Holiday Blessings and Latest Update

Could not resist.   Wishing you love and good reading in 2015!

First the update:  Dale continues on his singular path through this cancer.  He is up and around everyday, getting out to church and yoga class.  At the moment he is out for lunch with some good friends. He enjoys meals and visits with friends and is still telling lots of good stories.  Since we are no longer on hospice we have been back to visit our primary care doctor who ordered routine blood tests for Dale.  Tests came back showing all his counts have returned to normal levels.  This is more good news.

On Wednesday we went out to cut our Christmas tree at our regular spot and found a perfect one for the new space.  Still working on paring down the decorations from our big Irvington house.

A couple of weeks ago Deena Prichep, a free-lance radio journalist who lives in Portland, came to interview Megan, Jeremy, Dale and me about traditional holiday foods and specifically lefse.  Megan and Jeremy made lefse and she recorded the sounds.  Actually we had a great time talking about traditional Scandinavian foods and our memories.  She has let Megan know that the feature will air sometime this Sunday on weekend edition.  Listen for it if you have the time.  I can send out a link to it later after it airs.

We are continuing to count every day as a blessing and trying to enjoy some of our normal holiday routine.  Dale still loves to have people drop by to visit and listen to stories.  His remains positive and upbeat.  He does sleep a lot and has a good bit of confusion but thankfully no real discomfort.

Our family wishes all of you good times with family and friends this holiday season, and a blessed 2015.  

Book recommendation:  Everyone should read this! Being Mortal by Atul Gawande.  (and thanks to Paula and Sidney for telling me about it)

Again and again our gratitude to all of you for the love, support and prayers.

-- 

Patty

News of the day: Hospice gives Dale the boot

Today Dale is officially no longer a hospice patient.  He is doing too well to remain on.  It is still hard to imagine that in the middle of August he came home from the hospital unable to get out of bed, eat or drink water,  and on oxygen.  

Today we visited our favorite bookstore: http://achildrensplacebookstore.com/ and enjoyed wine and dinner with friends who brought Dale a new cane to practice his walking.  While we have no rational explanation for this miracle we are all so very grateful to be enjoying a little more time.  Our dear friend Stephen calls this an Indian Summer and we are hoping for a long and warm one.

As we are adjusting to our new home and Dale's increased energy our current needs for help and support are changing.  We have all been granted the opportunity to spend more quality time together. We have just moved all of Dale's family history boxes and his writing journals into the study and he looks forward to spending some time looking through some of this, sharing some stories and perhaps having someone record some of the stories.  Also he loves just visiting with folks and telling his stories.

The calendar on the blog http://dale411.blogspot.com/ has asterisks on mornings or afternoons when Dale would welcome visitors. Times are flexible except where specific ones are noted.

Dale also greatly enjoys sharing meals and visiting with folks at mealtimes.  It works well for you to bring food and enjoy our condo/bistro but also Dale is really up for meeting somewhere for lunch or early supper/happy hour.  He is really getting around well enough to enjoy being out and about.

The calendar goes through mid December and probably we won't do another update until then unless something changes.

Thanks as always for your continued love, support, prayers and wishes.  We are blessed and grateful.  I am attaching a photo of Dale and his best buds from a trip a couple of years ago:

-- Much love

Patty

Peaceful Time on the Lake in Lincoln City

A great blue heron on our dock this morning.  Dale and I are just finishing a wonderful six day stay at our beloved Freshwater Cottage at the Oregon Coast.

This is a long overdue update.  The good news is there is not much change in Dale's condition over the past couple of weeks.  He continues to get around well with the walker and enjoy short outings, visits with friends and family, yummy meals, and lots of naps.

We have been joined here at the coast by friends and family for two day visits.  We have so appreciated wonderful food that they have brought to share. Our thoughtful neighbor Micki had groceries waiting for us when we arrived and then brought fresh chocolate chip cookies the next day.

We head back to Portland today but hope to plan more visits here in the next few weeks. We are hoping to settle into a pretty regular routine.  Later today or tonight I will be updating the support team calendar on the blog.  Please check it tomorrow to see our needs. There will be regular needs for "Dale buddies" plus some opportunities to help unpack a few more boxes.  

Dale is really enjoying visits from friends and family.  He often has a story to tell and likes hearing what folks have been up to.  Call our land line 503 284 3184 if you are in the neighborhood and have a few minutes to stop by.

Dale is also really happy to be  getting back to attending church at Grace and even has been attending a wonderful gentle yoga class there offered by our friend Sherri. 

Finally again we are more grateful than you can know for all of the care, prayer and good thoughts you all continue to send our way.

With much love and gratitude

-- 

Patty

Thanksgiving for Miracles

A dear world traveling friend called us the other day (from Scotland) to say that he had been to Vilnius Lithuania about three weeks ago and had visited the painting of the Virgin Mary (Our Lady of the Dawn) known to grant miracles.  He said that of course he does not believe in such things but he was there and decided to ask for something wonderful for Dale Walhood.

Maybe it was that, maybe all the prayers and good thoughts from everyone, maybe Dale's stubborn Norwegian nature, maybe all of that, maybe something else. We can't know but we are so grateful.

Dale continues to improve - he is stronger, mostly just using the walker to get around, enjoying any food he likes, visiting and storytelling with friends  and family. Sunday we took the dogs to the St. Francis service at church.   Yesterday we took a day trip to Lincoln City.  It was glorious.  

We are completely out of the Wygant house.  A new young family is moving in and we hope they love it as much as we did.  

That never could have happened with out the combined efforts of so many of you.  You were amazing, providing love, caring, LOTS of physical labor and wonderful meals. 

The condo is proving to be a bright, cheerful, convenient place to be.  We are all feeling comfortable here, including the schnauzers. 

Again, the kinds of help and support we need have changed.  With Dale able to enjoy a variety of activities and visits we are calling a halt to the moving and unpacking frenzy.  The rest of the stuff can wait.

We hope to go back to a more regular routine of being present and enjoying each day as it comes while we can.

Support needs will be listed again on dear Debra's blog:

http://dale411.blogspot.com/

Mainly we need buddies to spend time with Dale while I shop, run errands and get some exercise. Also we would love to have friends bring dinner and share it with us a couple of nights a week. Email or call me to arrange that.

In addition, Dale would love to have people drop by to visit and see our new digs.  Maybe take a short stroll around the area.  Just call our old land line.

The only Constant is Change Part Two

Sorry it has been so long since the last update.  Things have been pretty crazy in our lives.  First and most important:  Dale continues to get stronger and a bit more active every day.  He no longer needs oxygen or a catheter, gets up almost on his own, walks a bit with the walker and is enjoying all the yummy and healthy (mostly) food we can give him.

He has gone to our usual coffee date the past four Saturday mornings. (The past two times our dear Pam Cogswell has provided transport in her van)

In addition he has gone out for dinner twice in the neighborhood to places he can roll to.

We seem to be in a good holding pattern for now with the cancer and intend to enjoy every second.  Dale still loves visitors when he is awake.  It is ok to stop by - maybe just give a call first to be sure.  We will be on Wygant until nest Saturday (9/21).  Then at 1718 NE 11th Ave.  #306. Same phone numbers.  

Other changes that have come our way pretty fast:

• House sold/new sewer and chimney work done/packing like mad for move in (yikes) one week

• Had to move Georgie (my mom) from regular assisted living to memory care with short notice.  Almost done with that one thanks to a great  amount of help from friends.

• Mark made an offer on a house with a HUGE yard in Milwaukee and it was accepted

• Jimmy got a new job in the Evergreen District at Sifton Elementary - started last Tuesday and wife Gretchen made a big switch after teaching grade 5 for at least 10 years - she is now working in an exciting team situation with second graders.

Meg and Jeremy are keeping Viking Soul Food going three days a week (Thurs - Sat) and it is going well and still allowing lots of time to hang out with the Dale.

The big change coming next week will be an adjustment from living for 12 years in this wonderful house with fenced yard for Ozzie and Harry to a third floor condo with a modest deck.  Someone is going to be doing quite a bit of dog walking.

Our blog and Walhood Support Team needs will be updated sometime today.  If you have any problems with the sign ups email me.  We are suspending meal deliveries  for a bit until the new kitchen is up and running.

Thanks for all of your thoughts, prayers and hours and hours  of help. 

-Love to you all-
Patty

All We Can Count On Is Change

Dale continues to march to the beat of his own drum - no surprise really.

He has astonished us all by growing stronger, being up in the wheelchair more, and most of all by beginning to be able to eat and drink regular stuff.  We are all working on "mindful eating".

Dale is sleeping lots but really enjoys company when he is awake.  He loves being read to and visiting and telling stories and looking at pictures with friends and family.

In the midst of everything else, our house has sold, work is being done on our new condo, we are busily finishing packing and plan to move sometime in late September.

Needless to say some of the kinds of help we needed last week have morphed into needs for different kinds of help.  And we fully expect them to change again and again.  We have altered the sign ups on the blog:

http://dale411.blogspot.com/

-- Thanks more than we can ever say to all of you for the prayers, thoughts, love and amazing support.

Patty (and all of us)

So Happy to be Home

We have been back home since Tuesday and are so glad to be here.  We are supported in a caring and complete way by our hospice team and Dale is really doing well.  He is able to enjoy small tastes of yummy stuff and really likes ice chips - water and other frozen bits, sorbet and more.

In addition he is able to get up with some assistance to spend time in the wheelchair.  

Last night we all enjoyed an amazing potluck and sing with the Grace choir and some friends and family.  Thanks to Susan Jensen for coordinating an unforgettable evening.

Thanks to the skills of Debra we have put together a new sign up on the blog for visit times and some meals.  Here is the link:

http://dale411.blogspot.com/

Click on visitation sign up or meal sign up on the right.

As always our deep gratitude for your continuing prayers and love.  We feel so blessed by the support we feel from friends and family.  

--
Patty