December 31, 2014. Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico. Dinner.

Our intention was to dine early on New Years Eve to avoid the crowds. Foolishly, we decided to eat at our favorite restaurant, Porto Bello, across the canal. When we arrived at 5:00 it was obvious we had made a mistake. They were serving only a pre set meal beginning at 8:00. They would not serve us. Immediately adjacent is a Steak House which also serves excellent food so I walked over to plead, while everyone else watched for iguanas and pelicans. The chef/manager came to talk to me. He was pleasant and sympathetic. He had food and he was willing to cook but he had no waiters. They too were getting ready for a big night, beginning at 8:00. He recommended that we sit at a table and he would contact a waiter, which he did. Our table was decorated for New Year's Eve and was beside the canal, in other words, a perfect location. We were all delighted to eat the dinner they would serve for everyone else, so we sat down and eventually, the one waiter brought us food, one course after another. The food was delicious. Even the steak was tender. It was great fun for all six of us. Our situation was perfect. We were the only customers in the restaurant. The service was excellent and the food delicious. We had only one choice between steak, chicken or salmon. All other courses just arrived. When we left, I told the chef that a special star would find him in heaven. He certainly made our evening perfect.

December 30, 2014. Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico. A Good Day.

Today was the best day since our arrival. Nothing was fancy or dramatic but it was all quiet pleasure. When we left Jackson, Molly was not feeling well. Next came Mary Frances for her three days of flu like symptoms. On the way down on Monday, Kate got sick so today Molly was chipper while Mary Frances was just beginning to eat comfortably while Kate slept…all day. Our group today was a family of five. We started the day at the mall for breakfast. After, while Christina and Ken and Molly shopped, MF and I sat and watched the people. I am staying as far away as possible from people. The market is not far away but this was the first time we had walked to the market and back this year. Now we have breakfast food in both or our units. Our lunch was taken at my favorite restaurant, right at the end of the resort. The food was excellent and the weather was perfect. And Molly and Mary Frances both bought new Mexican dresses, which look smashing. Dinner was perfect, sitting down just after the sun had set. The air was warm as we five enjoyed our dinner eating outside. The food again was excellent. While we were not eating our meals, Molly and Christina enjoyed the beach and the pools, especially the alligator slides. Our family is distracting us from our ailments and they are excellent company. I am managing my medications better and Ken is recovering. For all those reasons, today was the best day since our arrival in Nuevo Vallarta. And we are grateful.

December 29, 2014. Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico. Family.

They arrived…..finally. Any flight can be an adventure, especially if you have another flight to catch, but when Christina and the girls were leaving Jackson for Houston, all seemed to be well. The plane had been loaded and it seemed they would leave on time to catch the flight to Puerto Vallarta. But a passenger came through the door just before the door was closed. He tried to push his two cases into the overhead bin but they would not fit so he pushed and he pushed. And he broke the door. The plane could not fly with one empty overhead bin so they all waited. They missed the flight to PV. Clever Christina booked them on the next day flight immediately and she booked them into the Marriott Airport Hotel, so at least when they were stuck in Houston they would be comfortable. The restaurant is at the top of the hotel and circulated over the whole airport so as you dine, you watch the planes leaving and arriving. It was fun for them, even though they were really wanted to be in Paradise Village with us. They took a lemon and made lemonade. Now we are happy to have them here. Late lunch/early dinner we ate sitting at a restaurant on the beach. It was warm and sunny. They were pleased to be here too.

December 28, 2014. Nuevo Vallarta. Toys That Work.

Ken has trouble with his ears. Mostly they are full of goop, due to infection, which keeps the sound from accessing the technical components of his ears, so may times he can not hear well. The infections come and go, so sometimes he can hear well and sometimes he can not. Several years ago, I convinced him to get a hearing aid, so he visited an ENT physician. When he came home, he was smiling. His hearing was fine and a hearing aid will not help his hearing. But now he has a new toy. He read about the device and ordered it immediately. The toy has two parts. One tiny microphone and one ear piece receiver. He sits the microphone in front of the TV, and the ear piece hears what ever is being said. Now we watch TV with a low level of decibels. It is amazing. Patience was needed to get the thing to stop chirping, in fact I did not know what he was doing with these bird sounds coming from his chair. Much to Ken's surprise, the toy actually works. The only down side is the battery. Only a two hours of life before it quits. But it is a nifty bit of high tech equipment.

December 27, 2014. Nurvo Vallarta, Mexico. The Children.

You almost never hearing Mexican children or babies cry. I always forget that fact when we are not here. Then we return. Today when we were checking into the Time Share/Hotel I observed a Mexican family. Ken was doing the details while I was sitting watching this group while they were waiting for their rooms to be ready. I was far enough that they had no clue I was watching them, nor could I hear their words clearly, but the whole time I watched gave me a short course in why children don't cry in Mexico. The first activity that caught my eye was when a young boy, who was around ten, was carrying and playing with a toddler. The youngster could not walk unassisted. The older boy was singing to him and taking him around to look at the fountains and flowers. The Mexican family had multi generations. There seemed to be four children and one set of parents, along with two sets of grandparents. While I watched, everyone took turns looking after the younger children. The children were taken for a walk or given something to eat. No cross words were spoken. Everyone seemed pleased to be playing with the children. I figured out that having many grandparents is a help when minding children. And loving the children helps too. But it is certainly true that babies and children don't cry much in Mexico. It is quite astonishing.

December 26, 2014. Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico. Memory.

A memory is a wonderful thing but it is not perfect. I remember things wrong and I reorganize the events and I eliminate anything negative. For instance, 1963 would not possibly have occurred at our north Toronto flat with Wendy crawling around the floor because she was born in 1957. But our flat was nicer in 1963 so somehow I imagined us entertaining the family in that flat. It must have been in 1958, when we lived on Bleeker Street. It does make sense that the floors were dirty too because I was cleaning my own house. By 1963 I had a cleaning lady. It may be that Ken tied the fancy surgical knots in 1963 and I just combined the two events in my mind. Ken was selling bread between college and medical school in 1958 so it may have all occurred in South Rosedale. By 1961 when Kenny, my nephew, was born close to Christmas, Ken was in medical school. We arrived at Dave and Irene for the holidays to find Irene in hospital with the new babe Kenny. It was too late for visiting hours, so Ken and Dave went to the hospital anyway. Ken wrapped a stethoscope around his neck and the two walked through the hospital with no problems. They gleefully reported to us every fact about the beautiful new baby, Kenny. And of course they said that Irene was fine too. Joyful events. Joyful Chrismas past.

December 25, 2014. Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico. Christmas Past.

Today I have enjoyed myself enormously thinking over Christmas Past. Many times, the small insignificant things are what are recalled. But they were all good and gave me much pleasure. Christmas dinner in 1963 was held in our flat in North Toronto. Ken was an Intern and on call so we could not journey to Dave and Irene in Ancaster so everyone came to our house. Two facts from that dinner stand out. Wendy my niece was a baby. She was beautifully dress in a white outfit. And she crawled over the floors. Now the apartment was lovely and appeared clean. The hard wood floors were shining bright. But when Wendy was ready to go home her outfit was no longer white. It was dark gray. I was mortified. Interestingly, Irene does not recall the dirt on Wendy's clothes. But I do. The second fact I recalled were the surgical knots Ken tied on the turkey and the roast beef. Many Canadians prefer turkey for Christmas but we decided to serve both beef and turkey. And Ken used red string for the knots. These fancy knots looked splendid. And that is all I can remember of Christmas 1963.

December 24, 2014. Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico. Christmas 2014.

By anybody's standards, this has been an usual Christmas season for us. I love Christmas but this year I have done nothing to be ready. Not one Christmas card written. No presents sent to family. Not even a gift for Ken. Tomorrow morning we will awaken to find no gifts. And it is all our own fault. Ken had hernia surgery two weeks ago and he has been slow to recover. And I have spent all my time trying to figure out what was the matter with me, so was not really focused on anything but me. All my energy was gone by the time Christmas came to mind. But we are here by ourselves by our choice, thinking that we can recover better in the warmth and sun of Nuevo Vallarta. Many years ago, in Toronto, my Father had a heart attack just before Christmas so he was in the hospital for the Christmas season. My Mother was upset that many items from her list were not completed. I recalled telling her that some things were more important than others and that no one would mind. Today I am giving myself the same advice. And I look forward to being ready when it is time for Christmas 2015.

December 23, 2014. Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Living and Dying.

My friend Nancy E.told me of a conversation, where the parents of an 18 year old were upset about college expenses. Nancy said to me, "This child did not get to be 18 over night. Every year the parents should have been saving." Of course, she was correct. The same thing is true of living and dying. We are dying the fist time we begin living. It does not come as a surprise that when folks get old, they die. It is all part of the cycle of living. Now when people die young and can not live out their term of being productive, we are correct to be upset. But when old folks die, we have no right to be upset, other than we will miss them. Rather we celebrate their life. I have a terminal disease. Left without treatment, I would be gone in many months. For some reason, I am not upset about this, merely irritated. But we are seeking treatment which because of new research has the promise of extending life. Ken and our friend Graham say many years, but the Oncologist is not so sure. At least two she says. It is certainly nothing to pine about!!

December 22, 2014. Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.Travelling.

I wonder why flying is tiring? After all, most of the time you are sitting. Today the flights were all in order. And we both used wheel chairs to get from one place to another. We were quite a sight. Ken is too slow to get from one gate to another in a timely fashion so we have been using wheel chairs since New Zealand. But today was the first time for me. My treatment on Friday has left me weaker than I would like so we decided to use the wheelchairs. I must say, the young men were extremely helpful. We are here. After a shower each we feel much better. But we will be even better tomorrow. Ken unloaded the locker and has started the laundry. The clothes have been in the locker for two years. The place looks lovely. The warm air is a tonic. And we have something to do!!

December 21, 2014. Ridgeland, MS. Organizing Again.

Tomorrow we fly to Puerto Vallarta. My Oncologist thinks it is a fine idea. The warmth and the open air will help with my healing, she thinks. If we can connect with a good oncologist who understands the treatment, my Dr. Sheehan will be happy to oversee the procedures. If not, I will come home to Jackson for my treatment. The disadvantage of going is the complications. I must take the system with me for draining my fluid through the catheter. And I must wear a mask in the airports and on the planes. But on the other hand, the walking is level and easy and never crowded. The restaurants are open to the air so I can avoid infections from other people. The air is warm, at 80 degrees in the day time and 65 at night. A small hospital is right across the street. And the condominium is big enough for friends to visit and help. The view from our balcony is wonderful, overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Despite the complications and the risk, we are organized to go and hope all goes well with our journey.

December 20, 2014. Ridgeland, MS. Our Plan.

First a change of terminology. Chemotherapy is a nasty word. When the word is used, people shudder. I am using the term Medicine. Form this point on, I will receive my treatment getting Medicine. No chemotherapy for me. The plan is to give me treatment every three weeks, via IV, until the pleural effusion has gone, when the oncologist has determined we would use hormonal medicine by mouth. How my body responds to the medicine will determine the termination of IV treatment. As my disease is treatable but not cured, I expect to be taking these medication forever. Yesterday I had my first bout of Medicine. Much to my horror, it took 4.5 hours to get all the drugs through the IV. Fortunately I could read on my iPhone. And I was entertained by two people. Monday, Ken and I will fly to Puerto Vallarta, returning to Jackson February 25. If we can find an oncologist acceptable to my oncologist I will have my treatment there. If not, I will return to Jackson for treatment. The warmth and the level walking will be a wonderful place for healing for both me and Ken, even if I must return to Jackson every three weeks. Don and Doreen are joining us for January and Rita and Ian will come for February. They will be a huge help. So that is our plan. Finally, my treatment has begun and we have a good plan.

December 19, 2014. Ridgeland, MS. I Found Gold.

While dozing in my treatment room, a young man pushed an old woman in a wheelchair into the room and careful helped her into a treatment chair. She kept complaining. She was cold. She was not hungry. She was not thirsty. The nurse hooked up an IV to the old lady. I was just listening but saying nothing. She was not thriving. In 2010, she was diagnosed with lung cancer and recently her cancer had returned so she again receiving chemotherapy. But she was not doing well. She had lost 16 pounds in 8 days. The staff treated her with a saline solution because the oncologist felt she was dehydrated. When the young man returned with lunch, I started asking questions. The young man was the youngest of three sons, and the only one who was single. He lived in a small city in Tennesse and had a job he liked but when his Mother got sick again, he took a leave of absence to help her in Mississippi. It turned out they had lived for 25 years in Louisiana on the spit of land jutting out south of New Orleans. When her husband died, she returned to Mississippi, where she had been born and brought up. The son took a leave of absence from his management job but after three months, he was let go. It is all so very Mississippian. The family is more important than the job. His plan, after this series of treatments is over, is to take his Mother to live with him and sell her home in Pearl, which south of Jackson. It also turns out that the Mother is 70. Being ill does age a person. I also suspect that she was a smoker. But it was fascinating to talk with these folks. I could not help myself. I gave the lady a short course on staying warm. She was doing everything wrong. The Canadian in me knows the drill. Wear wool socks. Tuck the undershirt into your pants. Wear wool pants. Button the sweater to the top. Wear gloves and a hat outside. Trap that body heat. They seemed to listen but I wonder if they really paid attention. Eventually she stopped complaining and became pleasant. My ulterior motive was to get through to her that she has control of being warm or cool, not the hospital treatment room. We had fun, the three of us. It was my gold for the day during my treatment.

December 18, 2014. Ridgeland, MS. PET Scan.

The test was a very fancy test. Lots of instructions about what to eat the day before and lots of time taking the test. And not really too uncomfortable. Nucleur medicine at it's best. The test was completed at 1:30 and by 4:00 I had a call from the Oncologist giving me a report. The report says that I have cancer cells in my bones, especially the spine and pelvis, along with cancer cells in the lymph nodes. No cancer cells in the liver or kidney. This does not come as a big surprise to me. I have felt for quite awhile that I had a dread disease, so this conforms my suspicions. Tomorrow at 8:00 I will meet with the Oncologist who will determine treatment. Immediately I will begin IV chemotherapy. Ken has always said that we will play the cards we have been dealt, without fussing or complaining, so that is what we will do. And along the way we will look for some gold on the path.

December 17, 2014. Ridgeland, MS. Things That Please.

Lillie is expert with a sewing machine and a needle. But the most important part of visiting her is her love for the job. Her shop is small, tucked into a strip mall in Ridgeland, close to our condo. Part of the book "The Help", takes place in Ridgeland, which in 1960 was just beginning to grow. Lillie brought her business to Ridgeland 15 years ago from the Delta. She was born and raised in the Delta and she loved it but her children were getting expensive. She could see they were talking about college, so Lillie moved to Ridgeland so she could allow her business to grow. An investor had set her up. She calls him her boss, although her alteration business is all hers alone. I took two skirts to be altered. Lillie always feels you are special. She admires each object and gives a firm date for pickup. Her work is excellent. Today she is closing for two weeks over Christmas. Her goal during the time off is to walk. She is aware that she sits too long. But in addition, she will be visiting family in the Delta. This month, the local magazine The Ridgeland Line, featured Lillie, which is where I learned about her move from the Delta. Her favorite task is to remake fancy dresses but she is busy with other mundane objects. And she is always smiling. I am pleased when I visit her little shop.

December 16, 2014. Ridgeland, MS. Good and Bad.

The oncologist we met with today is willing to direct my treatment, even if I am not in Mississippi. This is a good thing. The only thing she asks is to have a local oncologist wherever we are living. This might be a problem in Liverpool. She also said that my disease is treatable but perhaps not curable. And she thinks that the pleural effusion should disappear with the demise of the cancer mass, but that is not guaranteed. So this is the good part. Today we cancelled our flight to Puerto Vallarta, but just for a bit. This is the bad part. Our old plan was to fly to PV on Thursday and returning February 24. Always, there is another test, so Thursday I will have a PET scan which will determine if the cancer has spread to other origins or bones. Once the oncologist has that information, treatment decisions will be made on Friday morning at 8:00, followed with the beginning of treatment. She suspects I will have chemotherapy plus oral medication. That will not be easy. The good thing is that we will begin treatment on Friday and that will be very good indeed.

December 15, 2014. Ridgeland, MS. Southern Christmas.

The outside of the house is elegant but the charm is in the interior, especially at Christmas. The tree is 20 feet tall, tucked in the corner of the large living room. It is perfect for the size of the room. The mantel is loaded with live boughs and holly, with nut crackers poking up here and there. Three new Christmas stockings are hung on either side of the mantel, all made by Eleanor, the lady of the home. The stockings are beautiful and are a new addition for Christmas 2014. Home made chocolates and toffee sit in Christmas bowls on the side table. With the wood in the fireplace giving a rosy glow, the living room was the perfect place to talk and drink coffee. But the best part of the event was lunch in the dining room. More boughs and holly line the center of the 24 ft. table, with small lights surrounding the greens. Eleanor spray painted walnuts and persimmons in a silver color, and they wrap the boughs. Very clever and a wonderful decorative touch. The side board foliage had been spray painted gold so along with more nutcrackers and more greens, the scene jumped out to say "I am beautiful". In a southern Christmas, the people come first. The six folks who gathered for our coffee/lunch Christmas Party were delighted to be together. The food was delightful, as Eleanor is an excellent cook. This was the first time I had seen these good friends since our arrival in Mississippi so we a were pleased to get together…finally. Underneath it all was the reality of my health and the fact that everyone is missing Andrew. Our Christmas Party was festive and fun but we all had to overcome our sense of loss. However, southern Christmas is not to be missed and I feel fortunate to have been invited into a Southern Christmas party.

December 14, 2014. Ridgeland, MS. TV and Internet.

Comcast installed cable TV and Internet in our condominium. Son David ordered it. He also sent a Television set. Until we spent all week in the condo, we did not miss TV but now we have the TV, we realize what we were missing. What were we thinking? The Internet we were using was a fancy MiFi by Verizon but it was not reliable so now with the Comcast Internet signal we are pleased. And the WiFi comes with the Comcast signal too. We are delighted with ourselves…and of course, with Suzanne and David. Right now I am watching Dallas play football. This morning at 7:00, I woke up to a box being opened. I knew exactly what it was so I called down to Ken to remind him not to lift anything heavy. The stand Ken ordered had arrived yesterday and he was anxious to assemble it. He did the easy parts but eventually waited for Christina. After Comcast connected us, we were in a mess with stuff everywhere so Christina drove out to put us in order. And put us in order she did. The TV is in front of the fireplace. You never notice it. And everything fits along the hearth. We look splendid. Everything is in the proper place, just as neat and tidy as I like. Poor Christina came to our condo every day this week. She has set up the whole array. And we are grateful and pleased as punch with our new set up.

December 13, 2014. Ridgeland, MS. My Health.

My health is good except for one major problem. It appears that my old breast cancer has come back. If you were to look at me you would think all is well. I am not fading away. My cheeks are rosy. My finger nails and toe nails grow quickly. But beginning mid summer, I began to lack energy, which is unusual for me. And I was short of breath. I knew something was the matter and suspected it was a dire disease. And I was correct. I was hoping that our stay in Texas could isolate my troubles but it took so long to get action, that by the time we left, we knew only that I had a lymphocytic pleural effusion. At the medical center in Mississippi, through test after test, they determined that I had a mass on my chest, caused by my old breast cancer. The risk for me of a recurrence from my breast cancer was low, down to 2%, but here it is, back in a new form. The good thing is the new research. Treatment is much better now than it was in 2000. The pathology report has isolated the cells so the oncologist should be able to determine a good treatment regimen. Tuesday we meet. We are ready to march down that road.

December 12, 2014. Ridgeland, MS. Wet Washcloth.

Wonderful Wendy struck again. She sent me to a You Tube link, describing a wet washcloth in space, done by Christ Hadfield. He is the Canadian member of the Canadian Space Agency, who spent six months at the International Space Center. The agency did a masterful job of publicizing his time in space and they made many videos by him describing what things are like in space. Kids all over Canada sent questions, which he answered in the videos. I had seen a few on TV but not many so I spent a couple of hours listening to his answers. Wendy was in Vancouver recently and with her brother Ken, entered a Borders book store, only to find Chris Hadfield signing copies of his book. Wendy and Ken of course knew nothing about him being there but they met him and purchased his book and reported that he was pleasant and personable, just as in the videos and that his handshake was firm. Wet Washcloth in Space was the one sent to me by Wendy, but there are many more. All are interesting and informative. Hats off to the Canadian Space Agency.

December 11, 2014. Ridgeland, MS. The First Time.

Ken did a great job. It was the first time Ken used the new fancy catheter to withdraw fluid from my chest. All went well. We had observed the pulmonary doctor after he installed the catheter and everything was straight forward and simple. The problem came right at the end. Unfortunately, Ken was just one day after hernia surgery so he was still taking pain pills. And we did the task in the evening when he was tired. The Parkinson's also makes his one hand shake so he is not steady. The last task is to cover up the catheter and the 6"tube with a bandage, which will then allow showering. Unfortunately, when Ken put on the bandage, no part was attached to my skin. The quaze bandage was covering up everything necessary, but we needed to use multiple pieces of tape to keep it in place. It looks and feels very odd. We laughed and decided to do the process early in the morning. We are like the blind leading the blind. You have to laugh. Neither can take care of the other. It is actually very funny. My bandage is almost at my waist when it should be tucked under by left breast.. Every time I feel the bandage I smile.

December 10, 2014. Ridgeland, MS. Adenocarcinoma.

The problem in my chest is that I have an Adenocarcinoma. So far, the cell type causing the cancer is still not isolated but the good folks at the lab are continuing to use more stains to try to figure it out. On Tuesday when I meet with the Oncologist, the cell will have been isolated and a treatment plan put in place. We certainly hope so. The Oncologist here wants records from my old breast cancer but our records are in storage, Dr. Alley the breast surgeon has retired and Dr. Hendricks the Oncologist does not keep records for that long. I suspect there will be no luck with the old records. I am told that most people recall vividly the date of the diagnosis for breast cancer but I have ignored it and put it out of my mind. When asked I say, "About 15 years ago", but I really have no clue. Now we want a road map. Gill says that the treatment will not be pleasant but we will see. Whatever that path, we will walk along it together with our family and friends cheering us on. The world of medicine has come a long way with treatment of cancers. We certainly hope that is true.

December 9, 2014. Ridgeland, MS. Hernia Repair.

Minor surgery is something that is done on other people. When done on yourself, all surgery is major. Two weeks before we came to Mississippi, Ken developed a small hernia. He wanted it repaired. We met with the surgeon the next day, and December 9 was the first open date. The Resident laughed at Ken when he told her he had had it for two weeks. She said "Most people put up with a hernia for years and finally agree to have it repaired, while you lasted two weeks". We all laughed. But it is typical of Ken. If something is broken, get it fixed properly, and do it now. Ken and I are taking up residence at the Hospital Center. We spent all afternoon getting him attended. The surgeon was pleased and Ken is home resting. He will be sore for a bit but with pain pills and good sense, he will recover. We did laugh. We dropped his prescription for pain at the drug store on the way home. I will pick them up tomorrow. In the meantime, he is using my pain pills from the installation of the catheter. This is definitely the first time that we have both been using pain medication at the same time. Pathetic but true.

December 8, 2014. Ridgeland, MS. Cleaning.

Few things in the world are better than having your house cleaned. I have been told by other folks that cleaning a home yourself gives great pleasure but my joy comes when someone else cleans it for me. Angela cleaned our condo today. Her company is called Angels Cleaning Service. Her motto is "Welcome home to Clean". She certainly was an angel to me today. This is the second time she has cleaned for us. The first time was in the Spring. She arrived and we shook hands and we left. When we returned the condo was spotless. This time both Ken and I stayed home while she cleaned, which is not so easy to do in a small one bedroom condo. But we had no real choice. Ken stayed on the other floor to stay out of her way but I just stayed in my spot on the couch. And I watched her do her work. She is thorough with her cleaning. Everything was moved and dusted or vacuumed. Perhaps she did a better job because I was watching but I don't think so. She just wants to do a good job. She sings to herself the whole time and did not chat at all. I believe she actually enjoys doing her job. Three hours it took her to clean. Now it is really and truly clean. When Ken and I clean, Ken does the vacuuming while I clean the kitchen and bathroom. It takes us less than an hour. Thank heavens for Angela. Now I am happy with a clean home.

December 7, 2014. Ridgeland, MS. Quilts.

Being still has it's benefits. Last week I walked up the stairs at the condo and sat. While I waited until I could catch my breath, I looked carefully at the quilt on the bed, and marveled at the quilting and admired the family that made the quilt. It is a beautiful piece of work, all made with tiny stitches. We must have 100 quilts, all made by the same family, who live near my sisters cottage near McCullough Lake, in Ontario. It all started innocently when Ken and I noticed a sign stuck in the ground that said "Quilts for Sale". The sign was 4"by6". We stopped and, and was invited to look at the quilts. The family was Mennonite and used no machines and their houses are neat and sparse. No comfortable chairs. I asked if my husband could look at the quilts but I really only wanted him to see the inside of the home. We talked and one thing led to another. Mr. Yoder, the grandfather had asthma and when they discovered that Ken was a Pulmonary Doctor they were delighted and asked Ken many questions. Then they discovered that my sister was Carol Barby who bought maple syrup every year. We became fast friends. Every year we stopped over to buy another quilt while Ken answered questions.. Then Mr.Yoder died and Mrs. Yoder did not know what to do with herself so I asked her to make me quilts. And she did. At first I had her chose the colors but when I had six quilts in colors of brown and dark green I asked my sister to select the patterns and the fabric. My son David says that you can tell a Dickie home by the quilts on the bed. Between the old farm house and the Hill house we packed up 35 quilts and we have quilts in every place we own. But I never appreciated the quality of the quilts until last week when I sat and admired the craftsmanship. And old Mrs. Yoder quilts hearts into every quilt. She knew there was love in our homes.

Race on the Rez, Ridgeland, MS

Riviera Maya 14 Family

December 6, 2014. Ridgeland, MS. 77 Years Old Today.

I have had a lovely day. This morning I read e mails from friends and family. It must have been the sympathy vote because I had birthday greetings from lots and lots of folks. I enjoyed every one. Sometimes people even made kind remarks. Lunch was spent with Christina and the girls at their home, which is always a pleasure. And Christina had made my favorite cake, cranberry almond , which we ate while drinking tea and watching football. Now we must survive my 77th year. Ken says that all cells they might find in my mass are treatable, so here we go. We have all started the year on a high note today.

December 5, 2014. Ridgeland, MS. Another Procedure.

If it was not on my own body, these procedures would be more interesting. They are still fascinating but they are also irritating. Yesterday, the Pulmonary Specialist installed a permanent catheter, so Ken and I, all by ourselves, will be able to withdraw fluid from my chest. Although not easy to install, my life will be easier. Sonograms are extensively used. Every time I am in the hospital, they do another one. And a good thing too because the good doctor knows where things are inside my chest. So first they decide where to install the tube. Next they numb me up. All I feel is a prick and pressure. What they do is install a four inch tube wrapped around just outside the tube, with two inches of the tube tucked under a slit of skin. The skin grows over the tube to keep it from allowing bacteria into my chest. With a guise bandage over the rolled up tube and a plastic over the whole deal, I will be able to shower and function as it is tucked under my arm and left breast. I have the stitches out next Friday. The whole thing is very high tech. Yesterday, the good doctor showed us to operate the bottles and withdrew 1 liter of fluid. We should be able to do it. He prescribed pain killers and cough syrup with codeine. When I took both, I promptly fell asleep, but had the best sleep in months. So far, no pain killer today, at least until bed time. It was a long day yesterday but productive.

December 4, 2014. Ridgeland, MS. The Waiting Room

Hospitals are fascinating places. Just sitting in a waiting room yesterday gave me a slice of life, some of which was pleasant and some not. The waiting room was small, used only for folks waiting for procedure. Most patients also have a relative to drive them home. The wait was long as the doctors were well behind schedule. Most folks were not happy with the wait. In one corner of the room sat a young man in a wheel chair. He had multiple disabilities. Two women were with him. They did everything that they could to accommodate this youn man. He could not speak but he communicated by grunts. They talked to each other and they talked to him, always with affection. When he got upset with the wait, they explained the problem. It was as fine an example of how to handle a disabled person as I have ever seen. Clearly these two ladies loved that young man and he seemed to return their affection. In the other corner of the waiting room was an older lady in a wheel chair with her daughter sitting on a chair beside her. The daughter was on the phone. After 30 minutes of waiting, the old lady became cross. At first she was speaking quietly but when the daughter tried to tell her why they were waiting, the lady got upset with the hospital. Then she was upset with her daughter. With every sentence, her voice rose in pitch and volume. Both mother and daughter reverted to barnyard talk. The daughter did everything wrong and finally she walked out. The old lady walked back to the treatment area but the staff was not able to settle her down. Eventually, both mother and daughter left, with no procedure. Within a short period of time, I saw the best and worst of people. I had my own little soap opera, right in a waiting room of the hospital.

December 3, 2014. Ridgeland, MS. A Biopsy.

The room is like an operating room, with bright lights overhead and machines everywhere. And of course, all the people were wearing masks. The whole procedure was very high tech. A small grid was placed on my chest. Three or four times the CT scan read my chest and the grid. I was sedated but awake because they needed me to cooperate. Not so many years ago that procedure could not have been done. While the Radiologist watched the CT scan, he took the biopsy. It sounded like a small gun being shot but of course I did not feel anything. The Radiologist was pleased with the amount of the tissue, so evidently the biopsy was a success. I felt like a patient. Immediately after the biopsy, an X-ray was made of my chest. Then I stayed for two hours in bed in a waiting area where the nurses monitored my vital signs. In the meantime, I ate the sandwich they gave me. Finally, Christina brought me home. They told me that I am not really in my own mind but I seem fine to me. Now what we really want is to determine the type of cell causing the pleural effusion, but for that we must wait until Friday or Monday. This biopsy was very fancy.

December 2, 2014. Ridgeland, MS. Salut Salon.

Wonderful Wendy, my niece, sent me this You Tube link. I had never even heard of this group. "Wettstreit zu viert" is the name of the piece. I spent all morning listening. The musicians are German, four women who play classical repertoire, but instill a bunch of fun into their performances. They are all four excellent musicians and also beautiful but they are clearly having fun too. They are a little bit like Mozell Brass, but only a little. There must be many many groups I know nothing about but when I find one such as Salut Salon, I seem so surprised and pleased. I am pleased at the level of expertise out there in the world and surprised that I knew nothing about them. My niece is not a musician so I have no clue how she spotted them but they are worth listening to and watching. Maybe the group will even come to the US. But I bet they will not come to Jackson.

December 1, 2014. Ridgeland, MS. Distractions.

I need more distractions. If you are feeling a bit under the weather, a bit of a distraction takes away the sick feeling, at least for awhile. When you are really ill, a distraction will remove you from the present to another world. I suspect that the mind assists with the recovery of good health, but of course, I have no clue if this is true. Years ago, my oncologist suggested that it has been her observation that folks going through chemotherapy who are also working seem to have an easier time, although she pointed out that there has never been a study. The distractions of the job made the therapy easier, maybe. My problem is the lack of distractions. In our condo we have no TV. We are not able to make trips around Mississippi. Reading is not always easy. I have a whole host of activities that I can not do easily, such as walk around the grounds or have dinner with the family. Being short of breath is not a killer but it certainly is uncomfortable so I am only active when necessary, as I was told to take it easy. Fortunately, my friends and family e mail me which distracts me a bit. "This soon will pass", I say to myself. With any luck, the biopsy will show a clear cell, a cell that can respond to treatment to clear up my pleural effusion. In the meantime, I need all the distractions I can get.