Dale Update - 71st Birthday

Sorry it has been so long since the last update.  It has been an eventful few weeks for us.

Dale's condition continues to be relatively stable.  That is no major changes - just a gradual slowing down.  He has somewhat less energy and ability to move around and spends more and more of the time sleeping. He is still coherent and enjoys visiting and television.  We are just taking one day at a time.

This past week has been full of events. Last Saturday (March 7) brought Dale's 71st birthday which we were so grateful to be celebrating. We had a lovely eventing open house with chocolate cake and champagne. Sadly,  the day also brought the news of the death of Jim Lewis, husband of Dale's dear cousin Connie.

On Sunday we attended church and Dale sang with the choir.  Later that evening Frank Springer passed away (at age nearly 103).  He was Jimmy's grandfather and much beloved by all of our family and all who knew him.

Next, on Thursday, came my mother Georgie's 97th birthday.  We had a nice little party. Mark also got the keys and access to his exciting new home in Milwaukie.

See party picture:

The next day (Friday 13th!) brought my 71st birthday and a memorial service for Grandpa Frank.

Now I am taking a moment to reflect and catch up with our update..

Dale is needing 24/7 care.  We have help 25 or more hours a week from Jon Grenfell.  Jon spends time with Dale, helps with his care, showers , laundry and general morale.  In addition Mark, Jim and Gretchen, and Meg and Jeremy as well as friends spend time with Dale so that I can get out do do errands and keep up with some activities.

I am trying to keep up the calendar on the blog:

http://dale411.blogspot.com/

As aways we love visits and appreciate all of your kindness, thoughts and prayers.

Blessings

Patty

February Already...

It is now 10 months since Dale's  brain surgery with the initial grim prognosis.  There is no real explanation for the fact that there is still no change in Dale's condition.  Here was last month's description:

"Dale's situation remains stable.  He is able to get around well on walker and cane and is still really enjoying each day.  Some days he is very active.  Often he sleeps quite a lot.  All in all much to be thankful for."

Things remain essentially the same. Our lives have fallen into a routine. We have our spaces arranged well for Dale's comfort both in Portland and at the coast. 

Dale is still loving visits and opportunities to tell some stories.  I am working on using voice dictation to convert some of the stories to text.  Fun.

Getting together with folks for meals continues to be a nice break for us both. See the support team sign up on the blog:

http://dale411.blogspot.com/

Dale is interested in trying to make a trip to the southwest but logistics for such an undertaking seem overwhelming. We are still considering options.

In case you missed it, here is the link to the nice NPR story about Dale and lefse at Christmas time:

http://www.northcountrydaily.com/news/npr/371941681/for-norwegian-americans-christmas-cheer-is-wrapped-up-in-lefse

Keep believing in miracles and enjoying every minute.  That is what we are trying to do every day.

Much love to all of you...

Patty

Happy New Year and update #1 for 2015

Dale's situation remains stable.  He is able to get around well on walker and cane and is still really enjoying each day.  Some days he is very active.  Often he sleeps quite a lot.  All in all much to be thankful for.

We had an active and enjoyable holiday season, with some singing at Grace, a traditional family Christmas Eve with crab, nice Christmas dinner at Kennedy School with the family including Georgie and her friend Stuart.

Boxing day brought our annual family dinner with the Bleekes.  This year they brought the dinner to us and it was wonderful.

Over New Years we were able to share our place in Lincoln City with family friends (also an annual tradition we were grateful to experience again this year)

Dale seemed to enjoy it all and really likes any chance to tell some stories. It was a special treat to have some visits from out of town friends during the season as well.

A calendar to sign up for visits is posted on the blog:
http://dale411.blogspot.com/

We love company and shared meals.

Blessings and love to all:

--
Patty

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.