True wisdom comes to each of us when we realize how little we understand about life, ourselves, and the world around us. Socrates

Tonight I am exhausted and tomorrow is another long day at work.  Something Sam said tonight, though, really got to me and decided to share it rather than dwell on it by myself.  So you all get to think about it with me.  You lucky people!  Anyway, he told me he is looking at wheelchairs.  He did not say why or how soon or what if or anything else, it just came up in conversation, oddly enough, when a commercial came on featuring Segways.  Apparently Segway is making wheelchairs now, according to him.  Interesting.

There are many things in life that will catch your eye. But only a few will catch your heart....Ben Crenshaw

Another two weeks past in a flurry and here I am thinking I better write something or people are going to begin to wonder!  Anchorage is back into its deep freeze, although we did manage to get about a foot of snow last week, all of which is still on the ground and we are now in a wonderland of white.  It is beautiful but ohmigosh, it is cold.  Best thing is, the winter solstice is in a few days which means...a few more months and it is fishing season again!

Fishing for silvers on the Deshka.

Today my dad is celebrating two weeks of feeling his feet.  Now that may sound a bit crazy but he injured his back when he was 10 and the injury became worse over the years, especially playing football, baling hay, chasing kids, falling off the Thrift Shop roof in John Day, and a variety of other things.  He finally found a neurosurgeon in Corvallis who wanted to do something about it.  Dr. Cliff Roberson, an Iditarod veteran, knew he could help Dad, and he did just that.  We are all so grateful to him being willing to take a huge risk, as Dad also has severe heart problems, and work on Dad's back.  The hope is that it will alleviate much of Dad's pain as well as other medical issues.  The greatest result, though, is that Dad is able to feel his feet again.  How awesome is that!  Mom and Dad celebrate 53 years on Wednesday, so this year is extra special.

Sam's doing ok.  Last week marked three years since the diagnosis of his stage IV non-small cell lung cancer.  Wow.  We are grateful for each and every day.  His energy lasts only about 30 minutes a day now and then he is done.  Not until late last week did I realize how much his lack of energy and tremendous amount of fatigue bothers me.  A couple nights I found myself in tears that Sam is unable to do the things he loves to do. Our weekend jaunts are no longer since he cannot sit in the truck for more than 1/2 hour.  Last Saturday my company had its holiday party. In past years, the two of us often left last...then last year, we left when the band started, and this year, Sam did not even go which proved to be difficult for both of us. Through no fault of his own, my husband in many ways is not my husband anymore.  Funny thing is, I think he is on the same wave length.  During the week we do not sleep together because he is in such intense pain throughout the night and wakes several times, sometimes for hours at a time.  So, to make it easier and less stressful for both of us, we limit sleeping together to weekends...and that is only if he feels okay enough to handle another person moving around. Tonight, he suggested we look at purchasing some new furniture so we can be close for an hour or so in the evenings during the week and perhaps then the two of us will feel better about our lives.  Sometimes his thoughtfulness truly takes me by surprise.  Another new chapter, though, no matter which way you look at it. If we cannot sleep together, we can at least spend some time together on the same piece of furniture rather than across the room from each other.  Just in case you are wondering...our couch is not in the least bit comfortable for Sam.  

Sam is still talking about Hawaii next month, so I guess I better start doing something about that.  Luckily, last spring in the Clean Air Challenge bike ride, I won two roundtrip tickets anywhere Alaska Airlines goes.  And by the way, fundraising for that starts in January!

q'ua

Shake, rattle, and roll! What we did this afternoon in the upper Cook Inlet region.

Wow.  Anchorage experienced an earthquake today and a good one at that.  5.7-5.9 depends on who you ask.  http://www.aeic.alaska.edu/Seis/recent/sub/quakes/2012339_evid10612174/evid10612174.html
The CIRI building is a fairly new one so there is no damage that we are aware of.  The length is what most frightened people, I think, because it lasted what seemed like a lifetime but probably ended up being only 45-60 seconds.  Oh boy!  

Sam making his homemade sourdough dinner rolls.

Sam and I enjoyed a relatively quiet Thanksgiving, Skyping with his mom and sister, and with my parents and one set of my many aunts and uncles.  We watched a lot of football (if you can imagine) and otherwise, stayed home.  Anchorage headed into its November deep freeze which we have yet to come out of.  Sam cooked and I grazed the entire day.  Perfect day, if you ask me.  Thanksgiving is my favorite meal to fix, however, Sam enjoys it too, so I am quite happy to just let him do his thing.   

He is feeling pretty good, although standing on his feet all day on Thanksgiving did wear him out.  Took him a few days to recover from that.  His "happy pills" are making a huge difference in his mood, which is extremely pleasing to me.  On the 26th, Sam saw his oncologist who told him some of his issues are "age" related.  Hmmmm...wonder what he meant by that?  The next CT exam is scheduled for after the first of the year, so until then, no doctors visits, tests, or anything unless something happens which requires a doctor.  Hopefully it will be a quiet holiday season for us.  Unless, of course, there happens to be more earthquakes.

In football news, the Ducks are going to the Fiesta Bowl, the Longhorns are playing the Beavers in the Alamo Bowl (I will be yelling for the winning team), Boise State Broncos are going to the Las Vegas Bowl and my Denver Broncos are kicking butt.  All things football are good.

In case I do not post before December 8, Happy Hanukkah!

q'ua