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Vol. 18, No. 5, August 1, 2005

IN THIS ISSUE:

This Reveille Home Page | Friday Program: A League of Their Own | Sayoko Kuwahara is ROTM | "Adopted" Highway Clean-Up | First New Member Mixer | Calling All Great Golfers & Putters | Friday Potpourri | Stewart Martin, Raffle Rotarian | Infirmary Tales | Former Bellevue Area Exchange Student Checks In | Web Fun

Infirmary Tales

The list of our “wounded” membership has grown in the past few weeks with the news that Past President Norm Johnson is fighting a bout with lung cancer. Here is his latest update:

Thank you for your kind and supportive words. It is always helpful when your long-term friends are pulling for your recovery.

Stopped by the oncologist Friday, July 29th, to say hello and have some blood work done. He seems pleased with the progress ten days after the initial chemo treatment.

The persistent dry cough has stopped. When I cough, which is maybe three or four times a day, it is a more productive effort, which seems to please him.

The current plan is to have three sessions of chemo followed by surgery. Chemo #2 is schedule for August 9th (will miss the August Board meeting) and Chemo #3 for August 30th. About three weeks after that it might be time for surgery. That will be a major endeavor with a three-to-seven-day hospital stay and at best a one-month recovery.  I am told to think in terms of six months to a year for things to return to "normal."

So, all things considered, the news was good. 

The next look-see will be on August 8th (Day 20) when they take a chest X-ray. Next CT scan is scheduled for August 24th (Day 36).

I’m keeping up with my normal activities, but also finding it necessary to take a long nap sometimes in the afternoon. Not a bad thing at all.

Princess Tours has been very supportive, and so far I am still keeping up with the normal work schedule, but leaving about 2:30 PM rather than the normal 4:30 PM.

To show their support, Princess Management passed out the yellow "Live Strong" bracelets to all the staff members on Saturday morning. So, over the weekend all the Seattle shore staff wore the bracelets and offered words of encouragement. It was very touching and more emotional than I ever imagined it would be.

Anyway, let's take it one day at a time. This is a process and there are very real benefits to be experienced once the course of treatment is taken.

Norm

You may not know that Norm is part of the ground crew at Princess tours, helping to direct cruise passengers on and off ships as they dock in Seattle. Norm has worked his way up to a leadership position, as we might suspect. He sought this work after he looked around and found time on his hands during his “retirement.” Good for Norm. We can all pray for his conquering this major health challenge

• • •

Carol Hoeft has shown amazing progress in her fight against ovarian cancer. She reports that her treatments have taken the cancer into remission and she’s been given a reprieve from doctor visits until October. If anyone has talked with her during her treatment period, you’ve found a person who has such a great positive attitude that shows her resolve to beat this thing. Not only has she continued to work during her treatment, but she’s been a regular attender at Rotary meetings. When you see Carol next, pop over and encourage her. More likely, though, her attitude will encourage YOU.

• • •

Doug Cameron has become one of the “walking wounded” after receiving a new right knee replacement. Surgery was at Swedish on Wednesday, July 27. He was up walking the same day ... you know what they say, “No peace for the wicked!” Doug was discharged home to Bellevue on Saturday. He tells your Infirmary Tales correspondent that the health industry doesn’t consider your surgery day to be a day in the hospital. So, both Doug and Mix spent three days in recovery before being released, rather than the four that it seemed like. Doug shares Mix’s questioning of the White Tu-Tus. There’s obviously a concern about blood clotting when getting a new knee, so the docs take every precaution. Wearing these lovely wardrobe additions makes you either wanting to enroll in Spanish Matador training or becoming a diva in the Monroe Ballet Society! (Doug would welcome contact, Ph 425-885-0055.)

• • •

Don Deasy continues his battle with cancer. He has been a beacon for us all. Still performing on behalf of the Rotary Foundation and bringing that special mirth to each meeting he attends.

• • •

John Mix moves into his fourth week of rehab. Seems his in-home physical therapy ran out because he was ahead of PT schedule and couldn’t link up with the local Monroe PT office until next week. So, he’s on his own to make this week as fruitful as the previous three. Still not getting too far from home, and definitely not driving yet. Hope to be back around September 1st.

Although not a member of the Infirmary Tales group, Mix got an email from former member Brian Heimbigner, now a resident of the State of Geor-jah. He’s working happily with the company that operates water systems around the country, including the Duvall branch (Tolt River) of the Seattle Water system. Here’s Brian’s observations from last week’s column:

I enjoyed reading your knee operation stories and am glad to hear you’re mending well. Having played tennis for 35 years and being overweight for 15 years, I expect I’ll need a new knee or two someday, so it was good to hear your experience and know it is survivable and didn’t hurt at all. However, I don’t think I’ll use your Dr. Hormel ... I prefer Dr. Oscar Meyer for his surgical skills!

By the way, the jingle (identifying the names of Seattle’s major downtown streets) is “Julius (James and Jefferson) Caesar (Cherry and Columbia) Made (Madison and Mix) Seattle (Seneca and Stewart) Under (Union and University) Protest (Pine and Pike). I often had to drive 2-3 blocks and watch the pattern to decide which end of the business district the jingle started or where exactly I was currently lost. Of course, the most important street is Pike so one can find their way to the Pike Place Market. (What about Mix street?)

(This is the way I’ve always heard this jingle or “mnemonic:” Jesus Christ Made Seattle Under Protest .

This gives the order of the streets in downtown Seattle, south to north, two at a time. They are: Jefferson, James, Cherry, Columbia, Marion, Madison, Spring, Seneca, University, Union, Pike and Pine. Seems to be an issue about which streets are which and in which order ... hmmm, Brian?)

It has been good to continue receiving the BBRC Reveille to keep track of a great club and great people. We move into our new home in mid-August in Cumming, GA, about 35 miles north of Atlanta next to the Chattahoochee National Park and partially in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountain Reserve. No view of the Space Needle or Lake Washington anymore, but this will do for 5-7 years.

Based on the pictures of the nice Doovall people that greeted the BBRC, I think we will look into moving there for retirement, although looking at the pictures, I am concerned about the lack of dental treatment and personal hygiene in Doovall. Maybe the BBRC could allocate part of their international funding for asking Dr. Mike to come back and lead a team of Terry Baker, Daniel Geare and Doug Cameron to go work in Doovall for a week!

Regards, Brian

• • •

End of Tales for 8/2/2005. No room for more members at this time. Everyone please stay healthy and those who are rehabbing, get well soon!

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