I have spent so much time talking about both sets of grandparents that I feel I have neglected the rest of my family. Mom and Dad still live in Catonsville in the very same house we grew up in on South Symington Avenue. One of the stories my sister Chris and I shared today was that after Mom and Dad married (we’re a blended family, my mother had four children, my stepfather had three) we were living in a small row home in Arbutus. We knew we were going to be moving to Catonsville at some point during the school year because we started school at Catonsville that year and not Arbutus. There were a total of seven kids in our family growing up and as you can imagine, managing a brood that large takes a lot of work. One day we got up for school on Elm Road in Arbutus and when we came out of school that day, our older brother and sister Steve and Chris were waiting for us. They actually walked us to our new house. We had no clue that we were moving that day. So we leave one house in the morning and come back to one that is brand new to us later that afternoon.
There were so many of us that when Mom needed to scold one of us, she would start at the top of the list of names - Steve, Chris, Charlotte, Barry, Tina, Chuck, and then finally Terry until she hit the one of us that she needed the immediate attention from.
It was a typical frame house for the era, one bathroom upstairs and three bedrooms, and in the basement was what couldn’t even be called euphemistically a half bath.
When talking with my sister Chris today she reminded me of two stories that are funny now but of course at the time ended up being pretty embarrassing. Once as we were driving to the Broadway market with Granddad we passed a building with a large tower. I asked what it was. I was told it was the morgue and that was where they brought dead people. A few weeks later we drove back again and there were children playing outside. I made the association from the previous trip about what the building was and made the comment to whoever else was with us that day, “Oh, look at the fixed-up dead people.” Everybody just laughed and laughed and laughed. It made perfect sense to me. The other story involves seeing meter maids emptying coins from the meters. I said to whoever was in the car, “We need to call the police, those people are stealing the money out of those meters.” Everyone looked at me like I was crazy. They said, “What are you talking about?” I have my own way of making things more difficult sometimes than they need to be. It made perfect sense to me that when you inserted a coin into a parking meter, it went down the pole to the sidewalk to this elaborate labyrinth of underground parking meter collection systems. They used to tease me to death about that.
Often when we were at the Belair Market, Granddad would take us over to place called the Four Aces which was in fact a bar. We would sit up on the stools, and we would all order beer. Miss Frances the bartender would actually serve us orange soda instead. But somehow we thought we were having a beer with Granddad.
Monday, June 9, 2008
Sunday, June 8, 2008
Today
Syrietta is another one of my caregivers at the rehab center and insists on greeting everyone with a big hug. The first thing in the morning she comes in hugs all her patients, asks how we're doing and is just a charming, charming woman to deal with. We laugh and we talk and she is much more than someone who helps take care of me. Actually all of the people here at this facility have been most helpful, most informative, and very caring.
I am planning on getting out of bed a little later this morning. My brother is going to help me do some leg exercises today. Since I won't have had heavy duty rehab for three days, tomorrow is going to be a tough one I'm sure.
I continue to receive a large number of emails and blog comments, cards in the mail, phone calls and I love every single one of them. Please keep them coming. Nothing makes me happier than to wake up in the morning and see numbers on my Blackberry.
Upcoming Visits
A number of different people are planning on visiting me in Jacksonville soon. Two dear friends, Jim (blogmaster) and Jim Byrnes are coming down next weekend for a visit. My sister Tina will be coming down the weekend after that. I was just speaking with one of my college roommates and his wife the other day and they're going to be in the Jacksonville area so he can perform a wedding ceremony the weekend of July 4. If possible they're going to come by also. I look very much forward to these visits and am truly humbled that all these wonderful people are making all this effort. At this point I don't know exactly where I'll be - if I'll still be in the rehab facility (most likely) or whether I'll be at home (which would be wonderful but unlikely) but no matter how people make their visits - whether they're there in person, by email, by phone call, by blog comments or just keeping me in your prayers, please know that they are all greatly appreciated.
Today I actually am planning to get my lazy ass out of bed. yesterday was just such a busy day with so many visitors I just never seemed to get up and about.
I'm trying to do a little PC work this afternoon. I finally started reading the Laura Lippman series that Rick had gotten for me. So far I am enjoying it very much.
There are actually two people working in this struggle. Obviously myself, but just as much my partner Rick. This isn't quite what we had anticipated our lives to be but he is being my rock, my strength. Keeping everything going at home, helping me to keep track of everything that needs to be kept track of, entertaining unexpected visitors, doing everything he can to keep me as positive as possible. I count myself fortunate the day I met this wonderful man. He still makes me laugh. He told me this morning that my brother Steve could come down any time. He helped figure out something on the PC this morning. Incidentally, Steve is getting on beautifully with Margo and Simon our cocker and beagle. Margo got a little jealous last night because Simon has taken such a shine to Steve. Simon puts us very much in mind of our childhood beagle named Sam.
Today I actually am planning to get my lazy ass out of bed. yesterday was just such a busy day with so many visitors I just never seemed to get up and about.
I'm trying to do a little PC work this afternoon. I finally started reading the Laura Lippman series that Rick had gotten for me. So far I am enjoying it very much.
There are actually two people working in this struggle. Obviously myself, but just as much my partner Rick. This isn't quite what we had anticipated our lives to be but he is being my rock, my strength. Keeping everything going at home, helping me to keep track of everything that needs to be kept track of, entertaining unexpected visitors, doing everything he can to keep me as positive as possible. I count myself fortunate the day I met this wonderful man. He still makes me laugh. He told me this morning that my brother Steve could come down any time. He helped figure out something on the PC this morning. Incidentally, Steve is getting on beautifully with Margo and Simon our cocker and beagle. Margo got a little jealous last night because Simon has taken such a shine to Steve. Simon puts us very much in mind of our childhood beagle named Sam.
Food, grandparents, and memories
So many people had written comments about food memories that in my mind I'm starting a list of all these different foods I want once I get out of here. One in particular that I would love to have is one of Grandmom Schuhart's cakes. She made many different ones but the one that stands out in my mind was a half chocolate, half orange cake and the frosting was what was the orange part. I have tried for years to make frosting like hers and just have never been able to. She also made this almond butter nut pound cake that was amazing. But her black walnut cakes at Thanksgiving and Christmas just drove us all crazy.
My great grandparents and grandparents were butchers specializing in beef and pork. At one point they had stalls in many of the markets in Baltimore - Belair, Broadway. The Broadway market is in the historic section of Fells Point. The Belair market was the last market that they had a stall in. I can still remember the stall across the aisle from us was the Lambrights where they specialized in pickles and smoked fish. Mr. Tony, the produce man, had two stalls to our right and there was a bakery stall to the left with all different kids of desserts but particularly schmeercase (a type of cheesecake). It was always a treat during our vacations to visit Grandmother and Granddad Cronise each summer, when mom and dad would take a two week vacation, to be able to go to market with Grandmother one day. I got to run the cash register and screwed it up from the very beginning. In one of the conversations I was having with my brother Steve, yesterday, we recalled all the different kinds of soups that Grandmother Cronise would make. Since Friday and Saturday were big market days, grandmother would always put on a big pot of soup on Thursdays while she and Granddad were working in the slaughter house getting everything prepped to take to market. Those soups in particular that Steve and I were talking about yesterday were a chicken corn with hard boiled eggs, oxtail soup with home made noodles. Grandmother had to work fast to get those noodles into the soup before we would eat them all. She kept telling us we'd get bugs in our stomach if we ate those raw noodles. She also made wonderful ham and bean soup, split pea, and one we always had on New Year's Eve - lentil soup with pepperoni in it. During these two week vacations at Grandmother's we would play in that wonderful house, she would spoil us to death cooking all these wonderful foods that we loved so much - with the last night always being home made pizza. The only thing we hated about those vacations was grandmother's sidewalk from the front gate all the way to the back was brick, and we would have to weed all of the grass out of the brick. We'd watch the Mickey Mouse Club and all the shows of the day. Granddad would be lying on the floor in the living room watching boxing, smoking these nasty King Edward cigars. Grandmother's garden was full of lots of different kinds of flowers. There were peonies all over the front yard. One time Granddad told us to pick the ants off the peonies that were crawling over the unbloomed flowers. Grandmother happened to see us doing this and wondered, "What are you doing?" We said, "We're picking the ants off the peonies like Granddad told us to." She said, "Stop that. The ants eat the wax and that allows the peonies to bloom." She also had several large, dark French lilac bushes that had the most amazing fragrance, and lots and lots of roses.
After Granddad died in 1970, grandmother sold the contents of the house and moved to an apartment in Oaklee Village. The house was full of all kinds of claw foot oak tables, bowfront china closets, this big old fashioned furniture. Much of it, of course, she was not able to take with her to her apartment but a few treasured pieces she took with her. For either her first or second wedding anniversary, Granddad gave her a beautiful Hoosier cabinet in a green washed oak. After Granddad gave it to her and they moved in to great-grandparents' house and this cabinet ended up sitting in the attic until grandmother moved into the apartment. So this early, early gift from Granddad was in perfect condition when she moved to Oaklee Village. After Grandmother passed, she left it to me. It is one of my prized possessions. It still has the flour bin, the pull-out cutting boards, the roll-up front, and the pull-out enamel tabletop.
Grandmother was also an amazing crocheter. Even though she had arthritis quite badly, she was still able to make such beautiful baby outfits, embroidered with silk threads, complete with jacket, hat and booties. Baby blankets, more doilies than you could shake a stick at. For my college graduation present she made me a beautiful afghan safely stored away in the cedar chest.
She used to make a lot of different kids of Santa Clauses at Christmas. Some with jiggly legs that would hang on the door, Mr. & Mrs. Snowmen - each of them faithfully brought out every Christmas whether we put up a tree or not. For Easter she would crochet little chicken covers for plastic eggs and additionally a crocheted Easter egg that when you untied it the baby chick would pop out. She once spent two years crocheting a tablecloth for my mother's dining room table in fine cotton and in a very intricate pattern. I used to take orders for a lot of these items form people in my office who would want something for an upcoming grandchild or a niece or nephew. And somehow I had managed to hold onto one of the baby blankets. Just a couple years ago, after my brother Steve remarried, his wife's daughter was going to have a baby. I remembered that I had this baby blanket and I sent it up to Steve. It was a very special gift for his grandchild.
Grandmother would never go to church without being what she thought was properly dressed with a hat, earrings and lipstick. I remember picking her up one Sunday and she had forgotten to put on her jewelry. I had to turn the car around, go back to her apartment, and pick up some jewelry for her to put on.
She almost never missed church. If she wasn't there, someone would be asking, "Is your grandmother all right? Why isn't she here today?" As she got older it got more and more difficult for her to walk. First agreeing to use a cane, finally a walker, and then eventually a wheelchair. However, she still insisted on sitting on her pew - second pew from the front on the left. It would take her some time to get up there but nothing was going to stop her. When it finally got to the point that she was confined to a wheelchair, the church didn't have an appropriate place for a wheelchair to sit so I would roll her up to the front of the church and she would sit in the center aisle outside the pew. As the choir would process, they would simply march around her. Eventually, the church decided that they needed to make appropriate seating for wheelchairs. It was on the other side of the sanctuary. No matter how hard I tried to convince Grandmother that they did that just for her, she just never was real happy that she wasn't able to sit where she wanted to in church.
It was only the last couple weeks of her life that she was unable to attend. But throughout all the different sanctuaries we worshipped in - the original butcher's church on Catherine Street, the Overhills mansion sanctuary on Rolling Road, and then eventually the current church building at St. John's, she just loved being surrounded by her grandchildren.
The times I would be able to get to Baltimore on a business trip or for a visit I would always make sure that I would go over to Lorraine Park cemetery and put pink carnations on her grave. For years the family plot had simply been marked by a beautiful Peace rose but eventually a more traditional tombstone was erected.
One time as I was leaving the cemetery, I noticed a name on a tombstone that was familiar. It turns out that actress Mildred Natwick is also buried in Lorraine Park cemetery.
After the house on Franklintown Road was shut down and grandmother moved, Mom took as many of the peonies and the roses to plant in our yard as possible. I'll have to check with Mom to see if any of them are still surviving. One rose in particular was called Sweet Talisman. I know they breed roses for appearances these days but that one was bred for fragrance. When the furniture was being sold there was an enormous cabinet in the kitchen that many people wanted but it was so tall it simply wouldn't fit anywhere. It went to Betty Meirs's barn for a while and I believe someone actually raised a ceiling in a room in their house so that they could purchase this giant kitchen cabinet.
A wonderful family friend of ours, Nancy Garrison, had purchased Grandmother's dining room chairs. They were oak chairs with caned seats. When I was starting to set up my first apartment, Mrs. Garrison came to me and said, "I bought the dining room chairs from your Grandmother's house and I have never used them. Would you be interested in having them?" I said, "Absolutely, how much to do I owe you for them?" And she said, "Oh, just pay me what I paid her - $12 for six chairs." I learned how to re-cane those chairs myself. In some cases unfortunately, cutting myself on the cane. I believe it took me three days to do the first one but by the time I got to the sixth one, I got it down to about five hours.
Grandmother also crocheted me curtains for my first apartment. I have absolutely no place to use them any longer but I still have them tucked away and every once in a while I take them out and take a look at them.
My very last Christmas in Baltimore before moving to Jacksonville I was living in the Carriage House at our church. It was a huge wonderful house that was actually a retreat facility and I was actually a kind of resident caretaker. Since I knew it was going to be my last Christmas there, the family decided to get together to have Christmas at my house. It was also easiest to get Grandmother's wheelchair into the house since there was only one step. I had dinner plans for that evening but told everyone to come over between one and three o'clock so that we could celebrate Christmas. I wasn't serving a meal but had planned on having dessert, cookies, that sort of thing. When Mom drove up with Grandmother in the car, she got out of the car with pies that Grandmother had gotten up early that morning to bake. One was mincemeat - one of my personal favorites, and the other was a pumpkin. Whenever grandmother would bake a pie with cutouts, she would always bake the extra pieces with cinnamon sugar for us all to enjoy. I couldn't believe that she went to the effort of getting up that early to bake pies. She also had gone to the effort of crocheting me some placemats and potholders. Her work wasn't nearly as fine as it used to be but they were still made with love. It was a very special Christmas.
My great grandparents and grandparents were butchers specializing in beef and pork. At one point they had stalls in many of the markets in Baltimore - Belair, Broadway. The Broadway market is in the historic section of Fells Point. The Belair market was the last market that they had a stall in. I can still remember the stall across the aisle from us was the Lambrights where they specialized in pickles and smoked fish. Mr. Tony, the produce man, had two stalls to our right and there was a bakery stall to the left with all different kids of desserts but particularly schmeercase (a type of cheesecake). It was always a treat during our vacations to visit Grandmother and Granddad Cronise each summer, when mom and dad would take a two week vacation, to be able to go to market with Grandmother one day. I got to run the cash register and screwed it up from the very beginning. In one of the conversations I was having with my brother Steve, yesterday, we recalled all the different kinds of soups that Grandmother Cronise would make. Since Friday and Saturday were big market days, grandmother would always put on a big pot of soup on Thursdays while she and Granddad were working in the slaughter house getting everything prepped to take to market. Those soups in particular that Steve and I were talking about yesterday were a chicken corn with hard boiled eggs, oxtail soup with home made noodles. Grandmother had to work fast to get those noodles into the soup before we would eat them all. She kept telling us we'd get bugs in our stomach if we ate those raw noodles. She also made wonderful ham and bean soup, split pea, and one we always had on New Year's Eve - lentil soup with pepperoni in it. During these two week vacations at Grandmother's we would play in that wonderful house, she would spoil us to death cooking all these wonderful foods that we loved so much - with the last night always being home made pizza. The only thing we hated about those vacations was grandmother's sidewalk from the front gate all the way to the back was brick, and we would have to weed all of the grass out of the brick. We'd watch the Mickey Mouse Club and all the shows of the day. Granddad would be lying on the floor in the living room watching boxing, smoking these nasty King Edward cigars. Grandmother's garden was full of lots of different kinds of flowers. There were peonies all over the front yard. One time Granddad told us to pick the ants off the peonies that were crawling over the unbloomed flowers. Grandmother happened to see us doing this and wondered, "What are you doing?" We said, "We're picking the ants off the peonies like Granddad told us to." She said, "Stop that. The ants eat the wax and that allows the peonies to bloom." She also had several large, dark French lilac bushes that had the most amazing fragrance, and lots and lots of roses.
After Granddad died in 1970, grandmother sold the contents of the house and moved to an apartment in Oaklee Village. The house was full of all kinds of claw foot oak tables, bowfront china closets, this big old fashioned furniture. Much of it, of course, she was not able to take with her to her apartment but a few treasured pieces she took with her. For either her first or second wedding anniversary, Granddad gave her a beautiful Hoosier cabinet in a green washed oak. After Granddad gave it to her and they moved in to great-grandparents' house and this cabinet ended up sitting in the attic until grandmother moved into the apartment. So this early, early gift from Granddad was in perfect condition when she moved to Oaklee Village. After Grandmother passed, she left it to me. It is one of my prized possessions. It still has the flour bin, the pull-out cutting boards, the roll-up front, and the pull-out enamel tabletop.
Grandmother was also an amazing crocheter. Even though she had arthritis quite badly, she was still able to make such beautiful baby outfits, embroidered with silk threads, complete with jacket, hat and booties. Baby blankets, more doilies than you could shake a stick at. For my college graduation present she made me a beautiful afghan safely stored away in the cedar chest.
She used to make a lot of different kids of Santa Clauses at Christmas. Some with jiggly legs that would hang on the door, Mr. & Mrs. Snowmen - each of them faithfully brought out every Christmas whether we put up a tree or not. For Easter she would crochet little chicken covers for plastic eggs and additionally a crocheted Easter egg that when you untied it the baby chick would pop out. She once spent two years crocheting a tablecloth for my mother's dining room table in fine cotton and in a very intricate pattern. I used to take orders for a lot of these items form people in my office who would want something for an upcoming grandchild or a niece or nephew. And somehow I had managed to hold onto one of the baby blankets. Just a couple years ago, after my brother Steve remarried, his wife's daughter was going to have a baby. I remembered that I had this baby blanket and I sent it up to Steve. It was a very special gift for his grandchild.
Grandmother would never go to church without being what she thought was properly dressed with a hat, earrings and lipstick. I remember picking her up one Sunday and she had forgotten to put on her jewelry. I had to turn the car around, go back to her apartment, and pick up some jewelry for her to put on.
She almost never missed church. If she wasn't there, someone would be asking, "Is your grandmother all right? Why isn't she here today?" As she got older it got more and more difficult for her to walk. First agreeing to use a cane, finally a walker, and then eventually a wheelchair. However, she still insisted on sitting on her pew - second pew from the front on the left. It would take her some time to get up there but nothing was going to stop her. When it finally got to the point that she was confined to a wheelchair, the church didn't have an appropriate place for a wheelchair to sit so I would roll her up to the front of the church and she would sit in the center aisle outside the pew. As the choir would process, they would simply march around her. Eventually, the church decided that they needed to make appropriate seating for wheelchairs. It was on the other side of the sanctuary. No matter how hard I tried to convince Grandmother that they did that just for her, she just never was real happy that she wasn't able to sit where she wanted to in church.
It was only the last couple weeks of her life that she was unable to attend. But throughout all the different sanctuaries we worshipped in - the original butcher's church on Catherine Street, the Overhills mansion sanctuary on Rolling Road, and then eventually the current church building at St. John's, she just loved being surrounded by her grandchildren.
The times I would be able to get to Baltimore on a business trip or for a visit I would always make sure that I would go over to Lorraine Park cemetery and put pink carnations on her grave. For years the family plot had simply been marked by a beautiful Peace rose but eventually a more traditional tombstone was erected.
One time as I was leaving the cemetery, I noticed a name on a tombstone that was familiar. It turns out that actress Mildred Natwick is also buried in Lorraine Park cemetery.
After the house on Franklintown Road was shut down and grandmother moved, Mom took as many of the peonies and the roses to plant in our yard as possible. I'll have to check with Mom to see if any of them are still surviving. One rose in particular was called Sweet Talisman. I know they breed roses for appearances these days but that one was bred for fragrance. When the furniture was being sold there was an enormous cabinet in the kitchen that many people wanted but it was so tall it simply wouldn't fit anywhere. It went to Betty Meirs's barn for a while and I believe someone actually raised a ceiling in a room in their house so that they could purchase this giant kitchen cabinet.
A wonderful family friend of ours, Nancy Garrison, had purchased Grandmother's dining room chairs. They were oak chairs with caned seats. When I was starting to set up my first apartment, Mrs. Garrison came to me and said, "I bought the dining room chairs from your Grandmother's house and I have never used them. Would you be interested in having them?" I said, "Absolutely, how much to do I owe you for them?" And she said, "Oh, just pay me what I paid her - $12 for six chairs." I learned how to re-cane those chairs myself. In some cases unfortunately, cutting myself on the cane. I believe it took me three days to do the first one but by the time I got to the sixth one, I got it down to about five hours.
Grandmother also crocheted me curtains for my first apartment. I have absolutely no place to use them any longer but I still have them tucked away and every once in a while I take them out and take a look at them.
My very last Christmas in Baltimore before moving to Jacksonville I was living in the Carriage House at our church. It was a huge wonderful house that was actually a retreat facility and I was actually a kind of resident caretaker. Since I knew it was going to be my last Christmas there, the family decided to get together to have Christmas at my house. It was also easiest to get Grandmother's wheelchair into the house since there was only one step. I had dinner plans for that evening but told everyone to come over between one and three o'clock so that we could celebrate Christmas. I wasn't serving a meal but had planned on having dessert, cookies, that sort of thing. When Mom drove up with Grandmother in the car, she got out of the car with pies that Grandmother had gotten up early that morning to bake. One was mincemeat - one of my personal favorites, and the other was a pumpkin. Whenever grandmother would bake a pie with cutouts, she would always bake the extra pieces with cinnamon sugar for us all to enjoy. I couldn't believe that she went to the effort of getting up that early to bake pies. She also had gone to the effort of crocheting me some placemats and potholders. Her work wasn't nearly as fine as it used to be but they were still made with love. It was a very special Christmas.
Saturday, June 7, 2008
A Day of Visitors
No physical therapy today, actually never even got out of bed because there was a constant stream of visitors all day long, including – a huge surprise – my brother Steve, who drove down from Baltimore on his motorcycle. We had a wonderful visit – he’ll be here through the weekend. Just keep those comments and e-mails coming.
Friday, June 6, 2008
Therapy
Today was an uneventful day. Treatment-wise I had therapy in the morning but not in the afternoon. I was surprised. It was a quiet day but still I was quite ready to get back into bed after being in a wheelchair for eight hours which can be kind of butt-numbing.
I had a conversation with one of my caregivers tonight probably about 45 minutes. She calls herself Margaret and she is from Sierra Leone. Her real name is Khadija and is a woman who speaks with a wonderful, lilting accent while telling me about her customs, way of life and cuisine. We've come to bond with each other. She is not someone who is just a qualified nursing assistant but a caring individual who takes the time to learn about her patients' needs and their families and what makes them tick. It was a very special 45 minutes of conversation I felt rejuvenated somehow after talking to her and understanding what her life's path has been, how she came to the United States, raising her family, and the community of Sierra Leoneans in Jacksonville that form a very tight community. And, in kind, she listened to me talk about my life, my family, my friends and it was truly just a beautiful moment.
I had a conversation with one of my caregivers tonight probably about 45 minutes. She calls herself Margaret and she is from Sierra Leone. Her real name is Khadija and is a woman who speaks with a wonderful, lilting accent while telling me about her customs, way of life and cuisine. We've come to bond with each other. She is not someone who is just a qualified nursing assistant but a caring individual who takes the time to learn about her patients' needs and their families and what makes them tick. It was a very special 45 minutes of conversation I felt rejuvenated somehow after talking to her and understanding what her life's path has been, how she came to the United States, raising her family, and the community of Sierra Leoneans in Jacksonville that form a very tight community. And, in kind, she listened to me talk about my life, my family, my friends and it was truly just a beautiful moment.
Additional cooking memories
I have been receiving a lot of comments from people about how some of my childhood memories have sparked memories in them and they have been sharing them via the blog and via email. One person at the office has already said that his mother is going to be quite annoyed with me because he is going to be asking her to make all the foods that came back to his memory from his childhood - corn fritters, potato pancakes with fresh applesauce and chicken fricassee.
I haven't thought of chicken fricassee in forever but Grandmother Cronise used to make what she called chicken fricassee. I honestly don't know what it should be but it was a stewed chicken in cream gravy with lemon infused sausage meatballs. And we loved it. She probably only made it once or twice a year but it was a very special meal. Some other favorites that she made were sauerbraten with potato dumplings that were filled with fried croutons. Grandmother would marinate the beef for days and the gingersnap gravy that became part of the dish was just incredible. I still have never had sauerbraten as good as Grandmother made. One time when I was in college she made a batch of it and sent it up to me in a big blue enamel bowl. I have the recipe but haven't made it but once or twice myself and never, never have been able to achieve those mashed potato dumplings.
One other dish particularly sticks out in my mind that we always had on Good Friday. We called it mustard fish. I don't recall if it was halibut or haddock but it was poached with onions and carrots and celery in a mustard sauce and served over mashed potatoes. We only ever had it about once a year and we actually looked forward to Good Friday in a way that was the tiniest bit inappropriate. So many of my memories of Grandmother revolve around the wonderful food that she cooked for us, every bit of it uniquely hers, every bit of it full of love. I sat down with her one day to collect as many recipes of hers as I possibly could. She gave them to me as best she could. It was always "a pinch of this and a pinch of that until it tastes good." I did get pretty good at her German potato salad but some of the others I'll never be able to match. Two very particular desserts that she used to make were Baltimore Peach Cake and this wonderful crumb cake. Mom recently gave me the recipe for the crumb cake and, while it was good, still it just wasn't the same. Grandmother used to make them in these baking pans that had the slider wand - a wand in the bottom of the pan that would loosen the cake. They were probably purchased from the Jewel Tea man that used to come to the house on a regular basis. I actually remember the Fuller Brush man coming to our house also.
I'll talk more about Grandmother later but suffice to say she is one of the people who had the strongest influence on my life. I was in Key West on vacation (I don't remember the year) when I woke up one morning and somehow sensed that the world was different. I called home and, sure enough, Grandmother had passed away quietly in her sleep in a very gentle way. I could just tell what had happened. For the funeral service I had written some of these memories that I wasn't able to share myself but our minister read them for me. After it was over everybody in the family came up to me and said, "How could you forget the mustard fish?" Somehow I had left that out of the memories. There were just so, so many wonderful memories of that loving woman. I don't mean to be maudlin or melancholy but as I lie here sometimes I remember some wonderful, wonderful recollections of childhood. I'll eventually get to college days and the other wonderful people who have blessed my life.
I haven't thought of chicken fricassee in forever but Grandmother Cronise used to make what she called chicken fricassee. I honestly don't know what it should be but it was a stewed chicken in cream gravy with lemon infused sausage meatballs. And we loved it. She probably only made it once or twice a year but it was a very special meal. Some other favorites that she made were sauerbraten with potato dumplings that were filled with fried croutons. Grandmother would marinate the beef for days and the gingersnap gravy that became part of the dish was just incredible. I still have never had sauerbraten as good as Grandmother made. One time when I was in college she made a batch of it and sent it up to me in a big blue enamel bowl. I have the recipe but haven't made it but once or twice myself and never, never have been able to achieve those mashed potato dumplings.
One other dish particularly sticks out in my mind that we always had on Good Friday. We called it mustard fish. I don't recall if it was halibut or haddock but it was poached with onions and carrots and celery in a mustard sauce and served over mashed potatoes. We only ever had it about once a year and we actually looked forward to Good Friday in a way that was the tiniest bit inappropriate. So many of my memories of Grandmother revolve around the wonderful food that she cooked for us, every bit of it uniquely hers, every bit of it full of love. I sat down with her one day to collect as many recipes of hers as I possibly could. She gave them to me as best she could. It was always "a pinch of this and a pinch of that until it tastes good." I did get pretty good at her German potato salad but some of the others I'll never be able to match. Two very particular desserts that she used to make were Baltimore Peach Cake and this wonderful crumb cake. Mom recently gave me the recipe for the crumb cake and, while it was good, still it just wasn't the same. Grandmother used to make them in these baking pans that had the slider wand - a wand in the bottom of the pan that would loosen the cake. They were probably purchased from the Jewel Tea man that used to come to the house on a regular basis. I actually remember the Fuller Brush man coming to our house also.
I'll talk more about Grandmother later but suffice to say she is one of the people who had the strongest influence on my life. I was in Key West on vacation (I don't remember the year) when I woke up one morning and somehow sensed that the world was different. I called home and, sure enough, Grandmother had passed away quietly in her sleep in a very gentle way. I could just tell what had happened. For the funeral service I had written some of these memories that I wasn't able to share myself but our minister read them for me. After it was over everybody in the family came up to me and said, "How could you forget the mustard fish?" Somehow I had left that out of the memories. There were just so, so many wonderful memories of that loving woman. I don't mean to be maudlin or melancholy but as I lie here sometimes I remember some wonderful, wonderful recollections of childhood. I'll eventually get to college days and the other wonderful people who have blessed my life.
Thursday, June 5, 2008
Physical therapy update
This morning's session consisted basically of getting dressed which took a lot of effort in order to do. I also had seen myself in the mirror the day before and was horrified to realize I hadn't shaved in five days. So I got myself rolled into the bathroom and all cleaned up.
The afternoon session however, was a completely different story. I have been working with Tai who had been working on leg strengthening. Today Michael joined us, put me into the parallel bars and I walked the length of the parallel bars three times. I would push myself up out of the chair on the count of three, move one leg after the other along the bars, go back into the chair, roll back to the beginning of the parallel bars, and do that two more times. Of course he was supporting me the whole time but the steps were in fact mine. After the first time I collapsed back into the chair in tears of joy because I felt that progress was finally becoming obvious to me. From this point on it can only get better. I am an exhausted but a very happy man tonight. Thanks to everyone for their continued prayers and support. It's what I am thinking of when I am struggling to move one foot after the other.
The afternoon session however, was a completely different story. I have been working with Tai who had been working on leg strengthening. Today Michael joined us, put me into the parallel bars and I walked the length of the parallel bars three times. I would push myself up out of the chair on the count of three, move one leg after the other along the bars, go back into the chair, roll back to the beginning of the parallel bars, and do that two more times. Of course he was supporting me the whole time but the steps were in fact mine. After the first time I collapsed back into the chair in tears of joy because I felt that progress was finally becoming obvious to me. From this point on it can only get better. I am an exhausted but a very happy man tonight. Thanks to everyone for their continued prayers and support. It's what I am thinking of when I am struggling to move one foot after the other.
Popcorn memories
I had received an email from my Aunt Naomi currently living in Bethany Beach, Delaware, indicating that she was sending me Fisher's popcorn. For those of you that don’t' know, Fisher's popcorn is an Ocean City, Maryland boardwalk staple. Just thinking of this popcorn triggered two Ocean City, Maryland stories that I wanted to share. When we were children, Grandmom and Pap Pap Schuhart would alternate having us down to their ocean city summer apartment near the Santa Maria Restaurant at 13th Street. Every evening we would tirelessly walk the boardwalk just enjoying the summer air and occasionally some Fisher's popcorn. Aunt Naomi and Aunt Ruth each had summer houses in Bethany and we would often go up to visit them and play in the lagoons behind their houses. Once during that week Pap Pap would take us crabbing at Snow Hill. We'd go early in the morning using chicken necks for bait and within the course of an hour or so we'd have caught an entire bushel of blue crabs. I can't even begin to imagine what a bushel of blue crabs would cost these days. But we would eat crabs for days and love their sweet, succulent flavor.
The other story is a little more serendipitous and involves our two blogmasters. Nancy, my one blogmaster, and Joan were planning on working at the ocean for the summer. Nancy has secured a job at a hardware store and Joan at some food place. Immediately after my graduation ceremony we piled Nancy and Joan's summer luggage into my brother's van, which for some reason included a huge array of shoes. On the way from Westminster, Maryland to Ocean City, we stopped in Catonsville to pick up Jim the other blogmaster and a friend of his, Diane. Diane was planning on working at a family taco stand at the very beginning of the boardwalk right by the bus station. Jim and I were only planning on spending a day or so, imagining a carefree weekend at the surf, celebrating the beginning of summer. We were intending to stay at Nancy and Joan's apartment. Nancy and Joan's landlords - affectionately called Doll Face and Laughing Boy - had other ideas in mind. They were not about to permit two people to spend one night without paying rent to them for the evening.
By this point, it was late evening and Diane offered to put us up at her family abode for the evening. Little did we realize this offer included breaking through the taco service window and stuffing Jim through in order to gain access to the family summer business. Diane's family arrived later in the evening and my most vivid recollection is of waking up in the morning on the floor surrounded by a summer's worth of taco supplies. The little bit of time we spent at the beach, the wind was blowing so strongly that we felt that we were getting dermabrasion treatments from the sand. All these years later we can't help but laugh when we think of that crazy weekend.
The other story is a little more serendipitous and involves our two blogmasters. Nancy, my one blogmaster, and Joan were planning on working at the ocean for the summer. Nancy has secured a job at a hardware store and Joan at some food place. Immediately after my graduation ceremony we piled Nancy and Joan's summer luggage into my brother's van, which for some reason included a huge array of shoes. On the way from Westminster, Maryland to Ocean City, we stopped in Catonsville to pick up Jim the other blogmaster and a friend of his, Diane. Diane was planning on working at a family taco stand at the very beginning of the boardwalk right by the bus station. Jim and I were only planning on spending a day or so, imagining a carefree weekend at the surf, celebrating the beginning of summer. We were intending to stay at Nancy and Joan's apartment. Nancy and Joan's landlords - affectionately called Doll Face and Laughing Boy - had other ideas in mind. They were not about to permit two people to spend one night without paying rent to them for the evening.
By this point, it was late evening and Diane offered to put us up at her family abode for the evening. Little did we realize this offer included breaking through the taco service window and stuffing Jim through in order to gain access to the family summer business. Diane's family arrived later in the evening and my most vivid recollection is of waking up in the morning on the floor surrounded by a summer's worth of taco supplies. The little bit of time we spent at the beach, the wind was blowing so strongly that we felt that we were getting dermabrasion treatments from the sand. All these years later we can't help but laugh when we think of that crazy weekend.
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Hospital experiences
A number of people were surprised that I ended up being admitted to Baptist instead of one of the two Ascension Health hospitals in Jacksonville - St. Vincent's or St. Luke's. The reason is pure and simple. Very specific physicians and surgeons that I needed practice at Baptist.
As a matter of fact, today to the day I complete 29 years of employment with Ascension Health and its predecessor organizations. June 4, 1979 was when I first walked through the doors of Daughters of Charity Eastern Cooperative Services Information Systems Division. Oddly enough, the acronym for this is DOCECSISD which, if you attempt to pronounce, is "deceased"! It has been my complete joy to work for this faith-based organization for all these years. While not a Catholic myself, the sisters were very intentional about ensuring the legacy of their ministry of healing the sick and the poor. So it really gets in the blood. When I was first admitted to the Baptist facilities I wasn't quite sure what to expect. I was comforted to understand that there are other organizations that take their mission and their values just as seriously. I felt as if I actually was in an Ascension Health facility. Every caregiver that I came in contact with I would ask, "Is this a job for your or is this a calling?" to a person, they said, "This is much, much more than just a job. Our role is to heal not just the body but the spirit and the mind." And I'm finding the same to be true at Heartland, the rehab facility. We all have our unique ways of carrying out our mission but I have been blessed to discover that the mission is everywhere.
As a matter of fact, today to the day I complete 29 years of employment with Ascension Health and its predecessor organizations. June 4, 1979 was when I first walked through the doors of Daughters of Charity Eastern Cooperative Services Information Systems Division. Oddly enough, the acronym for this is DOCECSISD which, if you attempt to pronounce, is "deceased"! It has been my complete joy to work for this faith-based organization for all these years. While not a Catholic myself, the sisters were very intentional about ensuring the legacy of their ministry of healing the sick and the poor. So it really gets in the blood. When I was first admitted to the Baptist facilities I wasn't quite sure what to expect. I was comforted to understand that there are other organizations that take their mission and their values just as seriously. I felt as if I actually was in an Ascension Health facility. Every caregiver that I came in contact with I would ask, "Is this a job for your or is this a calling?" to a person, they said, "This is much, much more than just a job. Our role is to heal not just the body but the spirit and the mind." And I'm finding the same to be true at Heartland, the rehab facility. We all have our unique ways of carrying out our mission but I have been blessed to discover that the mission is everywhere.
Dealing with insurance
My initial stay at Heartland was to take me through June 4. We're still working on getting authorization to stay longer - which to any seeing person is a definite requirement. The social worker here at Heartland continues to work with Blue Cross Blue Shield to make sure that additional time is authorized.
Therapy treatments
Non physical therapy
Six out of the 12 radiation treatments are complete and the oral chemo regimen is four days on, three weeks off. So I'm currently finished with chemo for the time being.
Every day I have been receiving Heparin shots through the stomach to help make sure I don't have any blood clotting. Today for the first time I actually felt a bit of a sting from the shot. This is wonderful news.
Physical therapy
In my morning physical therapy session, I did something to my left arm that has caused some pain in a muscle or a strain that is very specific directionally. Most things I can still do. If I reach my arm out to the side I can lift it. If I turn my arm palm-down and try to raise it, it gives me some pain. But we were able to complete the physical therapy session this morning. The afternoon session focused on balance. Tai helped me transfer from the wheelchair to a therapy bed in the gym. I was able to sit upright without supporting myself with my arms and maintain balance. Additionally we played some balloon badminton to test that balance to make sure I could maintain it while moving. For whatever reason, this day has just completely wiped me out. The therapist thought that the session was good and that my legs continue to improve.
Lunch was meatloaf and was delicious which surprised me. I love meatloaf and theirs was pretty damn good.
Six out of the 12 radiation treatments are complete and the oral chemo regimen is four days on, three weeks off. So I'm currently finished with chemo for the time being.
Every day I have been receiving Heparin shots through the stomach to help make sure I don't have any blood clotting. Today for the first time I actually felt a bit of a sting from the shot. This is wonderful news.
Physical therapy
In my morning physical therapy session, I did something to my left arm that has caused some pain in a muscle or a strain that is very specific directionally. Most things I can still do. If I reach my arm out to the side I can lift it. If I turn my arm palm-down and try to raise it, it gives me some pain. But we were able to complete the physical therapy session this morning. The afternoon session focused on balance. Tai helped me transfer from the wheelchair to a therapy bed in the gym. I was able to sit upright without supporting myself with my arms and maintain balance. Additionally we played some balloon badminton to test that balance to make sure I could maintain it while moving. For whatever reason, this day has just completely wiped me out. The therapist thought that the session was good and that my legs continue to improve.
Lunch was meatloaf and was delicious which surprised me. I love meatloaf and theirs was pretty damn good.
Puppy visits
Everyone has been asking me when Margo and Simon were going to be coming to visit. They did come early this morning about 8:30. We didn't want it to be a long visit for them because we weren't sure how they were going to react to the staff and the patients and the strange environment. And at first they were apprehensive and shy. When they finally came to realize who was lying in that bed they paid the appropriate and needed attention. At lunch, Wendy brought her other golden, Tootsie - a wise old soul of a golden retriever. Wendy has been here since Saturday visiting and likely will be leaving on Thursday to go back home to Gulfstream. Rick and I are greatly appreciative of her visits. And I was glad I was able to spend some additional time with her and her beautiful dogs.
Orange slice correction
A number of people thought when I mentioned orange slices that I was referring to those delicious gumdrop orange slices. I was actually referring to fresh oranges. A couple of people have already brought some in and my sister told me she was sending me some. Although I loooove those, I shouldn't be eating those as a diabetic. When we were small children living in Catonsville, mom would go into Baltimore city to pick up Grandmother to take on trips with us. At the same time, she always picked up Mrs. Bast. Two things I remember clearly about Mrs. Bast - she was such an elegant woman that the cane she used was either glass or lucite - I have no idea - but it was the first one I had ever seen. And she always packed little packages of candy for us children, wrapped up in waxed paper and tied with ribbon. Sometimes it was marshmallows, sometimes multicolored macaroons, and sometimes it was the gumdrop orange slices. When we got home from church we would plead with my mother, "Can we have Mrs. Bast candies? Can we have Mrs. Bast candies?" And this all came back to me when I had the orange slices today.
Scrapple, for those who aren't lucky enough to know - is "pork trimmings, formed into a loaf, and cooled. It is sliced and fried before serving." One that hospital in Washington D.C actually serves scrapple in the cafeteria for breakfast so it is definitely a regional thing.
Scrapple, for those who aren't lucky enough to know - is "pork trimmings, formed into a loaf, and cooled. It is sliced and fried before serving." One that hospital in Washington D.C actually serves scrapple in the cafeteria for breakfast so it is definitely a regional thing.
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Un-snafu
Heartland was able to get my transportation issues resolved and so I was able to receive my radiation treatment to the spine at the appropriate time today. Just seven of those treatments left.
The PT for the paralysis is being very demanding and I had two sessions today. In the second session, I was able to push myself out of the wheelchair and hold onto the parallel bars in what they call the standing position but to me it felt as though I was not quite standing. Still not walking at this point but as they keep telling me at PT, baby steps, baby steps.
I was out of bed and in a wheelchair from approximately 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. so by the time they got me back into bed I was truly exhausted.
Margo and Simon are coming for a visit in the morning. They've been freshly groomed. I just pray that they're freshly behaved.
Rick has brought in the cookies that Jim sent me - the whole box - and I'm sharing them with my guests as they visit.
The PT for the paralysis is being very demanding and I had two sessions today. In the second session, I was able to push myself out of the wheelchair and hold onto the parallel bars in what they call the standing position but to me it felt as though I was not quite standing. Still not walking at this point but as they keep telling me at PT, baby steps, baby steps.
I was out of bed and in a wheelchair from approximately 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. so by the time they got me back into bed I was truly exhausted.
Margo and Simon are coming for a visit in the morning. They've been freshly groomed. I just pray that they're freshly behaved.
Rick has brought in the cookies that Jim sent me - the whole box - and I'm sharing them with my guests as they visit.
A visit to Arizona
Earlier in the year I was fortunate enough to make a trip to Tucson to visit a number of different friends. There's a huge gem and mineral show in Tucson and my blogmaster Jim will frequently go out to enjoy that show. Our friend Tracy lives there too and it seemed a perfect time for me to go out also so I had the opportunity to visit with as many wonderful friends as possible. I saw Elaine who I refer to as ODF for Oldest and Dearest Friend and have known since I was three years old. She and her husband Karl live in the desert.
Elaine's mom, Jane, also lives in the desert in an area immediately adjacent to Elaine and Karl's property. When all of us still lived in Baltimore, we would sometimes gather for games of Michigan Rummy that would go for hours. And on one particularly treat-filled night, we had scrapple from Pennsylvania. For those of us that love scrapple it was a great treat. For others that really didn't have the taste for it, it was an interesting experiment.
Jim is going to post a picture or two that may seem a bit unusual. This is a picture of when we were touring around in an artist's colony called Tubac. When Jim and I were visiting there a number of years earlier, we thought when we saw the sign at the cemetery that there had been a spelling mistake. It took us two years to look up any information about it and found that the spelling on the sign is from the Spanish word for cemetery and is not spelled wrong.
Jim had been able to discover a geocache site (a series of coordinates that you locate using a hand-held GPS unit) where the various clues to the final destination were on the tombstones in the cemetery. We had a great deal of fun working it out and actually were able to solve the puzzle and find the appropriate "treasure".
Our evening in Tubac finished with dinner at a restaurant that has enormous steer skull as the entrance, horns and all. Quite a memorable day.
Elaine's mom, Jane, also lives in the desert in an area immediately adjacent to Elaine and Karl's property. When all of us still lived in Baltimore, we would sometimes gather for games of Michigan Rummy that would go for hours. And on one particularly treat-filled night, we had scrapple from Pennsylvania. For those of us that love scrapple it was a great treat. For others that really didn't have the taste for it, it was an interesting experiment.
Jim is going to post a picture or two that may seem a bit unusual. This is a picture of when we were touring around in an artist's colony called Tubac. When Jim and I were visiting there a number of years earlier, we thought when we saw the sign at the cemetery that there had been a spelling mistake. It took us two years to look up any information about it and found that the spelling on the sign is from the Spanish word for cemetery and is not spelled wrong.
Jim had been able to discover a geocache site (a series of coordinates that you locate using a hand-held GPS unit) where the various clues to the final destination were on the tombstones in the cemetery. We had a great deal of fun working it out and actually were able to solve the puzzle and find the appropriate "treasure".
Our evening in Tubac finished with dinner at a restaurant that has enormous steer skull as the entrance, horns and all. Quite a memorable day.
Here are some photos. You can click on any of them for a larger version.
Barry and Elaine in front standing at road markers that match their ages.
In the Tubac Cementery during our geocaching adventure.
Karl, Barry, Elaine, Tracy, and Jim under the correctly spelled Cementery sign.
The Longhorn Grill where we had dinner.
Barry and Elaine in front standing at road markers that match their ages.
In the Tubac Cementery during our geocaching adventure.
Karl, Barry, Elaine, Tracy, and Jim under the correctly spelled Cementery sign.
The Longhorn Grill where we had dinner.A note to email readers. The photos may not be delivered though email. To see them, visit the blog directly at http://barryw.blogspot.com
Sand tarts recipe
Barry had asked me to post the recipe for the sand tart cookies. He was very kind in his description of them. It really is a very simple recipe but sometimes those are the best. What makes them special, I think, is that they've been featured at special events for years and bring with them a feeling of tradition and long memory.
Sand Tarts
2.5 cups sugar
2 cups butter, slightly softened
2 eggs, well beaten
4 cups flour
White of one egg
Cinnamon and sugar
Pecan halves
(Note, this makes A LOT of cookies. You may want to start by making half a batch.)
Cream butter and add the sugar. Mix well. Add beaten eggs and mix thoroughly. Add flour and mix thoroughly again.
Shape the dough into logs about 2 inches thick. Wrap in waxed paper and chill overnight or for several hours in refrigerator.
Preheat oven to 350.
Cut in thin slices (wider than an eighth but less than a quarter inch thick.) Brush cookies with slightly beaten egg white. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar and press a pecan half in the center of each cookie.
Bake at 350 for about 10 minutes. Check them often because they burn easily.
A tip: The dough slices better when it’s chilled but the cookies bake better when the dough has warmed a bit. It works well to take one of the logs of dough out of the refrigerator, slice the whole thing and put the slices in batches of 12 on waxed paper. Transfer them to the cookie sheets just before you top them with the cinnamon, sugar and pecan and put them in the oven. They seem to bake well this way.
Sand Tarts
2.5 cups sugar
2 cups butter, slightly softened
2 eggs, well beaten
4 cups flour
White of one egg
Cinnamon and sugar
Pecan halves
(Note, this makes A LOT of cookies. You may want to start by making half a batch.)
Cream butter and add the sugar. Mix well. Add beaten eggs and mix thoroughly. Add flour and mix thoroughly again.
Shape the dough into logs about 2 inches thick. Wrap in waxed paper and chill overnight or for several hours in refrigerator.
Preheat oven to 350.
Cut in thin slices (wider than an eighth but less than a quarter inch thick.) Brush cookies with slightly beaten egg white. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar and press a pecan half in the center of each cookie.
Bake at 350 for about 10 minutes. Check them often because they burn easily.
A tip: The dough slices better when it’s chilled but the cookies bake better when the dough has warmed a bit. It works well to take one of the logs of dough out of the refrigerator, slice the whole thing and put the slices in batches of 12 on waxed paper. Transfer them to the cookie sheets just before you top them with the cinnamon, sugar and pecan and put them in the oven. They seem to bake well this way.
Monday, June 2, 2008
First snafus
One of the reasons Rick and I selected this facility was that I would be able to continue the radiation therapy while taking the physical therapy. That all seemed to fall apart this afternon when first my radiation therapy session was postponed and then had to be canceled because the transportation issues had not yet bene resolved. Hopefully that will be resolved tomorrow and we'll be able to get back to the regular radiation therapy sessions.
I had a number of wonderful visitors this afternoon. Wendy was able to bring one of her golden retrievers with her who was very well behaved and very well received by people at the facility. Dogs just seem to have an innate sense when someone is feeling unwell. Cleo was most attentive and it was a pleasure to see her.
I had a few surprise phone calls today. I spoke to one of my stepfather's sisters, Naomi. It seems forever since the last time we had spoken. We had a great conversation reminiscing about Grandmom and Pap Pap Schuhart.
Otherwise I am still resting comfortably. I am finally starting to get into the
Laura Lippman books about Baltimore that I am very much looking forward to reading as they seem to be full of references to places that I remember quite well.
I did have a secondary physical therapy session this afternoon - namely leg exercises in the room but the therapist, Tai (named after Tai Babylonia) continues to seem encouraged.
Rick and Wendy brought over a few items to make it a bit more comfortable for visitors including some fold-up chairs that store in my closet, and visitors are of course welcomed at any time.
I continue to thank you all so much for your emails and blog comments. Nothing literally makes me happier than when I glance at my Blackberry and I see that there are messages there for me to read.
I had a number of wonderful visitors this afternoon. Wendy was able to bring one of her golden retrievers with her who was very well behaved and very well received by people at the facility. Dogs just seem to have an innate sense when someone is feeling unwell. Cleo was most attentive and it was a pleasure to see her.
I had a few surprise phone calls today. I spoke to one of my stepfather's sisters, Naomi. It seems forever since the last time we had spoken. We had a great conversation reminiscing about Grandmom and Pap Pap Schuhart.
Otherwise I am still resting comfortably. I am finally starting to get into the
Laura Lippman books about Baltimore that I am very much looking forward to reading as they seem to be full of references to places that I remember quite well.
I did have a secondary physical therapy session this afternoon - namely leg exercises in the room but the therapist, Tai (named after Tai Babylonia) continues to seem encouraged.
Rick and Wendy brought over a few items to make it a bit more comfortable for visitors including some fold-up chairs that store in my closet, and visitors are of course welcomed at any time.
I continue to thank you all so much for your emails and blog comments. Nothing literally makes me happier than when I glance at my Blackberry and I see that there are messages there for me to read.
Update from Heartland
This morning I had my first real PT session. They did assist me in getting dressed in my room so I’m wearing clothes that Rick and Wendy picked up at Target for me yesterday. They did need to use equipment to lift me into the chair, but took me down to the gym, where we spent about an hour doing hand biking and multiple repetitions of cardio weight exercises.
I’m now back in my room, still in the chair, and I will be having my radiation therapy this afternoon. Then later this afternoon I will have another PT session in the room, just focusing on legs.
Apparently I’m authorized for a week here so far, and reassessment will of course take place along the way.
A number of friends continue to stop by for visits which are greatly appreciated. It does brighten the day. I’m going to start doing some reading of some books that one of my good friends Leslie recommended that are actually Baltimore-themed, the books by Laura Lippman. I’m starting with “Butcher’s Hill” today. Sue also had left me a nice book of reflections and inspirations.
I’ve put a few memory stories out here and other people have been responding back in kind. Some of the stories have made me laugh and they’ve reminded me of wonderful times, so please keep those e-mails and blog comments coming. Everyone reacts to these situations differently. Whatever your reaction, and however it’s used to communicate, it is appreciated. There are times that I feel absolutely fine, responding on my Blackberry, but there will be other times that I’m not up to responding to your comments, and I’ll simply be reading your comments and taking them to heart. But please understand that I’m seeing all of your direct e-mails and blog responses. They greatly, greatly brighten my day.
Someone brought to my attention yesterday that my home address has not been posted here yet. That address is 3650 Pine St., Jacksonsville, Fla., 32205.
I’m now back in my room, still in the chair, and I will be having my radiation therapy this afternoon. Then later this afternoon I will have another PT session in the room, just focusing on legs.
Apparently I’m authorized for a week here so far, and reassessment will of course take place along the way.
A number of friends continue to stop by for visits which are greatly appreciated. It does brighten the day. I’m going to start doing some reading of some books that one of my good friends Leslie recommended that are actually Baltimore-themed, the books by Laura Lippman. I’m starting with “Butcher’s Hill” today. Sue also had left me a nice book of reflections and inspirations.
I’ve put a few memory stories out here and other people have been responding back in kind. Some of the stories have made me laugh and they’ve reminded me of wonderful times, so please keep those e-mails and blog comments coming. Everyone reacts to these situations differently. Whatever your reaction, and however it’s used to communicate, it is appreciated. There are times that I feel absolutely fine, responding on my Blackberry, but there will be other times that I’m not up to responding to your comments, and I’ll simply be reading your comments and taking them to heart. But please understand that I’m seeing all of your direct e-mails and blog responses. They greatly, greatly brighten my day.
Someone brought to my attention yesterday that my home address has not been posted here yet. That address is 3650 Pine St., Jacksonsville, Fla., 32205.
Sunday, June 1, 2008
First full day at Heartland
Physical Therapy was here this morning to go through some balance and leg lift exercises. She feels that my legs are continuing to improve. They also discussed the therapy plan which will begin in earnest tomorrow
The rest of the day has been pretty easy. I had visitors - Ben, Steve and Craig were here. As good as dinner was last night, lunch today was horrible so they picked up some soup for me to have instead. The people here are certainly amenable to family and friends bringing in food so you're not forced to eat what they provide. That opens the opportunity to have something tastier than what's on the menu. The challenge will be to determine what that will be since the chemotherapy seems to be having a bit of a negative impact on my appetite. When I was on the interferon treatments, nothing tasted better than orange slices. They were like manna from heaven so I might ask Rick to bring some of those in for me. And I have some Glucernas on hand which actually taste pretty good. Chocolate, at least, continues to taste goode too, as long as it comes in some form that's acceptable on my dietary plan.
Rick and Wendy will be coming in later this afternoon and I'm looking forward to that. There is nothing more than this to report. A very quiet day with visitors and some time to relax, doze and watch TV.
The rest of the day has been pretty easy. I had visitors - Ben, Steve and Craig were here. As good as dinner was last night, lunch today was horrible so they picked up some soup for me to have instead. The people here are certainly amenable to family and friends bringing in food so you're not forced to eat what they provide. That opens the opportunity to have something tastier than what's on the menu. The challenge will be to determine what that will be since the chemotherapy seems to be having a bit of a negative impact on my appetite. When I was on the interferon treatments, nothing tasted better than orange slices. They were like manna from heaven so I might ask Rick to bring some of those in for me. And I have some Glucernas on hand which actually taste pretty good. Chocolate, at least, continues to taste goode too, as long as it comes in some form that's acceptable on my dietary plan.
Rick and Wendy will be coming in later this afternoon and I'm looking forward to that. There is nothing more than this to report. A very quiet day with visitors and some time to relax, doze and watch TV.
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