Oscar and Tony winning actress Patricia Neal died Sunday at her home on Martha's Vineyard. She was 84. Neal had been battling lung cancer. In 1963, Neal starred in 'Hud' with Paul Newman, a movie that earned her an Oscar for her role as Alma Brown.
Patricia Neal Overcame Three Debilitating Strokes:
After the first day of filming 'Seven Women', Patricia Neal was giving her daughter a bath when she suffered a stroke at the age of 39. Once she arrived at UCLA Medical Center, she had two more and was taken in for surgery. She was comatose for 21 days and during that time, 'Variety' ran a story that the actress had died.
Patricia Neal had difficulty speaking and talking following her strokes. For a while, she wore a brace on her right leg and there was evidence that she was suffering from some paralysis. According to the LA Times, her therapy included swimming in a pool, crossword puzzles, and memory games.
"I loathed life when I first went back to England," Neal said. "I had exercises to do every day. My husband had people coming in to teach me — three a day. I wanted to commit suicide, but I didn't know how."
In 1968, Patricia Neal returned to the stage to perform in the play, 'The Subject Was Roses' and was once again nominated for an Academy Award.
Neal's determination to overcome these strokes and reclaim her acting career is chronicled in the 1981 television movie 'The Patricia Neal Story' starring Glenda Jackson. Neal became a champion for rehabilitation after going through her own recovery process and in 1978, the rehab center at Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center in her hometown of Knoxville, Tennessee was dedicated as 'The Patricia Neal Rehabilitation Center'.
Patricia Neal's Personal Life Included a Great Love for Gary Cooper:
Patricia Neal was in love with actor Gary Cooper who was 25-years her senior. Their relationship began during the filming of 'The Fountainhead' in 1949. The pair also appeared together in 'The Bright Leaf' in 1950.
Gary Cooper left his wife and intended to marry Neal; however, he and his wife reconciled in 1954 and Neal went on to marry British writer Roald Dahl. The couple was married 30 years and divorced in 1983.
In Neal's 1988 autobiography, 'As I Am', she said of Gary Cooper, "He is one of the most beautiful things that ever happened to me in my life. I love him even now."
Neal just didn't have the same love for Roald Dahl as she did for Gary Cooper. In fact, in her autobiography she called Dahl, "Roald the slave driver, Roald the bastard...Roald the Rotten..."
Patricia Neal was a talented actress who overcame the tragedies life threw her way. Not only did she suffer three strokes, she lost two children when they were very young. Patricia Neal marched on and gave life her all.
Patricia Neal said it best when, according to IMDb, she said, "I think I was born stubborn, that's all."
According to WebMD, a quarter of those with lung cancer do not have any symptoms at the time they are diagnosed. Many times, cancers are identified during a chest x-ray done for other reasons.
Three fourths of people with cancer have symptoms present that are due to direct effects of the primary tumor, effects of metastatic tumors in other parts of the body, or malignant disturbances of hormone, blood, or other systems.
Symptoms of Lung Cancer Include But Are Not Limited To:
- Coughing, coughing up blood, chest pain, and shortness of breath are all primary symptoms of lung cancer.
- If you are a smoker or former smoker with a new cough or have a cough that does not go away or gets worse, see a physician,
- Shortness in breath is usually caused by a blockage in part of the lung, fluid around the lung, or the spread of the tumor through the lung.
- Wheezing or hoarseness may also be caused by a blockage in the lungs or inflammation.
- A dull, aching, persistent pain in the chest is present in about a quarter of people with lung cancer. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, it wouldn't hurt to see your physician to have it checked out.
- If you repeatedly come down with respiratory infections (bronchitis or pneumonia, for example), this could be a sign that you have lung cancer.
Sources:
Patricia Neal Fan
Obituary: Patricia Neal dies at 84; Oscar-winning actress - latimes.com
Patricia Neal - Biography, IMDb
Lung Cancer, WebMD
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