soul underwent an undisclosed medical procedure in her hometown of Detroit and sent out an update on her condition to fans through her current media representative, Tracy Jordan.
According to Tracy Jordan ,"The surgery was highly successful. God is still in control. I had superb doctors and nurses whom were blessed by all the prayers of the city and the country. God bless you all for your prayers," Aretha said. A prayer vigil was also held for the 68 year-old ''Respect'' singer headed by city councilwoman JoAnn Watson.
The National Enquirer,( that paragon of truth) reported that it was indeed pancreatic cancer,an incurable cancer with a rate of survival is a low 5-10%.Depending on who you listen to , this has either been confirmed or unconfirmed.I hope it's not true. Tracy Jordan was unable to offer comment regarding the National Enquirer report.
Aretha's longtime friend, Rev. Jesse Jackson, spoke to the Associated Press today and said he's visited with her four or five times recently and said the multiple Grammy Award winner is "recovering very well" from surgery.
Several famous people have died of pancreatic cancer over the years, including Patrick Swayze, Joan Crawford, Michael Landon, as well as her friend and famed tenor Luciano Pavarotti, whom she paid tribute to at a 1998 Grammy MusiCares benefit.
Shortly thereafter at the 1998 Grammy Awards, the 'Chain of Fools' singer also stepped in and performed his signature "Nessun Dorma" in Pavarotti's place and at his request, when the opera star became too ill to perform.
How tragic and ironic that now she is rumored to be suffering from the same ailment.
I sincerely hope that this is not the case and that God heals our Queen of Soul and returns her to us. As I said before..If she never sings another note..I would still feel good just knowing she is amongst the living. Get Well Aretha.
3 comments:
Oh my sweet Jesus not again!
Not her please...
Praying for her..
She has just got to be whole again..
When I first heard this news, it made me incredibly sad. It felt like a family member in crisis. But if the collective synergy & heartfelt prayers around the world can cure a person, then Aretha will be fine.
One.
I join your prayer group asking God for mercy for our sister Aretha. My dad got the same diagnosis of pancreatic cancer and he was given just 6 months to live. Bless the Lord he lived well for more than 16 months!
One thing that must be mentioned is the fact that our diets determine so much of our health. Aretha and my dad could not have been healthy at their sizes and with the kinds of foods and ways that food was prepared that they consumed during their youth. My dad loved fried anything. My mother said he liked his grease fried. My dad, and I'd bet Aretha too, ate too much white sugar and flour. Those over-processed ingredients are the beginning of health problems. Aretha was BIG and so was my dad. Weight bring heavy problems. Right now all of us should be carefully choosing our food and the food we give our children. I know your doctor must have told you that heart diease begins in childhood. We must start eating right NOW!
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