Roaring Good Time, 1920's style!

Tonight was the Playwrite Gala, held at the Tiffany Center (formerly Neighbours of Woodcraft). Last night at dinner, Tashie asked me what we would be wearing?
Our regular clothes? I suggested.
Oh, but this is the 20s , said she, and we must dress accordingly!
So this morning, I raced about collecting sequinned head bands, feathers, and fringe.
This photo is of Tashie and Helen Giari Campbell arriving at the event. I joined them quickly for the photo opp, as I had had to come earlier for rehearsal.

Kathy Brings the Brown Bread!

Kathy read on the Baked Beans & Brown Bread blog post that I had not been able to find brown bread. So she tried finding some, and the closest vendor was in Vermont. Not to be dissuaded from her goal of locating brown bread to accompany the B & M baked beans, Kathy then perused recipes. And baked that New England brown bread in the traditional tin can, and brought it down to Portland and presented it to Tashie! Was she ever thrilled! Yum yum...

A Visit from Nicholas

Nicholas drove down from Seattle with his friend Kevin late last night. This morning, we got caught up on his adventures and work - it gave Tashie a lift to see him, and get his oh-so-strong hugs.
The tiredness seems (to me) to be slowly slowly abating in a subtle way - the changes are barely discernible, (although I don't think it's purely my imagination run wild). She naps frequently, and listens to conversations more than participating in them.

But glory be...she is finally eating with a tiny smattering of gusto, especially if she sees B&M Boston Baked Beans on her plate! She misses the brown bread, but I can't seem to find it here. Anyone knows where to get it, give me a shout.

Masque of Mystery

Tashie did not want to take her mask home, but I begged her to let me take it - after all, if she wanted to see it someday, it would be here. We would maintain that option. But if we left it to the hospital rubbish bin...no options for revisiting. When she started radiation, she was curious about the mask, and said she'd take it home for Hallowe'en or some sort of dress-ups, but then as she started to feel the double burdens of fatigue and burning, its charm vanished. Anyway, it sits in our closet, to be revealed or not as she sees fit.
She is tired still, and today decided not to get dressed at all, as she plans to be back and forth in bed for naps. We're slathering on that aloe and Vitamin E mixture, which seems to really help - much more than the Vit E alone. The neti pot is helpful as well for congestion.
She asks when this tiredness will go away, and I remind her that it will, but it will take a couple of weeks.

Burning time...

The burn across her nose, cheeks, and forehead is hurting more, and getting even darker. It is probably fortunate that she can't see it too well. She feels the burn though, and skin tenderness. We are putting an aloe/vitamin E combination on it - hopefully it will start to make a difference.

It's been cloudy, but here's an opening into the sun!

She sleeps a lot, and we have been indulging her inclination to move only when necessary - we'll resume the walking and exercise program later. Micah the kitty isn't feeling well himself - I think it's a sympathetic ailment!

Whoopee! Last Day of Radiation!

At least that's the way we were feeling as we led up to that day of finishing...
But by the time the day came, the profound and legendary fatigue of radiation had set in. Tashie wanted to want to celebrate, and itemized her wishes for dinner:
Dungeness crab cocktail
Steamed spinach
Sautéed mushrooms
Corn on the cob
Crispy fried potatoes
Custard
She listed these yummy items as we drove home from the hospital. So I dropped her (in the gentle care of Terry) off at the apartment, while I set off to procure the food stuffs.
By the time I got home, arms laden with treats, Tashie was curled up in her bed and dozing. After checking with her that she was indeed hungry, Terry and I cooked, while Clarke  set the table and lit the candles.
Our Tashie took her time getting out of bed - as she describes, "I'm weak as a kitten."
She sat down, and took a couple of bites of crab cocktail. She was clearly yearning for bed, and jumped at our suggestion, adding "All this good food, I'm so sorry." We reassured her that she needn't eat anything more, we'd cook again when she would be ready. So she gratefully tumbled back into bed, and slept soundly.

Even more tired...

The fatigue is getting more pronounced. Even when she was with Bruce and Bethany this weekend, she did no rowing - that speaks volumes, as she is always up for rowing when she's with Coach Bruce. She went to Bethany's opening at the Brian Marki gallery, and enjoyed seeing Bethany's incredible creations. Her vision is definitely compromised, but she seems to get the flavour and essence of those paintings. And Bruce tells me that other than that, she spent a quiet weekend.

Fatigue sets in...

Micah and Nesto

The fatigue that we were cautioned to expect has settled in for a spell. Tashie is very very tired, and having lie-downs in the morning and afternoon, and sometimes in between. Philip and Katherine visited this morning, and of course that was uplifting for her. It was especially exciting for her to hear that they are contemplating a move north to Portland. And again...I forgot to whip out my iPhone for some pix - shouldn't I have learned by now? Shortly after they left, Michael dropped by  for a very short visit with Nesto, who was greeted with cat-like enthusiasm by our Micah. I did get some photos of Terry holding Nesto, but none of Our Ladyship with her gentlemen callers. Tashie asked me to move her appointment back a little so that she might have a rest for half an hour before leaving for St. Vincent's. I was afraid that she wouldn't want to go at all once she got prone, but she was up and ready to go as soon as 30 minutes had passed - that seemed to be all she really needed. The staff in the radiation department are really wonderful with Tashie. They try everything to make her as comfortable as possible without disturbing their "mapping," bringing her warm blankets and moving her with kindness and gentleness. While we wait to go in, we work on crossword puzzles. And when Terry takes her, they stop at the Rose Garden afterwards

Champion in her Class

Kirk stopped by this morning (Tashie's twin, as they share a June 1st birthday) for a visit. He'd been helping Bruce and Bethany collect wood for the winter, so spent some relaxing time chatting and catching up with Tashie.
Later, Michele and Bill Failing stopped by for a quick visit. Tashie thrives at her place in the mountains, with her people. I hate to drag her back for more radiation...but it will soon end, and she will be able to return to her mountain and her stream.

We were all packed up to start our road trip, and headed toward the road, when Bruce suggested that Tashie work out a bit on the rowing machine. So we all trooped back into the rowing room, and while Bruce coached, her progress was recorded: Bethany on still camera, Eliza on video.

B

Martini time

Today is beautiful, sometimes sunny and sometimes clear, sometimes misty, and on the cool side. Kathy and David slept on the platform overlooking the bend in the river, and their reports ranged from simple mists to light rain. They loved the babbling of the river making its way downstream, and in the morning, saw herons and hawks wheeling above them. Kathy made yummy scrambled eggs from their friend's chicken farm. Fresh makes a huge difference - the yolks were almost an entirely different yellow than the ones we generally get. They took off for Eugene in the early afternoon, and it wasn't until evening that I realized that I took no photos of them, either on their own or with Tashie. Darn!
Mabsie came in the afternoon, and we brainstormed a bit about the fish hatchery land use, while Tashie napped. She is feeling the fatigue of radiation - she just noticed feeling it yesterday, so we are easing up a bit on her walking regimen, and encouraging frequent rest breaks.

The traditional "Martini time with Gail & Les" happened tonight, and  it was then that I realized that I had taken no photos since arriving - so I was determined to make up for it.
Bruce and Bethany spent the entire day, with lots of help and brawn from Kirk, cutting, chopping, and stacking wood. But they still managed to create a notable and bountiful dinner and brought it down to Tashie's.

Moving to the Mountain

Bruce, Bethany, Tashie, Clarke & Eliza drove up from Portland this afternoon - just getting out of town is a challenge! Kathy our-dear-cousin-from-Kaua'i
and her David are on a west coast holiday, including a visit to Tashie's. They actually beat us there, greeting us with a pot of hot tea and a fire being contemplated. Over a dinner of chicken and sides from Pollo Norte, we had a great evening catching up, reminiscing, and sharing and comparing island issues vs. central Oregon issues. These are images of two of Kathy's books - since I was too not-alert to take photographs of these dear cousins themselves, I am using the book covers as symbols of their stay. After dinner, Bruce got them settled with gear for sleeping outside, and we all turned in early.

Tashie tires after the long day of travel, and the mountain air perhaps relaxes all of us, tired or not! She is glad to be back in her nest, and so are the always amusing kitties.

A little tired...

This is the 7th day of radiation, and Tashie said she is beginning to feel tired.
Dr. Gannett assured her that this is quite normal. Tomorrow Bruce
will pick her up for her radiation treatment and then the drive to Camp Sherman. Clarke and I will follow, and our Hawaiian cousins, Kathy & David as well. K & D are on holiday from Kau'ai, visiting family in the Bay Area, Eugene, and Portland. It will be great to reconnect with them.
On Sunday, we'll be returning to Portland for another week of daily radiation.

Been a long time!

It is so time to update  Tashie's nearest and dearest - I have been distracted by activities of daily living and such. As some of you already know, the mass that was removed in July did indeed have malignant cells in it. Early biopsies simply missed those cells, but the pathology report came back positive.
About two weeks ago, she went in for mapping and simulation in preparation for beginning radiation treatments. It was quite interesting, as you can see. She plans to keep the mask for Hallowe'en frolics.


Tashie will be getting her 5th radiation treatment today at St. Vincent's. So far, she has no complaints other than these:
1) I "make" her walk from the carpark to the building - not far, but she would like to be dropped off at the doorway. It's good exercise, and she's getting stronger every day.
2) The "bed" she lies on for the treatments is hard and uncomfortable. Today we'll try a Tylenol before leaving home.
She is experiencing no side effects as yet, and her spirits are good.
She has been rowing when in Camp Sherman: 1000 meters when I am with her (sometimes only 500) but when Bruce is egging her on, she does 2000! What a champ!
Her treatments are Monday through Friday, so she is fairly anchored to Portland for the next while.

100 Questions Amid Indescribable Beauty

Reflections in Metolius waters

Amie and I walked the west Metolius Trail Head in the mid to late afternoon, and she took some fabulous photos. The light was amazing, and the tumult in the water plus the glints of sunlight racing through the needles and leaves of pine and manzanita changed colours like a kaleidoscope. Some old snags made good photo ops as well.
A couple of salmon flies followed us for a bit, and as we left, Amie saw a jumping something  - jumping for our salmon fly friends?




While we were on our walk, George and Tashie pondered the 100 essential questions, as in...What have you always wanted to know about Tashie but were afraid to ask?
Where did you have your first kiss?
What is your favourite eating utensil and why?
What is the favourite one-hour of your life?
What is the favourite thing to hold in your hand?
what is your favourite childhood toy?
Priscilla, a doll with a china face.
What is your favourite hand-me-down given to you?
A silk Japanese kimono given to me by my mother.
what if you could substitute your life for another's? who would you choose?
I wouldn't even consider it - I am happy with the one I've led!
If you could ask your parents just 3 things, what would they be?
Why are you so protective of me? I wanted to go to the OO Ranch run by a cattleman named Bill Hanley, but they wouldn't let me. I asked him, Can someone teach me how to ride? He said, The horse will teach you how to ride.
I'd ask my mother, Why didn't you have another baby?
I'd like to know more about why my grandfather left my grandmother - my mother would know.
In the afternoon, Kathy and Frank came over for iced tea and visit with their 2 Portland grandkids, Simon and Sadie. Darling kids, and enthusiastic and curious. Wonderful to touch base - it has been a long time away for all of us.

Telling Stories

Karen, Bear and their friend Sister Marguerite dropped by this afternoon. Tashie and Sister Marguerite, also a former school principal, compared notes, and George as well - he amused us with some stories of renegades - some that Tashie herself had never heard. In one reminiscence, he described teaching his fifth graders about clouds, and then seeing some amazing formations in the sky, decided to take his class down to the beach to see them more clearly. He piled nine kids into his VW Beetle: 2 in the front with him; 1 on the floor in front; 4 on the back seat; and 2 on the floor in back. Before leaving, he rehearsed the roles they would play should they be stopped by the law. Tashie looked up and said, "Well, I never knew about that!"

Settling In

The smoke has cleared (somewhat), and the mountain shows itself again. Hello Mountain!
Tom & Joan Dine dropped by for tea and treats, and with Tashie remembered the days of the Corbett ranch, and the many changes. Then of course we talked politics, and bridged our mildly divergent points of view, as in, this is Bernie Sanders land, and there is also that other land, the Land of Clinton. Tom has contributed to writing an article in support of the Iran agreement, which will be interesting to read - I think its publication is imminent.
Yummy dinner and good conversation and laughs with Philip, who is here only for a brief sighting. After dinner, we watched The Big Lebowski, as Amie had never seen it, and it happens to be the favourite movie of her beloved.

Weekend Frolics

Tashie was with Bruce and Bethany for the weekend, while I was in Victoria. I am not sure the exact date of these photos, but a safe bet to say Friday or Saturday. Karen stopped by for a visit, boosting Tashie's spirits as always.
Karen had a dose of Livingstons, as just days before this shot, she and her sister Cindi were sitting in the Villa garden drinking iced tea! It was a treat to have them, even for a short visit.

 So then there were the Multnomah Street Stretches:

Somehow Bruce is able to cajole her into taking on challenges that she initially claims she's is not going to do, and then minutes later is totally involved.
And all this - the forced marches, the pretzel twists and stretches, the leg lifts - is making a difference. Her strength and stamina are improving, and I can only describe her as "plucky" in the best way - forging ahead without complaint....until she decides that Bruce and I are pushing her too far, and perhaps she'll have to claim elder abuse!
However, a foray to a sushi bar heals all...or perhaps a trip to Cool Moon ice cream parlour across the street.











And the Multnomah Street Crossword Challenge:

The Lion King & The Tiger Prince

Cameron the Cat Whisperer is giving these guys endless love and attention, and they seem to be returning the sentiments. Kitty Boy, the Lion King, is totally relaxed in his harness, and takes great delight in rolling in the dust and grasses, and letting Cameron pet and fondle him. Our little Tiger Prince, however, got spooked by something right after gaining his freedom, and hissed and yowled until safely escorted back into the house.

The Pesky Loop

Amidst the feline frolics, Tashie had a visit from Joe Bachtold, her guru/doctor/friend. and his wife Gwen. Fortunately, they just happened to arrive at a time of potential crisis. Tashie had taken out her contact lens, and at the same time an additional object emerged: it looked like fishing line, and came out in a loop - the stent that has been keeping her tear duct patent.

All done!

She wanted to just pull it out, but we convinced her to leave it there until Joe arrived. Meantime, we put in a call to her surgeon at St. Vincent's, who returned the call just as Joe leaned over to assess the situation. So the surgeon in Portland guided Joe through threading it back in with the help of a simple pair of tweezers!

Bethany taking time out from cooking delicious meals and playing a wicked game of badminton and painting breathtaking renderings of wildlife to spend time with Cameron and the felines.

Chillin'

Cat Whisperer Cameron

I got Tashie all geared up to go outside for her latte, and she barely stepped onto the porch before deciding it was too cold and turned around. It was not negotiable! Clarke got a fire going, and it continues to be an inside day, with a morning visit from Susie Prince, followed by family visits and adventures.

Sippin' Whiskey

William & Theresa Prince came for a visit this morning, and they sat out on the porch.
They sang the Bolinas Happy Birthday song,,,
Happy Birthday, Happy Birthday Tashie!
We're in love with you, in love with you
May happiness be near
Throughout the coming year
And all the best to you.
And all the best to you.
So keep on smiling all the day
may your troubles fade away
And may you never never never be blue
Happy Birthday Tashie!
For the centennial celebration, Terry gave Tashie 2 silver Mint Julep cups with the engraving "The Unbroken Circle." (...Widening Through the Years) So to Christen those beautiful cups, Terry made Mint Julips, and we sat on the porch, sippin' contentedly. So good to be here!

Bruce, KD, Allen, and Cameron arrived, and joined us on the porch.....with more Mint Julips. Great to have them here, and to meet Allen. Tashie is thriving being back, nestling into her beloved community.

Home at Last

We have arrived at the banks of Spring Creek, thrilled to be back. It's been a long summer of... perhaps a kind of deprivation, not being able to be here until now. It is on the warm side, sunny, beautiful...the ponderosas smell delicious, the creek babbles and bubbles along, and the amazing mountain anchors us. How lucky can we be? The flower fairy had on the table a bouquet of blue iris and something white. The kitties are glad to be back, sniffing at the screens and trotting from room to room to scope out the place, checking for intruders during their absence. Tashie is resting on the sofa, glad to be here at last. Terry is making a delicious green curry, Clarke is dozing, and I am about to go out to the porch for some corn husking.

PS: Message from Her Ladyship: I am home and receiving!
PPS: Message from EWL: Tashie is very eager to embrace her wonderful community, but... 1) her stamina is limited, and 2) KD and fam will be arriving tomorrow. So give us a ring first just to check that she's feeling frisky, and not otherwise occupied.

Back to Spring Creek!

Now that we are free to travel, we have come up with a plan. Tashie and I will go to Camp Sherman tomorrow, taking "The Boys" (feline creatures). Clarke will join us on Thursday, as will Bruce, Bethany, KD, Alan, and Cameron. There may be more - I am not sure. The California crew (KD, Alan and Cameron) are on a tight schedule, and will be leaving Sunday around noon, and rest of us will probably not be far behind. Will fill you in as the days unfold - this is a big moment, returning to her mountain and her river and her community.

Bernie & Neti Pot all in one Day!

Packing in the thousands to hear Bernie

Tashie spent the day with Bethany and Bruce, and a visit with the Labbys, who were en route to see/hear Bernie Sanders. I went to that rally as well (along with 27,999 others), and was beyond exhilarated - "Feelin' the Bern!" I walked home across the Broadway Bridge, (the lights on the water were amazing) just in time to meet Bruce bringing Tashie home. As she was settling, I asked his if she used the Neti Pot again. "Oh yes," she says breezily, "no problem." Good for her!

Neti Pot Prevails!

Tashie spent most of the day resting and recovering, still smarting from her ordeal of yesterday. In the late afternoon, I made a nectarine and blueberry clafoutis to take to Bruce and Bethany's for dinner. I also took the Neti pot (ersatz), determined that the four of us would somehow convince her to step over the hurdle and take the plunge...nasal plunge so to speak. We had a yummy al fresco dinner, and afterwards turned to Tashie to argue our case. Bethany had gotten a lovely bowl and other needed equipment in place, and Tashie was eventually convinced to follow our instructions. "That was easy!" we heard, and "My nose feels really clear."

She will definitely feel better with this simple procedure added to her routine. She had been using nasal saline spray as a compromise, and it turned out to be an inferior one. 

Liberation!

Tashie had a late morning 3-week follow-up appointment with Dr. Sautter. She has been prohibited from blowing her nose for 6 weeks post surgery, so these appointments with Dr. Sautter include a clean-out procedure which is extremely uncomfortable for her. It would be less so if she used the Neti pot, but so far we have been unable to convince her. So she had a tough time, and when we got home, she just wanted to go to curl up and not move.

The kitties cuddled with her, and she dozed off and on. They seem to know when she needs a little extra snuggle. Bruce came over for a visit, and we renewed our campaign to get Tashie to use the Neti pot. Like all of us, she can be pretty stubborn!
Despite the discomfort and frustration of the morning, there is good news as well: Dr. Sautter gave her his blessing to go back to Camp Sherman - the magic 3-weeks post-op being today.

The Clot Does Not Thicken!

Just back from getting the ultrasound of Tashie's legs.
No additional clots.
Last week's clot has neither changed nor moved.
Leaving the hospital, we were all feeling giddy with relief that it hadn't grown, multiplied, or moved. I was striding toward the parkade to get the car, Bruce was headed toward...wherever, and we heard "My walker! Help!"

We looked toward Tashie and as we ran toward her, saw that she was steady on her feet, and quite amused. She was standing there in the doorway of the main hospital,  her walker happily rolling down the drive, about 12-15 feet beyond her reach. 

 Bruce corralled the walker, and we proceeded sedately at her sides, chastened at our lack of responsibility.

In the interest of full disclosure: We had to get Tashie to re-enact some of this, as it happened too quickly to shoot it originally...plus, in concern for her safety, we were not thinking of cameras.

The Return of the Ring

Telling the story of the ring

Adjusting the horseshoe

I have been aware of being so busy that although I spend a lot of time taking care of Tashie's needs, I spend very little time with her that is dedicated to doing something fun together. It is supposed to be 100 degrees today, so our options may be somewhat curtailed by the heat wave effect, but.... First on the agenda was to check in at Maloy's. Tashie has been missing that ring, and can't wait to get it back on her hand - where it has resides since it was given to her by her grandfather on her 16th birthday. First the jeweller checked to see that the "horseshoe" was sitting at the right place. Once that was settled, she tightened the it so that it would rest on her finger in a more stable fashion. As the adjustments were being made, Tashie told the Maloy team the story of her grandfather bringing the stone into Shreve's to be set. They commented how great it would look once they smoothed out the stone, taking away the irregularities...the irregularities that are so intriguing and so beautiful. So that plan was jettisoned quickly, and he designed the setting leaving the stone "in the rough." What grand satisfaction to have that ring back on her hand! She was delighted. We took Dolmah to work, and meandered through Laurelhurst park and neighbourhood on our way home. She did not want to get out to walk (it was 102/39 by this time) so came home and, after a rather long nap, exercised in the hall, walking lap after lap, from one end of the hall to the other.