The Last Collaboration

Excerpts

Millie Niss

1973 - 2009

Millie Niss was a poet and web artist who suffered from Behcet's Disease (an autoimmune disease that can attack blood vessels anywhere in the body.) But Behcet's did not kill her. Millie died in a community hospital ICU from an undiagnosed spinal infection.

I write things. I make things. I code things. When I die, something will be left behind.

Can you say as much for yourself?

You are never sad that I am in pain.
Take joy in me. I am alive.
I may not always be alive,
but I fight very, very hard to stay alive.

It would be unfortunate for you to realize
that I had some value only after I am dead.

Then you could do nothing about it.

—Millie Niss
August 6, 2001 7:09 PM