Tierney Lynch Ratti has been part of my PRP journey from the day I was diagnosed with PRP (November 28, 2012) and joined the old email-based PRP support group, became a subscriber to their list serve and began reading “sharings” from her and others. Whatever the question, she always responded with kindness and concern. The moment I joined the PRP Facebook Support Group (See Milestones below) was the moment she FRIENDED me as she FRIENDED so many PRP patients and caregivers.

Such a journey we shared! Always in my thoughts — especially now.

Tierney’s Delete Button

Only members of the PRP Facebook Support Group can truly appreciate the value and utility of the delete button with which Tierney gleefully dispatched a smorgasbord of charlatans including nefarious sellers of Ban-Ray sunglasses and a few evildoers masquerading as us. The PRP Facebook Support Group is a Closed Group with three administrators. While Murray Rose (British Columbia, Canada) and I watched for interlopers, Tierney was content to polish her delete button and wait for the call. And call I did.

The Lone Ranger and Tonto

I can’t be sure when, but during a telephone conversation she announced that I was the Lone Ranger and she was my Tonto. While I neither had a white horse nor a silver bullet, I did have a loyal and trusted friend who “had my back”. She was always the voice of reason, the calming force that would make me “measure twice and cut once”. She was ALWAYS the first to sign up for anything PRP related, complete a survey, or volunteer. What is most amazing to me is that during our seven-year friendship we never met face-to-face.

Tierney loved a good story

Tierney was great sounding board for stories. I would tell her a story and if I got a positive reaction, I would “work on it” for inclusion in the newsletter (circa 2014-2015) or the PRP Survival Guide. My “Sweet Jesus” story about pain was one of her favorites. It goes like this:

“My father set the bar for pain management.  In the late 50s we lived in a small two bedroom house with a cellar. Most evenings, Dad would retreat to his workbench in the cellar after dinner and build something. Through the thin floors I could hear “Whack! Whack! Whack” as he hammered nails.

Inevitably the “Whack! Whack! Whack!” would become a “Whack! Whack! Thud!” as his hammer smashed his thumb. Almost immediately I would hear a high-pitched “SWEEEET Jesus!” followed — almost immediately — by the “Whack! Whack! Whack” as he pressed on.

There were plenty of “SWEEEET Jesus” moments during the first six months of my PRP journey, but then they became “Baby Jesus” moments. And when I finally reached remission, I had my long-awaited “Thank God” moment.”

Every Milestone would bring a smile

One day in November 2013, Tierney asked me if I used Facebook. I told her that I was not interested in Facebook. I had never used Facebook. At the time I thought Facebook was a stupid idea. I made it clear to her: “I am NOT going to join Facebook.”

As the days passed, however, Tierney didn’t let up. She rarely did. She obviously wanted me to join the PRP Facebook Support Group and that was that. So I finally caved, got a Facebook account  and used the occasion to convince her to become the Administrator. About four months later the pendulum swung back and she convinced me to become a co-Administrator.

She loved to watch the membership grow. It was slow going at the beginning, but now we NET an average about 30 new members a month.  While she understood that many want to put PRP behind them, she loved for members to “hang around” after remission.

She continues to be missed