Fighting cancer with family, friends, humor, good medicine and a hula hoop
September 1st, 2008
...now browsing by day
Monday, September 1st, 2008
It’s another beautiful day here (as you can see by the cool link Ronnie put up on my blog for the Seattle weather)! I think I’ll let this post serve more as a photo essay because there are lots of pictures in it. We obviously enjoyed our weekend (I didn’t have any appointments until today!). We got a rental car (a nice, comfy Chevy Impala), we hung out at Lake Union and took a boat tour (we even saw the “Sleepless in Seattle” houseboat—-see photos for great shots! Sorry, but Tom Hanks wasn’t available to pose on the porch for us ), we enjoyed coffee at our favorite place, and I finished an entire package of those awesome candy pumpkins that they sell in the fall, you know, this kind: http://farm1.static.flickr.com/25/55260249_9312eb6a82.jpg …my stomach was happy, but I don’t think my teeth are. Oh well…how often do I indulge in that, right?!
Anyway. it was a wonderful weekend as you can see by these pics:
These next photos are for you, Dr. Sethi! They found this cute little pineapple and brought it home for me. Here Laura acts as Vannah White so we can all appreciate the cutest fruit ever
I have incredible balancing skills :)
...apparently I get these skills from my mom
Laura picked up this trick from "The Bone Collector"...so you can get a sense of the size of the cute little guy
What a freakin' adorable dog, don't ya think!!! Meet "Girlfriend", one of the many Seattle pups we've had the pleasure of meeting
My mom tricked her to look by pretending like she had treats....sorry Girlfriend!
Laura and I walked over to the Capitol Hill area of Seattle...it was a beautiful evening to be out and about
Laura poses with her giant blowpop by some beautiful flowers
I can't remember the name of this park we found, but it's pretty, isn't it?
Posing by the pyramid waterfall
I like this picture, but I think it would have been even better if I had given her a tiny shove so she fell into the little stream of water behind her :) hehehehe
What cute sisters!!
OK, now this is a creepy shop display we came across on our walk home...these outfits were dancing around the store...pretty soon a crowd of people was staring at the display and wondering what the hell it was!! CREEPY!!
Thought you might want a closer shot :)
And for those of you who asked for pics of my place, here it is!!! Welcome to Apartment 606...keep in mind that most of my decorations have not yet arrived so we'll do a before and after
Here is the hallway (in case you couldn't tell)
...and here we have Mom's room
Mom and Laura's bathroom (hey, you said you wanted to see everything!)
Speaking of everything, here is the washer/dryer! Thank goodness we have one right in the apartment
Our kitchen (complete with beautiful magnets provided by Katie and Laura)
the breakfast nook
view from "the nook"...see that light reddish building on the left-hand side in the distance?--that's the SCCA building where I go for my appointments and almost all my treatments...Lake Union is off more to the left...unfortunately we don't have a view of the lake unless we go up on the terrace
Here's the family room! I love that there are so many windows...it's especially pretty at night. I've never lived the city life!
And here we have my room!
As we enter, you see my Jorge Posada and Mariano Rivera autographs...don't be thinking you can come out here and steal them!!
A view from my room (we all agree that Seattle has the most cranes of any city we've seen!)...if you peer between the cranes, you'll see the Space Needle
Looking out the other window in my room...cool clouds, huh?
Mi baño :)
This is a close-up of the picture on the wall in the bathroom...Thanks for sending it, Jenn! I love it!! It reads "if you think you're having a bad day!!...." This brings a smile to me every morning.
And that's all, folks!! Hasta next time...I'm sure I'll have more photos for ya!
...just kidding...we went out this afternoon and I had to share these with you! I know there are a lot, but I thought you'd enjoy them. I'll try not to overwhelm you in the future :)
Isn't this a cool looking boat?
My mom and I loved these flowers!
Uh-oh, don't let Dad see this!!--boats for sale :)
We went on a boat ride on Lake Union--it was the perfect day
Our Cap'n
Look at that beautiful water
Gas Works Park, a pretty cool lookin' park right on the lake
The houseboats were a highlight of our ride...Laura got this beautiful shot
Mom and I enjoy our root beer and coke floats--not many boat tours offer floats!! :)
And here's what you've all been waiting for....the "Sleepless in Seattle" houseboat! Gorgeous, huh?
Another good shot...check out that porch
I love this shot of us enjoying the boat ride!
A good shot of all the cranes in Seattle
Great shot of a seaplane, Laura! I hope we can ride in one soon
Steering the boat hahaha
Laura found this "leukemia flower" (orange is the color for leukemia, so we've started referring to anything orange using "leukemia" as an adjective...for instance, look at that beautiful leukemia sweatshirt!)
Laura and I play on the lakeside playground...we had to kick the other kids outta the way :)
Not the best shot of me, but I love this one of mom! Her new jacket matches perfectly with her eyes
Mom loves this Marriott for some reason...it does have a beautiful location right on the lake--I love this shot
Look! A flower growing in the concrete! Just kidding...I just set it on the ground :)
A pretty shot of some more boats....you tired of them yet?
This boat's so big it wouldn't fit in the picture!
...and here's the price tag!
Just in case you're worried that I'm not eating...a clean plate!! Yup, I had a 7-oz steak, some asparagus and some fried (yup, fried!) mashed potatoes
Katie had this shirt made for Laura...here's the front...
...and here's the back!! :) I love it, Katie! These were taken before we left VA
We went to the coolest outdoor mall today, and these umbrella stands were stationed throughout...pretty smart cookies to think of that, huh?
Laura spotted this pretty house on the drive we took 'round the University of Washington
We loved this tree-lined street--it's like in the movies!
I especially enjoyed walking around the lake yesterday afternoon/evening. I love the hollow sound of the docks as you walk over them, and the swishing of the water against the posts. Dad, we found a place that specializes in wooden boats–you’ll love it!! Also, the water tour we went on served floats! I can’t remember the last time I enjoyed a coke float! Apparently they specialize in a chocolate ice cream root beer float…I’ll skip that ’cause I’m no root beer fan, but for anyone who wants to come for a visit, you can put that on your list of things to look forward to (other than hanging out with me).
When we were walking through “Barnes and Noble” today, I noticed a picture book (of dogs…what else?!), where the pictures matched the words to “Desiderata”, a poem by Max Ehrmann. I feel like I’ve seen this poem elsewhere, like in the forwards that also attach pictures of animals to match the words of the poem…anyway, you’ve probably read it before, and you may even think it’s cheesy, but I thought it was really nice. I think we all need a little reminder every now and then of how to view different aspects of life. As I’ve written before, any serious illness/disaster brings with it a greater power to philosophize, and I think I’m becoming quite the expert at it (well, I’m the expert and I also know how to steal other people’s words)! So here’s the poem.
Desiderata
Go placidly amid the noise and the haste,
and remember what peace there may be in silence.
As far as possible, without surrender,
be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly;
and listen to others,
even to the dull and the ignorant;
they too have their story.
Avoid loud and aggressive persons;
they are vexatious to the spirit.
If you compare yourself with others,
you may become vain or bitter,
for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.
Keep interested in your own career, however humble;
it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.
Exercise caution in your business affairs,
for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is;
many persons strive for high ideals,
and everywhere life is full of heroism.
Be yourself. Especially do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love,
for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment,
it is as perennial as the grass.
Take kindly the counsel of the years,
gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.
But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.
Beyond a wholesome discipline,
be gentle with yourself.
You are a child of the universe
no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.
Therefore be at peace with God,
whatever you conceive Him to be.
And whatever your labors and aspirations,
in the noisy confusion of life,
keep peace in your soul.
With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.
I think he forgot to write “and don’t forget to hula hoop!” hahahaha
OK, well, I’ve gone on and on once again. Once things settle down, my posts won’t be quite as overwhelming, but fortunately, in between doctor’s appointments, we’ve been able to really enjoy the city this past week. I’m going to miss Laura when she leaves this week, but I know she’ll be back in a month, and we can keep plowing ahead with this whole transplant thing. Keep thinking those good thoughts!!
Oh! One more thing. Ronnie found this video on the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center’s website…notice that Dr. Appelbaum is featured in it!!
Six months after my 30th birthday, I faced acute myelogenous leukemia for the second time. I had a bone marrow transplant October 7, 2008, and I look forward to enjoying many, many more healthy years now that Laura (my sister) gave me the "gift of life", as she keeps referring to it.