Not so much pain this week as she had on Sunday/Monday. Such a dense week I haven’t had a second to fill anybody in. We are still here. Stay tuned. xo Deborah p.s. Tomorrow is Val’s birthday. What luck for so many of us that she was born! Happy birthday, Continue Reading
the wee hours
Friends, Val had a painful night culminating in a trip to the ER at 4:00 in the morning. Three of us went with her. She sometimes gets these intensely painful muscle spasms in inexplicable places: around one side of her rib cage; along part of her spine… Last night’s was in Continue Reading
this is how we put our pants on
Thirteen years ago Val and I lived for eleven months in a camper van, vagabonding around the country. I am not (to my own disappointment) a morning person, but Val is quite sprightly in the mornings and would leap early out of bed to make coffee and rattle around the Continue Reading
maybe radiation
My friends, Val’s breathing is shallow and labored these days, and we can see it worsening weekly. To sleep, she props herself with pillows into a half-sitting position, but violent coughing episodes jerk her awake for an hour or two most nights, leaving her even more exhausted. Two and three and Continue Reading
safely home
Dears, we have made it safely home to Portland. Our fabulous ground crew was waiting to wave us in, haul in the gear (including about fifteen heavy O2 tanks), bring us dinner, and envelop us in big hugs. The dog was ecstatic to see us and we to see her. Continue Reading
traveling
Dears, We are heading home to Portland for a short time. Betty probably has days to live, but Val’s energy and breathing are worsening, even with oxygen, so we need to get her back for treatment. OHSU is trying to get us an appointment with a radiation oncologist for Thursday to see if Continue Reading
snow on Ksanka
We are still in Montana, taking care of one another during these rich days that are at once intense and domestic. Betty, Val’s mom, is holding steady in her weakened dream state, occasionally speaking, very occasionally occupying the same timestream as us. Val is very absorbed in taking care of her Continue Reading
all in Montana
Now I’m in Montana too. Flew in to Kalispell yesterday (thanks, S, for the miles), picked up the car at the airport (following Brooke’s photgraphic clues, feeling like a spy) and drove up to the ranch. At the moment the household contains siblings Val, Brad, Sandy and Jane; parents Miles and Betty; and Continue Reading
Safely in Montana
Val is safely in Montana with her mom and family, Brooke is safely home, I am still in Portland, and the dog is on the couch. Phew.
oxygen obstacles
Dears, The oxygen people delivered the wrong kind of oxygen: large home canisters instead of a portable oxygen concentrator. This meant Val couldn’t take them on the airplane this morning. However, since the airline people saw she was using oxygen, they also wouldn’t let her on without it. Calls to the on-call Continue Reading