Latest posts
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ER Visit Number ?
Vernon was sent home from the ER the other night with a recommendation to see a certain orthopedic surgeon, who, it turned out, didn’t take Vernon’s Medi-Medi insurance. I was bracing myself to pay the cash for today’s appointment, but then I got a call from the case manager at Mesa Verde, telling me that doctor wouldn’t…
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Popeye
I’m waiting for a call from the ER, letting me know what Vernon’s status is, and whether he will be admitted overnight or sent home again. I’m worried about his arm. On Wednesday, I noticed some swelling on his left arm. Every day it got worse, and today it looked like one of Popeye’s forearms.…
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Exerpts
Some exerpts one of Vernon’s letters, 14th Jan 06. He was coming to the end of his divorce and staying with his parents, taking odd jobs and applying for grad school. I’d be visiting him in England soon. “I’m worried that when you see me in my present environment, you will feel disappointed: I don’t feel that…
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Idyllwild
“Keep close to Nature’s heart… and break clear away, once in awhile, and climb a mountain or spend a week in the woods. Wash your spirit clean.”— John Muir Just a few more days left of school. A few days of finals at the high school for Maki and then he’ll be off to New Zealand.…
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A Portrait of the Artist
“Thank you for finding these letters,” Vernon said with some emotion today as I reread some of the bigger ones to him today (this is our third day in a row reading the letters and he seemed to know what to expect a little more each day.) I want to record this because in my…
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What We Talk About When We Talk About Love
Still actively pursuing an organized household, I finally got down to a box of old paper files in the garage. It’s not where I thought I’d put them, but in it, I discovered a large plastic envelope filled with letters Vernon and I had written to each other in the early days. Sweet relief and gratitude flooded over!…
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Family Time
I brought the kids up to see Vernon on Sunday. It was overcast and damp, but Vernon wanted to get up and go outside regardless. It wasn’t his best day. There was a lot of shouting from Vernon and crying from Justine. On days like this, I wonder what I’ve done to bring the…
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Reframing
reframing [rēfrā′ming] changing the conceptual and/or emotional viewpoint in relation to which a situation is experienced and placing it in a different frame that fits the “facts” of a concrete situation equally well, thereby changing its entire meaning. I brought Vernon a book that I believe I’d bought for his birthday a few years back. I’m not sure…
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Of Course…
Barbara called me this morning so I could have a chat with Vernon on the dialysis chair during her watch. I reminded him of the party yesterday. He admitted he didn’t remember it, but also that he was thankful, it was so nice that we’d done that for him. After he thought he hung up, I could hear…
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Happy Second Life Birthday #2
Big deals should be made a big deal of. This guy has come A LONG way. Let’s celebrate! Happy Second Life Birthday #2, Vernon! You are so loved by so many. I know you won’t remember this day in detail, but here are some pictures to help you believe this: you’ve got some good friends. …