In Memory Of Sally Read

[tex]

Hi All,

Sally's son Michael, was kind enough to send me a picture of Sally, with permission to post it on the board. Here's the story behind this photo, in Michael's words:

A couple of years ago, my younger brother John rented an RV and took Mom on a tour of the southwest - Painted Desert, Zion, etc. At one point John was outside in a parking lot while Mom was inside, and a biker came up and asked to bum a smoke from John - John said "I'll give you a cigarette if you'll take my Mom for a ride on your Harley". So, here you go - *this* was our Mom (one of her cousins described her as the 'exotic older cousin' - I think that's a wonderful description):

I agree - she was quite a lady.



I thought that I would try to assemble a collection of some of our memories of Sally, and save it in an appropriate place on this site, so that her memory will live on. If you care to share any of your memories of her, or your experiences, or whatever, please feel free to express your feelings here. I'll start, by posting what I wrote in a sympathy card to her family.

Sally was our inspiration and our shoulder to lean on. The world will never know just how many people she has helped.

Her passing leaves a huge feeling of emptiness in our hearts, but her memories, and her inspiration, will live on forever.

We will deeply miss her, but we are so grateful that she shared a part of her life with us.

Tex

[MaggieRedwings]

Thanks Tex for setting this up. She will always be in my memory. Here is what my sympathy card said:

Dear Michael,

I am one of the famous Potty People. Without your mom there would have been no Potty People as a family and with her knowledge, caring and guidance she brought us together and was instrumental in forming our family and seeing us through the tough times and the fun times. Some of her original members – I being one – are still together and we have her to thank for that. Without Sally, I would still probably be baffled and terrorized by this disease. She was the only source out there for us who wanted to be proactive in treating our disease.

I am so very sorry and saddened by your loss and know that it will take time to heal but, I am sure she is looking down on you now and is so proud of you. She talked about you often. She will be missed by all of us and she will be forever in my prayers.

Namaste,

Maggie

On my bureau I have the tiniest Buddah I have ever had - just about 3/4" high and it was sent to me by sally along with some smudge and a lavender bag. The bag is still on my bedstand and every night I rub it for a gentle sleep. In all these years it still has the fragrance that Sally grew and bagged. It will forever be there. We kept in touch over the years and I will so miss her.

Namaste my Dear Sally.

Maggie

[harvest_table]

Sally, thank you.

Nothing could have been more welcome
than this thoughtful gift from you.

As years have passed, and shall come and go
your gift will continue to provide a forum for support,
education/research, inspiration and pleasure....
and bring you back to us time and again
in memories to treasure.

Love,

Joanna

[Umber]

When Sally and I realized we lived 15 miles from each other we immediately got together. We formed an awesome kinship! I will miss her LAUGH! It was deep, bold & from the heart! She was quite a GAL with an awesome sense of humor!

Bless her heart for what she did for all of us that suffer fromt this damn disease! I am so grateful for her!

Hugs

Lori

[kate_ce1995]

Yes, I will forever be greatful for the site she started, and how she kept an eye out for people who found her yahoo group after the old board site was started. She found me trying to find someone who would listen, and I found a wonderful group of people, through which I was able to heal myself. She was so giving to all of us, opening up her home for more of us to connect in person. She even cooked us some wonderful gf meals, picked us up at the airport, etc. Despite her health issues, she obviously loved life, loved to laugh, and loved her family, blood and mc plagued alike.

She will be missed by everyone who knew her.
Katy

[barbaranoela]

Dear Sally----cus I know U will see what all have written--
To let U know I shall remember U every morning--noon and night--
Your life -on earth is over- yet U will always be closer to me now than ever before--
I know that God has bigger plans for U --thus giving U a hug and bringing U back home with HIM--
Your work here -on earth--has been completed--
And one day U shall greet me -at the golden gates--and say *welcome home Miss BN---
U know how I always got lost finding our room here---
Your life was worthwhile---as U were here to help each one of us---
When I feel a gentle breeze upon my face,I shall know its U giving me a big hug~~~~~~

Till we meet--namaste dear lady--
Miss BN~~~~

[Polly]

Dearest Sally,

I'll bet you had no idea at all about the thousands of MC sufferers you have helped. Without your original vision, this website would not exist and so many of us would still be sick and alone. I'll bet you would be thrilled to know that we have members now in Hong Kong, Netherlands, Spain, etc. A worldwide legacy, that's what you have accomplished.

Part of your vision was a firm commitment to respecting each other. You detested those websites where people were rude to each other and were allowed to name-call, insult, and spew hate. From the beginning you set the tone for a caring and compassionate forum - always signing your post with a "Love, Sally". To this day I do that (as do others here), a practice that has probably seemed unusual (to say the least) among newbies. I will continue to do this as a tribute to you.

My family/friends thought I was crazy several years ago when I announced I was traveling over 3000 miles to meet my newest best friend I had met on-line. (Sally hosted a number of the original Potty People at her home in Oregon and was an incredible hostess). It was wonderful meeting and spending time with you and the other P.P. from around the country. You and I were so much alike in so many ways - it felt as if we had known each other forever. We saw the world in the same way so often......we could finish each other's sentences. It was amazing to me that we never would have met without the internet.

Words that come to mind when I think of you: old soul, incorrigible, free spirit, "wicked" and "dead-on" sense of humor, a way with words, cat-lover,
loving mom and grandma, smart as a whip, rebel, visionary, clever, compassionate, spiritual, keen observer of human nature, etc., etc., etc.

Sally, I will miss you terribly. Although we were not in close touch in recent years, every few months or so one of us would forward an email or You-Tube video to the other that we knew would strike a chord. We always seemed to be on the "same side" of an issue and just knew intuitively how the other would feel about it. That's rare and so precious, in my experience.

Until we meet up in the future, my very dear friend ........

Love, Peace, and Namaste,

Polly

[Gloria]

I found this archive of the old board with Sally's story:

http://web.archive.org/web/200212030621 ... d/id9.html

She really was a pioneer in this disease. I'll always be grateful to her.

Gloria

[Polly]

Gloria, thanks for sharing that.

Sally had such a struggle with her MC. How sad that Entocort was not yet available during her most difficult times and that she had to rely on meds with devastating side effects. When she stopped the GF diet after about 6 months, it was before we had learned that it often took longer than 6 mo. for the diet to work. I think I was the first one to find that out - it took me almost 9 months to see a formed BM after starting the diet. And then CA Mary took even longer - I think 12-15 mo. to see results, if I remember correctly.

Also, in those early pioneer days, we did not know that multiple intolerances often went hand in hand with gluten intolerance. I was the first one to discover that I had to eliminate other foods in order to get well. We found out that (for some) eliminating gluten often led to some improvement for a while, but then other intolerances (dairy, soy, eggs, etc.) would become obvious when the diarrhea returned.

Without Sally, we never would have been able to discover what REALLY works for MC and then share it with fellow sufferers.

Love,

Polly

[Tessa]

I felt a real shock when knowing about Sally passing away.

We will really miss her.
She was one of the people on the board that helped me through this difficult path when I was unaware that I could have problems with gluten besides my MC.

We shared some nice moments and posts. Even some nice postcards.

Her support when I had difficult times has always been helpful....

We have not been so much in touch for the last years as when I started my new GF and DF new live, but I will always be thankful to her.

Sally we will be in touch again, one day in the future... I am sure that you will continue helping others from above...

Thank you for all your help, mi querida amiga.

Heaven has welcomed an angel.


I wish her family to recover soon from this sad loss...
With all my love,
Tessa

[tex]

Hi All,

In case you missed the photo that I added today, please be sure to see the first post in this thread.

Love,
Tex

[Liz]

Well, I don't think that there is much to add to what has already been said about how wonderful Sally was. I know how her advice & friendship helped me, especially in the really bad times. She will be remembered with love, respect & gratitude by many of our family.

May the angels watch over her

Love

Liz

[catherineanathan]

Dear Fellow Potty People -

I have not posted on "the board" for what seems like forever, but when Mike sent me an email announcing his mother's death, I wanted to re-connect in some way.

I was known to Sally as Catherine the Ripper. We shared libraries and working in a library in common...along with those many trips to the bathroom!

As I was new to my diagnosis in those early days (I joined the old yahoo group 6 months after Sally began it), I hung on her every word. She - and all of the others - made me feel better by all the potty humor and simply by not feeling so dog-gone alone!!

Sally Read and I continued to send emails to one another over the years...which is why my email popped up on his mother's address book when Mike went through it. The hardest thing I have done in quite a while was delete her address.

It felt like I was letting go of a personal lifeline.

My best wishes to everyone here - have a Blessed Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Signed,
Catherine the Ripper

[barbaranoela]

hiya Catherine the Ripper---I was thinking of U when we got word of Sally's passing---remembering U from waaaaaay back and the funny stories from both of U--

I know U will always have great memories to look back on---that is a treasure--

MissBN--as Sally called me

[Polly]

Catherine the Ripper! Of COURSE I remember you! You were one of the true pioneers of this Board. I used to love reading the posts back and forth between Sally and you. You and Sally shared a great sense of humor and set the tone for helping us to be able to laugh often. You both were involved in the Lotronex (sp?) issue if I recall. Really good to hear from you again.

Love,

Polly