Reflecting

Reflecting

1 October 2012, Minneapolis MN USA

A new month. New things to see and do, experience and remember.  I just read that Ole Miss (University of Mississippi) is celebrating the 50th anniversary of its integration, something I remember well since I was in high school at the time.  The article made me think about my friend Tanja who died of cancer a couple of years after my son Peter died.  Tanja, her husband and son emigrated to Minneapolis from Leningrad (St. Petersburg), Russia.  We met when she was looking for a ride to downtown St. Paul for her internship at the Hill Reference Library, which was across a park from my office.  Tanja had been a scientific research librarian in Russia; her husband Edward, a physician; Slava was 13.  They lived just a few blocks from our house.  For about a year Tanja and I drove Peter to school, then continued across the Cities to our jobs.  I tried to get Peter to let Tanja teach him simple Russian words as we drove each day, but he was too embarrassed.  They bonded though.  Peter stayed in touch with Tanja years later when I moved overseas.

Edward finished his foreign medical grad requirements at the U of Minnesota, then went to Mayo for a fellowship and eventually Salt Lake City and later Jackson, Mississippi, as a practicing pathologist.  Although I found it odd that Russian emigres should end up in such places rather than New York or Detroit or LA, Tanja embraced each one.  A smoker, she wouldn’t smoke on the outdoor deck of their SLC house because she didn’t want to offend her Mormon neighbors, whose backyard looked like a junkyard of kids’ toys. In Jackson she delighted in telling people I was her friend from Warsaw (where I lived at the time) and seeing the looks on their faces.  

The first time I saw Tanja after my move to Poland she commented that I probably understood her better after that experience.  And she was right.  When we met, Tanja could not understand how the landlord could toss them out of their apartment if they didn’t pay the rent on time. Of course I understood perfectly: no rent, no room.  But I learned in Poland, that under communism, housing is a right. You may not have much space, you may share a bathroom and/or kitchen with others, but you have a right to four concrete block walls and a roof over your head.  Street people were virtually non-existent when I lived in Poland.

Tanja and Edward worked as hard as I did when Peter’s cancer was diagnosed.  Hardly a day went by when I didn’t get a call or email with some new information, an oncologist to contact, a treatment to explore.  And when her stomach cancer was diagnosed not long after Peter’s ocular melanoma was, Tanja made me promise not to tell Peter so it didn’t distract him.  The last time I saw Tanja was my last trip to Jackson.  Previously she’d shown me everything possible there, including Eudora Welty’s house which was not on any tourist maps.  This time she insisted we go to New Orleans for the weekend, where I thoroughly enjoyed the food and Tanja did her best to find things she could eat.  Another day we drove to Vicksburg and Natchez, river towns and huge Civil War sites. 

All of that is by way of saying that I miss Tanja.  After she died, I lost contact with her family despite sending Christmas cards for a couple of years.  They were an important part of opening me up to the rest of the world and what it has to offer.

3 October, Minneapolis

Tomorrow I will sleep in my very own bed!  When my nephew Christopher moved out, I let him take the  mattress and box springs which had belonged to one of his sister’s roommates anyway, left when they moved out.  So I’ve been bunking at Janet and Ed’s again, always a treat because Ed’s a great cook and he cooks “healthily” - no salt, good fats, lots of veggies. 

My new chairs

Chris also took the chair-sleeper because he had left a dent in the seat.  He’s 6’7” tall with commensurate weight.  Yesterday I bought two cool chairs at IKEA instead of replacing the chair-sleeper.  Sabrina helped me put them together this afternoon.  Definitely a two-woman task.  But we did it.  Now I’m rolling out the foam mattress pad and some blankets, and I’m going to spent the night here.  Tomorrow my nephew Craig will come over to hang out and help put furniture back in place.  I had all of the carpets cleaned on Monday so the kitchen, bathroom and laundry room are full of chairs, books, lamps etc. etc. 

My short respite here in Minneapolis has been hectic -- more annual doc appointments, the carpet cleaning, purchases and deliveries, putting my clothes back where they belong and sorting things I don’t use, making future reservations and appointments.  So of course my gastro-intestinal tract had to act up.  I did three days of liquid diet which segued well into the cleansing and detox programs that I’m starting under my niece Tomery’s guidance.  Now it’s no sugar, no wheat, no dairy, no beef, no citrus fruit ... but I can have lots of other things once my innards settle down.  And the “power shakes” she’s recommended actually taste good. When I was on the Alaska cruise last month, I made a commitment to myself to do this.  I don’t want to be 75 and wishing I’d taken better care of my body.  And I know my joints will feel better if I’m carrying less weight and eating better.  So ...

6 October, Minneapolis

So far, so good on the change in eating habits.  I’ve gotten through my niece Michelle’s “pre Twin Cities Marathon carbo load” without eating pasta (hummus and veggies plus lots of salad without dressing and water, water, water).  Tomery’s right -- I do feel better.  Probably me taking charge of my diet and taking my water ex classes regularly as much as the diet changes, but whatever.  It feels good.

Today I went to Northfield to see Lois, my oldest friend in Minnesota.  I’ve written about Lois many times -- we’re writing her memoirs and have promised we’ll get back to that once my life settles down in Minneapolis again.  She’s doing well although her eyesight continues to deteriorate.  We had lunch at St. Olaf College, then on to Target to pick up items she needs.  We ran into several of her friends, a usual occurrence when we are  out together.  One was a particularly interesting professor that I may have to ask her more about next time.

7 October 2012, Washington, DC

Will be in DC for almost three weeks, including David’s last day of radiation and this cycle of his chemos.  Then he gets a month off before starting six four-week chemo cycles.  He, Inga and Frankie picked me up at the airport, and he continues to look and sound good.  His oldest brother Jeff is here.  Haven’t seen Jeff since Inga and David’s wedding.  Jeff leaves Tuesday and has said he’ll take David to JHU on Monday and Tuesday so Inga can sleep in. I’ll get up with the girls, starting with Frankie at 5:30.

Frankie studies at the computer every night 

Tosia is learning the violin

11 October 

Everyone closely affected by cancer needs something to help them feel in control because it’s such an out-of-your hands time.  For Inga, it’s preparing a detailed schedule of what’s going to happen when.  Inga’s always been a better planner than I will ever be, and now she’s in high gear.  From David’s treatments to the girls’ school conferences, it’s all on her handmade Polish-style (weeks start on Monday, not Sunday) calendar.  Today we spent some time plotting out the six four-week BSI and chemo cycles to determine how the family can get some time away for two family weddings as well as holidays and school breaks.  I’ll go over this with Silvia, the nurse in charge of the BSI research, tomorrow to be sure we have it right.

Frankie is interested in joining a health club so she can work out and perhaps swim afterwards.  I did some Internet searching and clubs with pools are hard to find.  David and I convinced her to try to Y, so she and I drove there today after several around the block side trips.  It’s got lots of facilities, including tennis courts and an outdoor pool that usable as long as the temp is above freezing.  Frankie was not impressed.  It’s an older building that despite being clean and well maintained, looks like an old Y.  So we’ll see.

Last night I was in the ER with Inga.  She had severe abdominal pains just as we were all gathering for dinner.  Seated on the floor in a fetal position, she couldn’t move her legs without pain.  It took a couple of hours before David and I convinced her to take one of his 500 mg ‘tylenol,’ just before she agreed to let me take her to the ER.  After examining her, the hospital did blood, urine and ultrasound tests and found nothing wrong.  I thought the pain was her body telling her to take care of herself for a little while, and that’s what she did for the nearly three hours at the hospital.  Tomorrow she’ll sleep in, and Tomek and I will take David to his radiation treatment. 

12 October

Not sure what my impression was of radiation treatment but it definitely took far less time than I had expected.  Which, in hindsight, I know makes sense. There was a camaraderie among patients and their family/friends, who provide moral support with information and humor.  

When David finished, we went in search of Silvia so I could review Inga’s tentative calendar. We’d almost given up when the elevator doors opened for us and there she was.  I was able to get the additional info we needed -- schedule for MRIs in relation to treatment and breaks.

This afternoon I spent some time helping in the kitchen, peeling two bulbs of garlic into a glass jar for future use.  And in the evening watching the Orioles and Nats lose in the postseason baseball playoffs.  Since I’m in DC, I’ve become a Nats’ fan, and they were off to a great start in Game 5, only to lose in the end.  Reminds me of the Northwestern football team back when I was a freshman ... win 4 Big 10 games, then lose 4 and your coach, Ara Paraseghian.

14 October

What a gloriously sunny and warm day today.  I sat outside for a while reading and didn’t need to wear a sweater!

Yesterday Frankie and I went shopping for new jeans for me.  I wanted Not Your Daughter’s Jeans which I finally found at Bloomingdale’s.  They’re the kind of jeans that fit no matter my weight.  I found a pair I liked but wasn’t 100 percent satisfied with the fit -- they seemed to bag a bit in the bum.  So I passed for now.  We extended our shopping to find gifts for the two girls’ whose birthday party Frankie attended last night.  And later Inga and I returned to the Apple Store in Bethesda to see if the Genius Bar tech could unfreeze her phone.  Not possible.  It was an old iPhone 3GS, no longer sold, that had been jiggered with software to bypass ATT and allow connection to T-Mobile.  Unfortunately when Inga’s friend tried to connect the phone to a new iTunes, it froze.  The tech couldn’t even wipe it clean and reinstall the software.  So Inga got a new iPhone 4.

Got the photos inserted into my September blog at last and posted same, arranged to have dinner with Peace Corps friend Larry who’ll be in town this week and talked to friend Dan on the phone for first time in years.  As Dan observed, our communications of late have been too virtual.  Time for real-time talking.  Dan is one of two friends who were with Peter when he died.  He lives in west Texas now, developing his long-term dream, Estrella Vista, and helping juveniles who are charged as adults with serious crimes like murder. You can copy/paste this link to your browser to learn more about this important work -- http://wandervogeldiary.wordpress.com.

The whole family including Tomek and I were transfixed to the TV and watched the first space jump, holding our collective breaths until Felix Baumgartner arrived safely back on terra firma.  The whole thing reminded me of my one and only parachute drop at now long dead Riverview Park in Chicago.  I was Frankie’s age, and staying with Aunt Bobbi and Uncle Bob (family friends).  They took me and the son of one of their friends to the amusement park one night.  Uncle Bob insisted that I go on the parachute ride with him.  Sitting on a small wooden board with only a chain across our laps to hold us in I was terrified the entire way to the top.  The fall was blessedly quick.  Given that experience, I was in awe that my ex Bob had been a paratrooper.

15 October

Watching baseball playoffs and start of football season with David.  I sounded like my sister when RGIII ran 76 yards for a game clinching TD. Sorry, Minnesotans. I’m in DC and thus a Redskins fan.  Redskins were ahead but score was close; they could have done a Nats and blown their lead and lost.  I went to bed the other night, sure the Nats had taken their division pennant ... only to wake up and learn they’d lost in a spectacular game closing.

19 October

Today David ‘rang the bell,’ a JHU tradition as a patient completes treatment.  David had his last radiation treatment today and starts a four week vacation from chemo.  I posted on caringbridge the photos Inga took , including two she took the other day of David with Silvia, the BSI research nurse.  After seeing the smiling initial photo, Inga asked them to pose for one for David’s Polish friends.  Silvia, whose background is the former Czechoslovakia, knew exactly what to do -- she added the perfect frown to her face, as did David to his.  Check out the site -- caringbridge.com/davidreene -- to see both photos.

After returning home, everyone got ready for a weekend away, their first break since arriving in the US in mid July.  They aren’t going far but the resort hotel has lots of amenities that everyone will enjoy.  I’m staying with Beza, who looked forlornly through the glass storm door as they left.  

21 October

My detox is going well, at least I think so.  I haven’t weighed myself yet; must ask Inga if she has a scale as I haven’t seen one in any of the bathrooms.  Yesterday I had lunch at a Cheesecake Factor restaurant with friends Aideen and Regina and their sons.  I had been wanting to introduce them since their both are single moms with sons and in the same industry, international development.  Regina’s job hunting, and Aideen just started a new job, at a firm headed by someone Regina knows.  Regina’s boys Liam and Roan have October birthdays so we sang to them.  Despite some glitches in food, it was a festive time.  The boys bonded immediately, wreaking occasional havoc that had to be reined in.  We women had a chance to catch up.  And I was able to stay on my detox with brown rice and steamed broccoli for lunch.

I made quinoa/brown rice with garlic, mushrooms, onions and steamed cauliflower and some shrimp for dinner.  Had something similar last night, and it’s quite tasty.  Need to ask Tomery if I’m allowed shellfish.

22 October

What a beautiful day.  Fall has definitely fallen here in the DC area and although mornings are crisp, temps at midday rise to the 70sF. And this week, it’s to be 81F on Wednesday.  The leaves have finally started to turn for real but nothing as pretty as Minneapolis when I left ... nor anywhere near the Western Pennsylvania autumns that I remember from my growing up years.  Fall is my favorite season and the only time I am homesick for my childhood environs.  I’m so glad Dan, Barbara and I are going to Pittsburgh next month.  The leaves may be gone, but we’ll get a chance to do the drive down memory lane and see how much has changed (or not changed).  And of course, watch the Steelers trounce the Ravens.

23 October

JHU called yesterday about blood tests that weren’t done on Friday.  Someone there “oops’d.”  So Inga had to take David today.  In the meantime, I ran errands -- bought a new garage door opener at Sears and arranged installation, vacuum cleaner bags and printer cartridges.  I drove Inga’s Lexus hybrid SUV, which seems a little like an oxymoron.  But it runs on a battery as well as gasoline and gets tremendous mileage.  The only problem -- it’s too quiet.  Step on the brake, turn the key, shift into drive, and off you go with nary a sound.  Since I occasionally stall my stick shift Focus, I am always afraid I’ve stalled the Lexus.  But I hit the gas pedal and off it goes.  It’s nice sitting up higher than usual, but it’s still too big a car for me. 

Inga wants to be able to get one car in the garage this winter so she can pull closer to the house and unload groceries and such.  So yesterday we checked out the garage door opener, which works fine from the hard-wired wall unit.  But we couldn’t get the two remotes she found to work.  I went on line to find out what Sears had to say, we tried everything and got nowhere.  Inga asked their neighbor Henry who is very handy to come over.  He had no more luck than we.  He even called the previous owners who said they never used the remotes and rarely the garage.  

Henry’s an avid eBay seller.  So when he noticed the old double-oven and dishwasher in the garage, he offered to put them on eBay for Inga.  She’d be happy if someone just cam and hauled them off.  We’ll see what happens.

Tonight we celebrated my birthday at dinner.  David grilled the salmon perfectly, and Inga added an array of steamed veggies and fried potatoes.  Tomek brought a chocolate mousse cake for dessert.  Most of the meal was well within my new eating regime and where I “cheated” (cake), I only had a small amount ... and it was well worth every single calorie and guilt free.

24 October, Minneapolis MN

Turned the phone on as I deplaned and there was a ‘happy birthday one day early’ message from my brother.  Called him once I got settled at home for a nice catch up chat.  He’s running for the board of the home owners association where they live in Reno.  He’d make a good board member -- interested, does his research, has time.  I hope he gets elected.

Off to a new middle eastern restaurant with friends Janet and Ed and my sister Barbara for more celebrating.  Ed and Janet are picking me up as I’m going to  a glass of wine, the first in almost a month!

25 October, my #67

It’s official -- Minneapolis had its first snowfall today, on my birthday.  I can only remember that happening once before, and it was similar -- not a snowfall that accumulated, just lots and lots of flurries that melted on hitting the ground.

Thanks to everyone for your cards, gifts and good wishes.  It’s been a great birthday.  Dinner last night was excellent, and I haven’t had any ill effects.  I wore a pair of slacks that I haven’t fit since last fall, and today I wore a pair of jeans that were way too tight in the waistline last time I tried.  Hurray and thanks to my niece Tomery who helped me get this detox and weight loss started.  Another great gift was Inga’s call with good news about David.  Because of the possibility of bacteria in raw fish, someone with a compromised immune system like David can’t eat sushi.  Before he started the treatments, we were eating sushi several times a week because he loves the stuff.  Now he can eat it again.  His latest blood tests were so good that the docs approved. 

28 October

My dad was looking down upon me this morning, shaking his head and laughing his distinctive laugh.  I just know it.  Back in my teenage days, I put potatoes on the stove to boil one day, then went to watch television ... forgetting all about the potatoes until I smelled something burning.  Water gone, the potatoes had started to burn.  Pop was incredulous.  So he made me peel and boil potatoes every day for a week.

This morning I put six eggs into a pot of water, set it on the stove and turned the heat to medium high.  I figured it would take about five minutes for the pot to come to a boil, so I could work on my crosswords, then turn off the heat, put on a lid and let them cook.  A recipe for perfectly cooked eggs.  Except, as often happens, I got engrossed in the Sunday crosswords, and I totally forgot about the eggs.  Eventually I could smell something cooking -- thought maybe someone was fixing brunch in the condo below.  By the time I went into the kitchen for a glass of water, the pot was dry and two very well done eggs had already exploded all over the stove, the side of the refrigerator, the counter and floor.  I could see the look on Pop’s face and hear his voice.

30 October, Lansing, Michigan

Could I have picked a worse day to fly to Lansing?  Oh, my friend Thom was on time to pick me up at 4:30 am, and the on-time Sun Country flight was pretty uneventful, especially considering the pounding Hurricane Sandy was giving the East Coast and many of my friends there.  But the weather in Lansing could not have been more unexpected.  I should have checked before I left. It was freezing cold with rain that turned to snow and ice as I found my rental car.  And the airport is diagonally across the city from the hotel where I’m staying ... or two sides of the big square loop of interstate that goes around the city, the preferred route. 

I was grateful to be able to check into the hotel, a clean, friendly, serviceable Holiday Inn Express that’s not far from the highway to Jackson, 40 minutes away and where my aunt is. Her husband, my dad’s baby brother, died in March, so she’s all we have left of our parents’ generation. She was being moved from the assisted living facility to a hospice home today, and I wanted to be there.  The transfer went smoothly, including the stop in between for a mandatory chest x-ray.  By the time her nephew John, his wife Nancy and I got to her room, she was pretty alert though not entirely in 2012.  But at 93, she can pick the era she wants to inhabit and the people she wants to ask about, like her parents who died decades ago.  Much to our surprise, she ate her entire lunch, scraping the bottom of each dish thoroughly (she often eats virtually nothing).

Travel reflections mostly in photos

3 September 2012, Washington, DC, USA

Only here could I find a radio station that’s seems solely dedicated to Motown music from “my era” (mid- to late 60s) -- “Oooo Baby Baby,” “Shotgun,” “When a man loves a woman.”  Smokey Robinson, The Supremes, James Brown ... reminded me of a PBS fund raising telecast.  And sure made the driving from Alexandria to Arlington to Bethesda to Union Station in the District easier.  Thankfully it’s a holiday, so the traffic was much less than a work day.

I had a great weekend in Alexandria with Regina and the boys, Liam and Roan.  She has rented her spare rooms since I was here last.  A young Russian couple have Roan’s old room upstairs, and now a woman from Brooklyn who just took a job with the Navy Department and her daughter who is Liam’s age are in the basement space (the size of a small studio apartment).  Two Sudanese women were there for a month.  They were excited to meet someone who had been in South Sudan.  The move out/move in took up much of Saturday.  We went out to lunch, then shopped for food for the Sunday picnic I planned and spent lots of time catching up with each other and getting to know Marilyn, the new tenant.  The boys and her daughter Denisa hit it off immediately.

Of course, it started to rain about an hour before folks were to arrive on Sunday afternoon and kept raining until after most guests left.  But the food was abundant and delicious, and we all had a good time.  Lauri let John handle the grill, and he did a yeoman’s job with brats and burgers and ‘dogs.  Afterwards, Regina, Marilyn, Rosemarie (from Booz) and I sat outside on semi-wet cushions, drank wine, ate desserts and talked until early evening.  

This morning I drove to Arlington to see Aideen and her son Mickey who are also doing well.  Then back to Bethesda for a quick lunch before tackling a trip to Union Station to pick up Inga, Jan and the girls.  Surprisingly, despite a last minute bad turn because I was in the wrong lane, I didn’t get lost trying to fix that error.  And after only a couple of goes around the circular driveway, I found a place to sit and wait the 15 minutes or so until they emerged from the station.  “The boys” -- David, his brother Mike, Mike’s twin sons Brian and Chris, our friends Kim and Tomek are at a Nats-Cubs game.  

David & Inga 

5 September

Today my son would have been 40.  It’s hard to imagine him that old.  He’s frozen in my mind at 26, the age he was when he died.  But I see pieces of him in others -- he had the same warped sense of humor as David, for example -- which is comforting.   Instead of dedicating half the day to quiet contemplation as I often have, I dedicated today to David.  I went with him and Inga to JHU to meet Silvia, the nurse managing the BSI trial.  Forms to be explained, understood and signed.  More blood to be donated for tests.  A brief physical exam by the oncologist, then chemo training by another nurse. Friday David will go through a “dry run” of the radiation treatment to ensure his helmet fits properly and that he knows what to expect.  Tomek will go along so that he learns the way in case he has to take David to JHU without Inga.  The ubiquitous GPS can only take you so far, then you need to find the right building, floor etc.  

Treatment starts on Monday, BSI two days in a row, radiation five days, regular chemo every day (but it’s a pill, not IV), and the scheduling of the three is important.  Inga took copious notes so she can prepare a detailed schedule of what is to be taken at what time, when David can have food and when not. 

8 September, Minneapolis MN

Turtlenecks -- I must have five or six white ones alone, but can I find one to pack for Alaska?  Nooooo.  Can I find one at Marshall’s, Herberger’s, Target.  No, no no.  Finally, in one spot in Macy’s, I found some.  Out of “mock” style, which I prefer, in white but got a regular turtle in white and a mock in black.  I can finish packing.

It’s been one of those days.  I was late for water exercise, nothing new there, and exited to find three messages from Hagens on my phone.  I called Elyse, my sister in law, back.  Our mother-in-law Ella died this morning, quickly and peacefully.  I’m going to miss her.  She was a lovely lady, and we stayed friends despite the divorce -- she always referred to me as her daughter in law and I to her as my mother in law.  Last time I saw her was her 93rd birthday, which I chronicled here.  I’m so glad I was able to attend.  And I’m sorry that I’ll miss her memorial as it will be while I’m in Alaska.

Spent most of the day running errands, then dinner at Rachel’s with my sister Barbara and friend Marilyn, with whom I’ll cruise.  Relaxing way to end the day ... until I got home and found my laptop wouldn’t charge.  Previously I’d been able to jiggle the cord near the small bite that Lily made in the cord and it would work.  But at 7:50 pm tonight that wasn’t working.  Panic.  I’m at Janet and Ed’s (they’re at a dinner of the lake community where their cabin is location), but son Thom heard me screech.  He suggested Apple might still be open ... and they were until 9.  I was there, tested the old cord, bought a new one ($80!!!) and home before 9.  Now I can finally finish packing ...

10 September, Pacific Ocean off the coast of Alaska

We are definitely on the high seas!  The captain told us via loudspeaker last evening that the going would be a bit rough, and it has been.  But so far the cruise has been wonderful ... I looked at the photos that were taken as Marilyn and I boarded yesterday, and we already look relaxed.  My mug shot is actually kind of nice so I may have to bite the bullet and buy that one.

Yesterday was whirlwind of early rise and off to the airport.  Thanks bunches to my sister for driving me at 7 am.  A long flight to Seattle sandwiched between a very heavy-thighed male wiggler on the aisle and a germophobe at the window.  At least my legs weren’t cramped since I bought economy comfort, but Delta changed aircraft and I wasn’t in the seat I had selected, which was an exit row with no seats in front.

Leaving the port of Seattle.   That tall thing in the left background is the Space Needle.  It's celebrating it's 50th anniversary this year.  I remember when it was constructed for a World's Fair in 1962.

The cruise line was extraordinarily well organized from meeting us at baggage claim to getting us on board, all very efficiently.  We easily found our stateroom which has a verandah, and so did the steward who brought our bags later.  We unpacked and could fit our suitcases under the beds.  The biggest slow down was the long line at every station of the lunch buffet in the Lido restaurant.  Mandatory fire drill was slightly nightmarish.  The crew were marvelous but the passengers ... too many in the wrong lifeboat queue and not listening.  Marilyn figured out how we buy wifi which I was able to do, so we can stay connected a less than 75 cents a minute but will still have to be quick when on line.  The connection is about the same speed as I had in South Sudan, that is, way slower than any I’ve had in the US since dial-up days.

Marilyn in our room.  Bigger than I had expected, and the verandah was wonderful -- fresh air whenever I needed it!

Looking down from our verandah -- and that's the lifeboat we were assigned.  Very convenient!

10 September, Tracy Arm, Alaska

 The glacier from our verandah.

The glacier "calved" -- large pieces separated from the main glacier.  This frog was many of the piece we saw.  The blue color was astonishing.  I'd heard that arctic ice is blue but never imagined how vivid it would be.

11 September, Juneau, AL

A whole day in port and it’s pouring rain. Needless to say, I didn't take many pix.

What a surprise to find Boleslawiec for sale in Juneau.  That is a brand of Polish pottery that's VERY popular among my US friends, started with three patterns that won a design award and has expanded to at least a dozen patterns and even more pieces (ear of corn dishes!)

12 September, Sitka AL

About 6 hours in port, overcast and drizzly.  Guess what the main industry is in Sitka?

13 September, Ketchikan AL, Rain Capital of North America.

 Me at the Ketchikan sign

Gorgeous sunny day and we only had four hours.  We were mostly shopped out though we did find excellent deals at a jewelry store and partook.  We rode a free city circulator bus for a short tour of the sights; the driver was an excellent guide.

Liquid Sunshine Gauge next to Tourist Info Center.   Average rainfall per year 12.5 FEET. 

15 September, approaching Victoria, BC, our last stop

At the "prep to disembark" briefing the cruise director said we'd have a hard time adjusting to life on land for a few days.  Sea legs, but also we'd find ourselves standing with our empty plates and 15 minutes later they'd still be empty because no one filled them for us.  And we'd have to start remembering days of the week since we'd have no elevator rugs as a point of reference.  

These were definitely a plus as the week went by.

16 September, Seattle, Washington

A very blonde Marianne and her husband met me at the dock in Seattle.  I almost didn't recognize her.  She had very dark hair the last time I saw her -- in 1990 -- but otherwise was just the same. I stayed there for a couple of night catching up.  Marianne is having her last chemo for color cancer on Tuesday.

We had a delightful time on a Duck Tour of Seattle, followed by a fantastic lunch near Pike Place Market where I did a lot of looking and a little shopping while Marianne bought a special Starbuck's coffee at the original Starbuck's coffee shop.

20 September, Santa Barbara, California

I'm always one who likes to make her airfare work for her.  Hence, the stay in Seattle to re-connect with an old friend ... and a trip to San Francisco to see my friends and family in the Bay Area.  As usual, I stayed with Jean, and we took a short jaunt to another part of the state, this time the Santa Barbara area.  We had lunch yesterday with Jean's elderly Uncle Bob, and today visited my friend Kim from my Booz days and her daughter Katie, almost 2 years old, as well as the city.

30 September 2012 Minneapolis MN USA

Here I am, once again having neglected to write what I composed in my head all month.  Thankfully I remembered to take a few photos -- I’m notorious for taking a camera and forgetting to use it; ditto the camera on the iPhone.  But I took my digital camera on the cruise and thereafter, so you saw the month anyway.

You all know how much I love to travel but even for me, this period has been excessive. But that was my choice.  Being able to make such choices is what retirement, at least for me, is all about.  I can take an overseas assignment that looks interesting and worthwhile, I can make my air travel dollars work by staying away from home longer, I can help friends and enjoy a long weekend “back home” with my siblings.  Some day I won’t be able to do that as easily, and certainly not travel to off-the-beaten-path places.  All that is by way to telling you that October (mostly in DC), November (Michigan, Pittsburgh) and December (Poland and DC) will be equally travel heavy.  So until then, TTFN (a 1960s goodbye short cut -- ta ta for now).

Just when you expect to slow down ...

3 August, Minneapolis MN USA

Yesterday Sabrina and I took Christopher, who will be 5 soon, to a new playground by Lake Harriet.  To refresh your memory, Sabrina and I were in the same Peace Corps group, and her son is my adopted youngest grandson.  We had a lovely picnic, chatted forever and watch Christopher cavort on a newfangled jungle gym built in a sand pit.  He climbed a contraption that was a series of thick ropes riveted together, up and down several times, with me holding my breath for each one.  Although a sand pit was at the base, I could just imagine him falling.  But he didn’t.  He’s an agile kid.  Sometimes he’s also a shy kid, but he made friends with another boy and his young mom with whom Sabrina also made a connection for future play dates.  All in all, despite the continuing excruciating hot weather, a good time was had by all.  And Babcia Suzi once again forgot to take photos!

Tonight I’m joining Julie and Yvette, friends and former clients from my Northeast Economic Development days, plus Kathy and Susan, two friends of theirs who have been great to include me in their Girls’ Night Outs.  We’ll stay in, enjoy take out Middle Eastern food at Susan’s, and wish her well as she prepares to move to the suburbs.  I had suggested we all wear black to mourn our loss.  I promised that once I’m in my condo and settled, I’ll do a Girls’ Night In at my place.  It’s been fun to widen my sphere of friends.

6 August, Washington, DC, USA

Here I am at David and Inga’s new house in Bethesda, just a few miles from where they lived in northwest DC when they were here before.  Last time I saw them was in Krakow in May as they organized for the move.  Now I’m here to help with the house, the girls (Frankie and Tosia) and wherever necessary while David and Inga deal with his cancer.  Yes, you read that right.  David had a malignant tumor removed from his brain a week ago.  A smaller tumor was left to be treated with chemo and radiation.  They were diagnosed at the end of July.  David had been found unconscious in the garage at his office, thought to be a mugging victim until an MRI was done.  I didn’t write anything in the July blog because I didn’t know what to say.  Not only was I overwhelmed, but we had little information until the surgery was completed.  But now I’ve seen David, have heard what the doctors have to say and know what’s happening.

David after surgery

David’s brother Mike picked me up at the airport yesterday, and we went straight to the hospital for which I was grateful.  I was afraid David might be too tired for another visitor.  But he walked easily to the visitors’ area where Mike, his wife Jan, Inga and I were stationed. Jan has done a wonderful job of keeping things organized, complete with calendar of important dates (from new student orientation for the girls to oncology appointments) and a “to do” list for each of us.  

David looks terrific, as you can see in the photo.  With a baseball cap on his head, his shaved spot and stitches aren’t visible.  His humor is in tact and his spirits are high.  The rehab case manager came by while we were all talking.  She’d met everyone but me, and said, “So you must be David’s mother.”  We all got a good laugh. Reminded a little of a time decades ago when a student nurse thought my mom was my dad’s mother because of her gray hair in contrast to his coal black.  Only this time I actually am old enough ... just would’ve been a very young mother.

Last night David moved from Georgetown University Hospital, where he had the surgery, to a rehab hospital on the other side of the District.  Today they did tests before a treatment plan is developed, then he’ll have rehab for seven to 10 days.  He’s also having a post-op MRI that will be part of the diagnostics for a second opinion.  The resourceful and tenacious Jan found the top brain cancer doc in the US at Duke University and has been in touch with him about David’s condition.  So that’s a possibility for follow up treatment including a trial.

I’ll be here until 16 August, then back to Minneapolis for me and on to Kansas for Frankie and Tosia.  They’ll spend a few days with their dad’s other brother, Jeff, and his girlfriend; they left before I arrived. Not the tour of the Grand Canyon and surrounding sites that had been planned, but at least a bit of a break before school starts later in the month.  

9 August

Spent almost an hour of the phone with Dish network today trying to get the “hopper” and the “joey” to work right in David and Inga’s bedroom.  It’s some newfangled mechanism that allows a Dish client to have access to the satellite in more than one place AND to watch different things on those TVs.  Unfortunately the master bedroom TV hadn’t arrived when the Dish technician set up the main TV and “hopper” in the family room.  A family friend tried to set up the second TV and missed something, I’m not sure what, so it wasn’t working.  After all the trial and error checking on the phone, the online tech finally agreed to sent the first available tech here on Sunday afternoon, or sooner if there’s a cancellation.

Actually I spent a lot of phone time today.  I had promised to contact doctors used previously to be sure they took the current health insurance plan and in some cases, to make appointments.  At one office a real person actually answered the phone.  Amazing, as everywhere else I was first faced with the “if you ... press ...” litany that I have grown to abhor.  But eventually all was done.

News is that David will come home tomorrow from the rehab hospital.  Inga said when the rehab hospital attendants arrived to pick up David on Monday evening, they brought a litter on wheels.  They were flabbergasted that David, standing on his own, identified himself as the patient.  He looked way too able and healthy than what they were used to.  Since he wasn’t allowed to leave under his own steam, even though he was capable, they got a wheelchair and off they went.  

10 August

David got home just after lunch.  Inga and Tomek, a Polish friend, went to pick him up while the girls and I went shopping.  And of course I got us lost.  Thankfully DC has roundabouts like Scotland!

I have a renewed appreciation for my friends with children and full time jobs and houses to keep up.  I’m only helping with the cooking, housework and such plus the girls are pretty self service, and I’m pooped by bedtime. 

Frankie made blueberry muffins from my friend Jean's mother's recipe.

15 August

Tomorrow I return to Minneapolis for a week, time to have my own annual check ups, move back into my condo and start organizing it again.  I’ll come back here on 23rd for a couple of weeks to help while the girls start school and David starts treatment.

David and Inga are exhausted after a full day of seeing doctors for follow ups.  All seems to be going well, and David looks and feels good.  He’s riding his stationery bike regularly, something he’s done for decades, and his cognition seems to improve steadily.  The girls are being themselves, arguing too much but good kids. I’ve given them a limit - each can initiate only two fights. Helps a little with the continuous sisterly bickering.  We’ve gone to the Montgomery County pool a few times.  I do some of my water exercises though I admit it’s more playing than exercising.  Where is Andrew when I need him?  Oh, right, back at Blaisdell Y in Minneapolis cracking the whip at water boot camp.  I’ve been encouraging Tosia to consider swimming as her sport.  She is like a fish, always on the move doing front and back somersaults and swimming underwater. They got registered for school yesterday and weren’t required to take the English test ... but they did need a Mantoux (TB) test.  Inga is super organized with folders for each girls subdivided by various doctors, schools etc. plus all of David’s info.  She’s getting better at letting others do things for her.    

Tosia loves the pool

 Today I spent a lot of time making doctor appointments for the girls, then took Frankie to her orthodontist to have her retainer tightened.  Tonight we did an hour in the pool as they were antsy from a day at home.  Their western tour that was to be this month was cancelled due to David’s surgery. So their uncles have planned alternatives.  Tomorrow it’s off to Kansas City -- their first flight alone.  Over Labor Day weekend their other uncle will stay here and take David to a baseball game while his wife, Inga and the girls go to New York City.  I will probably spend the weekend with other DC friends.

17 August, Minneapolis MN

Happy birthday to my sister, Barbara, who’s celebrating with friends in New York City this weekend.

And oh my aching back.  After my 7:15 am ‘pilates in the pool’ class, I spent the morning helping my nephew Chris move his things to Barbara’s and things I had left at Barbara’s back to my condo.  Then in the afternoon, I did lots of laundry and cleaned things no one will ever notice -- the refrigerator, the floor behind the washer and dryer ... and around the furnace and hot water heater, under the sink, inside drawers and cupboards.  I threw out food that had been in the cupboard, ‘frig and freezer since I left last October.  But I still haven’t put my clothes away.  Had to leave something for tomorrow.

19 August

Happy birthday to my youngest niece, Tomery, who’ll celebrate in Vegas next weekend.

If the housekeeping doesn’t kill me, the water exercise will!  Andrew’s Water Power Ex this morning was a killer ... and his Wednesday Boot Camp will be my final water ex this week.  Thank heavens I got an upgrade on my Thursday flight to DC.

Today a friend and I went to two movies -- “Beasts of the Southern Wild,” a very odd film that won at Sundance and it’s easy to see why.  No professional actors but incredible acting.  It’s about a group of people in the lowlands of the delta during Katrina.  The cinematography was awesome.  To lighten things we stayed for “Ruby Sparks,” a romantic comedy but another odd film.  Includes a hallucination that may or may not have been one, and if it wasn’t, might’ve been like the year of “Dallas” that was all a bad dream.  It was a good movie and a perfect antidote to the serious “Beasts” themes.

22 August

What a fantastic evening!  We celebrated Barbara’s and Tomery’s birthdays at their favorite restaurant, the 112 Eatery in downtown.  We includes, besides the birthday women, my niece Michelle, nephews Christopher and Craig, and Craig’s girlfriend April.  Chris’ girlfriend Jen and Michelle’s husband Jon weren’t able to be with us.  Although I gave Barbara a hard time for eating what she always does -- lamb skewers for an appetizer and burger with brie for dinner -- I did the same thing.  The three lamb skewers are enough for a meal, so that was my dinner, preceded by a salad of crisp romaine leaves with crumbled blue cheese and a very light touch of vinaigrette dressing and something small and crunchy (a few crumbled croutons, perhaps).

Craig came down from Brainerd for a few days and spent all morning with me.  He fixed a bi-fold door in my laundry room, which has earned him eternal gratitude.  I could not get it to stay on the track, nor could anyone else.  Craig figured out that we needed to raise the bottom plate a little, which he did, and shazam!  It works.  We had lunch at a Mexican fast food place, Baja Sol, that neither of us had tried before, and decided it was a place to visit again.  Tasty fresh food at a good price.  Then I went off to continue the process that brought me back to MN -- annual doctor’s appointments and an appointment with Connie, my hair dresser who covered my exposed white roots. (No comments, please!)

Some of the Blaisdell Y water ex crew

23 August, Washington, DC

Flying first class was a lovely treat today, especially after Andrew’s Boot Camp class at the Y yesterday.  And so was having Craig drive me to the airport.  But having my one checked suitcase be forgotten in Minneapolis was not.  I have to add, the Delta people were great, and the suitcase was delivered to David and Inga’s house a few minutes ago.

Finally figured out tonight why my laptop cord hasn’t been working consistently.  There’s a little green or yellow light that indicates full battery or not.  And several times when in my condo, I went to use the laptop and noticed the light was off.  I checked the outlet, extension cord, changed from two-prong to three-prong plug, and nothing seemed to work consistently. Sometimes the connection would be made and recharging would begin, other times not.  Ditto here when I plugged in.  So I inspected my cord ... and there they were -- Lily teeth marks.   Chris had told me that Lily, my/his cat, had chewed completely through several of his cords to the computer, iPhone etc. He bought plastic tubing to cover the cords and left me one to use. But I hadn’t seen any evidence that she’d done tried to chew on my laptop cord ... until I looked very carefully tonight ... and found one bite mark.  Undoubtedly that got all the way through to the wires and how the cord is sitting affects connectivity.  Add to my “to do” list -- Apple store for a new cord for the laptop.  But at least the mystery is solved -- I am not going crazy, the condo does not have a ghost.

24 August

Hectic day trying to get a doctor’s order for a blood test that David needs so he can be evaluated for a possible treatment trial at Johns Hopkins.  Because the test results are needed very quickly (read: can’t wait days, weeks for insurance company approval), David is paying for the test out of pocket.  Inga cannot understand why, given that, we cannot just go to a lab and get the test done.  That’s how it would be done in Poland ... different health care “system,” different rules.  Besides getting the doctor’s order, we had to find a lab that could do the test stat (ASAP) and get results by Monday.  David’s regular doctor agreed to write the order once he got all the info he needed.  And David and Inga ended up at JHU which has a lab that can do the test and an outpatient clinic with an Express Testing option, allows walk ins and takes credit cards and checks.  By midday, David and Inga were off to Baltimore.

I have to say that I have never seen such excellence in customer service outside the Mayo Clinic.  As many of you know, Peter was initially treated at Mayo and beginning with our first visit, the Mayo staff set an exceptionally high standard that was rarely met at the other places we had to go.  JHU’s staff met that standard: Everyone from receptionist to med technical was the most helpful, courteous individual  in health care that I’ve dealt with in a long time (and as you read earlier, I’m in the midst of my own annual doctor visits, so have recent personal experience).  One fellow even called me to give me an alternate person’s name in case I needed something after he went off duty, and he briefed the other guy on what was going on!  And the nurse in the office of the doctor heading up the trial seems genuinely happy to hear from any of what he calls “David’s Army” at any time.  One member of the army from David’s office delivered a delicious home-cooked dinner, complete with fresh strawberries, chocolate chip cookies and a funny card for David.

Mission accomplished.  David got to JHU, had the test and results are to be available on Monday.  He and Inga returned tired but feeling good that the test was underway.  Later I caught up with emails while Inga took Frankie and a friend shopping, Tosia was with a friend at her house, and David trimmed long branches from a tree in the back yard.  Then David and I waited for the rest of the family to return.  We sat their large back deck, enjoyed the lush green backyard view and talked on myriad topics while David anticipated his nightly cigar and I sipped my evening glass of wine.  Great day.

26 August

The day before school starts for Franciszka and Antonia, the names they now prefer.  So yesterday we broke into two groups and went shopping.  Frankie and I managed to find our way to Target using Inga’s directions and a map on my phone.  Target was its usual pre-school madhouse, but we found most of what we were looking for.  And amazingly the check out lines weren’t long.  Then it was off to meet Tosia and Inga at DSW Shoe Warehouse in another area; David had returned home after those three had a sushi lunch.  The phone map was accurate, its reading was slightly less so.  First we were in the wrong lane, then made a wrong turn, all at the very last intersection.  To top it all, the store was easily visible from the street.  The two-story DSW had to be 10 times larger than the one in St. Louis Park where I shop.  I helped Inga decide on a gorgeous and very unusually made paid of leather winter boots, then Tosia and I left for home.  After a couple of wrong turns, despite the phone map, we made it.

28 August

David and Inga are in Baltimore where David is undergoing still more tests, being outfitted with his own special radiation therapy helmut and waiting for the results of Friday’s blood test.  In the meantime, his brother Mike and I are cobbling together a caringbridge.com page to make it easier to keep everyone up to date.  I’m going to add some pix to that when I’m done here.

This morning I drove to Derwood MD to have the emissions on David’s BMW tested.  Thanks to Gertie Garmin I only got lost once ... and it was her fault.  She neglected to tell me that my next turn was immediately after I exited the freeway so I missed it.  “Recalculating.”  Don’t think I got a “bong” with that one.  I have noticed that cars have enhanced idiot lights (remember those? they glowed red on the dashboard when something, who knew what, was wrong) with sounds.  Now I get a “bong” sound that still doesn’t tell me anything.  I say “bong” because it sounds too rounded to call “ping” and it’s definitely not a “beep.”  On Sunday when Frankie and I got back in the car after shoe shopping, the car bonged ... when I backed from the parking place, it bonged, and when I stopped to pay the parking fee, it bonged ... that’s when I realized the trunk was open as the idiot light showed.  I begged the attendant’s indulgence, jumped out, shrugged at the driver behind us and slammed the trunk closed.

Okay, I’m weirded out.  Something in the kitchen just chirped a little tune at me ...

By the way, did anyone know that Rockville MD has a “historic district”?  And if you did, can you tell me what’s there please? I saw several signs leading to the freeway exit for the Rockville Historic District.   I grew up in Pennsylvania, so I know a lot of early American history happened in all of the “Middle Atlantic States.”  A high school friend had a Whiskey Rebellion cemetery next to her backyard.  And I’ve been to many historic battlefields and colonial towns.  But somehow Rockville MD doesn’t ring a bell ... or sound a bong.  Perhaps one of these days I’ll drive up there and see what it’s all about.

29 August

Okay, first for the weird chirping.  It was someone else’s mobile phone announcing a text message; the phone was buried under a paper.

We had a really busy day with lots of ups and downs.  David’s test results came in, and he doesn’t qualify for the trial that everyone had hoped he would.  That said, two others may be possible but require more investigation in a very short timeframe.  So we’re off and running again.

Got the great news today that my friend Lauri’s lumpectomy surgery had been completed and went very well.  What a relief.  Afterwards, she emailed family and friends that she was already up and eating tacos.  That’s a true Texas lady!

31 August

What a lovely way to end the month ... with more good news.  David will take part in a study of a new drug (BSI-201) for treatment of his cancer in a trial at Johns Hopkins.  It’s a Phase II trial, which means it’s shown some good progress for patients and is done in conjunction with the standard of care, chemo and radiation.

The JHU staff continue to amaze me with their patient focus, words so often used in our health care system but so often not seen in action.  As I noted before, late afternoon on Wednesday we got the news that David could not take part in the initial trial that was being considered.  I alerted David’s Army and tasks were assigned. David’s sister in law would call another medical center about a new trial that JHU isn’t part of yet, and I would pursue trials at JHU. His oldest brother would check with docs at his facility, middle brother would work on caringbridge site. I called the nurse who coordinates that study and left messages on both her phones, I talked to Joe, the nurse coordinator of the original study to get his suggestions; emailed Lindsay, the due-any-day-now pregnant oncology radiologist’s assistant, to get hers; and updated the Army via email and phone.  At about 6:30 pm, Silvia, the BSI trial nurse coordinator, called me from home on her son’s mobile (hers, she said, was not working).  She’d heard from Lindsay as well as Joe and was calling from home.  We chatted for some time about David’s status and treatment schedule.  I noted that we needed to “cancel” the insurer’s approval of the original trial so approval for a new one could be requested.  While we were talking, she emailed Joe to handled that.  And today, not long after she called to tell us that David could take part in that trial, she called to say the insurer had approved.  She had requested the application be submitted by JHU right after we talked on Wednesday evening!  And she already has made tentative appointments for next Wednesday when she’ll meet David, and he’ll have some blood work done and get “chemo training.” He starts treatment a week from Labor Day.

Brother Mike, his wife Jan and one son Brian arrived this morning and Brian’s twin Chris arrives tomorrow.  Kim, our Peace Corps/Poland friend, had arrived last night.  Jan, Inga and the girls leave tomorrow for NYC for the long weekend, and the “boys” will stay with David for a weekend, no doubt, of cigars as well as a Nats’ ball game.  I’m off to Alexandria for the weekend.  I’ll stay with my friend Regina and her sons; we’re having a potluck picnic/brunch on Sunday.

For continuing news about David, please refer to www.caringbridge.com/visit/davidreene  You need to set up your own user name and password, if you don’t already have one for this site.  To find David’s page, you input his name as davidreene.  The Journal will include updates from David’s Army, mainly his two brothers.  You can leave messages for hi by signing the Guest Book, and we’ll be sure he gets them.  If you want to be alerted when the Journal is updated, there’s a link in the Journal section.

I’ll be here until the 6th of September, then I’m back to MN for a few days. I leave on 9 Sept. on an Alaska cruise that I’ve been dreaming about since that scorching day in South Sudan when I got an email from my friend Marilyn asking if I wanted to do this.  That was a no brainer!

And finally, this was part of a blog by Dan, a friend I acquired through my late son Peter.  It seemed like a great way to end this month.