UPDATE and I enjoyed sitting outside for a little while yesterday afternoon

UPDATE: I woke up at 3:15 a.m. today and couldn't go back to sleep, no matter what I tried. I dozed a bit now and then, but when it was time to get ready to go take the group photo, I could tell I wasn't up to it. I had to call and back out which made me very sad. Someone else took a great photo, though--I've seen it on Facebook. I knew someone else would step up! Anyway, I finally fell back into a real sleep, for about two full hours. Therefore, I made it to meet my friend Pat from Seattle with Lamont and Leland at Pine State Biscuits for lunch on SE Division at SE 11th. The hugs, smiles, and talking made me feel wonderful. So did the lunch. She brought an actual photo album and shared with us photos of Canterbury, Brussels, and Alaska--she and her husband, the special man known to me as BobRobert whose house provided the perfect place for my wedding on December 31, 1972--travel every chance they get. Now I'm back home, fooling around with photos and the blog before I go take another nap.



First, while sitting in my folding aluminum lawn chair, I noticed a Red Hat Lady in front of Albertina Kerr. I figured a group had a lunch-get-together planned. The lady on the right must not be of the official RHL age since she's wearing a lavender hat.



Here they are with the lady who had caught their attention in the first photo.



Next I noticed this crow. At first, it was on a line going from a wooden pole over to the building across the parking lot beside where I sat. I couldn't get my camera up quick enough to get a photo of it there because the crow dropped what it held in its mouth. I got this one, by chance, right after it picked up the nut--I guess it's a nut--and before it flew off across the street.



At first I saw this squirrel walking toward me on the low, gray-painted wall that keeps in place the dirt in my building's front yard. Otherwise, it would wash away into the parking lot which is more than three feet lower. Anyway, I slowly reached for my camera and the squirrel--I couldn't believe that it also had a nut in its mouth--took of for the very tall evergreen to my right. Shoot. In a few minutes, I saw the squirrel's shadow on the parking lot as it walked around the pole with the lines going to it--the same lines that the crow had landed on a few minutes earlier. I lifted the camera and watched through it for the squirrel and managed to get this photo before it disappeared into the leaves. It's not a very good photo, but I certainly enjoyed trying to get it.



Three more ladies drove up and made their way into Albertina Kerr. The ones waiting inside greeted them with joy loud enough for me to hear all the way across the street. I remember thinking to myself how good it is to have friends who are happy to be with you.



Last but not least, I got a few photos of Lamont walking toward me from his parked car. He came over with a couple of boxes of sugar cubes (for me to use in my hot tea) and his hair clippers. About a week ago I noticed stray hairs on my head, here and there, growing longer than my stubble and catching the light. I found them disconcerting because I felt like they made me look like a sick ol' lady. He agreed to try to get rid of them for me since, although I am an ol' lady who has cancer, I do not consider myself sick. In treatment, yes. Sick, no. When he finished, my head had shorter stubble and very few stray hairs. Thanks, Lamont.

UPDATE and left at the bus stop

UPDATE: Slept well, doing OK today. I am still surprised and thankful at this turn of events. Feeling this strong allowed me to go to my sweet friend Casey's wedding. She married Cristina in lovely Woodlawn Park in Northeast Portland yesterday late afternoon--the rain stayed away for the entire ceremony! The wonderful reception after the ceremony took place at The Village Ballroom, complete with family toasts, great food and lots and lots of dancing to the music CD that Casey made for the celebration. Everyone had a great time, smiles, joy, and laughter all around! Lamont and Leland took me; we had a great time and are happy to have shared this with Casey and Cristina and their families and friends.



Tomorrow I'll be at the bus stop in time to catch one to work, for the first time since June 23. I won't be leaving anything behind when the bus arrives. I'll work four hours (10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.) and then take a bus home. I'm looking forward to getting back to some sort of routine out in the world, that is, until the next chemo treatment. We'll see how soon I can go back part time after it.

UPDATE, with a video - Mind the sign, said in the mode of the London Underground ever-present-voice as the doors close, "Mind the gap." Meaning, watch out for the gap. You don't want to trip and fall!

UPDATE:



I thoroughly enjoyed making this video because I was outside on a beautiful early morning in my beloved Portland! My ride arrived quickly, and we were on our way!

All's well with the blood work, so I'll have Round Two Chemo tomorrow. I'm pretty tired today, and it's getting hotter by the hour with a predicted high of 99 today, so I'm thankful for my window unit even more than usual. I woke up around 3 a.m. and couldn't go back to sleep for over 30 minutes, then I got up for good at 5:50 a.m. to get ready for the trip to the lab. I am going to take a nap in a few minutes.

I am so blessed to have made such great friends here in Portland. One took me to the lab this morning, around 11 a.m. one took me to the bank and then to eat some chicken strips and fries with a Coca-Cola at Burgerville. I have left over chicken to take with me tomorrow--there's microwave at Kaiser Oncology, and I believe that those will taste pretty good!



Sometimes I need good advice, especially if I happen to be going the wrong way in life. Here's a great reminder of what to do, clear as a bell on a sign west of my building on NE Flanders--STOP. That's right. I will then think about what I'm doing and hopefully come up with a new, more effective plan of action. After all, that's a big part of life, analyzing and revising.



By the way, here's what the sign warns drivers about. I wonder if anyone's ever missed it and ruined their tires? Maybe someone at the Blue Diamond knows. Maybe I can remember to ask some time or other. I need to STOP and set this question in my memory, now.

In the natural order of things, it's Saturday again. I am thankful and blessed.

Last Saturday, I picked these ripe blueberries and left the others right where they are on the bush so that they would have the chance to ripen. That's the natural order of things.

Right now I'm going through what could be seen as an unnatural order of things:

• March 7 discovering cancer in my body after the appearance of a surprising symptom
• April 24 having a hysterectomy because the diagnosis pointed with certainty at cancer and afterward thinking that the result of said surgery meant it highly unlikely that I would require further treatment, just close monitoring
• May 21 having a baseline CT scan to use in that close monitoring which revealed a blip in expectations
• May 29 being told that the blip meant a needle biopsy and that the results of that could warrant a change in plans
• June 1, after recovering slowly but surely, returning to my job that I thoroughly enjoy, do well, and am appreciated and enjoyed at, where I work with adorable, wonderful, smart, kind human beings who care about not only themselves and their families, but also about our community and its citizens
• June 1 through June 23, striving to eat right and walk more
• June 17 having a needle biopsy to get a closer look at the blip seen on the CT scan
• June 18 getting a call about what turned out to be tissues suspicious for cancer in the blip and agreeing to have an appointment at 2 p.m. the next day with Dr. Steiner and tentatively to have a second operation on June 25, realizing at that very moment that I'd need to spend what I thought would be each of the three days at the beginning of the week before the surgery on Thursday training someone at work to do what I do that no one else does
• June 19 spending two hours engulfed in a whirlwind of information with Dr. Steiner and Lamont during which we discussed so much that I felt like I'd been on a twirly, swirly ride at the state fair, plus finding out that I would not be at work on June 24 because I would be involved with clear liquids and a laxative to get ready for the surgery the next day AND that it looks rather certain that radiation and chemotherapy are also in my future
• June 22 and June 23 sharing with a quick, smart young man at work who paid great attention to everything about the job he will do for me until I return, set for August 10 right now, and realizing that I have nothing to worry about because he will do it well, along with the help of others at work who know parts of the process; we in the admin area support each other wholeheartedly because we realize without a doubt that what we do supports those who directly serve the citizens of our community
• June 24 following all directions to the letter for the pre-op routines, including patting myself all over one hour after I had showered and washed my hair with these man-made tissues saturated with antiseptic to help my skin be as ready as possible to be invaded during surgery and not have on it as the incisions were made something bad for my health
• June 24 and June 25 going without solid food, period, but still managing to enjoy Jell-O and Popsicles and Twinings English Breakfast tea
• June 25 being prepped for surgery by swell women and men, then being rolled into the operating room where I saw the robot and the station where Dr. Steiner would sit to guide the robot through its paces with me--that robot is all arms, y'all, multi-functional arms, no doubt; then eventually looking toward the window of my hospital room and realizing my sons were there in silhouette along with my friend Sharon from work. The best thing, I never even knew that scary-panic-inducing oxygen mask from the hysterectomy was any where near me!
• June 25, at some point late after the surgery and the recovery room, when I had come to enough to ask for them and hold them and eat them, I enjoyed more Popsicles and Jell-o in my room
• June 26, about 2:30 a.m., although who knows for certain since my grasp of time within my memory is skewed right now, learning from my nurse how to use the computerized Order Food link on the touch screen hanging in front of me so that I could order breakfast from the regular diet menu, and a morning snack and lunch, an afternoon snack and dinner (although I call this supper)
• June 26 eating what I could of what I'd chosen
• June 26 being able to get up and go to the bathroom once the catheter had been removed and sit in the chair instead of the bed
• June 26 once I stood up off the bed realizing I'm pretty certain that I now know how folks who've been stabbed in the abdomen must feel the day after having their wounds stitched shut and being so thankful for Ibuprofen 600
• June 26 talking with one of Dr. Steiner's partners who said the main thing now is to get to the point that I can empty my own bladder the way that the Good Lord intended so that I wouldn't have to learn how to self-cath at home! and to recover from the surgery! and to learn at the post-op appointment on July 8 what the pathology reveals and what the plan of action includes, such as radiation and chemotherapy.
• June 26 walking the triangle outside my door which is the convenient shape of the hallway in the surgery patient area; I had a walker with wheels on its two front legs which I held onto, tilted, and rolled in front of me; I didn't like how it vibrated into my hands if I kept the wheel-less back legs on the floor
• June 26 finally drinking enough water to get myself back to normal operation in the bathroom, hallelujah! I don't have to learn how to self-cath!
• June 26 learning from one of the multitude of fabulous nurses that I now for the next 14 days will have to give myself a shot in the stomach to ward off the possibility of deep vein thrombosis and/or pulmonary embolism
• June 26 waiting for the wheelchair to take me to the door so that I could go home. 
• June 26 and until July 8, it looks like: Lamont explained to me yesterday, more than once, and Leland just explained to me again that Dr. Steiner said this to the two of them in the consultation room after the surgery was completed: The pathology tests have to be run so that the results will be known once they are complete. It's won't be something that she wants to discuss over the phone, that she wants me in the office with her to go over it, that if an earlier appointment opens up, they will let me know. She'd left markers inside me so that radiation oncology would know where to point whatever, that what she found inside me was somewhat unexpected - it wasn't in or attached to the lymph node as she had expected so this is throwing up flags to her that we should go ahead with radiation and chemo and what was going on with me wasn't following the statistics of normal, whatever that means. I believe that hearing the news straight from Dr. Steiner is best because I can look her in the eye and process what she's telling me.

Yes, that's the unnatural order of things. But, and I truly believe this, woven into it, through its shock, pain, aggravation, are-you-kidding-me moments are the some of the most sublime natural order of things I've witnessed in my entire life.

• My sons Lamont and Leland and their caring, sweet smiles, their loving hearts, their great memories for details, their patience to explain the same thing to me over and over again because I'm confused right now; the way every single day they live the evidence of their monumental Daddy right in front of me.
• My family and friends contacting me by myriad means, letting me know from their hearts how much they love me and care about what's going on with me and how much they are praying for the best possible outcome. 
• Yes, Gunn in Stavanger, Norway, I had surely done at each opportunity what you wrote in your comment on yesterday's post: You must tell your doctors and nurses that you have people ALL OVER THE WORLD who follow you and your blog, and we pray, wish you the best treatment and that they have to do their very best!!
• My awe-inspiring medical professionals whose every desire is for me to have the best outcome possible, be that from surgery, pain pills, walking the hallway, understanding what's going on with my treatment, why I have to do all of these things to myself. Best explanation for all that I'm going through, period, from Naomi, Dr. Steiner's nurse, on June 19 as we wrapped up the pre-op appointment for my second surgery within a two-months-one-day-time-period: We are about getting you the decades that I have coming to you, Lynette.
• My heart and soul have felt every single prayer, every single warm wish, every single bit of love and concern that all of you have for me and what I'm experiencing. And I thank you.

A Current Monday Morning Photo!

I took this photo a little while ago with my iPhone 5 so that I could have something current on here! Lamont and Leland's friends Lance and Kendra gave me this superb wall hanging and a couple of other nice items on Saturday, by way of Leland, I think--I was still groggy when I got home from the hospital. Thanks, you two! Congrats on the baby on the way!

I slept fine last night, even with a couple of short naps during the day, woke up at 6 a.m. hungry. Ate a little bit of oatmeal. No pain medication needed--hallelujah! Took a shower without any consequence other than being clean. Decided I wanted some hot tea, thus the photo opportunity. I got that wonderful mug some months ago at the Goodwill Super Store near where I work, walked down there on my lunch hour one day. What a fantastic find for a fan like me!

Lamont and Leland took turns being here yesterday, with some overlap for super hero movies on FX; I watched and/or dozed and thoroughly enjoyed peeking at my sweet sons, all day long. Lamont spent the night and just left to go to work for a few hours. He'll be back later before he needs to head home to get ready to go to the Blazers' vs the Grizzlies game this evening. Leland will come here after he gets off work and stay throughout the basketball game which we desperately need to win. Go, Blazers!

Later on I'll eat some of the baked chicken Lamont got off the bone for me--Leland picked it up at Fred Meyer on Saturday at Freddie's, along with a few other items. I've been eating it with plain rice, but yesterday I asked Leland to buy some russet potatoes and carrots which Lamont has scrubbed, wrapped in foil, put onto the cookie sheet and placed in the oven for baking. I'll check on them after the timer goes off. They will go very well with the baked chicken. By tomorrow, I should be able to eat something like a hamburger from The Blue Diamond! They've said they will deliver to me! And some folks from work put some funds on the books there, in my name, for just that purpose. Thanks, y'all!

Unless something unexpected happens during the day, I shall be A-OK by myself tonight and in the morning. Today, when I feel like I need a nap, I'll take one. No over-doing it for me, period. I'll wait until one of the sons is here to walk a short distance in the hallway of the apartment building. It is supposed to be 77 here today. Maybe I'll go, with help and support, out the front door onto the sidewalk in the sunshine! I promise, no over-doing it for me, so do not be alarmed at my maybe.

Thanks for your continued prayers and concern and love. We don't expect any biopsy news until late this week, so, until then, no news is good news!

Did this happen to you on your birthday, with Google? I am so curious to find out. Thanks!

I've already put this on Facebook a couple of hours ago--Flickr had a technical issue and I couldn't get to the HTML/BB Code until just now so that I could put it on my blog. Please and thank you for indulging my tooting my own horn, repeatedly!
 

OK. So, I just woke up after snoozing my alarm for 66 minutes because that is how old I turn today. I sat down at the IMac and saw my reminder to enter the Masterpiece Sweepstakes, so I opened a Google page, ready to go to the bookmark. I noticed that Google was a bunch of Happy Birthday goodies which I thought was cool to see first thing on my birthday. Then, as I moved the mouse, I saw a message: Happy Birthday Lynette! I just about fell outta my chair! Then I opened another page, and the birthday goodies are still there and that same message appears when I hold the mouse on any one of the goodies! How come all you other birthday-having-folks didn't tell me to be on the lookout for this? Oh, I get it. You wanted it to be a surprise. THANKS!!!! P. S. I have already received a whole bunch of great Happy Birthday wishes--thanks to everyone!

My home

Click here for a trip to City Daily Photo, transporting you around the world every day.



My home comforts me when I walk towards the front door and . . .



. . . when I turn to look out at the world one more time before I walk inside, turn right twice, and open my front door. 

I believe without doubt that my Mama, who passed away on January 7, 2011, approves of my new home, the place I found with the help of my two sons and to which I had moved by the end of January--with the help of my two sons, my brother who flew up from Mississippi, and numerous friends from work who helped pack, clean and move all of my stuff. She knew I couldn't stay in our apartment, not after she took an afternoon nap in her bedroom and did not wake up. She is happy that I found a studio apartment of a suitable size with a bonus room which works brilliantly as a bedroom and a closet large enough for 95% of my stuff--the rest is on display. And the fact that it's an apartment closer to my two sons which actually has nearby or right-out-the-front-door street parking for when they visit serves to increase the smile I know is on her sweet face. 

Mid-September Roses at the Rose Garden in Washington Park

I've been remiss, out of it, gone, down in the dumps missin' my little Mama, even sort of feelin' sorry for myself, escaped into an addiction to British spy/WWII television programs through Netflix, lazy, and good for not much of anything off and on for months now. I've been up for air at times, thanks to my two swell sons Lamont and Leland and to my work and those special folks at the workplace. And to Portland itself.

It's past high time for me to straighten out and partake of life every single second available to me.

Tiny steps still get it done.

Yesterday I went to a lecture at the Architectural Heritage Center and to two museums I'd never visited through the Smithsonian Museum Day. I rode the brand new Portland Street Car Central Loop between them.

Today I'm going downtown to Pioneer Courthouse Square for White Bird's West Coast premiere of Le Grand Continental by Montréal-based choreographer Sylvian Émard at Pioneer Courthouse Square on September 30, 2012! This exciting performance brings together 150+ participants of all ages, ethnicities and backgrounds - dancers and non-dancers alike - to perform a contemporary re-imaging of a traditional festive line dance! Age range 9 to 75.
Read The Oregonian piece about it here.

Here's the first blog since Tuesday before last.



I took these photos the evening of September 16 when our dear friends Nora and Upa Parikh (plus Nora's sweet sister Aida) were in Portland for a family wedding. I got a Zipcar, picked them up at their hotel, met Lamont and Leland for a fine dinner at 3 Doors Down Cafe, then took the three of them riding around Portland. Lucky us, we made it to Washington Park and the Rose Garden before the sun went down. We made good memories, taking in the beautiful blossoms, some of which smelled so good, some of which had no scent whatsoever. How does that happen?

  Aida, Nora, Upa, taken with my iPhone at 3 Doors Down Cafe.

Happy Thanksgiving from Portland, Oregon

I count my blessings, past and current. I count them every day. I thank the Lord for them every day.


I am thankful to live in Portland, Oregon, where I am with my two sons, where Mama and I thoroughly enjoyed the years between June, 2006, and January, 2011.

While I don't have actual photographs of all of the special people for whom I am thankful, I do have some, so I'm sharing them with you today, Thanksgiving Day 2011.


Mama and Duncan, Kailey and Ginger and Leland, Lamont--Christmas, 2008


My brother Howard, my sister-in-law Vanessa, my older son Lamont, my younger son Leland, his sweetheart Kailey, my friend-as-sister Kay, my friend-as-brother Milton, me, and my friend-as-daughter Casey--August, 2011.

Photos from our trip back home, October, 2009.

Lucy, our sweetheart-of-a-friend. Kay, Mama, Milton, and my beloved Aunt Baker who joined Mama and lots more loved ones in Heaven on April 17, 2011. Aunt Baker had given me a ride to meet Kay and Milton on I-20, eastbound, so that we could be on our way to Talladega for the fall NASCAR race. She and Mama rode on back to Aunt Baker's house where they had a good time together until I got back several days later. Then Mama and I flew back to Portland.


Good friends: Jamae, Libby, and Jean. Fran, Yvonne, and Janet.


Good friends: Barbara, Renee, and Libby. Eve, Rusty, and Peggy. Sorry, y'all, the rest of the photos I took that night are blurry--I was just too tickled to see everyone that I couldn't be still!

Part 6, our last fun day together, Sunday, August 28, 2011

We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves at 3 Doors Down Café, SE 37th and Hawthorne--a family dinner for the seven of us, plus Lamont manned the kitchen as sous chef.

We were all pretty hungry, so I didn't take many photos--we just got down to it.


Fresh fettucini with heirloom tomatoes, sent to our table by Lamont. We shared like the grown ups that we are, enjoying every bite. Lamont got to come out and talk with us for a few minutes. Sweet.


Spaghetti and meatballs. Vanessa, Kay and I ordered this Sunday night special. I can't remember what anyone else ate, and I didn't write it down either. Having too much fun with my own dinner.


Kay and I got this for dessert, the banana cream pie. It is so fabulous, just looking at the photo floods me with fond memories of the taste and texture. One of the things that makes it even better is the consistent cool temperature that it is when served.

Dinner over, I took Howard and Vanessa to their hotel. They had to be at the airport about 5 a.m. Then I dropped off Milton and Kay at my apartment and headed for where the SUV lives. That's what you do with a Zipcar. You take it back where it lives when your reservation is over. Leland and Kailey met me there and brought me home.

Milton, Kay and I called it a night pretty early. We were to be picked up by Lamont the next day for brunch at the Bijou Cafe and then to Union Station so that they could board the train for the long ride home.

What a splendid time everyone had. I can't thank all of them enough for coming up here to visit us, to enjoy Portland and Oregon with us. Blessed, truly blessed. All of us.