Miracle Ride by "Tzipi Caton"

PIP

Mon, Jul 28 2008, 5:26 pm

I just finished the book also. It was so inspiring, Tzipi and Michal, I admire your courage throughout your whole terrible journey! B"H it's over for the both of you, and B"H you should only have health and happiness until 120!

I had a cousin who was niftar from Hodgkins and 2 cousins and and aunt that went through it and are B"H clear now. Time goes by, and sadly, we don't remember how terrible it was. To read about what you went through brought it all back to life again, and really taught me how we just can't take life for granted. I cried and cried when I read both of your stories.

Michal, just by reading a little bit about you, I can see you are such an unbelievable person. It makes me so very happy to hear that you are married B"H!

Tzipi, it takes a lot to publish your whole life story for the world to see! The whole time I was reading, I couldn't help but think I want to see your scrapbook! I think it's so special that you made that for others to see. You took your hardships, and as horrible as they were, you made an effort to show it to people who were going through the same thing. and with a smile! That is very very thoughtful of you, and truly unbelievable!

I enjoyed the book so much, May Hashem send you only only SIMCHAS!!!! By the way, How's Yossi? He and his family are such special people, to be able to see who you are for you and not just as a label! You're lucky to have each other!
I said before and I'll say it again, May Hashem send you ONLY SIMCHAS!!!!

Pineapple ↓

Mon, Jul 28 2008, 5:30 pm

I loved it! I kept telling everyone I know to read it

Twizzlers

Mon, Jul 28 2008, 6:32 pm

I read the book too.

I did have a question though; why are so many details made up?? my sil was in camp with "tzipi's" sister and she told her that the "older married sister Chanie" really does not exist, and the man "tzipi" married, really did NOT have the name Spitzer.... Scratching Head

it was such a poignant story, did it really need to be touched up with fake details?? What

mugsisme ↓

Thu, Jul 31 2008, 10:31 am

star wrote:

Hey, I'm new to posting, but I'm Tzipi from the book. I guess if Michal can post so can I. Smile

Oh Wow!!!!!!!! I am so excited that you posted here!

OK, so I read the book, and have to say, it was so excellent. It was well written and a very good read. BUT, for a totally different reason. My son had cancer. (He didn't survive.) One of my closest friends I met through the cancer world had a son who was treated at Hackensack also. So many of the things you said in the book reminded me of my friend (Zeldy, A"H, who also passed away from a cancer last year). Her son was Yoeli, and Dr. Harris would remember him. He was an incredible kid too, but he was from before you time. (He died a year after my son did.)

I think that you book is good because it brings out to people what cancer is really like. The year after my son died, I started writing his story, but for me, it was too hard. You can read his web site if you like. Yossi's Page

Again, thank you so much for writing about your experiences. Is it true that you got some flack on the book? I heard from a friend that some people in the frum community felt that you were critical of the community, and are upset about it.

zissy2004

Thu, Jul 31 2008, 11:22 am

oy!! mugsisme, im sooo sorry, I didnt know, may hashem send you a nechoma..
wishing you only happiness from now on.

Mama Bear ↓

Thu, Jul 31 2008, 12:03 pm

mugsisme!!!! I didnt know who you are. I was reading your son's story in the Horizons over the years. I am in awe of you.

↑ mugsisme

Thu, Jul 31 2008, 12:10 pm

No, don't be in awe of me. Please.

heffer569

Wed, Aug 06 2008, 8:11 pm

I also really liked the book. Being the sister of a patient it kinda let me see what my bro went through. Can I ask something though. It seemed in the book like you werent in the hospital very often. My bro had all which is a totally different disease but he was always in the hospital the 3 years he was sick I doubt he was home for more than a week at a time without ending up back in the hospital.

By the way mugsisme I had actually read your sons story before while my bro was sick I think my mom talked to u my bro was about ur sons age when he was diagnosed

↑ star ↓

Tue, Aug 12 2008, 12:46 pm

Hi, it's Tzipi again.

Sorry that so many of you had questions and I didn't check or post back.

PrettyInPInk-
Yossi" and his family are doing great- so is JB. Yes, they are a special family for looking past what I had and accepting me for who I am.

Pineapple- thanks!

Twizzler- I had to change details for a few reasons. Number one about the big sister- She was really my younger sister split in half. My younger sister complained a lot when she had to take over when I was sick and while I totally understood her and didn't blame her for doing so, I knew that others reading the book might think she was a brat. So I tried to protect her by splitting part of her into an older sister in shana reshona because for some reason people are more likely to sympathize and not criticize a sister who just got married, even if she is rude to me sometimes.
No, my husband's name is not Spitzer, but it is a name that I HATED and swore I would never marry. So that didn't change. I changed the real names though because I didn't want anyone identified in my book. I even used a pen name for that. Even though lots of people end up knowing who I am, when I walk into a grocery store, people don't put Tzipi Caton and who I am together.
Just as a side point- I also wrote some hurtful things against classmates and such and by writing real names -even those of my family, it wouldn't take too long until someone could piece together little bits of info and know exactly who I was talking about in certain parts of the book. As of now- even classmates dont recognize each other in the book- people are only able to recognize themselves. The details switching was meant for everyone's protection.

Mugsisme- I'm so sorry that your son's story didn't turn out as well as mine did. When I went through my parsha I went through it as a teen, and I never thought of the pain I could cause to my parents if C"V things didn't turn out well. Today with a son of my own, I dread thinking about what it would be like to watch him go through something so hard. You sound so special for getting on with your life despite what you have been through together with Yossi.
To answer your question, yes I did get flack. I got flack because some people didn't like what I had to say about the community, and because other people didn't like that I a schnook like me was writing about cancer as if I had the authority to do so.
About the community-I never said or meant anything negative and I'm sorry for the people who chose to believe things that they read out of context.
And about my schnookiness- I never said that I am the maven on cancer. I wrote about my experiences ONLY and that is why I included Michal's story in the book- to show that we were both going through it in very different ways and we each had to do what was best for us. Neither of us could tell the other what to do or how to feel because every situation is different.

heffer569- I'm sorry about your brother! Yeah, I didn't spend all that much time inpatient, but that's because I didn't have what your brother did. Each form of cancer is treated differently and each patient is given a different regimen, so there is no possible way that anyone's story can be the same. Believe me, being in the hospital for even 24 hours seemed like a lot to me, but no, I was not in the hospital for the majority of 3 years like an ALL patient would be.

Hope this answered everyone's questions!
Tzipi

yummydd

Tue, Aug 12 2008, 7:38 pm

Hi Tzipi & Michal
You both sound like really amazing people!
I love the book it kept me up all night! I cant believe that people could say things to you like u wrote in the book, like the story in the supermarket, was that detail changed or added? It sounds terrible.

Im so glad to hear you are both okay bh

Dayzmom

Tue, Aug 12 2008, 8:26 pm

Tzipi, thank you so much for penning your experience!

I took my 13 year old daughter out for her birthday last week in Flatbush. When we were done eating she mentioned that she wanted to stop into Eichler's to pick up a new book that all her friends in camp were reading.

Lo and behold we found it right in the front of the store on display.

We brought it home and tried to save it for Tisha B'av to pass the time but we couldn't wait. My daughter snuck the first few chapters that same night and finished it up on Shabbos.

I took over the reading on Shabbos and finished on Tisha B'av. It was a "cannot put down" book. We were amazed by your story and determination.

May you have many healthy years to come, until 120.

↑ star ↓

Wed, Aug 20 2008, 8:10 am

Thank you Dazymom and Yummydd!

-Yes Yummy, all those details were true. People really did say those things to me. Of course I am the type of person who manages to get into more of these messes than the average person, but no, the story was not changed or added to.

amother

Denim

Wed, Aug 20 2008, 10:13 am

I would love to read it, but somehow the word cancer makes me shudder! I'm a hypochondriac.

Though Cancer hits close to home unfortunately My Grandpa & Aunt died from it in the most beautiful stages of their lives. We were left in udder shock both times cuz we knew NOTHING (they wanted to spare us from the pain & didn't want to be nebachs or burdens on others).

Last edited by amother on Mon, Jul 27 2020, 9:06 pm; edited 1 time in total

agh ↓

Thu, Aug 21 2008, 7:55 pm

Just finished the book and really enjoyed reading it. Your courage is incredible. your simchas hachaim is amazing. It was like I could see you smiling while reading the book. I think it was so nice that you got to marry a boy that you really knew before starting to date. and that your family knew so well. May you and ' Michal" have much health and happiness.

queen ↓

Thu, Aug 21 2008, 10:49 pm

bought book last week and slowly reading through it. Written so up-beatly, a real eye opener to help us und'd what cancer patients go through on a daily basis.

My parents just gave out your book to all their counselors (they run a large day camp in the NY area.) as a thank you for their help this summer.

Hashem_Yaazor ↓

Thu, Nov 06 2008, 12:50 pm

If "Tzipi and Michal" are still reading this:
Fantastic book. I got a lot of chizuk from both your viewpoints.
Even my husband read it. It's good to have realism on the Jewish market, and both of your personalities were really inspiring.
One comment though...at the end when it said "Michal bas Avrohom Moshe" or whatever I got really nervous, since the mother's name is the one usually used by davening. If this gets reprinted, is there a different way to print it?
I'm so happy to hear both of you are doing well Smile

married21

Wed, Nov 12 2008, 7:17 am

What a book! I was up half a night reading it. You optimistic outlook in life in awesome… I was literally laughing out loud at some parts of the book. My husband asked what kind of book I was reading- I told him it’s about a girl who survived cancer. He thought I fell off the wall.

I was very friendly with your sister on the Europe tour. She’s very sweet & mature. She had told me once that her older sister had cancer and her sister took it very well. I see you used her real name by the acknowledgements at the end of the book.

Btw in the book you used the name Spitzer for your husband… then shouldn’t your author’s pseudonym name be Spitzer. It was just a thought I had.

smilethere

Wed, Nov 12 2008, 8:14 am

Wow! How amazing is imamother, that we get to meet these kind of people.

'tzippi' and 'michal' well done for sharing your inspirational stories, b"h you have been able to build your lives and grow - may you always be healthy and happy.

The positive light in which this book is written, is extremely heartwarming and encouraging!

bbmom

Wed, Nov 12 2008, 11:38 am

Fantastic book. I had read all the blog posts on the jacancerpatient blog and even though the book is pretty much a rewritten version of what was written there I couldn't put it down.

↑ Hashem_Yaazor ↓

Wed, Nov 12 2008, 12:47 pm

married21 wrote:

Btw in the book you used the name Spitzer for your husband… then shouldn’t your author’s pseudonym name be Spitzer. It was just a thought I had.

It would kill the suspense...