tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32485952530102500212024-03-26T23:34:53.784-07:00Lovely Leah RuthLEAHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11581593915884936415noreply@blogger.comBlogger175125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3248595253010250021.post-25174707705421090172024-03-26T17:22:00.000-07:002024-03-26T17:22:47.864-07:00UPDATE: HOME AGAIN & PET SCAN RESULTS<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhknRyCpaVh7OuXf4KhtilunZX_OxOJ81o7HHmewPstxpMVcPE4yIz4SMTet1_UglmM8lS2folm6Vq_NnXhYqzMCYVty8a4-r_RXWrUeSO0CF7BmQPlaH6rz6YTI8Dj43BYmQkf69UXuWCtUpfU627xzd7gPBNL67Pi2uUNb6AyfxQfXYiykDnJkMGBEY3H/s5712/IMG_3361%20(1).jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5712" data-original-width="4284" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhknRyCpaVh7OuXf4KhtilunZX_OxOJ81o7HHmewPstxpMVcPE4yIz4SMTet1_UglmM8lS2folm6Vq_NnXhYqzMCYVty8a4-r_RXWrUeSO0CF7BmQPlaH6rz6YTI8Dj43BYmQkf69UXuWCtUpfU627xzd7gPBNL67Pi2uUNb6AyfxQfXYiykDnJkMGBEY3H/w480-h640/IMG_3361%20(1).jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">The BEST NEWS is that Dan is home.</span></div><p>14 days in the hospital was a new record. Now he is adjusting to life at home with a fancy hospital bed situation, weekly occupational therapy, physical therapy, and nurse care, many medications to take, and a pretty sweet walker that is actually tall enough for him. He remains in pain but it is manageable with a whole lot of painkillers and (cross your fingers) a medical air mattress we are getting. I don't know what part of the BED SORE WOUND and PAIN FROM SPINAL TUMORS isn't clear enough in the notes for insurance, but I am confident it will get worked out because this is Dan. And the Universe loves Dan.</p><p style="text-align: center;">***</p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE9h11P1pDnONRitYXTsFSXvgyav0PXnykLsV6WHSFZWxBZJxk7-E8SMUTZGlXDc8mbdOQrOLgsvmaWKsuF-vExCQZ9VwmMLv4ZwKQ2s29OL0dIJjlilG8ITkI1REHbJDXFU8xBgPnOKiK31Y78FZ9OGqh-_QcbOK4_7r_ZUsoCoPZAXbmCWX5fLyQWmPP/s5712/IMG_3383.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5712" data-original-width="4284" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE9h11P1pDnONRitYXTsFSXvgyav0PXnykLsV6WHSFZWxBZJxk7-E8SMUTZGlXDc8mbdOQrOLgsvmaWKsuF-vExCQZ9VwmMLv4ZwKQ2s29OL0dIJjlilG8ITkI1REHbJDXFU8xBgPnOKiK31Y78FZ9OGqh-_QcbOK4_7r_ZUsoCoPZAXbmCWX5fLyQWmPP/w480-h640/IMG_3383.jpeg" width="480" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">ADDITIONAL GOOD NEWS</p><p>He has completed his 10 rounds of radiation! For that, he recieved Little Debbie's Easter cakes. He was so excited. He beamed at me and smelled the box. He was so brave. He told me he would mostly close his eyes, say to himself a mantra "You can do this. You are medicated. It's only 15 minutes. You can do this," over and over again. Despite all of the painkillers, he still needs an additional special opiate dose right before the procedure so that he can lay flat on his back. This was a delicate situation with timing and sometimes it didn't work out very well. Instead of rescheduling, Dan laid down and stayed still, clenching his body, grunting, crying, and at times yelling out. I can't express to you how much he just wanted to get it done. So he got it done. It is my hope of all hopes that the radiation works and his literal sweat and tears will be worth the sweetest, lightest ease of pain in the coming weeks. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">***</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The HARD NEWS is that a PET scan revealed he has additional cancer spreading in his body.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">Sparks of cyan, red, blue, magenta, yellow, neon green. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">In a body of black.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I really didn't expect everything to light up again. It was all my mind could do to process the results of the three separate MRIs (abdomen, lumbar, and thoracic): cancer active again in and around the spine. It was the moment that we knew would occur in the future of our cancer journey--like a switch getting flipped--I just expected it to be gradual. However all of the cancer showed up as an aggressive spread of color. The results were confusing to me at first. How did they know what was necrotic tissue and what was active cancer? How could they tell the difference? It is the presence of those colors--showing the high metabolic rate of activity. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="PZPZlf gBoaXb sxr04b" data-attrid="EntryHeader" data-psd="headword~:&activity~;&tts_country~:&us~;&homograph_index~:&" style="background-color: white; color: #1f1f1f; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; padding-bottom: 2px;"><div class="kVF6d" style="display: table; word-break: break-word;"><div class="MiCl6d" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; min-height: 36px;"><div class="JgzqYd RES9jf xWMiCc" style="font-family: "Google Sans", Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 28px; line-height: 36px; text-align: center; vertical-align: top;"><span data-dobid="hdw">ac·tiv·i·ty</span></div></div><div><span class="wHYlTd" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">/akˈtivədē/</span></div><div aria-hidden="true" class="K6GhFd" data-is-bilingual="false" jsaction="BtuVOb:V46pce" jscontroller="jhGntf" style="max-height: 0px; 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display: block; position: relative;" width="32" /></g-img><span class="fe69if" style="margin-left: 10px; vertical-align: middle;"></span></div></a></div></div></div></div><div class="vmod" style="background-color: white; color: #1f1f1f; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif;"><div class="vmod" data-topic="politics,chemistry" jsname="r5Nvmf"><div class="lW8rQd" style="align-items: center; display: flex;"><div class="YrbPuc vdBwhd" style="color: #5e5e5e; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; min-height: 20px;"><i>noun</i></div><div aria-hidden="true" class="xpdxpnd" data-mh="-1" jsname="jUIvqc" style="max-height: 0px; overflow: hidden; transition: max-height 0.3s ease 0s;"><span class="kqEaA" style="color: #5e5e5e; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"></span><span class="kqEaA z8gr9e" style="color: #474747; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><b></b></span><span class="kqEaA" style="color: #5e5e5e; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"></span><span class="kqEaA z8gr9e" style="color: #474747; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><b></b></span><span class="kqEaA" style="color: #5e5e5e; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"></span><span class="kqEaA z8gr9e" style="color: #474747; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><b></b></span><span class="kqEaA" style="color: #5e5e5e; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"></span><span class="kqEaA z8gr9e" style="color: #474747; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><b></b></span></div></div><ol class="eQJLDd" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 20px;"><li jsname="gskXhf" style="list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><div class="vmod"><div class="thODed" style="padding-top: 8px;"><div class="wHYlTd sY7ric" data-topic="" jsname="cJAsRb" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px;"><div style="float: left;">1.</div><div style="margin-left: 20px;"><div class="wHYlTd sY7ric" style="line-height: 16px;"><div class="PZPZlf" data-attrid="SenseDefinition" data-psd="sense_definition~:&the condition in which things are happening or being done."><div data-dobid="dfn" style="display: inline;">the condition in which things are happening or being done.</div></div></div></div></div></div></div></li></ol></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So it is<i> happening</i>--this sort of very diligent production--in his left lung, scattered lymph nodes, and bones like the ribs and pelvis. They took a biopsy from a tumor in a lymph node in his neck, and it had necrotic tissue in the center. The new cancer had grown around the old. If all of this has grown, what about those quieted lesions in that soft, nervous tissue of his brain? I have scanxiety for his MRI next week. I have <i>biopsy-xiety</i>, if that could be a thing, too, for results that will tell us the genomic driver of the cancer. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">[NERDY THINGS: That will tell us if the situation is that the <i>Alsenca</i> (chemo-in-a-pill) is no longer working for his ALK cancer or the cancer mutated. If it is still the ALK gene, we have another medication like <i>Alcensa</i> to try and then some. These "nibs" as we call them, have lined up in the treatment world since Dan was first diagnosed: <i>Loratinib</i>, or <i>Crizotinib</i>, or if it fails, <i>Ceritinib</i>. If it fails, <i>Entrectinib</i>. And so on. In a chat group I found another peson on <i>Brigatinib</i>. Many people are in clinical trials using future <i>nibs</i>. If his cancer mutated, we will need to target therapy toward a new gene. Some known genes for lung cancer are ROS1, BRAF, KRAS, EGFR, MET, for example. Each of these may or may not have targeted medicines on the market or in clinical trials.]</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">***</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTwGPSPMvk0_AD7W4kfFCdcAYQ7AvRhIiUlp53zKgRaYs32t08SCI1YDAZJKtNyANZKvm-vlLW337jRpcIx-xJAJDE1ELLw3WIhZouVoBpEMkdkO4wNDFpUSif0nC-YTvFuN4PhWVY5LorpoRymv8pMXDL1XRa6ePpck76UoKT3sSl0HOdfySpKYDC8Rbl/s4032/IMG_3355.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTwGPSPMvk0_AD7W4kfFCdcAYQ7AvRhIiUlp53zKgRaYs32t08SCI1YDAZJKtNyANZKvm-vlLW337jRpcIx-xJAJDE1ELLw3WIhZouVoBpEMkdkO4wNDFpUSif0nC-YTvFuN4PhWVY5LorpoRymv8pMXDL1XRa6ePpck76UoKT3sSl0HOdfySpKYDC8Rbl/w480-h640/IMG_3355.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir_RUwFBAEdDokaoy0-bPZhSYR5ROwbHkDd7saCYyJyi0jWFZ332cA9T3kjF3Z-qNk5I6x8wOdJujyc3A6_0J3cziKpdoTNZZcgmAsCC5lQTq3aa975VzBxsv5fndmCQrEz9BXbSBTPh8JxY7Rc3qnQn_ZgJVX59F_a8Q38weTC33Zv6KRCY_7jmPfaMuT/s4032/IMG_3359.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir_RUwFBAEdDokaoy0-bPZhSYR5ROwbHkDd7saCYyJyi0jWFZ332cA9T3kjF3Z-qNk5I6x8wOdJujyc3A6_0J3cziKpdoTNZZcgmAsCC5lQTq3aa975VzBxsv5fndmCQrEz9BXbSBTPh8JxY7Rc3qnQn_ZgJVX59F_a8Q38weTC33Zv6KRCY_7jmPfaMuT/w480-h640/IMG_3359.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKGqzNNoMKkZNBgZfn_LBK2ejBliQvIrinBUuMrKCQoNQUUaeJG5sT37J0HfNtnj_O0wpYix0TglvRIYUokGIpGq2n7yBFRl_sD8QgUCwJzdFBYjfRJvL9ur6IP2LGzOYPggvCPPYMY9JndIXJbKck6AFD6gKS2FrcjTyTUNmWyVkINAD2DUIGmnlRFq4y/s5712/IMG_3365%20(1).jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5712" data-original-width="4284" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKGqzNNoMKkZNBgZfn_LBK2ejBliQvIrinBUuMrKCQoNQUUaeJG5sT37J0HfNtnj_O0wpYix0TglvRIYUokGIpGq2n7yBFRl_sD8QgUCwJzdFBYjfRJvL9ur6IP2LGzOYPggvCPPYMY9JndIXJbKck6AFD6gKS2FrcjTyTUNmWyVkINAD2DUIGmnlRFq4y/w480-h640/IMG_3365%20(1).jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLXtpQ9sfPX4B0mbg2_3ZO85HzRNcWxUJhePlo-NCXHlPcYRChvPRHginpn9nDfJ3lrdA_qXSa9DmsiULFE4w5is66KJb43Wv98tRsTorYQx9rXyWDKxzJf2R2uR7Ck_4gIqDnihNeo9kX0FcRFFKO1GY92LIYV8cmb6_7J9Op0X5is-d7iDSwRGFo9II9/s5712/IMG_3367%20(1).jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5712" data-original-width="4284" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLXtpQ9sfPX4B0mbg2_3ZO85HzRNcWxUJhePlo-NCXHlPcYRChvPRHginpn9nDfJ3lrdA_qXSa9DmsiULFE4w5is66KJb43Wv98tRsTorYQx9rXyWDKxzJf2R2uR7Ck_4gIqDnihNeo9kX0FcRFFKO1GY92LIYV8cmb6_7J9Op0X5is-d7iDSwRGFo9II9/w480-h640/IMG_3367%20(1).jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The AMAZING THINGS</div><div><br /></div>Help moving furniture to get Dan's bed set up. Jim and Char visiting. Surprise candy on my desk at work. An elementary school friend giving me flowers in the parking lot at Kroger. Stormy happy to have his person home. Home cooked meals! A surprise visit from Doug. Help with chores and errands. Surprise boxes of goodness in the mail--everything from fancy beard soap to a bunch of candy that Raine devours. Sipping wine from Oregon. Amy, who also surprised us visiting from SC. Kind and generous donations.<div><br /></div><div>Every single one of all of your Messages. Comments. Shares. Emails. Letters. Cards. Texts. <div><br /></div><div>All the good vibes in the Universe. We feel it. We feel it most when we hug each other and Raine. It's all the same!</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p></div></div>LEAHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11581593915884936415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3248595253010250021.post-82186906913092926522024-03-24T09:13:00.000-07:002024-03-24T09:13:27.586-07:00DAN'S THOUGHTS (FACEBOOK POST)<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiNsNp4IC9Thfdwh2wTBmvrwn9I_7pRvP5e4msI6UDkSmRFnKEprMfH7_wjhwrk_HsyXzGz-UhOhrKD-gYI3UQJIxEInssDM-8qODnmZ6E1YUFd6ob8Kz0Ur1cwJeYRadfc0eFg-6AV2cqKyboZ9f-Oig7Jw0uAiaD-SThAdMViKRlgXWui097CheqqkBP/s5712/IMG_3308.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5712" data-original-width="4284" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiNsNp4IC9Thfdwh2wTBmvrwn9I_7pRvP5e4msI6UDkSmRFnKEprMfH7_wjhwrk_HsyXzGz-UhOhrKD-gYI3UQJIxEInssDM-8qODnmZ6E1YUFd6ob8Kz0Ur1cwJeYRadfc0eFg-6AV2cqKyboZ9f-Oig7Jw0uAiaD-SThAdMViKRlgXWui097CheqqkBP/w480-h640/IMG_3308.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Remember <a href="https://www.lovelyleahruth.com/2014/09/he-is-sick-but-hes-not-sick.html" target="_blank">Raine's Fox</a>? This time he shared penguins.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Dan's Thoughts - Posted to Facebook 3/23/24</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><div class="xdj266r x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs x126k92a" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none !important; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;">2 Weeks……or 10 Years?</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none !important; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;">I took a similar picture almost a decade ago. Different stuffed animals, from a different state, but in the same spot on the bed as these. I spent two weeks with my penguins after a 10 year pause…..</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none !important; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;">We knew it would come back some day. My body was young, strong, and healthy when I was first diagnosed. Healthy enough to chase around a toddler around the rough streets of Carlton, OR. The outpouring of help from our family, friends, coworkers, and city <span style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;"><a style="animation-name: none !important; color: #385898; cursor: pointer; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;" tabindex="-1"></a></span>jumping out to help this young g family hit with the worse news imaginable (Stage 4). </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none !important; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;">We hit it hard. Radiation and Cisplatin (the nasty of nasty chemo). Slowed it down. Moved to a weaker therapy, and then eventually were lucky enough to run across an ALK mutation that gave me an opening to a targeted therapy that had brought me almost 8 years currently. </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none !important; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;">When we attacked the cancer hard in Oregon, we knew it would be rough on the body long term. 10 years of MRI’s, CT’s, Gamma Knife Radiation, Chemotherapy options, Shoulder and Hip Replacements, Hearing Loss, Vertigo, Neuropathy, etc. Always hinting and celebrating little things like a clean scan (Scanxiety). I was able to enjoy an almost normal life of hiking, fishing, golfing, rocking out at concerts, playing ball with Raine, enjoying food, beer, cocktails of all sorts!</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none !important; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;">Pain. </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none !important; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;">Size of a walnut. </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none !important; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;">Under my rib. </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none !important; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;">I thought I seperated a rib after a coughing fit at Christmas. I’ll get it checked out. </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none !important; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;">Muscle Relaxers for 2 weeks. No real help other than making me constipated! I tried taking care of it over the counter, to no avail. </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none !important; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;">Pain</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none !important; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;">Into the hospital (3 ER and 2 Hospitalization). Suck 3 weeks of bowel stuff out of the body. Colonoscopy (needed one anyways - check!!). Finding……you have 2 ulcers that are causing the pain from inflammation. </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none !important; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;">Go home!!! No!!! 2 days later back with…..</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none !important; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;">Pain</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none !important; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;">Pressure from my wife, GP, and Oncologists……..MRI his back! This is not GI/Colon. </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none !important; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;">Scanxiety…..</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none !important; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;">Shadows……</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none !important; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;">PET Scan……</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none !important; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;">Active Cancer……</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none !important; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;">Time slows…..</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none !important; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;">Act. </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none !important; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;">That is what we are doing now. </div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;">Pain management. </div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;">Radiation. </div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;">Biopsy. </div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;">Treatment. </div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;">Genetic testing. </div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;">Therapies. </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none !important; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;">Like starting again like 10 years ago. Except Raine is now pretty much looking his mom in the eyes!!!</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none !important; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;">Brightside is once again our family, friends, coworkers, near and far, are lending their time, talents, thoughts, prayers, positive vibes, delicious food, and smiling faces to help is in this time of uncertainty and difficulties. The amount of people to thank is mind blowing!</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none !important; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;">My wife has been nothing short of amazing. She has been my advocate. She has been stronger than I have ever seen her. Taking care of Raine, Don, Stormy, and me! It exhausts her, but she keeps going. </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none !important; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;">She also is a way better writer than I am, so I leave postings and updates to her <span class="x3nfvp2 x1j61x8r x1fcty0u xdj266r xhhsvwb xat24cr xgzva0m xxymvpz xlup9mm x1kky2od" style="animation-name: none !important; display: inline-flex; font-family: inherit; height: 16px; margin: 0px 1px; transition-property: none !important; vertical-align: middle; width: 16px;"><img alt="😊" class="xz74otr" height="16" referrerpolicy="origin-when-cross-origin" src="https://static.xx.fbcdn.net/images/emoji.php/v9/t7f/1/16/1f60a.png" style="animation-name: none !important; border: 0px; object-fit: fill; transition-property: none !important;" width="16" /></span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none !important; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;">Futurexiety……..</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none !important; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;">Help will still be needed but life needs to continue. Day by day move forward. Be positive. Smile. Walk Outside. Listen to some tunes. Spring is Springing! </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none !important; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;">Let’s do 10 Years………</div></div>LEAHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11581593915884936415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3248595253010250021.post-3471689871149187472024-03-13T17:45:00.000-07:002024-03-13T17:45:53.865-07:00WHEN IT IS CANCER<p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHHBkeWp-r4Ym0KwTz3fYkzsXRT9Fcr9DFunjPOVf6hvChkD-_HjlkkvlKJWvTk6eTtXXQWGha5Kh5gtktY-6tRAXKqaDqmaggGiYzy6brmpv4a9ITsqXkREO9ghY1wwwFlV6GCkgiXJg6Us4pDNHAYvaWVTcQllRGvV5hHnX44M-1g5eJfI1TEu7cLkts/s4032/IMG_3152.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHHBkeWp-r4Ym0KwTz3fYkzsXRT9Fcr9DFunjPOVf6hvChkD-_HjlkkvlKJWvTk6eTtXXQWGha5Kh5gtktY-6tRAXKqaDqmaggGiYzy6brmpv4a9ITsqXkREO9ghY1wwwFlV6GCkgiXJg6Us4pDNHAYvaWVTcQllRGvV5hHnX44M-1g5eJfI1TEu7cLkts/w480-h640/IMG_3152.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">After a week here, we have an answer to the case of the unrelenting pain Dan has had. It is the once dormant cancer of his spine—industrious cells once again growing, crowding inside the dense bone and stretching, spreading out into the soft tissues surrounding it.<br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">When it IS cancer, it is like we are being lifted from the ground, detached from any root system, left to the whim of the wind like a tumbleweed. Everything begins moving quickly, rolling, flipping, and I feel numb like the dried, brown ball of sticks and leaves.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNJwJ1kFQ2lzyW5dHR8iUZBAAK6J3EMV0Z4Ac9gBRDnrNNhctb3_E0Z5heDMvFsxEw_w5or5Zy-mK-15oT2hcqjGpq5ojCXwrsynbaL250y1cLGNkgVxPUSqK4sDBModXYFZUm1mGpXhUjRxQo0pgom-4Pgc2qYFLvfiSHDUwY02WhKY75yaYROFYVKLMO/s4032/IMG_3118.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNJwJ1kFQ2lzyW5dHR8iUZBAAK6J3EMV0Z4Ac9gBRDnrNNhctb3_E0Z5heDMvFsxEw_w5or5Zy-mK-15oT2hcqjGpq5ojCXwrsynbaL250y1cLGNkgVxPUSqK4sDBModXYFZUm1mGpXhUjRxQo0pgom-4Pgc2qYFLvfiSHDUwY02WhKY75yaYROFYVKLMO/w640-h480/IMG_3118.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">As soon as we heard the results of his thoracic and lumbar spine MRIs, I felt that lift—buoyed, outside of my body, disassociated—while I listened intently and still asked questions, trying to understand this rapid change in what had only been 10 weeks. And after the conversation, after Dan and I sat together in silence with occasional thoughts or jokes, after informing some friends and family, the numbing feeling also sank in.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I walked out into the sun toward the parking garage, gripping my keys as if they were a fiercely solid weight that could hold me down to the ground. I sat inside the hot interior of my car and tested my broken A/C while talking to a friend on the phone. What I remember now was how I carefully focused my breathing as evenly as I could as I talked, letting my throat stay soft and my voice steady. I was going to drive to work and make sure I could have the rest of the week off and then drive home to pick up Raine and bring him back to the hospital to see Dan. I told her we were going to simply explain that the doctors determined the pain was from the cancer in his back and he would need radiation and medicine for it to start to feel better. We don’t know anything more than that for now, so I have to avoid getting ahead of myself.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ81aoLPO0Q68fLkvl5ir50UzxxteoquJz1MeyfAC-GxT8mukRT2v8WQ6f999Rf5kFLgwwSfWroTfdktwfy0qi5-QWTtcGq2Y1oLS-ecu-xXv9CBstIMoqytrWb846JRfSEk0xeugjgN7M5K8fDqosPjodujmyirkQ-DTSV7sKqtSYqdaEkLQ6vX3wQsSY/s5712/IMG_3084.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5712" data-original-width="4284" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ81aoLPO0Q68fLkvl5ir50UzxxteoquJz1MeyfAC-GxT8mukRT2v8WQ6f999Rf5kFLgwwSfWroTfdktwfy0qi5-QWTtcGq2Y1oLS-ecu-xXv9CBstIMoqytrWb846JRfSEk0xeugjgN7M5K8fDqosPjodujmyirkQ-DTSV7sKqtSYqdaEkLQ6vX3wQsSY/w480-h640/IMG_3084.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">A tumbleweed’s dead tissue is functional—it is necessary for the plant to degrade gradually and fall apart so its seeds can drop about, deposit themselves, perhaps into a moment of promise that is moisture.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">So here is our little family, with Dan getting whisked into more scans, biopsies, radiation treatments and infusions, as we move with him. There will be appointments and a lot of driving back and forth and questions and trying to find answers and changes to how we do things and then changes to how we do things again and what will and won’t be possible at times as we adjust, tumbling along together on a new undetermined path.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">As we roll on, we will be dropping seeds. Hoping our hopes. Thank you to our community near and far …. Please share patches of water. :)</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Peace be with you,</span></p>LEAHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11581593915884936415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3248595253010250021.post-80852346394268596942024-02-11T09:10:00.000-08:002024-02-11T09:10:28.165-08:00HOME FROM THE HOSPITAL<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf_1CDpfxxNkKiF0Q-rAMfjvsLxIyMOJOc5ssNYSF53NcXzXbOk-9qVNLH_GRXEouwEWPhc1XOoucEwxUzKOh7YzackQx8HgyyPfnofRAxZQKW86xXjiBYufGbOkfuBGO11mNN4-_U3DhJt_fNXR-T3zHTvLgsY3g8rILwt8JOVZi-obkUT30TubwMxodk/s4032/IMG_2891.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf_1CDpfxxNkKiF0Q-rAMfjvsLxIyMOJOc5ssNYSF53NcXzXbOk-9qVNLH_GRXEouwEWPhc1XOoucEwxUzKOh7YzackQx8HgyyPfnofRAxZQKW86xXjiBYufGbOkfuBGO11mNN4-_U3DhJt_fNXR-T3zHTvLgsY3g8rILwt8JOVZi-obkUT30TubwMxodk/w640-h480/IMG_2891.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">blurry herzings</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">There is nothing better than leaving the hospital and going back home. It has been 6 days for Dan and he is happy to be back to Stormy and us, showers, comfy clothes, and the freedom to walk outside in the fresh air!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Unfortunately, things are still difficult. He has to follow a strict low-residue diet, he is still in tremendous pain, and he has yet to pass gas--but at least is managing some watery bowel movements.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWsxyIIsXhDKDgzRZBCZPetOAESbXZe7PHgUv_Aq2npiqwii6sb5QDZlbEplesdcDhpqtqPCnDwu0_MHR9Yqp5rhOgtCpVx_-Btgwf0rowdtAhjGzUF8Vs434w5ObhlPy5NeCpwNTtXVn79CILfibIlQBCv_r0Sm6pnJyeGocfGUYQV23crVd1Xp8lB4wb/s4032/IMG_2894.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWsxyIIsXhDKDgzRZBCZPetOAESbXZe7PHgUv_Aq2npiqwii6sb5QDZlbEplesdcDhpqtqPCnDwu0_MHR9Yqp5rhOgtCpVx_-Btgwf0rowdtAhjGzUF8Vs434w5ObhlPy5NeCpwNTtXVn79CILfibIlQBCv_r0Sm6pnJyeGocfGUYQV23crVd1Xp8lB4wb/w480-h640/IMG_2894.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I find the low-residue diet extremely challenging but Dan seems to be adapting fine. It is very counter-intuitive to what I believe is healthy eating. He can't have salad or greens, citrus or seeded fruit, whole wheat or grains, nuts or seeds, whole or raw vegetables, and any spices or seasoning. It is focused on no fiber and nothing that requires the gut to work hard at digesting or that creates flatulence. I really wish I hadn't gotten rid of our juicer because I could be giving him some greens and other veggies/fruits as juice, or how awesome would it be to be rich and just go to the local juice and broth bars for him!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">He is allowed mashed potatos, any type of bread, pasta, or cracker that is made of refined flour, sweets made with refined flour, most fats and oils, tender meat, eggs, and low-fat dairy. So he is getting by with yogurt, apple juice, broth, fish and chicken, protein shakes, and refined flour stuff. At the same time, he has a long list of medications and needs to take magnesium citrate, miralax, and senna to counteract the food and painkillers that can make him constipated.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGTOw5YbJ3pMmPd3zHIwEg2ppCAYLQ3goXFwmPMhzPJ3l7QT8eJi8TxZ6yXWiqVEsyQVMfx-83xsOpmr2f2p28hCfbOMmvAljLzQbtStpbMR5iNM-nCnbVw7fsekAB6505_p3GMYNs4BMNtNDXTgPTSmQiiQH8EyE02tMNoxfcipmsHd1-clIMMQB4B63r/s4032/IMG_2886.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGTOw5YbJ3pMmPd3zHIwEg2ppCAYLQ3goXFwmPMhzPJ3l7QT8eJi8TxZ6yXWiqVEsyQVMfx-83xsOpmr2f2p28hCfbOMmvAljLzQbtStpbMR5iNM-nCnbVw7fsekAB6505_p3GMYNs4BMNtNDXTgPTSmQiiQH8EyE02tMNoxfcipmsHd1-clIMMQB4B63r/w480-h640/IMG_2886.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">That's an entire page of medications.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Speaking of painkillers, he has been on oxy, a fentanyl patch, tylenol, and cbd/thc tablets. Even with all of that, he is in too much pain to lay down, sit comfortably, and sleep for any healing length of time. He feels better when walking or standing although that doesn't last very long either. He constantly keeps heat on the area but he is beginning to wonder if it really makes a difference? We really need help managing his pain! That is the most challenging. What do you do for an ulcer in your colon!?!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">As for passing gas and bowel movements, it is supposedly just going to take time. We have no idea how long. We are just hoping that things will not get backed up again!!! We are hoping sincerely there will be no return to the hospital. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So that's the update. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Thank you to everyone who keeps us in your thoughts, checks in with us, helps in awesome ways. I don't know how we would do it without our village!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p>LEAHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11581593915884936415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3248595253010250021.post-83983681711955084582024-02-04T15:27:00.000-08:002024-03-13T07:49:20.923-07:00WHEN IT ISN'T CANCER<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv4EXfFEC1WEvle5O68OmLPc8H652cLAVzNKX8Xmg6a7jTarYOSoWzkky2XsDE47P1uC5ttTsybKCAiwgE6MH4D9BF7tnT4uDSgB9QQkDvjBcneEQJJOnP09pLrRZ-5a0mfFvYD3txaDt3ZpZAn3HdiOwiUgGN0ZgaoA_-Vvqlkie9iq0sQvCSXN3liAqQ/s5712/IMG_2825.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5712" data-original-width="4284" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv4EXfFEC1WEvle5O68OmLPc8H652cLAVzNKX8Xmg6a7jTarYOSoWzkky2XsDE47P1uC5ttTsybKCAiwgE6MH4D9BF7tnT4uDSgB9QQkDvjBcneEQJJOnP09pLrRZ-5a0mfFvYD3txaDt3ZpZAn3HdiOwiUgGN0ZgaoA_-Vvqlkie9iq0sQvCSXN3liAqQ/w480-h640/IMG_2825.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">Having Dan in the hospital triggers my memories and anxiety from his longest hospital stay—when he was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer. It has been 9 years but even today I still experience a sense of ptsd with the sights and sounds; times of indecision about where to be (with Dan, Raine, at work, home, etc.) moments waiting for answers; and the roller coaster that is the revolving door of doctors and nurses with different opinions and strategies. This time there is a problem with his colon.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><br />First, let me share that biopsies came back negative for cancer. During a colonoscopy they also determined there were no lesions or masses (tumors). There was a concern about the inability of the camera to reach his traverse colon to check for something there, but after six days here he is now passing loose, watery stool and they consider that a success and decided not to do a PET. What we know for sure is that Alectinib is still working for him.</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">When it isn't cancer, I feel adrift in the pool of my ptsd. I mentally amped myself up and had pre-conversations in my head about it being cancer. I obsessed over whether or not it would have been his cancer metasticizing to the colon or a brand-spankin' new secondary cancer? What would the universe deliver to us as another lightning strike? I hovered over chat boxes in ALK lung cancer groups waiting to ask opinions and feedback. I cried during my drives to the hospital and back. Sometimes I googled things I shouldn't. </span></div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Afterward, I feel foolish. It feels unfair to go through it all but that is what we do. We endure and we move on. In the process, we get to feel the deep love of ourselves for each other and the generous support of those who care about us. </span></div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJDoTfF0JQxodvePp-1f1Jm5DFDbE2r9b_UlHv2nt8keOC0tJz49IK1TNWetCV7uKzX1La3pmF4k0JFRPcZ_N4GmZ_px_j2or6OSoBWNat_r9xYCSOYmGwZUU_Ar8Pbkc45QB-4QjxDsW52zAjKLhp3JeX1LrnaUoMJeQyF2DZshcqbGA4yGRQWrhnWeFq/s5712/IMG_2801.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5712" data-original-width="4284" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJDoTfF0JQxodvePp-1f1Jm5DFDbE2r9b_UlHv2nt8keOC0tJz49IK1TNWetCV7uKzX1La3pmF4k0JFRPcZ_N4GmZ_px_j2or6OSoBWNat_r9xYCSOYmGwZUU_Ar8Pbkc45QB-4QjxDsW52zAjKLhp3JeX1LrnaUoMJeQyF2DZshcqbGA4yGRQWrhnWeFq/w480-h640/IMG_2801.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><br />This all began when he was constipated for three weeks. We did everything possible to alleviate the pain and get his bowels moving. I gave him 4 enemas in 24 hours at one point! Finally the pain was so intense, he went to the ER. He was home the next day only to return again and be admitted for severe constipation. The past week he suffered having a nasogastric tube down his nose and throat to suction fluid and gas from his distended stomach. There was even poop getting backed up into his stomach and emptying into a big bucket behind his bed. He couldn't have food--just sips of water with pills. He was eating ice chips until he vomited and then he couldn't even do that. </div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhZ7_UlOHC50sdT_uuDU66HcZr9wNPxeU6p-IdiT1fv4k1hzRw-gRtcFDtlfUi4XCOv5ospgxzjpYCzC7sHz846kaXGDJPqosuNLzfXFdWh1tBnTDV_d7h5rm7x3k8EhQIrmVWHFMmji1DjzWnssrDvRKgrogNortozBJysQwya2pi1poe0FO0RelcP625s" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="5712" data-original-width="4284" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhZ7_UlOHC50sdT_uuDU66HcZr9wNPxeU6p-IdiT1fv4k1hzRw-gRtcFDtlfUi4XCOv5ospgxzjpYCzC7sHz846kaXGDJPqosuNLzfXFdWh1tBnTDV_d7h5rm7x3k8EhQIrmVWHFMmji1DjzWnssrDvRKgrogNortozBJysQwya2pi1poe0FO0RelcP625s=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><br />We saw some progress overnight Thursday to Friday with him finally passing gas (imagine not being able to fart for a week!) Then his tube came out and they let him have broth. The pain remains and he has tried different painkillers with neccessary accompanying laxatives. After 2 gallons of laxative last night, he has had 6 bouts of loose and watery stool. They introduced soft foods today.</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkrZKrjejLl3IVBNsvCnq3b4X1vQ-pzJwW6QauYg76ERtgcAhC2mKYF8mQfBIUZWDqaAURQMS7PQbF1KAG60ApbdFTmAod6khhh04lb2qhLv5TaoVinbiOToAb_SjpL4c4es4Pq9gl3Fg0GO9EoXXSuvBX0aEhRBECk0b6xppR29zBGB7xA5WV8VsAtypH/s5712/IMG_2844.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5712" data-original-width="4284" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkrZKrjejLl3IVBNsvCnq3b4X1vQ-pzJwW6QauYg76ERtgcAhC2mKYF8mQfBIUZWDqaAURQMS7PQbF1KAG60ApbdFTmAod6khhh04lb2qhLv5TaoVinbiOToAb_SjpL4c4es4Pq9gl3Fg0GO9EoXXSuvBX0aEhRBECk0b6xppR29zBGB7xA5WV8VsAtypH/w480-h640/IMG_2844.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaA9kdmvArbhqBnEpTzWv80QT670fKb-VrFp3lHInaioKiCN1wL-YnIpiAl9vH3qtnhaWGtJURZt3MObQbknQC_GzJO2UNF6A84khqLMVWvisAfhyphenhyphenaaY0HjJUgNEERgr4LvRswEDM5f8I-Afa-U9Psfsej72gQvu3W75DHb7EInaeun0WjA90NDNd0o6Lh/s5712/IMG_2856.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5712" data-original-width="4284" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaA9kdmvArbhqBnEpTzWv80QT670fKb-VrFp3lHInaioKiCN1wL-YnIpiAl9vH3qtnhaWGtJURZt3MObQbknQC_GzJO2UNF6A84khqLMVWvisAfhyphenhyphenaaY0HjJUgNEERgr4LvRswEDM5f8I-Afa-U9Psfsej72gQvu3W75DHb7EInaeun0WjA90NDNd0o6Lh/w480-h640/IMG_2856.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;">He has enjoyed Raine's visits, that first taste of broth, laughing with me and Char, and taking walks. I enjoyed a 45 minute massage yesterday when I took some time for self-care and my habit of picking up cold pressed juice, coffee, and avocado toast at a cafe nearby every day. Other than that, it has been really tough. I took a shower today after a week and it made me feel a little less strung out.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Like I said, what we do know at this point is that it is not cancer. We have narrowed the list to at least 2 ulcers and what they said in a scan appears to be consistent with adynamic ileus, which is like a loss of movement in the intestine. </span><span style="font-family: arial;">Of course, this is what I think right now. I don't know what tomorrow holds. The doctors could tell me something different because that has been happening. And we still don't know what caused this, but talk of discharge is happening. I'll keep you posted.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Thank you for the Doordash gift cards, Instacart deliveries, thoughts, prayers, positive vibes, help with Raine and my dad, and all the support that comforts us!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div>LEAHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11581593915884936415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3248595253010250021.post-16421913042376636372024-01-12T12:50:00.000-08:002024-01-12T13:06:10.399-08:00Snow Day Confessions<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-g_Bem0E-TFYxBk3T3nt0_UD6hyBOJyNuBtEBRAvAsyDTq8n__BPNpaGTCNN9lpfFAAQVh_dcvzvc1FOe8f7CyocVLshcXlhTAzPGW0z5BBKpWR2Isn1OeJeIWYekCbaf4U1qTCdKrDE7tnDa13fa4-8xZ5rJDZrES1isnpDesTdPo7GkkI3F4A2n44ua/s5712/laptop.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4284" data-original-width="5712" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-g_Bem0E-TFYxBk3T3nt0_UD6hyBOJyNuBtEBRAvAsyDTq8n__BPNpaGTCNN9lpfFAAQVh_dcvzvc1FOe8f7CyocVLshcXlhTAzPGW0z5BBKpWR2Isn1OeJeIWYekCbaf4U1qTCdKrDE7tnDa13fa4-8xZ5rJDZrES1isnpDesTdPo7GkkI3F4A2n44ua/w640-h480/laptop.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Most days off lately I have just sat around in my pajamas feeling sorry for myself and bored. So, today I went out. As in, I actually showered, dressed, packed up my laptop and a book, and drove to the coffeeshop, alone. It's a snow day so I wore my favorite wool socks, some crisp new gray pants, the softest black tee I own, and a different shade of gray scarf--wrapped around my neck now... loosely because it can hurt with my fibromyalgia. I'm listening to Jason Isbell's recent album, <i>Weathervane</i>, suggested by Corey. Only 5 weeks and then I'll be there visiting him, Suzy, and the doggo-kids in Charlottte. I'm also going to make it out to Morganton and spend a little time with Sarah and Ryan. North Carolina is beautiful and I'm excited to experience it in "winter." No other travel plans until the summer when we go back to Europe. I am practicing today with my chocolate croissant and coffee. My laptop is actually super gross and dusty which seems appropriate because I think the last time I ventured out to write was with Molly last winter. The fact that I used to do this regularly and intensely, for school for two years, seems lost on me now. I am out of practice and my writing/reading/scholarly/creative muscles are atrophied. So you get this rambling, long, single paragraph, stream-of-consciousness. Why don't I write on the blog like I used to? I wrote so much when we lived in Oregon. I go back to it often and witness again the difficult and also beautiful times. With Dan doing well in his targeted treatment regime, I have told myself that no one wants to read about anything else--and certainly not about me. What about me matters? I tell people that I write to advocate against stigmas in illness, but I don't. I only update on Dan, and I don't even write very much about the stigma we encounter with his cancer being lung cancer. I don't participate in fundraisers or awareness campaigns either, even in November which is Lung Cancer Awareness month. Honestly it sounds exhausting. I'd rather avoid confrontation and stay in my pajamas and eat croissants. Or drink. By now, I have drank enough alcohol for a lifetime and I am only 43. It increased significantly --became daily--after my mom died. The crack in my mind and the crater in my heart--it was and still is just too much. I don't want to feel it so I try to distract and numb myself. Having bipolar disorder, on medications, and drinking daily is quite a choice. It's not the move but I do it anyway. Change is hard if you don't want to change. If I keep writing my way into confessions like this maybe I will begin to want to. I have never known moderation in any aspect of myself and certainly my unhealthy habits. But I suppose that is part of bipolar disorder. I also think my boundaries are fuzzy. I over share if I feel comfortable with you. I am easily codependent with many people in my life. I can see how my symptoms overlap with borderline personality disorder, which is hard to admit because I worked with borderline patients in Chicago and I thought they were terrible people. It's hard to seperate that disorder from the person. I suppose that could be said about any disease. Who is Dan apart from his cancer? How does he maintain his self-identity or how did he encompass cancer into his identity without getting lost? I think about these things often, especially for other friends and people I know who have cancer. Some of them I actually only know <i>because</i> of their cancer. I would say that Dan is grounded as himself, and actually rarely thinks about his cancer. In September it will have been 10 years since his diagnosis. At that time, we learned that the cancer had sort of began about 9 months prior and grew, spreading throughout the year. It felt so fast but I now know that is not as quick as some people experience. It can even be just a few weeks. So in a way, as it is January of 2024, Dan has been living with cancer for 10 years now. I have been living with his cancer too. And that is another reason that I self-medicate. It's not just drinking. I push boundaries, as I said, and I spend too much. I make a joke of it but it really is not the move. It is hard to save money when it burns a hole in your pocket. And it is stressful when life is precarious like that. Kristi told me a way to think of stress is “Stress is: I am feeling this and I don’t want to feel this.” She said sometimes just acknowledging it as a feeling helps her calm down. What do you do to calm yourself? I soothe myself with a blanket, just like I did as a child. My mother never expected I would carry the habit into adulthood. However she never made me feel ashamed or funny about it. She just laughed and shrugged her shoulders. I've moved onto an almond croissant and a chai latte. Sigor Ros. Time to read a little of my book--"1000 Words; A Writer's Guide to Staying Creative, Focused, and Productive All Year Round" by Jami Attenberg. She started the #1000wordsofsummer movement if you remember. I like this because it is full of thoughts from authors. I'm especially curious what is shared by Ada Lemon, Elissa Washuta, Alexander Chee, and Roxane Gay. I also want to do some research for contests and submissions I can do for my tiny book, "Blankets," which was my thesis. After that, I think it is a perfect winter day to take roses to the cemetary. How do you spend your snow days? </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmwlAoMcCX3JopBtg4DBYcsV8MCmSYQdjsHTIVB3PjKRSfLEaffs5gMcTpxnjRJAxf4ZddZ9-IRxUy8z2Ponz2iMqYOeiSVKAl2rrrFjl9sXqD4ZxtVrxRAzVVGL0Up4X3VifV2gwvLylMp1TT5Gluo8kWRKDt0QiNehDbTA9zQXH-vTLg4ElrNZb4zn_H/s3088/IMG_2566.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmwlAoMcCX3JopBtg4DBYcsV8MCmSYQdjsHTIVB3PjKRSfLEaffs5gMcTpxnjRJAxf4ZddZ9-IRxUy8z2Ponz2iMqYOeiSVKAl2rrrFjl9sXqD4ZxtVrxRAzVVGL0Up4X3VifV2gwvLylMp1TT5Gluo8kWRKDt0QiNehDbTA9zQXH-vTLg4ElrNZb4zn_H/w480-h640/IMG_2566.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">If I decided to post this, and you have read this far, thank you for being my witness in life. And consider supporting Palestine and a permanent cease fire. Many small voices can make great change. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Peace be with you.</div><p></p>LEAHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11581593915884936415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3248595253010250021.post-61524855772354955742024-01-06T09:18:00.000-08:002024-01-06T09:18:47.172-08:002024<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLUCSdfGH1YvkHg4vdlTzK8hPeOOYVJ9I-dqFJzDHvEDlMmAk_m1n5oQiDqybfhMgNkwPxcibukdIjxLHzBc-diFyjofK0U68X2ALdiMqPowBE8YaGzfQpl0kIUbXeZhmjCHiDYGsfYTkjhQKpR8xRrr823SaKYtV6KWk6uKXyE19gxeok5W8_gb0O2NjO/s3088/IMG_2519.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLUCSdfGH1YvkHg4vdlTzK8hPeOOYVJ9I-dqFJzDHvEDlMmAk_m1n5oQiDqybfhMgNkwPxcibukdIjxLHzBc-diFyjofK0U68X2ALdiMqPowBE8YaGzfQpl0kIUbXeZhmjCHiDYGsfYTkjhQKpR8xRrr823SaKYtV6KWk6uKXyE19gxeok5W8_gb0O2NjO/w480-h640/IMG_2519.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Pink</div><div><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1c7qlQz723-7UiJ-G69J7_errGABq41hFFGy7NlVSmDvafkZ3iBmF8SMS1SAjtH8HXmjfJbGVoPbpfZGa-pCdZot3GHEw10bM8C7k3LsnL51i1_UJ9n4rED7imFbu4BI5519JIRBnZn54Q3E70yt7M1IgLQqgGLzDGfPba-Oha5ztxaPd0SasPHkvnozn/s5712/IMG_2525.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5712" data-original-width="4284" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1c7qlQz723-7UiJ-G69J7_errGABq41hFFGy7NlVSmDvafkZ3iBmF8SMS1SAjtH8HXmjfJbGVoPbpfZGa-pCdZot3GHEw10bM8C7k3LsnL51i1_UJ9n4rED7imFbu4BI5519JIRBnZn54Q3E70yt7M1IgLQqgGLzDGfPba-Oha5ztxaPd0SasPHkvnozn/w480-h640/IMG_2525.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">Current Reads</p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-7b1mkEtvEV_gJBwLwEqfDjZShLCLOyKMnje5Ytw5kyfIlmYBYLEhpShZpBBfIJtN3wrzdhU_uEuWfVrHsUPA8Zb7cOtF_3SoUdtcVfrY0sK7yKtDo3XbqcmsGrnYt27VoTCqUIkVhTrsOQrRAIJ7ub7lT7CQJtRVK9Q9I7Fz4eVgCiS1lhGaI9HvRlmz/s4032/IMG_2520.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-7b1mkEtvEV_gJBwLwEqfDjZShLCLOyKMnje5Ytw5kyfIlmYBYLEhpShZpBBfIJtN3wrzdhU_uEuWfVrHsUPA8Zb7cOtF_3SoUdtcVfrY0sK7yKtDo3XbqcmsGrnYt27VoTCqUIkVhTrsOQrRAIJ7ub7lT7CQJtRVK9Q9I7Fz4eVgCiS1lhGaI9HvRlmz/w480-h640/IMG_2520.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">From Zac. So applicable.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPRE2SC7PStwSV0FIhmYyFftWxKXyGzx-A_iEXjlJJD3TErzZV458bb5WoMAoj5q9qrSkeirxvHIRch67nQouGKK6MPLI2ERCTmSNTIKAQ_ntnhiOLBLLqSFOvI1vm_zeYDlHk5dxAY1JqhB60wySwUyE97q0IJMD3mVTr8vkCO5MDNevw4iUZ59smdZYa/s5712/IMG_2526.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5712" data-original-width="4284" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPRE2SC7PStwSV0FIhmYyFftWxKXyGzx-A_iEXjlJJD3TErzZV458bb5WoMAoj5q9qrSkeirxvHIRch67nQouGKK6MPLI2ERCTmSNTIKAQ_ntnhiOLBLLqSFOvI1vm_zeYDlHk5dxAY1JqhB60wySwUyE97q0IJMD3mVTr8vkCO5MDNevw4iUZ59smdZYa/w480-h640/IMG_2526.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">Join me in the New Year with <a href="https://www.nikkimcclure.com/" target="_blank">Nikki McClure.</a></p>LEAHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11581593915884936415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3248595253010250021.post-74167600298540619522023-09-07T17:30:00.000-07:002023-09-07T17:30:03.264-07:0019th Wedding Anniversary & Scan Results<p style="text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhubUOZLfFm5PQOvgze0vRUn2zkvTJ8CYZsxzP7sl53D-ZE-6d--q-sVuYOHBnDcXTk-1QvJaJ02oNCxUKOGfXMDcw2_GDtHNCrsp5_HF-DpnzVhQkP9k_-2wC23LE0conjJz7WGo3mJ5ZznGw0jkEc2rAwi2PJtq2XbSfbSy60MzQWpeNjmg9QB7n5wsEH/s4032/IMG_1194.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhubUOZLfFm5PQOvgze0vRUn2zkvTJ8CYZsxzP7sl53D-ZE-6d--q-sVuYOHBnDcXTk-1QvJaJ02oNCxUKOGfXMDcw2_GDtHNCrsp5_HF-DpnzVhQkP9k_-2wC23LE0conjJz7WGo3mJ5ZznGw0jkEc2rAwi2PJtq2XbSfbSy60MzQWpeNjmg9QB7n5wsEH/w640-h480/IMG_1194.jpeg" width="640" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;">For starters, we celebrated our 19 year wedding anniversary!</p><p style="text-align: left;">(Photo above - we spent a night away in Michigan City, Indiana, a weekend before our anniversary where we saw one of my favorite comedians and enjoyed pickle-backs and a giant, buttery, salted pretzel at the oldest bar in town.)</p><p>This time we didn't get each other the same greeting card, but we definitely picked good ones. His read, "The fact that I wait to watch our shows together shows the highest testament of my love for you." And mine was "Let's grow old and hold hands <strike>forever</strike> until I need to use my phone." Ha! They are both so true. </p><p>As for watching shows together, we have most recently seen <i>Silo</i>, <i>Platonic</i>, and <i>Hijacked </i>on Apple TV and finished the last season of <i>Peaky Blinders</i> on Netflix. So good. <i>Silo </i>is based on the book <i>Wool</i>, so I will be checking that out soon! Books, by the way... We are reading ... (Dan) back-to-back Andy Weir--<i>Project Hail Mary </i>and <i>Artemis</i>. I am loving <i>Butter Honey Pig Bread</i>, while also dabbling in poetry and nonfiction (<i>War Is Not My Mother</i> and <i>The Problem with Everything: My Journey Through the new Culture Wars</i>) and sideglancing a huge pile of to-reads about crystals, chakras, home decor, and health/wellness. Ha! </p><p>Anyway, other mundane information is our hobbies of fishing, golfing, and walking for Dan, and retail therapy for me. (Truly. I am working on getting a better hobby...Word on the street is that I might start walking or yoga? I do have a new tattoo of a bee standing on a flower in Warrior I pose.) Stormy keeps us laughing and Raine is a joy, Grandpa Don is doing well, so our little house is cozy and nice. Plans to travel again are in the works...</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsrW8R6SnN-ZK8UGfxUSXbPljkizBtZTvH9gOA3ILAvKhop5pTBHCHoZl6beR9vJgxzI0UVKV9OiWeBpS_gqDBUCMTofz5bKSfZW5KfJofJ7SByuZ85xuUBPXlOq1SZ8c1vRNAGMNjLo0UKmWJhGdYglhD7GmBFWsd1YwnYHpJGb1gz_wjYXcNe2F6417v/s4032/IMG_1288.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsrW8R6SnN-ZK8UGfxUSXbPljkizBtZTvH9gOA3ILAvKhop5pTBHCHoZl6beR9vJgxzI0UVKV9OiWeBpS_gqDBUCMTofz5bKSfZW5KfJofJ7SByuZ85xuUBPXlOq1SZ8c1vRNAGMNjLo0UKmWJhGdYglhD7GmBFWsd1YwnYHpJGb1gz_wjYXcNe2F6417v/w640-h480/IMG_1288.jpeg" width="640" /></a></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiySwZ3ZqGlJ8hG0gjrY4yw6SkT50_youjriSiXr8baAbVS7AeAaLRV05gEbLjWqyIqWFB0BOE0Tm2hWnM6HYSaM0dyfNg9kyn9OgE-NWMiW08AXILgUzhBd0biISRjfKTYUru5ReCrt9CWc85BDa4qdQSqb0RRX-yf-E-_AZKvLyAF6mEjsqnv6VBnfTf3/s4032/IMG_1303.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiySwZ3ZqGlJ8hG0gjrY4yw6SkT50_youjriSiXr8baAbVS7AeAaLRV05gEbLjWqyIqWFB0BOE0Tm2hWnM6HYSaM0dyfNg9kyn9OgE-NWMiW08AXILgUzhBd0biISRjfKTYUru5ReCrt9CWc85BDa4qdQSqb0RRX-yf-E-_AZKvLyAF6mEjsqnv6VBnfTf3/w480-h640/IMG_1303.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><p></p><p>Our actual anniversary weekend we spent time together as a family camping, also with Jim, Char, Doug, Rita, and the kids. Boating, sitting by the campfire, and celebrating one final stay in Jim and Char's camper. They have been camping together for 50 years and will now pass on the keys to another family. Next time we go to Apple Canyon, we will be celebrating at Doug and Rita's new lake house. </p><p>On our actual anniversary--the 4th--we slept in and then Dan made pancakes and mimosas. We exchanged gifts. We enjoyed tacos and margaritas for lunch at <i>Blue Margarita</i> with Raine. We were happy. And still very much in love with each other.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1qIRA-u7OBJG392wwXiuBeCPJa5iWq9HOuo98g2mHAqqkO94RDHOmTCglYOWTndOnHyy17d014xk5YgFF7Blao8kIc7iCy0zJAORSW34Jh9tx6QfEDVAmbFxg3JvrN-TNLvj6lLEeBsSMjHo4R2djC4bSE9y3KlrqDEd-h--T_-u6StCK_Hm5vFoRnP8W/s4032/IMG_1317.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1qIRA-u7OBJG392wwXiuBeCPJa5iWq9HOuo98g2mHAqqkO94RDHOmTCglYOWTndOnHyy17d014xk5YgFF7Blao8kIc7iCy0zJAORSW34Jh9tx6QfEDVAmbFxg3JvrN-TNLvj6lLEeBsSMjHo4R2djC4bSE9y3KlrqDEd-h--T_-u6StCK_Hm5vFoRnP8W/w640-h480/IMG_1317.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOUJ-Xnp9xMPp__qjNs5UBSQc8muFXon_e3AlaimA4bFIB2MpNiKEx3hx6KrrJMz_clCZVMDpggAP9hRQrc_mbZhRtSlaUYSr-1whgN6-aWBsZu1X_s8cPRlfDz3IcvgKWe3n7jZcwnYNZR75tDySgeh7tFZN1lJX20vRwL5e_ZIF4yjfqDslXg6ESzfbb/s4032/IMG_1338.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOUJ-Xnp9xMPp__qjNs5UBSQc8muFXon_e3AlaimA4bFIB2MpNiKEx3hx6KrrJMz_clCZVMDpggAP9hRQrc_mbZhRtSlaUYSr-1whgN6-aWBsZu1X_s8cPRlfDz3IcvgKWe3n7jZcwnYNZR75tDySgeh7tFZN1lJX20vRwL5e_ZIF4yjfqDslXg6ESzfbb/w480-h640/IMG_1338.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">As for scan results, Dan's CT came back stable. Again! And all bloodwork was good.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We did celebratory pickle-backs. (This is the thing we do, you know? For celebrating--Except when we have them because I get a writing publication rejection. That is just to soften the blow.) </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Feel free to celebrate with us in your own way.... Cheers to some good things!!!!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p></p>LEAHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11581593915884936415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3248595253010250021.post-91524129240046798692023-06-11T12:25:00.000-07:002023-06-11T12:25:31.246-07:008 years, 8 months<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Lora, serif;"><i>"Can we keep going and find a way into chronic management of lung cancer? Can the drugs keep developing and give Dan an extended life with disease? I feel fortunate to even be asking these questions eight months after his diagnosis. And yet, I haven’t found my peace with it all. Does one ever?" </i></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Lora, serif;">- </span><a href="http://www.lovelyleahruth.com/2015/05/" style="font-family: Lora, serif;" target="_blank">Eight Months</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Lora, serif;"> 5.18.15</span></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGY65EDAwO8J_d9m9VPePKoPQvLZJIPV1LYtDvzf_9LhFFCBhSi8ZEqA-YBtnOvfTIisMr4k-rdkOwKDDyOJZhMGn_vvM0SJfibfYG8EEa_gj1rg-xKBQYxcHoocmswzT85PvEjPA3HJdh8_GRr89uAxv-8UKfjPRm3rX_vkKsDidZDFjPBt0Q4oci7A/s4032/IMG_0252.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGY65EDAwO8J_d9m9VPePKoPQvLZJIPV1LYtDvzf_9LhFFCBhSi8ZEqA-YBtnOvfTIisMr4k-rdkOwKDDyOJZhMGn_vvM0SJfibfYG8EEa_gj1rg-xKBQYxcHoocmswzT85PvEjPA3HJdh8_GRr89uAxv-8UKfjPRm3rX_vkKsDidZDFjPBt0Q4oci7A/w480-h640/IMG_0252.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div><br /><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">I wasn't prepared for the changes that came. Major life changes. Changes that were connected to Dan's disease or perhaps just circling on the periphery. Moving. Dan having multiple surgeries. His disability income with no hope of earning more than he does, ever again. I wasn't prepared but I have tried to accept it all.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"> </span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Changes that were unrelated came with brutal force. My mother died. I spent </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">this Mother's Day at the cemetary for the seventh time. I watched my father drift into some sort of point on the Lewy Body Dementia spectrum. Rachel and I became surrogate mothers to him-helping with his medical care, finances, medications, and sometimes personal care.</span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">If you had spoken to me eight years ago I would have anticipated Dan being taken care of such as this, or worse. At one point I believed finding my mother lifeless or showering my father were preparing me for those moments with Dan. This is just where my mind ends up. Isn't every experience preparing you for the next? </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">However nothing has surprised me more than being here right next to him, so many years later, in our same side by side spots in a nest of sheets, fingers intertwined as we fall asleep. And I am living life as if he doesn't have cancer. My only reminders are his CTs and MRIs every few months. And they continue to show everything unchanged. So I feel peaceful about his cancer. Most of the time.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaFQYRW8aAJ3znF0D00D-tH4knYQWGEjLWLS9M9fR6yRdlig3_FtX2dikJwD99kwzYBpo78pT0eCqKRSiiw0EzxTNx9uSa0eb06APPx_S5eCpZmAe5wQCwBWJHryZ3sfHYdSepg49EaRitcnQ-C-9u_KDY1By5aL-beR0M5zHjBIM8tRWm6teQThACgw/s3088/IMG_0273.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaFQYRW8aAJ3znF0D00D-tH4knYQWGEjLWLS9M9fR6yRdlig3_FtX2dikJwD99kwzYBpo78pT0eCqKRSiiw0EzxTNx9uSa0eb06APPx_S5eCpZmAe5wQCwBWJHryZ3sfHYdSepg49EaRitcnQ-C-9u_KDY1By5aL-beR0M5zHjBIM8tRWm6teQThACgw/w480-h640/IMG_0273.jpeg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">I am just following his lead of focusing on positive things--including making future plans.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">The unbelievable...Sweden celebrating Midsummer Day. I'll bring a white sundress and wear a crown of flowers. We'll move onto Amsterdam with crowded streets of bicycles and canals, flower festivals, and poignant places to visit. Make Raine's dream come true and visit Paris. Let him sweat and consider going back down as he climbs those stairs, but then finally reach the elevator that takes him to the top of the tower.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">And the ordinary: Let's have lunch together tomorrow; a new restaurant. Savoring al pastor or tacos de lengua, guacomole with the right amount of lime, a cuban cocktail with tequila and squirt with a splash of coke. A tall glass of smooth horchata with cinnamon.</span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">Let's spend the evening on the patio and play with our beautiful son. Our crazy dog.</span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm-TK7gHxHQ5gL7g1-gy4c_1Bv0I0rbMyXQwxblmaVqE-kgzKlgwD5FM1cVx1ahyTmJyxsByz0Lc77VZsXTjIKROsFuiPjIW2BYXEZbk9juFj_cD8lrjAVLbbpLrMCKNTukLsFo_5HRVNjENiXBIxRuheNBVwRbG05_aqEmlgdx-flUGjDCTrBUyyUmw/s4032/IMG_9969.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm-TK7gHxHQ5gL7g1-gy4c_1Bv0I0rbMyXQwxblmaVqE-kgzKlgwD5FM1cVx1ahyTmJyxsByz0Lc77VZsXTjIKROsFuiPjIW2BYXEZbk9juFj_cD8lrjAVLbbpLrMCKNTukLsFo_5HRVNjENiXBIxRuheNBVwRbG05_aqEmlgdx-flUGjDCTrBUyyUmw/w480-h640/IMG_9969.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-Rvbzz2HYhd21I4QtC-jl7zdeiTghtxBPZ3wY5gL02zfQW6AsXmVq3jkLLDLt19mbscNGarSeGqnzKHQO3kywKz0dxYsRpzJ67_l3fnr3x-6kUsJ06AWtKKQxnZT_zQALVBTxgsXA0wRPdws0XszQCqOGDngkJKCW15dBz-R8MLswDfNZQ3Z3mOiA-A/s4032/IMG_0112.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-Rvbzz2HYhd21I4QtC-jl7zdeiTghtxBPZ3wY5gL02zfQW6AsXmVq3jkLLDLt19mbscNGarSeGqnzKHQO3kywKz0dxYsRpzJ67_l3fnr3x-6kUsJ06AWtKKQxnZT_zQALVBTxgsXA0wRPdws0XszQCqOGDngkJKCW15dBz-R8MLswDfNZQ3Z3mOiA-A/w480-h640/IMG_0112.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaDFDeluVYYbHhKzI5QHYd6ZsSf8bCbWPYQzK8p5B53GjOJ1En3juIhRYFsR5t8mo8rRvoQDD5U48zSTlZwn3j9D27bjdWo-LGKSjAIkWGd_rVGct_2qMfhqxWuEJuakcRJ4LSZAc5mZZFytUV0bocsVr3pLKoh1OBkZvfylLlkCFw_dgxP4bunqTFQA/s4032/IMG_9966.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaDFDeluVYYbHhKzI5QHYd6ZsSf8bCbWPYQzK8p5B53GjOJ1En3juIhRYFsR5t8mo8rRvoQDD5U48zSTlZwn3j9D27bjdWo-LGKSjAIkWGd_rVGct_2qMfhqxWuEJuakcRJ4LSZAc5mZZFytUV0bocsVr3pLKoh1OBkZvfylLlkCFw_dgxP4bunqTFQA/w480-h640/IMG_9966.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I am hopeful for another year, and then maybe another 8 years. To sit down and write another blog post like this. Wouldn't that be amazing.</span></div>LEAHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11581593915884936415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3248595253010250021.post-87076063047009480102023-06-01T15:13:00.003-07:002023-06-01T15:16:51.086-07:00So, Paris Happened<div>I celebrated my birthday last October with a last minute trip to Paris with <a href="https://amymulderphotography.com/" target="_blank">Amy</a>. A few pictures here sum up a little bit of the weekend--</div><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFrWI9P80CdK6y_0PSnbwksyKYLrqgCIi-99Qi1U3b7CoyfyU8q5mwX3d-SnjNi69aHHE8XaKN1T8DWS7lCZE6Vet1pCL7woCarydbnIxrrN0ZAuNIhKhOUJVpAvJcsKsqiHZ2jGN6LID5KO15wXUhhRAek4wNlQJ-25DU3tqZOJ8d_sjasuJWvFTb0g/s4032/IMG_7713.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFrWI9P80CdK6y_0PSnbwksyKYLrqgCIi-99Qi1U3b7CoyfyU8q5mwX3d-SnjNi69aHHE8XaKN1T8DWS7lCZE6Vet1pCL7woCarydbnIxrrN0ZAuNIhKhOUJVpAvJcsKsqiHZ2jGN6LID5KO15wXUhhRAek4wNlQJ-25DU3tqZOJ8d_sjasuJWvFTb0g/w480-h640/IMG_7713.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">The view from our dinner cruise boat on the Siene.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC-h-3WidFWWtEMC7hFcGoKKjvWoC7cgF_ucbwVUeNrrUcPdYvXLcq_PnSjzBHNuyDKccOf-fOoWK2AT-g51bcNzB9R4Jx4TjSnisfbdKV4XeQ9aTR6hHmkOWe52h3Ieo9x6C5ZCj1OuseGUd5Cyl-sOE7ainiSzk3iPVhxGKjL9lvJD9mJb52JnhWoQ/s3088/IMG_7745.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC-h-3WidFWWtEMC7hFcGoKKjvWoC7cgF_ucbwVUeNrrUcPdYvXLcq_PnSjzBHNuyDKccOf-fOoWK2AT-g51bcNzB9R4Jx4TjSnisfbdKV4XeQ9aTR6hHmkOWe52h3Ieo9x6C5ZCj1OuseGUd5Cyl-sOE7ainiSzk3iPVhxGKjL9lvJD9mJb52JnhWoQ/w480-h640/IMG_7745.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Just like Italy, gelato was had numerous times for no reason other than Gelato.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2nDrmyB3CgZYMlnukg4AQGrVBYID4zR8qTk4sHDJaDfplQs0FGP_qF9PToO6RNArUnw6fsCvQ9ZlXSB0hf39Frmenk8ihFHN6VvdeDnmMYy10nSgOQXu-xA9m4vtorlXSRf-z8j4lskcC2iSqoHS03Xk-UunYqIcvt4xpfnA9rxXf4__FsaUhv3vgqA/s4032/IMG_7797.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2nDrmyB3CgZYMlnukg4AQGrVBYID4zR8qTk4sHDJaDfplQs0FGP_qF9PToO6RNArUnw6fsCvQ9ZlXSB0hf39Frmenk8ihFHN6VvdeDnmMYy10nSgOQXu-xA9m4vtorlXSRf-z8j4lskcC2iSqoHS03Xk-UunYqIcvt4xpfnA9rxXf4__FsaUhv3vgqA/w640-h480/IMG_7797.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The same can be said for macaroons!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ8CcfnedQkfQOWU59YPdpIxaJI6bpFAdXYEnRy90spQbbVItuXwyjpb5uEl8zDuI5Z4WXELw9bQaRa25SSvnkSz5RTOCy4uhCKs4HuhNjWED5DN8vHwao7JMVlJSD-LqxdCpLxHgZOFuxPjTU9m00Je21Ifpwa2fe8IpMhq_DH9vlAJYGBQAsHe7SkQ/s4032/IMG_7864.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ8CcfnedQkfQOWU59YPdpIxaJI6bpFAdXYEnRy90spQbbVItuXwyjpb5uEl8zDuI5Z4WXELw9bQaRa25SSvnkSz5RTOCy4uhCKs4HuhNjWED5DN8vHwao7JMVlJSD-LqxdCpLxHgZOFuxPjTU9m00Je21Ifpwa2fe8IpMhq_DH9vlAJYGBQAsHe7SkQ/w480-h640/IMG_7864.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKDk_RfWsGV2k7v71sFIstm78jlt7WJ4zWp9ib5k6EFbxdRpqCbU9dVSguGINm-98MtwISX0txsHkuwy8RdP1WHFnBkj_g5LlOe8H-YlXSHRLE387q7UShx63-FF-KD7HHjUZvqOP0zR5g0V3lAlp_iVrRvvqGtQVY6idM5zOAbDXzOJAqkKp1hzjtpg/s4032/IMG_7879.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKDk_RfWsGV2k7v71sFIstm78jlt7WJ4zWp9ib5k6EFbxdRpqCbU9dVSguGINm-98MtwISX0txsHkuwy8RdP1WHFnBkj_g5LlOe8H-YlXSHRLE387q7UShx63-FF-KD7HHjUZvqOP0zR5g0V3lAlp_iVrRvvqGtQVY6idM5zOAbDXzOJAqkKp1hzjtpg/w640-h480/IMG_7879.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Two of my all-time favorites that I found at the <a href="http://www.musee-orsay.fr/en" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;">Musé</span>e d'Orsay</span></a> --- <span style="background-color: white; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: Unna; text-align: start;"><i>Petite danseuse de quatorze ans</i> by Edgar Degas and <i>Le Lit</i> by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec... Along with hundreds of amazing impressionist and post-impressionist works.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: start;"><span style="color: #1c1c1c; font-family: Unna;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: start;"><span style="color: #1c1c1c; font-family: Unna;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWcZPJED7M2LkyTAnaia9g4vhT9yIiLb7jryNWa-wl6b_pAXNm41UszjBBUzYbn4sqH4rJOCIc3Jj1_0eK3VNZyRaFt2-Ezu0WZMo3cYMn0dEarokiKxx4pyu_B1oreQS56SXgKsmJ3wdOuuEDeVF1yNZh3dyNawl3CfR_W6D-PEetjFqDDX5RcmwGSQ/s4032/IMG_6796.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWcZPJED7M2LkyTAnaia9g4vhT9yIiLb7jryNWa-wl6b_pAXNm41UszjBBUzYbn4sqH4rJOCIc3Jj1_0eK3VNZyRaFt2-Ezu0WZMo3cYMn0dEarokiKxx4pyu_B1oreQS56SXgKsmJ3wdOuuEDeVF1yNZh3dyNawl3CfR_W6D-PEetjFqDDX5RcmwGSQ/w640-h480/IMG_6796.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUmIGk8TvPxxC5R19sFIIE2Agle64ePlufcZ2Ym__oTrTLYkNTUBa23CRoa7mfO78TXypywhqRNcguvo-lp2FzEEj2tvOmKQAq5dMvfO9_13t2zxADfCTtz4BXHDLmPXGv0TXglnZTD7pPmViCO5S-7V5Go6f5qj02YBIq0eOK89PzQAjgBZe9HqeQuA/s4032/IMG_6883.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUmIGk8TvPxxC5R19sFIIE2Agle64ePlufcZ2Ym__oTrTLYkNTUBa23CRoa7mfO78TXypywhqRNcguvo-lp2FzEEj2tvOmKQAq5dMvfO9_13t2zxADfCTtz4BXHDLmPXGv0TXglnZTD7pPmViCO5S-7V5Go6f5qj02YBIq0eOK89PzQAjgBZe9HqeQuA/w480-h640/IMG_6883.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We went to a show at the Moulin Rouge and dined outside afterward at a cafe until midnight. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We make each other laugh so hard that I cry.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif3Prw0ViBNn58pq4C4KVGFtrjVr0m7mw8LbipbpDg9gi91eZNjkhbLQiA3o1BXGJloXCt_w0gGs4tIUZWPAOy2fNjxeHmFNA8-8l9SnVjrYp5iXaHrYrdf4d8HjPkAqH6bTgbeTD8C0Bmnneyr-EBu1ne49XozJf_4Fuh9KPVM_DArR4viZozfjdcig/s4032/IMG_8004.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif3Prw0ViBNn58pq4C4KVGFtrjVr0m7mw8LbipbpDg9gi91eZNjkhbLQiA3o1BXGJloXCt_w0gGs4tIUZWPAOy2fNjxeHmFNA8-8l9SnVjrYp5iXaHrYrdf4d8HjPkAqH6bTgbeTD8C0Bmnneyr-EBu1ne49XozJf_4Fuh9KPVM_DArR4viZozfjdcig/w640-h480/IMG_8004.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2WVHLbCLkFjupPn0iBNmP8ia11bEKn3W2-LlDKStkoABHWOPMw8rVV5mo1o0vaAKWTGl9tRBWj-udmgnZc4ouQoVsA6LjJGmlc1vhjNb0VesW6QCPVD6nQvNWETWKgwdFee5iTq_M_wxf9-4Vq20hPQcYpK0EVyFh4UWc4wa6pBbmfFmHTskCumQ3oA/s4032/IMG_6918.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2WVHLbCLkFjupPn0iBNmP8ia11bEKn3W2-LlDKStkoABHWOPMw8rVV5mo1o0vaAKWTGl9tRBWj-udmgnZc4ouQoVsA6LjJGmlc1vhjNb0VesW6QCPVD6nQvNWETWKgwdFee5iTq_M_wxf9-4Vq20hPQcYpK0EVyFh4UWc4wa6pBbmfFmHTskCumQ3oA/w480-h640/IMG_6918.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Cheers to the tower and all of the other parks where we sat and ate baguette, drank champagne or wine, and people watched, took photos, read, and talked. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">It is true that it is the city of love. There were people making out everywhere.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqyT8w7QkqIhFx_OWz0rRQMRUN3H6VPaKZi79ZEAHN0mp7qUZu5oi36-taQLW2XW6s2xhTDvUXQferv0Z3mXg5c43zpvCWyYYG-vMVF2TZavVt--09coaAlxiva7jfLTMYbBhJ7_FlvxIw9xM0XVt5Bka3DsJU19DJ8ztypvlzeaZQoYqDa6PqdnIUNA/s4032/IMG_6515.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqyT8w7QkqIhFx_OWz0rRQMRUN3H6VPaKZi79ZEAHN0mp7qUZu5oi36-taQLW2XW6s2xhTDvUXQferv0Z3mXg5c43zpvCWyYYG-vMVF2TZavVt--09coaAlxiva7jfLTMYbBhJ7_FlvxIw9xM0XVt5Bka3DsJU19DJ8ztypvlzeaZQoYqDa6PqdnIUNA/w480-h640/IMG_6515.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Until next summer, Paris. Raine can't wait to meet you!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/loolaherzing/albums/72177720303858007" target="_blank">See all of my trip photos on Flickr</a>.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p></p>LEAHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11581593915884936415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3248595253010250021.post-74064825811397888012023-05-06T11:48:00.006-07:002023-05-06T11:49:29.458-07:00Dan and Doug Golf Scotland<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVyqwBBu5JEzhuF7xnocl3zb_PDINQYjUgUV1lJcL2KM1Tehx-ymqpJvKCbYv4qA3EMQHkUixqZ1sqJ8nkVQijhN5FAIR_Wd66QozhpHl-NwD__2fqGBzoX-qJvsi-l__Etjnle_Rb49O5QYAT_fSUcBFhAK6OlfMG-DdBTXTWIVZBT8_TBrAc4o0VTA/s1800/scotland4.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1440" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVyqwBBu5JEzhuF7xnocl3zb_PDINQYjUgUV1lJcL2KM1Tehx-ymqpJvKCbYv4qA3EMQHkUixqZ1sqJ8nkVQijhN5FAIR_Wd66QozhpHl-NwD__2fqGBzoX-qJvsi-l__Etjnle_Rb49O5QYAT_fSUcBFhAK6OlfMG-DdBTXTWIVZBT8_TBrAc4o0VTA/w512-h640/scotland4.jpeg" width="512" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc2IVge6SLn3LlEBwH5TtwMms5-hbJbN5PapCx5mbS8nsFtFQyd0GV82gQdU8XdqYFw4aFDaFUt-figgQ8h6km3zAzMYX5So4Cm8B-L_Q4cYi8GclVwNP1xcxES9LSiN1lupDclPhpP0KxL5eKT27y4vnoM1yLjvfTVO2OZ_vgyQ5a3HU9phJ7_D-Urg/s1800/scotland3.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1440" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc2IVge6SLn3LlEBwH5TtwMms5-hbJbN5PapCx5mbS8nsFtFQyd0GV82gQdU8XdqYFw4aFDaFUt-figgQ8h6km3zAzMYX5So4Cm8B-L_Q4cYi8GclVwNP1xcxES9LSiN1lupDclPhpP0KxL5eKT27y4vnoM1yLjvfTVO2OZ_vgyQ5a3HU9phJ7_D-Urg/w512-h640/scotland3.jpeg" width="512" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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font-size: 15px; text-align: start; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://www.dumbarnielinks.com/" target="_blank">Dunbarnie</a> in Scotland</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: start; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBjjaz3Ag0Q4XvPqnuWg_Ykef15ZsASHLOHZLtrk9CMgO0TVldv05-gvkLG2AZPfTXyksLcZy-aGE3QKHlFi1TURr6Vg96ko3A18I4okTicBooHQtPoFnxLXhnz137f0wqTguep0qQN1qw7It59ANyX_epr0gDdMYK4i9PQr5Vg7Ff-z6OmMTPBVlVnQ/s4032/IMG_1825.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; 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margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-p9lpuOAlt_PRKRq0WAwiY6TzUW15SOUAiobRlqxQYwSLlIM5W7nGyAuG4nA76_O62oWtzkWC2QoR92KMWjjqwflbL8MmddBs3NM1Id2nuNJF9qnYw02KKEQ-DPLNI4y92K-Q3NX0EiH8JaDFC0rf7z3poxZGRwOBLNc0O5FslxVNxX-jbb50ZIm2Iw/w480-h640/343996778_802205534190931_6742091093863341385_n.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqH_ouI4VXE6UEU_h0Sw21jyxZAVUEtXQ6IkBEUTNp7LF-mJIo5hvoQ4EPKuJpTlnv7YQlybfIjg2ld0dDTMiTiWHDeHBLjqISdDlIauDKlMEp6joFV6NVIJtt5rwBdBLwIR83nHNCwC1zz_AlqCVG4QR6mr3ZjwgzM0Or8LxGDQcY2zKXzflHuGvZGQ/s2048/344056531_276940161325337_481434552733555822_n.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqH_ouI4VXE6UEU_h0Sw21jyxZAVUEtXQ6IkBEUTNp7LF-mJIo5hvoQ4EPKuJpTlnv7YQlybfIjg2ld0dDTMiTiWHDeHBLjqISdDlIauDKlMEp6joFV6NVIJtt5rwBdBLwIR83nHNCwC1zz_AlqCVG4QR6mr3ZjwgzM0Or8LxGDQcY2zKXzflHuGvZGQ/w640-h480/344056531_276940161325337_481434552733555822_n.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4Upq5cqLAfbPLcY64WruvdXqVun1rUQm4EQiK53wOZLIaR4gEtsTjFfjMvUCUON9CVau6ukJyHaQDFtV5RbOHuRSuQKZ9Oj7BQaFbPJQOuNqEUrHE-0z3ijy5APxRVPMHWwEKMDAgvmGnRLMOJoosWJPElV97MLJU8ER-qaiS3kDkv18WfYGlU_i2yg/s3088/69549808820__13B0ABC2-46EB-44CA-8CB7-44FBA1144FF5.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4Upq5cqLAfbPLcY64WruvdXqVun1rUQm4EQiK53wOZLIaR4gEtsTjFfjMvUCUON9CVau6ukJyHaQDFtV5RbOHuRSuQKZ9Oj7BQaFbPJQOuNqEUrHE-0z3ijy5APxRVPMHWwEKMDAgvmGnRLMOJoosWJPElV97MLJU8ER-qaiS3kDkv18WfYGlU_i2yg/w300-h400/69549808820__13B0ABC2-46EB-44CA-8CB7-44FBA1144FF5.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Four weeks driving from work to the hospital.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Brisk walks on the icey pavement.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Steam in my glasses with my mask.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Sanitizer.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">My father.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Covid and pneumonia. Another stupor.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">A thin cloth gown that he leaves untied in the back.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">He moves from bed to chair, chair to bed.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Squeaky shoe basketball games on the television.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">White walls, white floors, white light.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The beating shrill of the bed alarm.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Incontinence.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">His memory is folded in upon itself--</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">like a paper plane lifted, </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">then falling.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Remembering someone who wasn't there,</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">who didn't bring him lunch.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">What day is it?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p>LEAHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11581593915884936415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3248595253010250021.post-77532916869241848622022-07-23T12:22:00.005-07:002022-07-31T11:25:08.411-07:0015 Hours in Istanbul<p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvOhz6V24wrw-aq1CFFYh7zlmK9eYlKsDJHjsSIykoTQt0CpeUHafWABbz73j4xxLW4F3VsRU6fRodbX_VJI-3N6-u3HlQ3nBcnhSQwXlcFrO7PyhX7HoZexMEFTV080PvnSY7Za0WlCRbre7LKkaxJ6Ntl0QGCzRkFa8hXRoRmxF5_SmDiYqr5aDiEQ/s4032/IMG_6634.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvOhz6V24wrw-aq1CFFYh7zlmK9eYlKsDJHjsSIykoTQt0CpeUHafWABbz73j4xxLW4F3VsRU6fRodbX_VJI-3N6-u3HlQ3nBcnhSQwXlcFrO7PyhX7HoZexMEFTV080PvnSY7Za0WlCRbre7LKkaxJ6Ntl0QGCzRkFa8hXRoRmxF5_SmDiYqr5aDiEQ/w400-h300/IMG_6634.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">We flew Turkish Airlines to Rome and TA has a generous tour option for those who have a long layover in Istanbul. The day we flew back to Chicago we had a 15 hour layover--3 pm to 6 a--and chose the free tour option (you can also choose free accomodations--but not both.) It happened to be a cruise on the Bosphorus Strait! </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq98kd7Qigzw8R7B6XJJqwHctzgVkwOoIXkXs-3CjPaAk-qKkXXWGH8kTakjCl4HN5WIxKUMPMgGnkBGryGIafoOwAQRRc_IkG0-j0h5yGwkXqJhtOIKcaxRDWuOSr-DACQFkcNkgoyDUsKED01zqdbp6NQf9dyAI1lNLVbONFPzTByOOhaRvk7MgwOg/s4032/IMG_6642.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHQkogGNjcnZsUBk4F2HAYfYr3Fz0BTNH7gj6xvmPYikQa6DY78dfHh5Q4skqJrUfCKB9EAgYPqhzhh2-tzR8ScsaSgxkud6QzTONjEDEe-PvzDviBST65AoaW_tstkXrRAmKLggdY8Wfrs7fn0Efc3zy8K_ksOt33GodEh-SaxK08tmrI_eOv-twNPg/s1440/45C839C6-6925-4C33-B528-4CE4952F6EF1.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1085" data-original-width="1440" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHQkogGNjcnZsUBk4F2HAYfYr3Fz0BTNH7gj6xvmPYikQa6DY78dfHh5Q4skqJrUfCKB9EAgYPqhzhh2-tzR8ScsaSgxkud6QzTONjEDEe-PvzDviBST65AoaW_tstkXrRAmKLggdY8Wfrs7fn0Efc3zy8K_ksOt33GodEh-SaxK08tmrI_eOv-twNPg/s320/45C839C6-6925-4C33-B528-4CE4952F6EF1.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheoyRqC1iylp59NRMWrYwHc5yIakFRTpDwH6vHllxmGMcxZ6RQMfYztgQ0EsXzGvQIj_RmpmBSSRhoMlyyrGIu9jfAYfvXTmBwIKIvhKptSwypQSDwfbsxzaC_Y53CTFH9dX-VG4H0octKTjDuwxx4zD5cqu-CIok4wI9o7UIOiT5w5y6FOXXg5alQJw/s1440/422204E5-F7FA-433B-A656-2BED59D4EC0E.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1083" data-original-width="1440" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheoyRqC1iylp59NRMWrYwHc5yIakFRTpDwH6vHllxmGMcxZ6RQMfYztgQ0EsXzGvQIj_RmpmBSSRhoMlyyrGIu9jfAYfvXTmBwIKIvhKptSwypQSDwfbsxzaC_Y53CTFH9dX-VG4H0octKTjDuwxx4zD5cqu-CIok4wI9o7UIOiT5w5y6FOXXg5alQJw/s320/422204E5-F7FA-433B-A656-2BED59D4EC0E.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN2QC1b35drRUJJ280sS3jbxpvV0OVoTi-kQbO9rpeFl-jPb0BxpMZVnPiQMu6hqE7OXHLNcdYw6Xi8yFPkYHEVmiyyhSa_OUbpzreDQtG-q4qvcHNZsaqDgyfKO-7mFZQaHhkDEGtgWsBw2RfNXy0d0wWamdHjEJTfoi7NAmli_1oEgbGwqxzME9acw/s4032/IMG_6636.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN2QC1b35drRUJJ280sS3jbxpvV0OVoTi-kQbO9rpeFl-jPb0BxpMZVnPiQMu6hqE7OXHLNcdYw6Xi8yFPkYHEVmiyyhSa_OUbpzreDQtG-q4qvcHNZsaqDgyfKO-7mFZQaHhkDEGtgWsBw2RfNXy0d0wWamdHjEJTfoi7NAmli_1oEgbGwqxzME9acw/s320/IMG_6636.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4IU8Dx328GQ7Cy05o5HAz5vyIPQriksy2xI5OiEk7cGHIWeN3leH1vTfaE5pX2Bn2B99BH0UDUJSQNM3OJGw0cNBgyqg6eTnstdP30l_v-OHh66aAyoizGDX14UIr8J1pUhDRKw_xp30_GU4c_qMRw2CKNaUp4to5b961S68x3qtMavkJRMMe9Iemuw/s1440/335495F4-2C92-489D-BC1A-69C9D7F5344E.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1085" data-original-width="1440" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4IU8Dx328GQ7Cy05o5HAz5vyIPQriksy2xI5OiEk7cGHIWeN3leH1vTfaE5pX2Bn2B99BH0UDUJSQNM3OJGw0cNBgyqg6eTnstdP30l_v-OHh66aAyoizGDX14UIr8J1pUhDRKw_xp30_GU4c_qMRw2CKNaUp4to5b961S68x3qtMavkJRMMe9Iemuw/s320/335495F4-2C92-489D-BC1A-69C9D7F5344E.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Highlights included... A trip to the market prior to the cruise, where we sampled chocolates, baklava, and tea. Dan smelled spices and picked 'Ottoman' spice and Sumac to take home. (They were generous portions so he will be sharing them with anyone and everyone who is interested.) I got some fresh baklava pieces boxed up and Raine picked his favorite chocolates. Everything was vaccuum sealed for our flight. </div><div style="text-align: left;">...The cruise absolutely blew us away. It started in the late afternoon so we were able to watch the sunset and enjoying the night lights. We were able to float along the European side and then the Asian side so Raine was pretty excited to have been "on 2 continents." :) There was ice cream for Raine on the boat and dinner was provided. We shared a beautiful moment as we listened to the call of prayer echoing among the walls of the city and over the water. After sunset, we enjoyed a gorgeous full moon. All evening Dan and I kept kissing and saying we loved each other. It was such a special moment that we had never even dreamt of, especially when he was diagnosed with stage IV cancer 8 years ago. We will always be so unbelievably grateful for this experience, and all the time we have been given.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4My-KcNYmLN6sD5fYBAPeHlLt1LK2X1xiq_CTDAvNfW5a-r65oCnOtIpZorUWFuMBq0fjkPFVaqnOShkUkwwa0WTLAlSShnCU528FEfXX64aTq1NTYUYnflXuWAfaolzh5GCPDBXdFG6_ykhXXyek7-gm6OoSPnDI7VvGZPuaxdG1hoYBrBsrzrgMGg/s1440/2DD98BB0-41FE-42FB-B81D-CB8DE804884D.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1085" data-original-width="1440" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4My-KcNYmLN6sD5fYBAPeHlLt1LK2X1xiq_CTDAvNfW5a-r65oCnOtIpZorUWFuMBq0fjkPFVaqnOShkUkwwa0WTLAlSShnCU528FEfXX64aTq1NTYUYnflXuWAfaolzh5GCPDBXdFG6_ykhXXyek7-gm6OoSPnDI7VvGZPuaxdG1hoYBrBsrzrgMGg/s320/2DD98BB0-41FE-42FB-B81D-CB8DE804884D.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq98kd7Qigzw8R7B6XJJqwHctzgVkwOoIXkXs-3CjPaAk-qKkXXWGH8kTakjCl4HN5WIxKUMPMgGnkBGryGIafoOwAQRRc_IkG0-j0h5yGwkXqJhtOIKcaxRDWuOSr-DACQFkcNkgoyDUsKED01zqdbp6NQf9dyAI1lNLVbONFPzTByOOhaRvk7MgwOg/s4032/IMG_6642.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq98kd7Qigzw8R7B6XJJqwHctzgVkwOoIXkXs-3CjPaAk-qKkXXWGH8kTakjCl4HN5WIxKUMPMgGnkBGryGIafoOwAQRRc_IkG0-j0h5yGwkXqJhtOIKcaxRDWuOSr-DACQFkcNkgoyDUsKED01zqdbp6NQf9dyAI1lNLVbONFPzTByOOhaRvk7MgwOg/s320/IMG_6642.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8JCxQnKYUlIZjG1Wkey1cVE-t4zczKGXCMtHWC1Wc5L3M6IMxClyCXOiYIMRczVb39jEZhD6hDZcwaDTe2ZPb9C-mdvvNxN5rfaI9rt7830gvufFAidmc1htRwuaLAl8fw6fQaIxp5VRtQFA2EC0Td6Hr0osTQcxJcxnoqPiJR4D3Wyol-Ioc3EHv_A/s4032/IMG_6630.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8JCxQnKYUlIZjG1Wkey1cVE-t4zczKGXCMtHWC1Wc5L3M6IMxClyCXOiYIMRczVb39jEZhD6hDZcwaDTe2ZPb9C-mdvvNxN5rfaI9rt7830gvufFAidmc1htRwuaLAl8fw6fQaIxp5VRtQFA2EC0Td6Hr0osTQcxJcxnoqPiJR4D3Wyol-Ioc3EHv_A/s320/IMG_6630.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixbLORWW9c4eV8Nw6KGAmup3__9d-Nr0Nh-6N3INXeKdfsN8r6laB4cF7nPJayZq9dnfliS3bpnPT4upBHDXF5PlpbAdwdY2KcM5lU2uzjNb-3teolIK9iOGDLH-pRlhdSy0cmzDPe1S-Q9PknRI10PcSEMz9A0oBP3dPw2ZryZGcLhss7_bA_6-gVqg/s4032/IMG_6703.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixbLORWW9c4eV8Nw6KGAmup3__9d-Nr0Nh-6N3INXeKdfsN8r6laB4cF7nPJayZq9dnfliS3bpnPT4upBHDXF5PlpbAdwdY2KcM5lU2uzjNb-3teolIK9iOGDLH-pRlhdSy0cmzDPe1S-Q9PknRI10PcSEMz9A0oBP3dPw2ZryZGcLhss7_bA_6-gVqg/s320/IMG_6703.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;">...Our last night - about 10pm in Istanbul. We had celebratory shots and beers and talked about everything we did and what we would remember. My words and our pictures don't do it justice! However I do hope that it will all help Raine remember as he grows up...Watching him experience everything brought us so much joy!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/loolaherzing/albums" target="_blank">See all of our trip photos here</a>.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><br /><p></p>LEAHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11581593915884936415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3248595253010250021.post-32242038552666871002022-07-18T16:19:00.005-07:002023-06-01T15:19:43.873-07:00The Herzing Three Do Italy! The Basic Overview<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNtWM7n6PrmZCWAsQ7w8iM5F-iqZUsteAZR9HBDARVmXabBfT16MjfXdu8mk5JZGq4VrErU8HSYj3T-8QeZBlaN8727JyOWXEAddN9LxklOHePxL6Hsa_AjWDYdq7kt7XFzyEfqnOoLlyfUuGmZBfQ6vSjcVl7uXngkxATL8aWpYRBoO9uTa10-3O1Cw/s1800/13C7CEB5-B85E-4797-B548-6CF1BDEE3784.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1440" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNtWM7n6PrmZCWAsQ7w8iM5F-iqZUsteAZR9HBDARVmXabBfT16MjfXdu8mk5JZGq4VrErU8HSYj3T-8QeZBlaN8727JyOWXEAddN9LxklOHePxL6Hsa_AjWDYdq7kt7XFzyEfqnOoLlyfUuGmZBfQ6vSjcVl7uXngkxATL8aWpYRBoO9uTa10-3O1Cw/s320/13C7CEB5-B85E-4797-B548-6CF1BDEE3784.jpeg" width="256" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDqGYWHQ3WjD_OccRAbrX2BJlmDBhmPgSN_rjnrrPGGo90p1TvF7KwX7QLAOAGTqqF7hZNB8NdqMpsJcNga99jHzOEUy6wuT77oWgImkj52IJZqxJkFTl4nG1ILSZsTSrmifXMmM6mgbHyWJUs3iNq_d1eZLwoQ6sxenvO72HOFwUebq_Kzf254Z_1wQ/s4032/IMG_5982.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDqGYWHQ3WjD_OccRAbrX2BJlmDBhmPgSN_rjnrrPGGo90p1TvF7KwX7QLAOAGTqqF7hZNB8NdqMpsJcNga99jHzOEUy6wuT77oWgImkj52IJZqxJkFTl4nG1ILSZsTSrmifXMmM6mgbHyWJUs3iNq_d1eZLwoQ6sxenvO72HOFwUebq_Kzf254Z_1wQ/s320/IMG_5982.jpeg" width="240" /></a><br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Tip toes in the Mediterranean! We spent our first night in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiumicino" target="_blank">Fiumicino</a>, </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">a 'suburb' with the airport and about 35 minutes to downtown Rome.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc_zpF_K7DpgpANbjQvi5xeGTJCQwKmnRlRhq8q4RFc8iHBHmI9xkDEJmrtV0IFcLZYFBz8BA3ka7uD6F7Jkd_1xHY2tK-W6Wlcv9G9TjZB-Ljj51hyj1leF0S5Yj2gzbLaYQ_Uv9dmiEqpBBTDMZaOGkeCxzZURDUDfZxUTK53K-mS2BjZWzTX3TO5w/s1795/C9E6BA03-9791-4617-A667-62E010C39685.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1795" data-original-width="1440" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc_zpF_K7DpgpANbjQvi5xeGTJCQwKmnRlRhq8q4RFc8iHBHmI9xkDEJmrtV0IFcLZYFBz8BA3ka7uD6F7Jkd_1xHY2tK-W6Wlcv9G9TjZB-Ljj51hyj1leF0S5Yj2gzbLaYQ_Uv9dmiEqpBBTDMZaOGkeCxzZURDUDfZxUTK53K-mS2BjZWzTX3TO5w/s320/C9E6BA03-9791-4617-A667-62E010C39685.jpeg" width="257" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl-ody2n_PIXVJQrc6gsNDv_siLRXe0PpoDJlWz80ZRfNgvSTuVfQwaGybc0oEJDnF8wzn992_VfIgOkJceBk4QcFk8X6Ym3upAEgSOCwscUctnqvqnrR-kBHNHHYqXvVPDn92QuxkvJzO9_oFdwayj-UaChiLyAEAndmMMHJltJTxfee2u520puaHJQ/s1800/46ACBDE1-53F7-4CE1-90B3-D5DD8C0A2123.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1440" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl-ody2n_PIXVJQrc6gsNDv_siLRXe0PpoDJlWz80ZRfNgvSTuVfQwaGybc0oEJDnF8wzn992_VfIgOkJceBk4QcFk8X6Ym3upAEgSOCwscUctnqvqnrR-kBHNHHYqXvVPDn92QuxkvJzO9_oFdwayj-UaChiLyAEAndmMMHJltJTxfee2u520puaHJQ/s320/46ACBDE1-53F7-4CE1-90B3-D5DD8C0A2123.jpeg" width="256" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Raine's #1 favorite thing to see in Rome was the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trevi_Fountain" target="_blank">Trevi Fountain</a>! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We were expecting a little fountain like the one we met our tour guide* at (<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fontana_delle_Tartarughe" target="_blank">Turtle Fountain</a>) </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">in the small Piazza Mattei, so when we turned the corner and saw Trevi, we were in awe! It is huge!!!!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAj_JLw3l7fO-eUHodl4mTNcyZBeUy6szr0bLz3BiBbNe3hzkwHQvb8RFCfm6x_66fr0Pyk84FyGYxYH2pJv_bPG29Jjl15RNUY8suCzOuNAFBNq_8_xDl23w5ivC4u8X_ftsbJG64UgzzqnpOWlFsFNMBdAecYrHDgDTIKvhLjBXeIYLshttk3YG9LA/s4032/IMG_0597.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAj_JLw3l7fO-eUHodl4mTNcyZBeUy6szr0bLz3BiBbNe3hzkwHQvb8RFCfm6x_66fr0Pyk84FyGYxYH2pJv_bPG29Jjl15RNUY8suCzOuNAFBNq_8_xDl23w5ivC4u8X_ftsbJG64UgzzqnpOWlFsFNMBdAecYrHDgDTIKvhLjBXeIYLshttk3YG9LA/s320/IMG_0597.jpeg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9nRODEm9Awm3QE-ILVJADj_fno6DhbDpayGbj8T24wXboWpOk8ErQxCDAuSg9Hd2qqtXI4nu4YQHCfPAlLcx4WB8RBAjqLhrC3f1GRTq66HQEE2itmjVjyFNx-ISxqcXdnwqxSJiwBNZZvql7KY1vVNDhhOf1J7JaITvnLKeTDbMK2CUMSxIzlMROTQ/s4032/IMG_0645%20(1).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9nRODEm9Awm3QE-ILVJADj_fno6DhbDpayGbj8T24wXboWpOk8ErQxCDAuSg9Hd2qqtXI4nu4YQHCfPAlLcx4WB8RBAjqLhrC3f1GRTq66HQEE2itmjVjyFNx-ISxqcXdnwqxSJiwBNZZvql7KY1vVNDhhOf1J7JaITvnLKeTDbMK2CUMSxIzlMROTQ/s320/IMG_0645%20(1).jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX6V8LBarkc5L1NTmFdyyTthT5BHWAaQ1zNkNqWwYWa7HWcNPdUrlfOIIiRA0Jq082mZdrLM0pklsQsMqt0pAMC1UywPxubfG9Z_u_Zl5RX9zyaIh0qJqvdpbLkni-bbe1d735MhPvU4eawtn8qPFux4icxgLcE1jpVlqK9O50zMT-nFJbbLI3cdYUzA/s4032/IMG_6040.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX6V8LBarkc5L1NTmFdyyTthT5BHWAaQ1zNkNqWwYWa7HWcNPdUrlfOIIiRA0Jq082mZdrLM0pklsQsMqt0pAMC1UywPxubfG9Z_u_Zl5RX9zyaIh0qJqvdpbLkni-bbe1d735MhPvU4eawtn8qPFux4icxgLcE1jpVlqK9O50zMT-nFJbbLI3cdYUzA/s320/IMG_6040.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Other favorites were the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colosseum" target="_blank">Colosseum</a>, St. Peter's Square / <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vatican_City" target="_blank">Vatican</a> -The smallest country in the world! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And the Keyhole of the Knights of Malta. (IYKYK.)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHq7T3csbGFQFJW-NDtNUsxZN2cr3TClWbOWU2h6oABBka62gHHATXc2a787B1iZn5latUJ3pZ44XrSTO6Arw5f-M0ms4dNUrVBWtO_AMVFLYgtxRNmJjB75eYM26iRGfLvm5sV8PWEy48GQRE8y0UbdR6iVaUAV5vk7X8564XEc2AgrGHATGzUznAOA/s4032/IMG_6393.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHq7T3csbGFQFJW-NDtNUsxZN2cr3TClWbOWU2h6oABBka62gHHATXc2a787B1iZn5latUJ3pZ44XrSTO6Arw5f-M0ms4dNUrVBWtO_AMVFLYgtxRNmJjB75eYM26iRGfLvm5sV8PWEy48GQRE8y0UbdR6iVaUAV5vk7X8564XEc2AgrGHATGzUznAOA/s320/IMG_6393.jpeg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipRqExiZUrpQXpWZssHy2OtvISkEhgS-nnFQO53op7k5aMLfyJPqvanQHVOVWgkDMUubl4X3FOgKidpYSRUUr9Vk9mD0kK82QtpKyhDGOzWAYIIMiPfikCS4FHoYVsOF_ULDwbsLrG1geWkqLDhGWkPvQiSlUAQNveTZKwEr5TzZzhjdVCU4xvuAj27Q/s4032/IMG_6437.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipRqExiZUrpQXpWZssHy2OtvISkEhgS-nnFQO53op7k5aMLfyJPqvanQHVOVWgkDMUubl4X3FOgKidpYSRUUr9Vk9mD0kK82QtpKyhDGOzWAYIIMiPfikCS4FHoYVsOF_ULDwbsLrG1geWkqLDhGWkPvQiSlUAQNveTZKwEr5TzZzhjdVCU4xvuAj27Q/s320/IMG_6437.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Lunch in hilltop town <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pienza" target="_blank">Pienza</a>, near our villa. Side note: The small town road trip is very curvy and up and down hills. Be careful. I totally threw up in the car.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRbsriniIc928novNb_xR5TmaPvioO5mQwRy-KC305CLyZxYJpg2V5dhRPQCZwGGt7DRTyW9tWiGmposFmfHC7wFar4hkm8G6w3GWqAblvI-kclo7zULm_xA8pgyRmQMRYUGZxzEqlqW0wpJ6IECvjhGwSIrf1Z9U8HnWQ3ickJ2rY5K6xy8GsowJQkg/s4032/IMG_6441.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRbsriniIc928novNb_xR5TmaPvioO5mQwRy-KC305CLyZxYJpg2V5dhRPQCZwGGt7DRTyW9tWiGmposFmfHC7wFar4hkm8G6w3GWqAblvI-kclo7zULm_xA8pgyRmQMRYUGZxzEqlqW0wpJ6IECvjhGwSIrf1Z9U8HnWQ3ickJ2rY5K6xy8GsowJQkg/s320/IMG_6441.jpeg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIptM06z0vXdGwM7JacNZ5mMWQxg0z61P17OohruOCW_aigUh2peyjtPKYZ2ICobLcUAULCFaQ9R4-WplhEqg7iHtJ9kXCriwIn5K3rsEIH8l6U5Qnnq8L7FS2qUtPdzlgCzpQlNsd6jAAi0OER3nICfWkiDSLc77_KQc18wnQBrSUhegouPIxEdhcyA/s4032/IMG_0718%20(1).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIptM06z0vXdGwM7JacNZ5mMWQxg0z61P17OohruOCW_aigUh2peyjtPKYZ2ICobLcUAULCFaQ9R4-WplhEqg7iHtJ9kXCriwIn5K3rsEIH8l6U5Qnnq8L7FS2qUtPdzlgCzpQlNsd6jAAi0OER3nICfWkiDSLc77_KQc18wnQBrSUhegouPIxEdhcyA/s320/IMG_0718%20(1).jpeg" width="240" /></a><br /><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Tuscany treated us well. We stayed at a <a href="https://www.chiarentana.com/" target="_blank">beautiful Villa</a> in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chianciano_Terme" target="_blank">Chianciano Terme</a>, southwest of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siena" target="_blank">Siena</a> in the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Val_d%27Orcia" target="_blank">Val d'Orcia</a>. The special occasion for our visit was the marriage vow renewal for our friends <a href="https://amymulderphotography.com/" target="_blank">Amy</a> and Ross Mulder. We were honored to be present for their beautiful and touching ceremony. The family of the Stinson/Glick/Mulders made us feel very welcome and we enjoyed hanging out, playing games, going out to dinner, and swimming. Raine also had fun with Harvey and his cousin Alfie playing tennis and jumping on the trampoline.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqyU3H1bLAjSD1ChYv6U9m2XclLmyLqTJqYiOx4iVDN6vVhlPPggAdkxjuv27luWRZE7m7K0VQSUtCz24arRWmZ02T0kIVA0V6lfaG1TT57lobMb8IfbfN6CHbX4SQTB6ucualqxwRUIkYhQODMq0L5_O4Nh_e7Spj-ALT9aRbUgZxwYQjhZ4lwF4KEA/s4032/IMG_4896.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqyU3H1bLAjSD1ChYv6U9m2XclLmyLqTJqYiOx4iVDN6vVhlPPggAdkxjuv27luWRZE7m7K0VQSUtCz24arRWmZ02T0kIVA0V6lfaG1TT57lobMb8IfbfN6CHbX4SQTB6ucualqxwRUIkYhQODMq0L5_O4Nh_e7Spj-ALT9aRbUgZxwYQjhZ4lwF4KEA/s320/IMG_4896.jpeg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXPTeT2ORuwfYRh59_4kmmR2Zjf-KXwFlNa7fcT9ZUIeKTfEZX1psao6XmVYTOGgYGfBgBD7gUNQ8OmNU9YljRP-uNYYjfgo0QG0eiFh-MVJw8vetX1GGvDjxi1h6g71-63OvIwMC5hXR53iWfpE6aVEW8bcM5F8Q-2eT9u8oGHUE72T9ZSk32RWrirA/s4032/IMG_6349.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXPTeT2ORuwfYRh59_4kmmR2Zjf-KXwFlNa7fcT9ZUIeKTfEZX1psao6XmVYTOGgYGfBgBD7gUNQ8OmNU9YljRP-uNYYjfgo0QG0eiFh-MVJw8vetX1GGvDjxi1h6g71-63OvIwMC5hXR53iWfpE6aVEW8bcM5F8Q-2eT9u8oGHUE72T9ZSk32RWrirA/s320/IMG_6349.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWRjr0jTKQU0La_R_OLqTykaX5jNCiiWGl_ncdohdXt4l3ZWg2z2C3WnoYx_YT1m6ZWS6xQywpwk0r5JGeyOU84acvCYeWMQuk1NZQ05-MdPclhXBHCUQovuFElxMvgXiGFPfX3_z2jTv4aLCmoQ14cOiRaC0NvWV2fEQ45FeIYhFeq0tu9FOrhRf7lA/s800/IMG_6534.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWRjr0jTKQU0La_R_OLqTykaX5jNCiiWGl_ncdohdXt4l3ZWg2z2C3WnoYx_YT1m6ZWS6xQywpwk0r5JGeyOU84acvCYeWMQuk1NZQ05-MdPclhXBHCUQovuFElxMvgXiGFPfX3_z2jTv4aLCmoQ14cOiRaC0NvWV2fEQ45FeIYhFeq0tu9FOrhRf7lA/s320/IMG_6534.jpeg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWz_k3yGwLmEsFN7g92ZgRGcFF7pPUDPj2x25_LlKsmzu7ILm34vTKa8aSSRWIuymwlVv4y8ApyU-cuQQL8MFx86SASXVRZN6457wZYwGrfPNA3P3hh925Qf3T0K3g42q-EekAkxiYWpUbJfLSKQ7uicskqZbWvUMoEQZRr3ZbFuBrjeCBx_lBv4lQPA/s4032/IMG_6409.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWz_k3yGwLmEsFN7g92ZgRGcFF7pPUDPj2x25_LlKsmzu7ILm34vTKa8aSSRWIuymwlVv4y8ApyU-cuQQL8MFx86SASXVRZN6457wZYwGrfPNA3P3hh925Qf3T0K3g42q-EekAkxiYWpUbJfLSKQ7uicskqZbWvUMoEQZRr3ZbFuBrjeCBx_lBv4lQPA/s320/IMG_6409.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0CDDAMRZ3R3zPNbVYEQMkw9PqMMHZknumOAX1EbZ7vcfBR_D-fTb7D-vy5paZmGppdFrO5Ffc6rn-k7nPyS8pkuNidJznleQGRLOBtvqWkhgFSjRlt3f16z40_Vh0staSTf2VayhEBNsHfC3rpbViKHzk39SXP1ISnOCfIZP5nVTg9k5q8mewlViDvw/s4032/IMG_6295.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0CDDAMRZ3R3zPNbVYEQMkw9PqMMHZknumOAX1EbZ7vcfBR_D-fTb7D-vy5paZmGppdFrO5Ffc6rn-k7nPyS8pkuNidJznleQGRLOBtvqWkhgFSjRlt3f16z40_Vh0staSTf2VayhEBNsHfC3rpbViKHzk39SXP1ISnOCfIZP5nVTg9k5q8mewlViDvw/s320/IMG_6295.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We were also able to spend a day in Florence, which is the city I always dreamt of returning to and I was thrilled to find my old apartment and show Raine and Dan where I studied. The same pastry shop was still below the apartment so we chatted with the women and ate some sweets!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3TMen-PdeVZqGHT4Psdqop0ME42Pez_N7-XMGeAjMjPpUGRGSoWJ_IpI2uO1rGxSH1bD-3uknWcQtVcDezzMHX01ERR8k71mFe1-Kegklf9RGlf0JsaMdtf0QiFQByJytlrECA84ZKRrXJ6Qm0kghOhlcQW1z_NFndsQabarUFsocPWEKl_OOlWqP7g/s4032/IMG_6176.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3TMen-PdeVZqGHT4Psdqop0ME42Pez_N7-XMGeAjMjPpUGRGSoWJ_IpI2uO1rGxSH1bD-3uknWcQtVcDezzMHX01ERR8k71mFe1-Kegklf9RGlf0JsaMdtf0QiFQByJytlrECA84ZKRrXJ6Qm0kghOhlcQW1z_NFndsQabarUFsocPWEKl_OOlWqP7g/s320/IMG_6176.jpeg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi72_GCYbIMMNoqstafbd290deCDgrSmmhn6pkGMXEzhtrElCgwyHlDEz0Orx6ukqKmFFdg1pj4i8ejHe9wPLCr68TdXss9nkrS8YnRyOcFupoI8S3hk8Y7iZa_AhusdGU1VcL3KGrHZg0gVo2UrD1Okq13VTVHaGWqEMxjDm2JH1JsWvGMw6pxDeoY1w/s4032/IMG_6208.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi72_GCYbIMMNoqstafbd290deCDgrSmmhn6pkGMXEzhtrElCgwyHlDEz0Orx6ukqKmFFdg1pj4i8ejHe9wPLCr68TdXss9nkrS8YnRyOcFupoI8S3hk8Y7iZa_AhusdGU1VcL3KGrHZg0gVo2UrD1Okq13VTVHaGWqEMxjDm2JH1JsWvGMw6pxDeoY1w/s320/IMG_6208.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Raine's #1 fave in Florence was the stunning <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florence_Cathedral" target="_blank">Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore</a> (Florence Cathedral).</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">He was so impressed with how large the cathedral was that he had us time him running around the entire thing. (He clocked in at just under 3 minutes.)</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnDIoLa3GipvVI1kq9E0Z8ztQZaaF4HJLS7ZbjNSlCoJeWIQIj9XGzy52Wngg_0kVG-Y9tZVePDgUP9cqAKqYiRoHqQiTrmeKqt6D_by9cBHlP-GH3LUQpfnV9Zn-Za4JXJ66T3h4XF7wFtnnPRd00wpBbPUaxQnQfGQE5913YmqkX5Upti7HtqP-ohg/s4032/IMG_6155.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnDIoLa3GipvVI1kq9E0Z8ztQZaaF4HJLS7ZbjNSlCoJeWIQIj9XGzy52Wngg_0kVG-Y9tZVePDgUP9cqAKqYiRoHqQiTrmeKqt6D_by9cBHlP-GH3LUQpfnV9Zn-Za4JXJ66T3h4XF7wFtnnPRd00wpBbPUaxQnQfGQE5913YmqkX5Upti7HtqP-ohg/s320/IMG_6155.jpeg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivdU_G31kiXUe2DZqA9L_Q2Zel5Ow6RMENVGO7t2pBGozPmADpc0F9Iyw7XmHZpF_r3bOb7KhBbvBK7Y2XBmTXKBc_TsslCIt1sbLMoMsg2BP5wEuiJEOyFOARxmvDJvtHTylRQIwdqRqTTJHfLgPDXMQ9H-5lnpdqg0wf6ecHiU9FdTv-ixVoZSGUGQ/s4032/IMG_6218.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivdU_G31kiXUe2DZqA9L_Q2Zel5Ow6RMENVGO7t2pBGozPmADpc0F9Iyw7XmHZpF_r3bOb7KhBbvBK7Y2XBmTXKBc_TsslCIt1sbLMoMsg2BP5wEuiJEOyFOARxmvDJvtHTylRQIwdqRqTTJHfLgPDXMQ9H-5lnpdqg0wf6ecHiU9FdTv-ixVoZSGUGQ/s320/IMG_6218.jpeg" width="240" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We visited Florence's "town hall," <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palazzo_Vecchio" target="_blank">Palazzo Vecchio</a>, with a copy of Michelangelo's <i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_(Michelangelo)" target="_blank">David</a></i> in the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piazza_della_Signoria" target="_blank">Piazza della Signoria</a>. That led us to <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ponte_Vecchio" target="_blank">Ponte Vecchio</a>, a medieval bridge spanning the Arno, where I had wished upon a star that I would someday return with the love of my life....!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTg7KeVUV46hGIwGaNLwUUtAWCZjbQfSRtIBHCnmBrQ97DMtFxihAtR2wotqvwBcjYvpSG3TzixxjlkSRe0rj2qqMIQ7FeQqdPCnt_K_Pwj0l_0edI0z9BGJyR2oxvxj3u0i6smH6c7GWu3BuyAVW47qdziktVgHLWTuLkkIad732COnL0S6loNfGPHA/s4032/IMG_3783.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTg7KeVUV46hGIwGaNLwUUtAWCZjbQfSRtIBHCnmBrQ97DMtFxihAtR2wotqvwBcjYvpSG3TzixxjlkSRe0rj2qqMIQ7FeQqdPCnt_K_Pwj0l_0edI0z9BGJyR2oxvxj3u0i6smH6c7GWu3BuyAVW47qdziktVgHLWTuLkkIad732COnL0S6loNfGPHA/s320/IMG_3783.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Our time in Italy was far too short ... Just 5 days. Raine became a true world traveler and the most enjoyment I had was watching him marvel at the cities and excitedly take pictures and videos. He also had a relaxing stay at the villa even though I forced him to participate in a cooking class! He actually did really well. He didn't last the entire 3 hours but he cooked the panna cotta that we all enjoyed for dessert!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiFUlhkwPiD8X08Fh3Sco2YKPnqpSWkO3aH2Z3pxF-8ru7czEW5nZCzPj0bRLWEDVpMV6jsRpp7fyteZdTH69biNqQMH06wQamMETxvb2W8qrGw-o0LQs_qt7ttsnqJAvc3QQdSuhlttISFckxy_xC6ZZ1Q2a9AWeqy-H7GTj-tmRGTGqj9Qa4m_NqqA/s4032/IMG_6680.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiFUlhkwPiD8X08Fh3Sco2YKPnqpSWkO3aH2Z3pxF-8ru7czEW5nZCzPj0bRLWEDVpMV6jsRpp7fyteZdTH69biNqQMH06wQamMETxvb2W8qrGw-o0LQs_qt7ttsnqJAvc3QQdSuhlttISFckxy_xC6ZZ1Q2a9AWeqy-H7GTj-tmRGTGqj9Qa4m_NqqA/s320/IMG_6680.jpeg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhku3XqP0FCVV_mfWW1OWI4m6M66o3D1ZUritbExkqGEdCS7yPzQEjZD4Al_eTvBfNDHsBXghFUMAIoA_pXQBANLuA7ie48VMKN0uK-u5jT26NrsyhU6D4GZAsiAwbz7JBt8lzT1a6M6RrMg8sDIhlBSYpgfpPDFfXH9_mh6C3BsjQVGxfEpJqKdmu8nQ/s4032/IMG_6722.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhku3XqP0FCVV_mfWW1OWI4m6M66o3D1ZUritbExkqGEdCS7yPzQEjZD4Al_eTvBfNDHsBXghFUMAIoA_pXQBANLuA7ie48VMKN0uK-u5jT26NrsyhU6D4GZAsiAwbz7JBt8lzT1a6M6RrMg8sDIhlBSYpgfpPDFfXH9_mh6C3BsjQVGxfEpJqKdmu8nQ/s320/IMG_6722.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">*We had an amazing tour experience in Rome with Arvin, a guide with <a href="https://www.viator.com/tours/Rome/Best-of-Rome-by-Golfcart-private-tour/d511-23570P17" target="_blank">Turtle Tour Rome</a>. I booked it easily through <a href="https://www.viator.com/?pid=P00052630&mcid=42383&medium=link" target="_blank">Viator</a> and I can't recommend it enough. He was knowledgeable and fast, as well as interested in involving Raine and teaching him. He had great recommendations for restaurants, too!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/loolaherzing/albums" target="_blank">See all of our trip photos on Flickr</a>.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p>LEAHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11581593915884936415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3248595253010250021.post-87635285468627337982022-07-16T11:24:00.000-07:002022-07-16T11:24:08.424-07:00Fast Forward to Summer Residency + Graduation!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmnjJ4oLz1GTtQFkXJIDg3xGMkjvXIBBbXuQTCh62gaFB0Atnm9KiH1yrZdtJtKPGfDqRhub0XukQARWIf6dnVljEPitPZglLmvAxLtG-Hmobcz4tsf2dTCzeVH_y7UKXh6Kw69H9dItU6BfuHr8Zbbi-VP7UZLmtnuACBRJulumA4ol9auwdNKJDA/s1800/D679E00E-6134-42DA-BCD2-C5ED6A5D0073.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1440" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmnjJ4oLz1GTtQFkXJIDg3xGMkjvXIBBbXuQTCh62gaFB0Atnm9KiH1yrZdtJtKPGfDqRhub0XukQARWIf6dnVljEPitPZglLmvAxLtG-Hmobcz4tsf2dTCzeVH_y7UKXh6Kw69H9dItU6BfuHr8Zbbi-VP7UZLmtnuACBRJulumA4ol9auwdNKJDA/s320/D679E00E-6134-42DA-BCD2-C5ED6A5D0073.jpeg" width="256" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLLIntUQPtwTNHKENFVyFrE0e6jodrOzDqJ_A-Xm0GxMRzmRWXXPc-Qk5GokM4klsmbkWjGXjtuyi0JBgdOxFIPZ19QX4CLrl4IzhXClidO9vUxUEa7WjjnaitS6lhi3q6M8QSOLAbqp3ZlOKFYud77Ni2Wz_C8UdKuQwFx3LFYIznu47J2L6eax3K/s1583/IMG_5903.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1583" data-original-width="992" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLLIntUQPtwTNHKENFVyFrE0e6jodrOzDqJ_A-Xm0GxMRzmRWXXPc-Qk5GokM4klsmbkWjGXjtuyi0JBgdOxFIPZ19QX4CLrl4IzhXClidO9vUxUEa7WjjnaitS6lhi3q6M8QSOLAbqp3ZlOKFYud77Ni2Wz_C8UdKuQwFx3LFYIznu47J2L6eax3K/s320/IMG_5903.jpeg" width="201" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Graduation - Saturday July 2, 2022</div><p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiywzyn6cZHdwxVdWyY45pyPwHXM0DgbaZSfmZQcrCVMXirV2U_v-QtlPwxYhBGaHi40tDNTQzfWklMm2td1EweWkEjcGgTiM_YEypkcC0yawgGZy6Fr879ugutDrTSROOjoLBAIXc-1w42MYTYHsqUlO2Z8wu-HCfH5U8UyWbtnf-zSwNLDkg_JoH5/s1792/IMG_5928.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1792" data-original-width="828" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiywzyn6cZHdwxVdWyY45pyPwHXM0DgbaZSfmZQcrCVMXirV2U_v-QtlPwxYhBGaHi40tDNTQzfWklMm2td1EweWkEjcGgTiM_YEypkcC0yawgGZy6Fr879ugutDrTSROOjoLBAIXc-1w42MYTYHsqUlO2Z8wu-HCfH5U8UyWbtnf-zSwNLDkg_JoH5/s320/IMG_5928.jpeg" width="148" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBFEgq3-Hoh-NIlr_p-iSOWvglSpz6FGTd7qZrKeFuWnApwL6dg3ePzlpC2pvmz4zsPwdSuXw3J3CnSESCYJAH5ACe2jZCUQ5irMzCe15dhLVCT1891VGk13WUZqXDuwGgqp86f8T06D5C6M5JIFnoFjAwr6lwzfF4RQYDXC1Us1rpmkJcMterWDsW/s1800/3D1694B5-7128-42F3-8270-0013C73A1D05.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1440" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBFEgq3-Hoh-NIlr_p-iSOWvglSpz6FGTd7qZrKeFuWnApwL6dg3ePzlpC2pvmz4zsPwdSuXw3J3CnSESCYJAH5ACe2jZCUQ5irMzCe15dhLVCT1891VGk13WUZqXDuwGgqp86f8T06D5C6M5JIFnoFjAwr6lwzfF4RQYDXC1Us1rpmkJcMterWDsW/s320/3D1694B5-7128-42F3-8270-0013C73A1D05.jpeg" width="256" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">My graduating cohort! || Reading from my thesis</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjurtA0uYLNWlNV_-FzRQTeC68Ay9KpDr0CRdPzgN-syljdiNmhNwO4N4pHqJLwIEz6TEtu5431hea-Jsa5HmSe-1qIE0WwgAJOF-H1Y1v54KsXlI3Y36dj4REyl5z2Lam_dlqYZ6nwkSH6c6fM2jh33CgRxge6gweLmv0H0zdj6M-zLJ2nD_uF0nfg/s4032/IMG_5657.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjurtA0uYLNWlNV_-FzRQTeC68Ay9KpDr0CRdPzgN-syljdiNmhNwO4N4pHqJLwIEz6TEtu5431hea-Jsa5HmSe-1qIE0WwgAJOF-H1Y1v54KsXlI3Y36dj4REyl5z2Lam_dlqYZ6nwkSH6c6fM2jh33CgRxge6gweLmv0H0zdj6M-zLJ2nD_uF0nfg/s320/IMG_5657.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">A typical day at the residency || I taught a class this particular day !</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkcTdRq8dbfaiNNYSDDzVLJyiC9WDh3r6HJCLda0yBHEP3HdPIgcFphHBaMkhJLS2ylWAlSKQcaWXUpJvKfO-kj6_P87gMzKMkiMvsxUa5HANsnmarCzB13abf15Snq2OFFeQnmbl5ncNpIfi-Mh2FLLIlolEP1KYOsx5so-5lH9nszjwBNmgmwiJn/s4032/IMG_5742.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkcTdRq8dbfaiNNYSDDzVLJyiC9WDh3r6HJCLda0yBHEP3HdPIgcFphHBaMkhJLS2ylWAlSKQcaWXUpJvKfO-kj6_P87gMzKMkiMvsxUa5HANsnmarCzB13abf15Snq2OFFeQnmbl5ncNpIfi-Mh2FLLIlolEP1KYOsx5so-5lH9nszjwBNmgmwiJn/s320/IMG_5742.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I was proud to serve on the thesis committee of <a href="https://www.mollybcollins.com/" target="_blank">Molly B. Collins</a>.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I read her thesis several times and did my best to provide crucial feedback.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">She is going places, that woman! So excited for her to be published in the future!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2v1-8I-wwc8Rn5G6F6X1wteoA_oHkQoT7_0K6suKzNGZMFWfKz92TzwvSwANWOqrzdLxDxQJzLMP9dmUhl1wLnl1PJhSxzDLt6kje9DtzhnVxYMIsvNoSBJFnxHUafegJ4ujhohBFmukW9wkB2jk8ZcmXrFqfIBsHPFd-v_M88TWouq7Vq3Nd3E-hug/s4032/IMG_5674.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2v1-8I-wwc8Rn5G6F6X1wteoA_oHkQoT7_0K6suKzNGZMFWfKz92TzwvSwANWOqrzdLxDxQJzLMP9dmUhl1wLnl1PJhSxzDLt6kje9DtzhnVxYMIsvNoSBJFnxHUafegJ4ujhohBFmukW9wkB2jk8ZcmXrFqfIBsHPFd-v_M88TWouq7Vq3Nd3E-hug/s320/IMG_5674.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">(She is my bestie!)</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYDVuzH8VAUjqbA8zwTshIZ1B9O9HpiubLu3yE3paUuHf8JBAiman72DjW7kkarI4iRUnfEKX81Fd-ALqJ1qeCjwAnTOjK1h9k6uODG9cR3fTg_Uy3CjiPhZ6Ujpz2Wi7yYJtzHq-GBMmDk2mpNSVkkhgFcWkEnm05fFZ8DcdT3GwyiUgIcu-fyW0Z/s1801/A1E238EC-B576-40EE-8894-3953F830639A.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1801" data-original-width="1440" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYDVuzH8VAUjqbA8zwTshIZ1B9O9HpiubLu3yE3paUuHf8JBAiman72DjW7kkarI4iRUnfEKX81Fd-ALqJ1qeCjwAnTOjK1h9k6uODG9cR3fTg_Uy3CjiPhZ6Ujpz2Wi7yYJtzHq-GBMmDk2mpNSVkkhgFcWkEnm05fFZ8DcdT3GwyiUgIcu-fyW0Z/s320/A1E238EC-B576-40EE-8894-3953F830639A.jpeg" width="256" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6cvXNXVImy1kmfqWQ-HymDGOX9yKgCE-HtVRsjIv0nw2oNkPtsH8e9fFvY_R3fJGWz9rUAcutazKUwgqW5b8TZSDZ38461VnMLYbWBHcmYf-ANUkixE3nMN8uMVwxQMlOBGgGGPAg79bOQS-TlafMoxULcZ1nYALQ6yMebz6M9mA4WQUbUP4wjiUd/s1800/C1D7BD88-1BE9-4914-862E-74B23B8637FC.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1440" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6cvXNXVImy1kmfqWQ-HymDGOX9yKgCE-HtVRsjIv0nw2oNkPtsH8e9fFvY_R3fJGWz9rUAcutazKUwgqW5b8TZSDZ38461VnMLYbWBHcmYf-ANUkixE3nMN8uMVwxQMlOBGgGGPAg79bOQS-TlafMoxULcZ1nYALQ6yMebz6M9mA4WQUbUP4wjiUd/s320/C1D7BD88-1BE9-4914-862E-74B23B8637FC.jpeg" width="256" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Between classes we found time to hang out with each other, staff, faculty, and guest artists!</div><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsuK6GjmCR54BC7P9x67eGHpROVLhSSQ6s3vZ3EvzUwQYmsOL1DY_vOk2A3cqG4BCUZzhMzeBiV-NPv8idvUAhfeQZXlnBEUnyVwkk2w8NG-OGbgSWe83CY3vb5g54F_f7_YoB1Sqm0SE8i8he6DITuwmAfzjfWbvdZZ0SlHSrZmARSc1TKilegZDj/s4032/IMG_5739.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsuK6GjmCR54BC7P9x67eGHpROVLhSSQ6s3vZ3EvzUwQYmsOL1DY_vOk2A3cqG4BCUZzhMzeBiV-NPv8idvUAhfeQZXlnBEUnyVwkk2w8NG-OGbgSWe83CY3vb5g54F_f7_YoB1Sqm0SE8i8he6DITuwmAfzjfWbvdZZ0SlHSrZmARSc1TKilegZDj/s320/IMG_5739.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Our residency hosted 4 cohorts and was hybrid (in person + online)</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">HIGHLIGHTS:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Generative workshops with guest artist K-Ming Chang !!!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Faculty talks by Alison C. Rollins, </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Jay Ponteri, Alejandro de la Costa, </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Tanya McQueen, and Vi Khi Nao !!!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Readings by faculty, as well as Joanna Kaufman, Sara Jaffe, </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Brandon Shimoda, Jess Arndt, and K-Ming Chang !!!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Spending time with all the cohorts --including dinners, drinks, and a night of karaoke!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">My graduating cohort--Attending their thesis committee meetings and readings!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Zine and comics workshops!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The LRCW Alumni Fellow, Joanna Kaufman, and her time and wisdom</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">and phenomenol <a href="https://pnca.willamette.edu/news/grad/lrcw/low-residency-creative-writing-alumni-fellow-joanna-kaufman-exhibits-in-pncas-center-for-contemporary-art-culture" target="_blank">art exhibit</a>!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Graduation of course. I love you guys.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">ocean ocean, Russell Hill, Molly B. Collins, Rachel Keller,</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">and our cohort's thesis award winner, Manya Orescan Campos!</div><div><br /></div>LEAHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11581593915884936415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3248595253010250021.post-2569363125680812302022-01-30T11:31:00.002-08:002022-01-30T11:50:29.269-08:00Only One Semester To Go!<p>There was a summer residency, my third semester, and a winter residency. Now I have one semester to go and a final residency in June/July when I will graduate! Where did the time go???</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgvPPgoO6ghyBMRMuqmnUtWNa_Xp8XTxHczYNP3UACtiVWg416yKDt7B9N6KRwO_mlldO7Niz2ZUsdUWjXseUj9qnBOQUSlPqbgGD4Qbwxgf_U-SVzgjqaKDyJyIKxeqA3iMZkx8ITjqA7mzqX9ZpVUAAMvYUF1B6mLYq8ghN1BbSMv_0AWUSmL3x-5TA=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgvPPgoO6ghyBMRMuqmnUtWNa_Xp8XTxHczYNP3UACtiVWg416yKDt7B9N6KRwO_mlldO7Niz2ZUsdUWjXseUj9qnBOQUSlPqbgGD4Qbwxgf_U-SVzgjqaKDyJyIKxeqA3iMZkx8ITjqA7mzqX9ZpVUAAMvYUF1B6mLYq8ghN1BbSMv_0AWUSmL3x-5TA=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Grad school books. I've read about 90% of them. Guest artist works,</div><div style="text-align: center;">faculty works, anthologies, fiction, lyrical nonfiction, poetry, and critical studies.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Residency memories:</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh72_SZ3sQXTqJQ_jpoPZqYlSNBgppYdNibfU-X4Tu6fVdd3trP0DiDoNUfrkB_b-4relaQYLYIYEJF--UTGt1J3G1eCTzDbDc6WHucGV01-Ktms9N2cvQtLSXPfZNIn97oOPYUn1hequuithnPb_3d8MRMvfdcWDUtNPsogKHE6x0PiUi3PI8yljRuGg=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh72_SZ3sQXTqJQ_jpoPZqYlSNBgppYdNibfU-X4Tu6fVdd3trP0DiDoNUfrkB_b-4relaQYLYIYEJF--UTGt1J3G1eCTzDbDc6WHucGV01-Ktms9N2cvQtLSXPfZNIn97oOPYUn1hequuithnPb_3d8MRMvfdcWDUtNPsogKHE6x0PiUi3PI8yljRuGg=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Winter 2022 those of us who were in person at the school </div><div style="text-align: center;">were able to participate in art workshops!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglecEpded-v7ZDSaPhVxpJAk3yix6w5sc1MuZnkVotLyIlL903PwGocUgWmWioye4VwbBf13ydmAz0jadFFsP8R6ySFeSZfQt5IBQjUZgEsRwxmMLzanjzsc6-nf3zBMPjNxxpq4uqbx-J/s2048/IMG_2320.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglecEpded-v7ZDSaPhVxpJAk3yix6w5sc1MuZnkVotLyIlL903PwGocUgWmWioye4VwbBf13ydmAz0jadFFsP8R6ySFeSZfQt5IBQjUZgEsRwxmMLzanjzsc6-nf3zBMPjNxxpq4uqbx-J/w480-h640/IMG_2320.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Where it all happens in Portland - <a href="https://pnca.edu/" target="_blank">Pacific Northwest College of Art</a> (@ <a href="https://willamette.edu/" target="_blank">Willamette University</a>)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhwDnuXciXXkKwZn8tTV7MOcxsrfnFZxWlnElMT9rFn0gz0Tt-J6_zl_BNf4le17l9rNadt6vf_SAyV4aFsLjUy9nYMzgV9XWTmZ0m7523MA5GpmSGJ92cQ2J0Gsxmzp-tt_JK2hcZfYje-rp7pBrZhu5rVKCXdE0YlFa23JkeELBI4wiaxhYw9NtmaCQ=s1113" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="713" data-original-width="1113" height="410" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhwDnuXciXXkKwZn8tTV7MOcxsrfnFZxWlnElMT9rFn0gz0Tt-J6_zl_BNf4le17l9rNadt6vf_SAyV4aFsLjUy9nYMzgV9XWTmZ0m7523MA5GpmSGJ92cQ2J0Gsxmzp-tt_JK2hcZfYje-rp7pBrZhu5rVKCXdE0YlFa23JkeELBI4wiaxhYw9NtmaCQ=w640-h410" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Winter 2021 on Zoom</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh_nntQE7RrLqjEinViwGncIy94rlwJPqPJxi3mpWOqlXu5JC9el9kLJyANQ0D7goKLGk3Z5Izx8Hps59Nj9KTZgppoigXtE8Sf_3psMem8FdTzGuoui48WhzCaY4RAzds8-RWiCn-JE2qIWo-7jGz4uKHbC5hpCsTPxqvfaDIUIVx_FKiDV9A2Ar6QLw=s3088" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh_nntQE7RrLqjEinViwGncIy94rlwJPqPJxi3mpWOqlXu5JC9el9kLJyANQ0D7goKLGk3Z5Izx8Hps59Nj9KTZgppoigXtE8Sf_3psMem8FdTzGuoui48WhzCaY4RAzds8-RWiCn-JE2qIWo-7jGz4uKHbC5hpCsTPxqvfaDIUIVx_FKiDV9A2Ar6QLw=s320" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEirHKaAoN58Rcf43yC7NXRXurqq37Hb0sCjFho3v1OmNzz1sAuwsDjzMLTOvMuI0BWT5UZYnq1p4PrWNwc7LsbYuX5qvcXY2i26UwNNVUy_XTGE-Y0sJsTSxcnhOn0IeYB44HLZMDO7ZBwkdFuY1FYjj277oOq0cE74QGpIDiFQpOCehCUgjE5_182FhA=s3088" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2320" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEirHKaAoN58Rcf43yC7NXRXurqq37Hb0sCjFho3v1OmNzz1sAuwsDjzMLTOvMuI0BWT5UZYnq1p4PrWNwc7LsbYuX5qvcXY2i26UwNNVUy_XTGE-Y0sJsTSxcnhOn0IeYB44HLZMDO7ZBwkdFuY1FYjj277oOq0cE74QGpIDiFQpOCehCUgjE5_182FhA=s320" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">2021 Graduate, my friend Janna My buddy Russell</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiJ34guAAHx9tBxvBmwrB9xDSLjtQhRyDUPQ_TVJA8QasvxLXgvw1AqDFNsfSircVHB4umpWz3o1EJ1IyqsmVi4UqFWm-wy8twK4WGJEVnSMfIpzbYzbC79MAOSb5PYs60Q9P7OrIznEyzjor2s3qYDgolhjA5MkxrtFIcJZgpe0lGw44ZDrRiymoIqQw=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiJ34guAAHx9tBxvBmwrB9xDSLjtQhRyDUPQ_TVJA8QasvxLXgvw1AqDFNsfSircVHB4umpWz3o1EJ1IyqsmVi4UqFWm-wy8twK4WGJEVnSMfIpzbYzbC79MAOSb5PYs60Q9P7OrIznEyzjor2s3qYDgolhjA5MkxrtFIcJZgpe0lGw44ZDrRiymoIqQw=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">2021 Summer post-graduation karaoke</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEia-8F4TX75QRkBIKyepV3cG0iR1qhfQhRXc1oaX39c1l_X_bpf-_M_l3Xpv827I684UTkSYQwrYAjGOR9RuOTPAcwvOzOKTJXfffzrb045hpfHjcPSKOanFG1fHWmWnHIR1mzpmHEiIwAX7kTRp7ITfrZy2L5hel76IMJuO6QCCBZOXYMe8LX6WBZGgA=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEia-8F4TX75QRkBIKyepV3cG0iR1qhfQhRXc1oaX39c1l_X_bpf-_M_l3Xpv827I684UTkSYQwrYAjGOR9RuOTPAcwvOzOKTJXfffzrb045hpfHjcPSKOanFG1fHWmWnHIR1mzpmHEiIwAX7kTRp7ITfrZy2L5hel76IMJuO6QCCBZOXYMe8LX6WBZGgA=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">JP!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgDWEsTaC_VchAurDp5icFO4axBKebwRtvv3ogHat6OswBjlP_A-yNUkg79-whN0b2f8biJWDoCnrvmogPCqgxIzuzgN4SyVjlDuux6YDpbbHt_kb-rWNTrkTI6DIXiMTKEtNaQlZd65J2kOukuuP9gGtfyhPtp-wfLlxhnA54FkevfcvAzDboKYGIUiA=s1440" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1440" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgDWEsTaC_VchAurDp5icFO4axBKebwRtvv3ogHat6OswBjlP_A-yNUkg79-whN0b2f8biJWDoCnrvmogPCqgxIzuzgN4SyVjlDuux6YDpbbHt_kb-rWNTrkTI6DIXiMTKEtNaQlZd65J2kOukuuP9gGtfyhPtp-wfLlxhnA54FkevfcvAzDboKYGIUiA=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">One of many dinners at cool Portland restaurants</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjF8qb_c4ZamMuFJ91idlWlqfR9rngH8eZNS4bXaj5OGDtZOLhnDT2shttTSMB_vVpRdUYd3SRdBHbUBrm_674JzTejF7V131ZurAqAkh0up75gUtkfF3KLjVhjUf8jAFvAKzYSNvOilHGx6cKrdngAaEPZmirnRYbe0SDbTm45jEIB2SKgOfYkPIdmMA=s475" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="444" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjF8qb_c4ZamMuFJ91idlWlqfR9rngH8eZNS4bXaj5OGDtZOLhnDT2shttTSMB_vVpRdUYd3SRdBHbUBrm_674JzTejF7V131ZurAqAkh0up75gUtkfF3KLjVhjUf8jAFvAKzYSNvOilHGx6cKrdngAaEPZmirnRYbe0SDbTm45jEIB2SKgOfYkPIdmMA=w598-h640" width="598" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Molly, bonafide best roomie ever</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" />***</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">SNEAK PEAK!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">My thesis, "Blankets"</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-18ab4702-7fff-adea-e853-88291b965566"><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 2.4; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"> </p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 2.4; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">B L A N K E T</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> : </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">noun</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> : a large piece of woolen or similar material used as a bed covering or other covering for warmth. </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Etymology</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> : Middle English (denoting undyed woolen cloth): via Old Northern French from Old French </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">blanc</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> ‘white’, ultimately of Germanic origin. A blanket can be made of woven acrylic, knitted polyester, mink, cotton, fleece, silk, and wool. </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Synonyms</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> : c</span><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cloak#noun" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">loak</span></a><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, cover, cover-up, covering, curtain, hood, mantle, mask, pall, penumbra, robe, shroud, veil, wrap.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: right;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">White covering </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: right;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">for warmth</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 2.4; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"> </p><div style="text-align: center;">|||</div><br /><br /><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The earliest memory I have of death isn’t a memory. It’s a fluid thought-image of white walls and curtains, a sterile hospital bed with white blankets, my Grandma Ethel, my mother’s mother, and a specific moment that I was given to say </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">goodbye</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Is it real? I’ve shaded it out and erased it so many times. I wish I had a better sense of it because I was almost ten years old. I know for sure that when I saw her body later in a casket, despite her familiar white wig and silky turquoise blouse, I couldn’t understand why her lips were formed into such a thick, tight pucker. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I also think I have an older thought of her husband, Homer, lying in a bed of pale, thin white sheets in his home. I felt special because I was tall enough as a toddler to help him move his limbs to keep his muscles from atrophy.</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Easily the bones moved, the muscles hung heavy.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">|||</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When I fell in love with my husband, Dan, I visited him in Chicago and stayed at his apartment, in his room with a small window next to the bed where he hung blue Christmas lights and ran a fan. I loved lying in his bed of soft, worn-in blue sheets. Later, I confused my memories and began to believe that my grandfather actually had been cocooned by blue sheets.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 2.4; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In college, I created a sculpture to represent these confused memories; a shelf covered in those blue sheets and white polymer clay bones. The fabric hung from the shelf, even, with some of the bones cradled in the draped folds.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 2.4; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 2.4; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">|||</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; height: 828px; overflow: hidden; width: 624px;"><img height="828" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/n9sb6MK5-3uhsZXCOdpQ8_FZesB6melR9Xn-PHWQ4qWON0zHCEO59xFSWyp-paIsrXYk73M8hfgkYoK7426t_Xrnz5jTsFjBP_BwGPbEA8MNLIBJqlj1wBvmlWfxIo8-LzkyMORn" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" width="624" /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mary Martha (Hendricks) Hodel || Circa 1965, 1980</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 2.4; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"> </p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">|||</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As a child in church one evening, the pastor dropped the lights and showed a film on a projector screen. There was a cemetery and a person raised from a grave; shot up quickly to the sky, bound for heaven. It was sending a soul to heaven to await the resurrection. That body speeding, upward hurtling through the air terrified me.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 2.4; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"> </p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">||||</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 2.4; margin-bottom: 18pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">After her death but before the doctor placed a sheet over my mother’s body, I held her hand–the hand I had known all my life; admiring how it felt and how it had held my hand, the nesting and the pressing of the soft pads together. I tried to comfort my mother, kissing her cheek and caressing her forehead. I was 36 and she was 69 but I had become her mother by helping my sister with caregiving. I touched her body, a body no longer having warm blood or breath. Her skin was cold and purple but I kept telling her in my mind that she was beautiful. If I thought/said it to her enough times, didn’t it make me a better daughter than I felt I had been? The truth was her eyes were paused in a yellow pale gloss, her scalp exposed without her wig-only partially covered with feathery patches of short, white hair, and her mouth slacked, revealing an absence of teeth, only gray gums.</span></p><div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div></span></div><br style="text-align: left;" /><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">.......</div></div>LEAHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11581593915884936415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3248595253010250021.post-14781498653848124002021-10-01T13:48:00.001-07:002021-10-01T13:48:18.525-07:00Seven Years Living with Cancer<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqEWHzB2_8P4LjgKkUBmFCN3m4OigB2MyvIYhSsCu_v5SkNGSolj1Zo1TDBYpgTE3n_ZIZEBlEtCID0atR0m1bLlNZ_AlVokmZIwPjX5A-p1IqvaUkI9kb72HDAElfUf6nZK52XY_U7JA7/s2048/IMG_3353.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqEWHzB2_8P4LjgKkUBmFCN3m4OigB2MyvIYhSsCu_v5SkNGSolj1Zo1TDBYpgTE3n_ZIZEBlEtCID0atR0m1bLlNZ_AlVokmZIwPjX5A-p1IqvaUkI9kb72HDAElfUf6nZK52XY_U7JA7/w480-h640/IMG_3353.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">How hot is this guy?</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Today, on the first day of October, I caught myself and realized not only have I not shared anything for months on this blog, we also passed Dan's 'cancerversary' last month without any fanfare! Of course, there were definitely celebratory drinks when Dan's scans came back stable again (!) Thank you, Alcensa. Thank you, Genentech. Thank you, scientists. Another round of scanxiety put to rest. We will go through it all again in February.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6FwAJEgGNlfm3u9MHlo-V5Hwkc00YNasHAXG8VLuLhtm1fZO2RWd_1E_XnZInQp2ZNqi9VzTTRmm9PIFwmNlDewxDtKZhJTN08_cq8PBs_avDI0bqGPokURGRG3Jgz7uemMIMNN6woyPr/s1792/IMG_3379.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1792" data-original-width="828" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6FwAJEgGNlfm3u9MHlo-V5Hwkc00YNasHAXG8VLuLhtm1fZO2RWd_1E_XnZInQp2ZNqi9VzTTRmm9PIFwmNlDewxDtKZhJTN08_cq8PBs_avDI0bqGPokURGRG3Jgz7uemMIMNN6woyPr/w296-h640/IMG_3379.jpeg" width="296" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Good news!!!<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>The actual anniversary of his diganosis on the 18th found me exahausted and going to bed early during our camping trip. What a party pooper. I was disappointed in myself because I had great plans to celebrate with our neighbors over the campfire and even brought plenty of libations and a "7" sparkling candle. But when you need to get some sleep, you need to sleep. And Dan and I are very generous with each other on that point. He needs daily naps taking Alsenca. And I need them too! I don't have the cancer reason but with my own health problems, I take them. And like I have said before, I will never in my life look back at this time in our lives and regret being at home with him. I will never regret a single nap we took together. If someone wants to make me feel guilty for how I have approached things....staying at home and not working....Their opinion will never matter to me. Or so I tell myself. I do feel guilty for not working...Aren't we our harshest critic?</p><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglltQtNzrcv4ep7O3tsY5Ga_RxJytGeCN0eUFIOCJ2ULYP-Hw4oYr3tXJNea4KLxPjF7u-t8-y_XHBOCsWBO9dLEUBcqo0iqNi95-I40zDZRgFTaBugj1Kp8XcHM6IcQtKwzDbYDyVYK1C/s2048/IMG_3425.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglltQtNzrcv4ep7O3tsY5Ga_RxJytGeCN0eUFIOCJ2ULYP-Hw4oYr3tXJNea4KLxPjF7u-t8-y_XHBOCsWBO9dLEUBcqo0iqNi95-I40zDZRgFTaBugj1Kp8XcHM6IcQtKwzDbYDyVYK1C/w480-h640/IMG_3425.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Camping/boating at Apple Canyon Lake - Livin' the life!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>Dan's day-to-day life post diagnosis, seven years later, is a routine built around practical matters and occasional fun. He wakes every morning to get Raine ready for school and provide him with the cereal or pancakes that give him his life juice. Dan takes Stormy for a walk and to the dog park, where he socializes with fellow dog owners in their weird small talk dog-owner world (but he enjoys it). He also takes Stormy to the dog park in the late afternoon and then is home to cook us dinner. Lately he has been spending those afternoons on landscaping work with quite a full schedule, and always spends a day each month substitute teaching at the high school. (As a reminder, he isn't able to work too much or the pay will come out of his social security income). Such details are frustrating but we are grateful for what we are given after his decades long career. When he can sneak away, he golfs, goes to concerts, and gets together with his friends. Most importantly he gets to get out, has purpose, and feels joy in life! </p><p>**I was recently asked what advice we have for others because Dan's cancer has stayed stable for so long.</p><p>There is no miracle diet, exercise practice, or even the ideal frame of mind going on here. There is no perfect way to rely on a higher power, and especially if you aren't relying on that higher power 'correctly,' they are letting you hurt. I also never want Dan-or any cancer patient-to carry a cross for their own "win" or cure. You can not control the disease and certainly you don't need to be labeled a "fighter" in a "battle" if you don't want to. You are human and just be yourself. The disease will do what it does or not. </p><p>I hope for every patient that their loved ones understand this and don't put any pressure on them. My honest opinion is the best thing a friend or family member is support the patient in the fact that they don't have control. Help them feel loved and cared for...Because learning something is out of your control is painful.**</p><p><br /></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrbFbSDZ3JMQvHfIUhOzSEu-r2PTI3PdXORysOlPxlTjKs_Ud7SUozBmNr2nD7qVi7ReA4zsM5a6yJtdZRZXireiXsmO_A03ecEZ2cp_05VQFje3fyOApLURy-BVOU582SN-WPoyR_jbWs/s2048/IMG_3357.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrbFbSDZ3JMQvHfIUhOzSEu-r2PTI3PdXORysOlPxlTjKs_Ud7SUozBmNr2nD7qVi7ReA4zsM5a6yJtdZRZXireiXsmO_A03ecEZ2cp_05VQFje3fyOApLURy-BVOU582SN-WPoyR_jbWs/w640-h480/IMG_3357.jpeg" width="640" /></a></p><p><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" />What else is there when I consider where we are seven years later...?</p><p>We are stronger than ever. There is nothing like a terminal medical diagnosis to challenge the strongest of marriages. I personally know people who saw their relationships end in divorce. What maybe no one would expect is that his diagnosis brought out my strengths but exacerbated my weaknesses--namely my own medical issues. Sometimes I can't believe I am able to operate 'normally' as a person with Bipolar Disorder, Fibromyalgia, PCOS, and Hypothyroidism --thank the universe for medications --- and still feel like I am a capable caregiver and emotional support to Dan. As my weaknesses were stretched to their limits post diagnosis, Dan learned lessons he avoided throughout our marriage about my conditions and what he needed to do to emotionally support me. Three years ago he participated in a group for people who have family members with mental illness. It changed everything. He understood me and my illness in a new way and learned how to better support me.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitQL99ERnLtpEqsCp2M1crqEptw77IIpLGXELh44rq4igPPtM3VQZHnXa3WP-z6j7_uefAaWtQwP38aQ-23OJyK3F8ClmK7ZO0-vHt0pHzFUtps8ZqIk8B7yNs8faj1fpX35fSnwNU6UPk/s2048/IMG_3352.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitQL99ERnLtpEqsCp2M1crqEptw77IIpLGXELh44rq4igPPtM3VQZHnXa3WP-z6j7_uefAaWtQwP38aQ-23OJyK3F8ClmK7ZO0-vHt0pHzFUtps8ZqIk8B7yNs8faj1fpX35fSnwNU6UPk/w640-h480/IMG_3352.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cousins and bros!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>We have learned over and over again: Take the trip! Make everyone you love feel special! Focus on what really matters to you! It<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"> is cliché b</span>ut we all know it: Life is so short. And not only did Dan's diagnosis teach me that in a new way, but losing my mother young to liver disease a few years ago certainly did. LAUGH AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. Even through grief and struggle. It saves us. We are lucky that we married because we are both funny to each other. Well, and we liked kissing and stuff, too. REMINDER: make everyone you love feel special. </p><p>Just as we have celebrated Dan's scans, there are people we know and some that I have followed on social media in our cancer bubble and they have passed away in the last two weeks. It hurts. So much. </p><p>Live your one and only life to the fullest!</p><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJg-Sfk1zPPpUW3sDvvUnJPJ7h8PbjIApx_USgswYrIxeHXKfQrVtEhMebx0ELEkKdI_OToehHSvFuj3RQGxfAhoVnBM1fWmi68HsOSMofU0P-CxxsoLNN0UO38tUVltDwNemDIXNjkcbm/s1440/D6E0E2DC-078B-4D45-85BB-0A668D697478.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1085" data-original-width="1440" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJg-Sfk1zPPpUW3sDvvUnJPJ7h8PbjIApx_USgswYrIxeHXKfQrVtEhMebx0ELEkKdI_OToehHSvFuj3RQGxfAhoVnBM1fWmi68HsOSMofU0P-CxxsoLNN0UO38tUVltDwNemDIXNjkcbm/w640-h482/D6E0E2DC-078B-4D45-85BB-0A668D697478.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div>Raine. At age 10, I think he STILL does not quite understand the impact of Dan's cancer and he doesn't quite know it is "stage 4" or "incurable." It is just normal that daddy has cancer, like his vertigo. It's just the way that it is. Raine will even argue having vertigo is worse than cancer...! He sees the effects of vertigo daily. The cancer...Not so much. The irony is that the chemo and/or radiation caused the vertigo but I don't think I ever explained that. Despite the fact that Dan can't ride a bike or swim in the lake with Raine, or play proper basketball (the extensive steroids lead to shoulder surgery a few years ago and he didn't regain motion 100%) Raine doesn't care! He adores his dad. He still sits in his lap, talks his ear off first thing in the morning, trusts him to take care of him, and laughs at his jokes.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidEfLXTnjyTC7IUNbAn1uEhQBpb9-ic-8XFdBPv1JlSyDPafZssZUWVOfunW6PJ5me_-EimVKm_dyLdXnqlzMFuoWt20EL7V8QHi8M6P-HfcTfVpNfgs5g4Ew5_vPtifEXc7PCo6oY3uO1/s2048/IMG_3360.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidEfLXTnjyTC7IUNbAn1uEhQBpb9-ic-8XFdBPv1JlSyDPafZssZUWVOfunW6PJ5me_-EimVKm_dyLdXnqlzMFuoWt20EL7V8QHi8M6P-HfcTfVpNfgs5g4Ew5_vPtifEXc7PCo6oY3uO1/w480-h640/IMG_3360.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Weirdo!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Thanks for reading, friends. We appreciate you. If you ever feel so inclined, do drop a line and say Hi. We can still use all of the support we can get!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>LEAHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11581593915884936415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3248595253010250021.post-27392034415587872262021-07-21T13:59:00.001-07:002021-07-21T13:59:19.139-07:00grandpa don update<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCs9BMFSt0sdbxjWNyNad2LtOcDZAI6vJw6IWbDDUMrAIHfk0w3pUIUW58-OPaNN-Xqa24ORtvWI5z0IHVeKRbMaSP9aonHOQgiqC83dmXQVhyvviZImTX4ewqRW4cbY8rzzYkQMkrIBk0/s1137/IMG_1957.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="818" data-original-width="1137" height="460" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCs9BMFSt0sdbxjWNyNad2LtOcDZAI6vJw6IWbDDUMrAIHfk0w3pUIUW58-OPaNN-Xqa24ORtvWI5z0IHVeKRbMaSP9aonHOQgiqC83dmXQVhyvviZImTX4ewqRW4cbY8rzzYkQMkrIBk0/w640-h460/IMG_1957.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2TIlASrXU4MR8XLG0PbQvSnLmTSbjnFHtOpEhvKcfO_gI3fCD2BJpQIUD-JrZhORdpQSJ2FR2_aP1OD1PmnqN50ws-aTa7p37bhiDpfZZR_ikqIpAIctLjwcKL4vEf6Hj-YNAhjeOOZ5w/s1440/IMG_1922.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1440" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2TIlASrXU4MR8XLG0PbQvSnLmTSbjnFHtOpEhvKcfO_gI3fCD2BJpQIUD-JrZhORdpQSJ2FR2_aP1OD1PmnqN50ws-aTa7p37bhiDpfZZR_ikqIpAIctLjwcKL4vEf6Hj-YNAhjeOOZ5w/w640-h480/IMG_1922.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3dAFnDtkndSOThsvVS9VuXCMEdsIXAToyPtbPWQvZKIEQHHX3JKoQBlfr5w_1mR-LkvPWlgQ7k_GGglJdgq05HdKXY3siDHoR8b8rDA5XPXk1bA5opG1iay0jTn-HkX99B0OLI4YemGm4/s2048/IMG_1920.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3dAFnDtkndSOThsvVS9VuXCMEdsIXAToyPtbPWQvZKIEQHHX3JKoQBlfr5w_1mR-LkvPWlgQ7k_GGglJdgq05HdKXY3siDHoR8b8rDA5XPXk1bA5opG1iay0jTn-HkX99B0OLI4YemGm4/w640-h480/IMG_1920.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">These photos were taken in May, after Big D had an injury that caused a bleed inside his head, that the doctors didn't think he could survive. However my sister is a great advocate and they gave brain surgery a try--and it was successful!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After three weeks in the hospital recovering, he has now come home to live with us again, moved to the main floor while Raine has a bedroom in the basement now. Together with Dan, we keep a 24 hour watch on him as he remains a fall risk. However he has been approved to walk without his walker in the house and use the stairs to go down to his office if he is supervised. I have been taking him to therapies (speech, occupational, physical) for 8 weeks and his improvement has been tremendous! He was discharged from OT last week and now will focus only on speech/memory and walking/stairs/strengthening. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">During his post-op appointment with the neurosurgeon today, the doctor expressed how shocked he was that he had survived, and having survived, that he ever woke up, or did wake up and now can talk and function as well as he can. The doc doesn't consider it likely it would be safe for Big D to work or drive again, but we are having everything accessed through rehab before making those final decisions. In the meantime, he is happily back to enjoying coffee, Cubs games, puzzles, time with Marge, getting out and about for dinner, and Facebook. If you are friends with him on Facebook, drop him a line and send some encouragement! He still has a lot of work to do...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><p></p>LEAHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11581593915884936415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3248595253010250021.post-12309481164459086962021-07-21T10:23:00.000-07:002021-07-21T10:23:02.290-07:00And Along Came Stormy<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDll7riOrJSpBGYjyW-qlJbet8TxNUsDILfeZYapB3Ixl0n0wnO7frbcHsi_iUx1eA_YCks-wD69JDUNh6nyR3mmIDAJs8jCyewaQNW0R6QRIW73xEYn9P0qOcWI7F-MARo-IOKhrarMCv/s2048/IMG_1724.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDll7riOrJSpBGYjyW-qlJbet8TxNUsDILfeZYapB3Ixl0n0wnO7frbcHsi_iUx1eA_YCks-wD69JDUNh6nyR3mmIDAJs8jCyewaQNW0R6QRIW73xEYn9P0qOcWI7F-MARo-IOKhrarMCv/w480-h640/IMG_1724.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The meet and greet...</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9-UbN41OiPxeTWFHWdvjcg_ix6wjsY4FhX2c8qIMpmdhoxNvjn7vdW4Iq74KhUIveWMc6CTMAB9JxLIyF5Z0992X85sc4rE43q8esOkTIQXeInnVnfGavu2KnvQabkcaQB9ViBigK-Jj8/s2048/IMG_1722.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9-UbN41OiPxeTWFHWdvjcg_ix6wjsY4FhX2c8qIMpmdhoxNvjn7vdW4Iq74KhUIveWMc6CTMAB9JxLIyF5Z0992X85sc4rE43q8esOkTIQXeInnVnfGavu2KnvQabkcaQB9ViBigK-Jj8/w480-h640/IMG_1722.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Say hello to Stormy! (Named by Raine)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">He is the little pup that joined our family this spring.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">He was 8 weeks old and in foster care with <a href="https://gfrpets.org/" target="_blank">Grafelman Farms Rescue</a>,</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">rescued from somewhere in Missouri with his two littermates. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU2OJO7CNsUyShxRGiqGVDPp6-ujL8FAYZFvBl1zqDnsN7DOMmVBbZ04eBXCldpR91IpRATEuEcoBb0i7tfC-SyfSm_y-f4eHDW6auVhU0HSPLFWSiQ20hYAZIHmncG_QPEyjBXuZHFB_m/s2048/IMG_1741.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU2OJO7CNsUyShxRGiqGVDPp6-ujL8FAYZFvBl1zqDnsN7DOMmVBbZ04eBXCldpR91IpRATEuEcoBb0i7tfC-SyfSm_y-f4eHDW6auVhU0HSPLFWSiQ20hYAZIHmncG_QPEyjBXuZHFB_m/w480-h640/IMG_1741.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">Adoption Day!</p><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhborD_EzeHsrJo6aADJXS9Yha8NRjibRZiGTog4Z7V4TtzktsL-smls45fAuc9VpZKdOV9Lm-thP0iJzWb9jaavLbuQdzqdGblbgBg9rV-OPUyCHrbz6onwTaPOCWdOGI2EueNXkJOlo1F/s2048/IMG_1799.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhborD_EzeHsrJo6aADJXS9Yha8NRjibRZiGTog4Z7V4TtzktsL-smls45fAuc9VpZKdOV9Lm-thP0iJzWb9jaavLbuQdzqdGblbgBg9rV-OPUyCHrbz6onwTaPOCWdOGI2EueNXkJOlo1F/w480-h640/IMG_1799.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKXIcpgbFcIIDzpX_3ryMbCPps7D6AnZ1yxThmSGsx1YAFnDsH2t_ex-7DFf_oVQEkvQ4YgTzeqe6sZ7KFedFkVRMLQqttWgbpoi2Ax035wyTeYvmOuWp1ZORYzgjRpmuJNXHJPEdhSaI4/s2048/IMG_2087.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKXIcpgbFcIIDzpX_3ryMbCPps7D6AnZ1yxThmSGsx1YAFnDsH2t_ex-7DFf_oVQEkvQ4YgTzeqe6sZ7KFedFkVRMLQqttWgbpoi2Ax035wyTeYvmOuWp1ZORYzgjRpmuJNXHJPEdhSaI4/w480-h640/IMG_2087.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC9Tb4EqLzWQKCfvd4Yi61KBowTLrLvdpEf23TDzu0sIWgG5DZxSoY6wlrCa28l8ziO8nSx8nOOr32p75Bz_8od9F53yHVWKYyv5IQ3zCqQYJdREgndJqTlo0n8uNUJT5BrIf4phoDTQxQ/s2048/IMG_2441.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC9Tb4EqLzWQKCfvd4Yi61KBowTLrLvdpEf23TDzu0sIWgG5DZxSoY6wlrCa28l8ziO8nSx8nOOr32p75Bz_8od9F53yHVWKYyv5IQ3zCqQYJdREgndJqTlo0n8uNUJT5BrIf4phoDTQxQ/w480-h640/IMG_2441.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">He loves the neighborhood kids, toys, pup cups, the dog park, and </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">is getting introduced to traveling and camping.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">He is growing fast and is en route to maybe 50 lbs?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Of course I had to get a <a href="https://embarkvet.com/?_gl=1%2Aj3ae6c%2A_gcl_aw%2AR0NMLjE2MjY4ODc5MTguQ2p3S0NBandpOS1IQmhBQ0Vpd0FQelVoSEVTR1FmTHV1MlJRcnVYMkV2dDBaQ0xzMDMzaDlKa0taNlktODhxc0wxWmp2d0F6QS1ScHRSb0NER2tRQXZEX0J3RQ.." target="_blank">DNA kit</a>! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">He is 50% Australian cattle dog, and the rest is a mix of pit bull, beagle, lab, and chow chow!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Were we truly ready for a new pet? And a puppy? Probably not. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">But now I can't imagine him not a part of our family.</div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The moral of a lesson is:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">If you don't want to get a dog, especially a puppy, don't look at photos of available dogs online.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div></div><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p></p>LEAHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11581593915884936415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3248595253010250021.post-45758852304272297162021-04-08T09:47:00.000-07:002021-07-21T09:48:27.866-07:00happy 44th birthday dan!<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhprJbO14LuD-cg4AAdPAtLfr27TRsRif1PksD6OLkQ_QvXaN858KdGxVuMTMuQRptz7zu_XmY8jJOSBZrC3NNcjbgutKtSTnh2jH9RD-iC28kErwtltSqowXEOnHwKNQ-KgRNJ826mBRS/s2048/IMG_1635.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhprJbO14LuD-cg4AAdPAtLfr27TRsRif1PksD6OLkQ_QvXaN858KdGxVuMTMuQRptz7zu_XmY8jJOSBZrC3NNcjbgutKtSTnh2jH9RD-iC28kErwtltSqowXEOnHwKNQ-KgRNJ826mBRS/w480-h640/IMG_1635.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><p></p>LEAHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11581593915884936415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3248595253010250021.post-12787121783777214822021-03-25T13:35:00.002-07:002021-07-21T10:23:14.833-07:00Saying Goodbye to Rocco<p style="text-align: center;"> <span style="text-align: center;">Rocco Morrison Herzing</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">our sweet little man!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">june 2005 - march 2021</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm1BaoKGLYgqWFakVzs4359V9ihj615RaBV7g3g-GTBG0GAWC69egkHkYsopIn8osxE_QSxJfeuvu0hjITjnFwV-shUB0dLD69EUIHq5HYKJ2EraddQFkPotDxHTVwoBTJdQ4lE4FH0GHM/s2048/DSC08909.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm1BaoKGLYgqWFakVzs4359V9ihj615RaBV7g3g-GTBG0GAWC69egkHkYsopIn8osxE_QSxJfeuvu0hjITjnFwV-shUB0dLD69EUIHq5HYKJ2EraddQFkPotDxHTVwoBTJdQ4lE4FH0GHM/w426-h640/DSC08909.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBY1k1R8TrFu5bATO72CQoWUOnLTwCGZZuUwI7jn6Nj6gXfJCD4WELpNCs-C-6DA3hNJvwXe5ueXZSLXNYyNKAdj_q5KCfevxU2aPcIG31-dGhlK-VsQKqFipIxJNaP_KVcVJVHGT0LBwm/s1722/161462539_10158992024718972_1230401541627499450_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1244" data-original-width="1722" height="462" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBY1k1R8TrFu5bATO72CQoWUOnLTwCGZZuUwI7jn6Nj6gXfJCD4WELpNCs-C-6DA3hNJvwXe5ueXZSLXNYyNKAdj_q5KCfevxU2aPcIG31-dGhlK-VsQKqFipIxJNaP_KVcVJVHGT0LBwm/w640-h462/161462539_10158992024718972_1230401541627499450_o.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2_pRpCkuwafJnCI6iM2YuTosfHjm2kGPGpTJqriYCelCgRuluqdOfTgmGWiaenyBk_70M1_hDs1bS6ThVCSU3aNPesZZGi2Ju4NIcLh78MhfMCDrc-fMUcoM-R6WKuUg_rsynLNoghgF4/s1772/162782705_10158992024758972_8018749894447851419_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1349" data-original-width="1772" height="488" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2_pRpCkuwafJnCI6iM2YuTosfHjm2kGPGpTJqriYCelCgRuluqdOfTgmGWiaenyBk_70M1_hDs1bS6ThVCSU3aNPesZZGi2Ju4NIcLh78MhfMCDrc-fMUcoM-R6WKuUg_rsynLNoghgF4/w640-h488/162782705_10158992024758972_8018749894447851419_o.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWuN-j44i0igQ4mUjznWtd_XkT2wjCpkSw1viCYWP0emo8vmt0q77s_wo9dv_0NRBK87B6uwFjQmlm-KaXlMTez0UULrfpJa8AYX14il0SuDN4zof34jpAE5fyr3Hxia1sG7s3hEcu-mHx/s1754/163558442_10158992024793972_4289428189607092657_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1275" data-original-width="1754" height="466" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWuN-j44i0igQ4mUjznWtd_XkT2wjCpkSw1viCYWP0emo8vmt0q77s_wo9dv_0NRBK87B6uwFjQmlm-KaXlMTez0UULrfpJa8AYX14il0SuDN4zof34jpAE5fyr3Hxia1sG7s3hEcu-mHx/w640-h466/163558442_10158992024793972_4289428189607092657_o.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://flic.kr/s/aHsmRF3uXT" target="_blank">VIEW PHOTOS OF ROCCO + HOBBES HERE</a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><br style="background-color: white; font-family: "Century Gothic", Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /></div>LEAHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11581593915884936415noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3248595253010250021.post-20409270529891951172021-03-22T10:54:00.000-07:002021-03-22T10:54:21.803-07:00Interview with Dr. Alice Shaw<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih8Yu9mf0LK0Iyaougi1WTgwFghaj_1SGeVLZ7UFNkX59jtpk9U8hBkTNR0GGVYBPQ9mG4VllZQ0FmiKYcyzJNvSBka7m5-0ngbMYG8jhzlgWNZ7KQJoB-SpwGUs5UVa5ReEJWCzWR6AO3/s1000/MJ18_Page_40_Image_0001-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="695" data-original-width="1000" height="444" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih8Yu9mf0LK0Iyaougi1WTgwFghaj_1SGeVLZ7UFNkX59jtpk9U8hBkTNR0GGVYBPQ9mG4VllZQ0FmiKYcyzJNvSBka7m5-0ngbMYG8jhzlgWNZ7KQJoB-SpwGUs5UVa5ReEJWCzWR6AO3/w640-h444/MJ18_Page_40_Image_0001-1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, system-ui, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: start; white-space: pre-wrap;">Excellent q+a with Dr. Alice Shaw--a legend in the lung cancer world. </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, system-ui, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: start; white-space: pre-wrap;">This is a great summary of recent trends in ALK NSCLC.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"> <a href="https://www.alkpositive.org/blog/2021/2/14/alktalk-with-dr-alice-shaw?fbclid=IwAR1PlDo1DdxxyRCuoZOXeXOQJc4pfmeRoV9dLTfxklN6Qn6NcPPYaOGeNUk" target="_blank">Read the transcript here </a>or <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q2p8K-qkVtg" target="_blank">watch the video on YouTube!</a></p>LEAHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11581593915884936415noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3248595253010250021.post-12959516034012892772021-03-10T12:44:00.002-08:002021-03-10T12:44:17.700-08:002021 New Lung Cancer Screening Guidelines<p><strong style="color: #636363; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: inherit;"><br /></strong></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAjx0EsYpkjWOhuM2p4kgpsLYZctR5g1GmxQSK697qWQVrL5B71wJwynOvqlZbHWNb9lKewhspLQ9h1F3oaY3rG9Mu8CbL00KUtc354nRyYCd6l1P5qb0-AWcifVd6eJYC6BKxLY8UG_0Q/s337/logo.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="72" data-original-width="337" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAjx0EsYpkjWOhuM2p4kgpsLYZctR5g1GmxQSK697qWQVrL5B71wJwynOvqlZbHWNb9lKewhspLQ9h1F3oaY3rG9Mu8CbL00KUtc354nRyYCd6l1P5qb0-AWcifVd6eJYC6BKxLY8UG_0Q/s320/logo.gif" width="320" /></a></div><strong style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: inherit; text-align: left;"><p style="color: #636363; text-align: center;"><strong style="color: #636363; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: inherit; text-align: left;"><br /></strong></p>The United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) announced a revision to their lung cancer screening guidelines from 2013.</strong><span style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: left;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: left;">The 2013 guidelines recommended annual low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) scans for people between the ages of 55 and 80 years who have a 30-pack-year smoking history and who currently smoke or have quit within the past 15 years.</span><p></p><p style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">The 2021 revised guidelines recommend annual screening for lung cancer with LDCT in people... </p><p style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 20px;"><b>aged <em style="line-height: inherit;">50 to 80 years</em> who have a <em style="line-height: inherit;">20-pack-year</em> smoking history and currently smoke or have quit within the past 15 years.</b> </p><p style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 20px;"><span style="line-height: inherit;">In other words, the guidelines have been expanded to include younger people and those who have smoked less.</span></p><h2 style="background-color: white; color: #ff7900; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 17px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 26px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 20px;">How will these new guidelines impact lung cancer screening?</h2><ul style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 24px; margin-top: 16px; padding: 0px;"><li style="line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 16px;">The new guidelines will result in 14.5 million US adults being eligible for lung cancer screening under the 2021 recommendations, an increase of 81% (6.4 million adults) from the 2013 recommendations.</li><li style="line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">The new guidelines, when implemented, have the potential to increase access to screening to women and underserved communities.</li></ul><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Learn more at <span style="color: black;"><a href="https://lungevity.org/" target="_blank">LUNGevity Foundation web site</a>.</span></span></span></div>LEAHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11581593915884936415noreply@blogger.com0Washington, IL, USA40.7036482 -89.407312312.393414363821158 -124.5635623 69.013882036178842 -54.2510623tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3248595253010250021.post-48119080395145461232021-03-10T09:18:00.003-08:002022-01-30T11:28:54.101-08:00PNCA Winter 2021 Residency<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfmHEB4ywexhTZmSjmAD_LU_NLSKQYSsLLIH6Xkl6Z1F11i5pAzJE6EgnPpu3_dsLbMTI0-vjUhQPHGBNUvUDp_ruIogVkRmWZGzqbzjCdfHPoKG1s5FVwvvU7pWbiVM5AJs5PuNAKHqpU/s1600/DSC08874.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfmHEB4ywexhTZmSjmAD_LU_NLSKQYSsLLIH6Xkl6Z1F11i5pAzJE6EgnPpu3_dsLbMTI0-vjUhQPHGBNUvUDp_ruIogVkRmWZGzqbzjCdfHPoKG1s5FVwvvU7pWbiVM5AJs5PuNAKHqpU/w426-h640/DSC08874.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This involves a lot of reading to be prepared.</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrqijLsJPlrKeHYAuTtdkd1Ua3J_kTWlSVuhWt_3myS3gunCMEElyfHxrLyQZ8cU-isko7kqtv9-B_zWVVqqGOPIy4QQV6LPdsnAVW7areikDChpN81F9v-RqiFs01eVum2xRPsPyooVL3/s1113/Screen+Shot+2021-01-04+at+3.47.53+PM.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="713" data-original-width="1113" height="410" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrqijLsJPlrKeHYAuTtdkd1Ua3J_kTWlSVuhWt_3myS3gunCMEElyfHxrLyQZ8cU-isko7kqtv9-B_zWVVqqGOPIy4QQV6LPdsnAVW7areikDChpN81F9v-RqiFs01eVum2xRPsPyooVL3/w640-h410/Screen+Shot+2021-01-04+at+3.47.53+PM.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Workshop group - We read each other's 20 page excerpt of nonfiction work and give feedback.<br />Genuine, amazing folx here.</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi92cq6QR1PJdeq9h0wvxFAuo-vL3G_k6SSr-onUbn7Y_2o4rnsAVBgSY3hTOTfYZUO9CYWfMlgG8TAHWMAgE-j4GCd3F2Dv2m0karsNCfMcZM3pYqu-XFVL7ECidsY67Ve5A7-9qxxp0Hg/s659/Screen+Shot+2021-03-10+at+11.15.26+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="430" data-original-width="659" height="418" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi92cq6QR1PJdeq9h0wvxFAuo-vL3G_k6SSr-onUbn7Y_2o4rnsAVBgSY3hTOTfYZUO9CYWfMlgG8TAHWMAgE-j4GCd3F2Dv2m0karsNCfMcZM3pYqu-XFVL7ECidsY67Ve5A7-9qxxp0Hg/w640-h418/Screen+Shot+2021-03-10+at+11.15.26+AM.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The most exciting moment? Finding out who your mentor will be for the term!<br />I lucked out with <a href="https://www.alisoncrollins.com/" target="_blank">Alison C. Rollins</a>!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-eVofkkvXZKhk6guJ95WpOmuEoI6A2vCw4aMIPsNpvzpcPU0rbbVdQl24tFevpS9dM5n89lajNZgNs5XN0qSVzZ_0CB_RZ-7awI9rtAOfWPBSqKKU4_UFzIN6johiIUOMbNZceIfGX7HU/s2048/IMG_1300.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-eVofkkvXZKhk6guJ95WpOmuEoI6A2vCw4aMIPsNpvzpcPU0rbbVdQl24tFevpS9dM5n89lajNZgNs5XN0qSVzZ_0CB_RZ-7awI9rtAOfWPBSqKKU4_UFzIN6johiIUOMbNZceIfGX7HU/w480-h640/IMG_1300.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">By the end of the residency, I create a bibliography and plan of attack for the term.<br />Of course, I always add more books as the term goes on!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/127035-leah-herzing" target="_blank">Follow me on Goodreads</a>!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://pnca.edu/academics/graduate/low-residency-creative-writing" target="_blank">Interested in LRCW at PNCA? Contact Jay Ponteri!</a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Hoping Summer '21 Residency is in person in Pdx. Cross your fingers!</div><br /><p><br /></p>LEAHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11581593915884936415noreply@blogger.com1Washington, IL, USA40.7036482 -89.4073123-36.65926018978837 129.9676877 90 51.2176877tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3248595253010250021.post-84998455552778516942021-03-03T16:24:00.002-08:002021-03-09T16:43:56.655-08:00Remember Valentine's Day?<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjI9TqvwQqQJdDGHlrRKUzs-3ZgG0cxfA5vN3yoHjBvhrYisS0Sb6OpHZveMo48BkBayzpT2zuCNmHjDZ1LJUHAsQvamUNwzwwrXkUkvn8JLlKTyKLKpec6zcMl3lZkI5w0tzaYGdd2XqP/s2048/IMG_1413.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjI9TqvwQqQJdDGHlrRKUzs-3ZgG0cxfA5vN3yoHjBvhrYisS0Sb6OpHZveMo48BkBayzpT2zuCNmHjDZ1LJUHAsQvamUNwzwwrXkUkvn8JLlKTyKLKpec6zcMl3lZkI5w0tzaYGdd2XqP/s320/IMG_1413.jpeg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBuTzK9xaFy2i1uqXjkwSrcy2Iq_MwxzbHTCUm_EE2mSGPgiAC0fAIIsEMyeFH0iwLalIfhyphenhyphenvtFvOX7TQ1PiIX7beGkc6d3JNiERfN9DJ6Lf1EWZwebH-GWFdC_EtQesueZmCkZ-Ksfbig/s2048/IMG_1411.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBuTzK9xaFy2i1uqXjkwSrcy2Iq_MwxzbHTCUm_EE2mSGPgiAC0fAIIsEMyeFH0iwLalIfhyphenhyphenvtFvOX7TQ1PiIX7beGkc6d3JNiERfN9DJ6Lf1EWZwebH-GWFdC_EtQesueZmCkZ-Ksfbig/s320/IMG_1411.jpeg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAWW9veiGOhas4qHYDHkSTFqg_oKQrnpftblYieP05QtGLX0O9lrNdHXhYkowaPO8vgPehWJtxzqJhyphenhyphenRw2Pv7WI0mgD5NkSZUO4GBTfTaXO-Cx68YLU49ac26i4PoguH3OdwhemLs145ar/s2048/IMG_1409.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAWW9veiGOhas4qHYDHkSTFqg_oKQrnpftblYieP05QtGLX0O9lrNdHXhYkowaPO8vgPehWJtxzqJhyphenhyphenRw2Pv7WI0mgD5NkSZUO4GBTfTaXO-Cx68YLU49ac26i4PoguH3OdwhemLs145ar/s320/IMG_1409.jpeg" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghSDTuOodtpxXUHn_fjR07X5_HM1ZiLvYkxXyb6f0lJk8D8nkSHMQjIHdMX3u2RfehE2_eq4Yuachb1FwwtJrhRBG4TrcFGLFKt43Y9XV2iZKlwOWGOhVbIYF2wr6fd44ROZhDWJ9bKdO3/s2048/IMG_1354.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghSDTuOodtpxXUHn_fjR07X5_HM1ZiLvYkxXyb6f0lJk8D8nkSHMQjIHdMX3u2RfehE2_eq4Yuachb1FwwtJrhRBG4TrcFGLFKt43Y9XV2iZKlwOWGOhVbIYF2wr6fd44ROZhDWJ9bKdO3/s320/IMG_1354.jpeg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwrmjC5RSD3G2KCI97EU55ovo2KvYzk5_DincttyIO8oVLXquYrWQFqo1L_Tsj1YkWw86eOxnTreomRQr9FsxmJjTvnKEX_X7L3Y9-BDgaguSFUVSlPmbK_7DUByxxAPIUghMGXXX6vo2N/s2048/IMG_1403.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwrmjC5RSD3G2KCI97EU55ovo2KvYzk5_DincttyIO8oVLXquYrWQFqo1L_Tsj1YkWw86eOxnTreomRQr9FsxmJjTvnKEX_X7L3Y9-BDgaguSFUVSlPmbK_7DUByxxAPIUghMGXXX6vo2N/w640-h480/IMG_1403.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So much to be grateful for! Dan's CT and bloodwork in January were good. The MRI scheduled for February 20th was also good. That one was tricky because typically it takes them a week or more to call with results and this time they called right away. Eeeek! However, no worries. They were just randomly calling early. OK, great. Such scanxiety!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWfyLHswUdDcG02dJNiFf25ZViZQe5MXsEyoKaYcmtMHNsh6utUk6yvobL9aNh39dl-fuZocxMiTIUpF6Efc16DgzHxvw6XxS_kDHGeIlwj9KEp1BtUyelez03Msqj1iIhvQOzwliZwuQ4/s1335/IMG_1517.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1335" data-original-width="1335" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWfyLHswUdDcG02dJNiFf25ZViZQe5MXsEyoKaYcmtMHNsh6utUk6yvobL9aNh39dl-fuZocxMiTIUpF6Efc16DgzHxvw6XxS_kDHGeIlwj9KEp1BtUyelez03Msqj1iIhvQOzwliZwuQ4/w400-h400/IMG_1517.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Valentine's Day with Raine was sweet. He got candy and toys sent from his "classmates" (virtual and in-person) and I used Minted to make his valentines so that we could feature a penguin. (Pretty cute, right?)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">In other news....This was February:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlbmw5pBPdHD9_uohoG9v_JLVkjeJsSEC_wGdEDvOdM8WjMVouzpW_Vn1A30Ykb3G1N0jAvDKgv1jk1dcyjfb6eWIzeDiXka5m94fD0ur9TO5RVwIrO2Qkcbyy17hcdUVGMIdcppWv_m3u/s2048/IMG_1406.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlbmw5pBPdHD9_uohoG9v_JLVkjeJsSEC_wGdEDvOdM8WjMVouzpW_Vn1A30Ykb3G1N0jAvDKgv1jk1dcyjfb6eWIzeDiXka5m94fD0ur9TO5RVwIrO2Qkcbyy17hcdUVGMIdcppWv_m3u/w480-h640/IMG_1406.jpeg" width="480" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWMmPme1FEX3XL-E1vxccYsmNu2SyxzhSx77dFjrxMkJTjIpgiqmHfd-zz4Wbbd37_-4PKjX565pjO8Ew-x0WYBg5WUYMJspqMc7QiTCKOjY5bGR-yPmouEIsX7jh_PD4zVpyF61MShjn_/s2048/IMG_1407.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWMmPme1FEX3XL-E1vxccYsmNu2SyxzhSx77dFjrxMkJTjIpgiqmHfd-zz4Wbbd37_-4PKjX565pjO8Ew-x0WYBg5WUYMJspqMc7QiTCKOjY5bGR-yPmouEIsX7jh_PD4zVpyF61MShjn_/w480-h640/IMG_1407.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p></p>LEAHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11581593915884936415noreply@blogger.com0