The movie version of illness, which is often bloodless and sanitized, generally revolves around some astonishing story of noble selflessness. The truth is, most seriously afflicted people feel like crap and most have no problem announcing that on a frequent and noisy basis. I include myself in the latter group; I've never been one to suffer in silence. YOU ALL GET TO SUFFER WITH ME.
So I am in awe of Roger Ebert's good cheer in the face of a truly debilitating series of circumstances that have left him scarred and unable to eat, drink or speak. That would be enough to make most folks, well, "grumpy," but Ebert perseveres in a truly remarkable way. He discusses all this at:
http://blogs.suntimes.com/ebert/2008/11/siskel_ebert_the_jugular.html
