Our Christmas Newsletter
Christmas 2010 by Dave and Linda
First, Linda and Dave wish you and you’re a very Merry Christmas and may your New Year be one of health and prosperity…
For us, it has been quite a year … one of gratitude and one of sadness. One of growth and one of realness. One of gratitude and one of limitations.
A quick review of the year past… Linda started the year two and half years into her lung cancer journey… 5 months of 2010 with Alimta, a targeted therapy which worked well… then moving to Oregon Health Science University (OHSU) in Portland and starting Tarceva, a very successful new generation targeted therapy… alas, the “miracle drug” failed to help Linda in any way and allowed the cancer to grow unabated for 2 and a half months …. then excitement to be included in a clinical trial but rejected after a month and a half of preparation just the day before the trial was to start (the cancer has free reign now for 4 months)… then 10 days of radiation to potentially deal with a collapsed lung lobe…and finally back to a new chemo to slow down the cancer …and on oxygen to help her breathe and (yeah) stopped the persistent cough…
So where are we? The cancer will ultimately prevail unless a miracle suddenly appears. What is amazing the strength and resolve Linda has shown…her Oncologists and Doctors have said “she is going through this with grace”...”strong and inspiring”…
We sold our Sisters, Oregon home in January and returned to our Florida home which we sold in April…then life started in the Portland area where we rented an RV spot for two months while we looked for a home. Then two months in the RV next to our new home in Canby, Oregon while we completely renovated the home to make it “ours”. We have lived in the home now for our 4th month and projects are still going on but it is a very delightful place to live. Linda has not regretted one moment of this project and is happy to have such a comfortable and warm place to call ours.
Now for the bad news… this rain is a bit much…the climate here is made for ducks…but we are coping….our Florida friends are surely feeling sorry for us.
What do we find in Canby that excited us enough to find a place to call our own? It is more of a laid back community close enough to Portland but also far enough away to avoid the traffic jams, shootings, etc., etc… Neighbors take care of their places and are very friendly and helpful and it is not uncommon to lose an hour or two engaging in a spontaneous conversation in the middle of the street. Although a bit conservative, the community takes pride in itself and reflects that in many ways. We like Canby because we a very close to the city boundary surrounded by farms and nurseries…and a ferry that crosses the Willamette River just to the north of us…with a ferryman that one can ride with for an hour or two and just shoot “the bull”. We like Canby because one can go in several different directions and end up in a different town or store or mall … and all is very close drive. We like Canby as we are close to Janine and Jim and Jenn…and not that far from Seattle…and the train if we chose to ride north. We also can catch the west side train to the Max system into Portland. Enough said…we like it and feel blessed we found this community.
For a more exhaustive communiucation …day by day… check with www.linda-lou.blogspot.com
Odds and Ends…
Dave did a Crossover back up for Wings Seminars again this year as well as a couple’ Listening Heart Seminar with Linda….
We took granddaughter Jillian by train to Seattle and then by boat to Victoria where we stayed at the Empress Hotel…
We went on a “camping” trip with daughters Janine and Wendy (with Chris and Taigen)…we say “camping” because it is a 38 foot motor home for us…
Our kids put on a 30th Anniversary Event for us for which we are very grateful…they did a wonderful job and we thank them…we got to see a lot of “old” and “new” friends…it was very special.
In wrapping this up, we want to say we are grateful for each other and those around us…so many friends and family members have stepped up and supported us in many ways…we want to say..”Thank you”…you are special…. We have been through some hard times and we are committed to be “in the present” and not worry too much about the future where we lose the present. And to have such a support system of family and friends has been so critical to this goal in our lives.
Our “contracts” we have taken for our lives through Crossover…in 1988…
Linda….. “I am an open, powerful and courageous woman” Dave…”I am a gentle, relaxed and flexible man” Our “commitment statement” from Listening Heart…in 1989… to each other … begins “We are one….”
With Love and Gratitude…Dave and Linda
Christmas 2010 by Dave and Linda
First, Linda and Dave wish you and you’re a very Merry Christmas and may your New Year be one of health and prosperity…
For us, it has been quite a year … one of gratitude and one of sadness. One of growth and one of realness. One of gratitude and one of limitations.
A quick review of the year past… Linda started the year two and half years into her lung cancer journey… 5 months of 2010 with Alimta, a targeted therapy which worked well… then moving to Oregon Health Science University (OHSU) in Portland and starting Tarceva, a very successful new generation targeted therapy… alas, the “miracle drug” failed to help Linda in any way and allowed the cancer to grow unabated for 2 and a half months …. then excitement to be included in a clinical trial but rejected after a month and a half of preparation just the day before the trial was to start (the cancer has free reign now for 4 months)… then 10 days of radiation to potentially deal with a collapsed lung lobe…and finally back to a new chemo to slow down the cancer …and on oxygen to help her breathe and (yeah) stopped the persistent cough…
So where are we? The cancer will ultimately prevail unless a miracle suddenly appears. What is amazing the strength and resolve Linda has shown…her Oncologists and Doctors have said “she is going through this with grace”...”strong and inspiring”…
We sold our Sisters, Oregon home in January and returned to our Florida home which we sold in April…then life started in the Portland area where we rented an RV spot for two months while we looked for a home. Then two months in the RV next to our new home in Canby, Oregon while we completely renovated the home to make it “ours”. We have lived in the home now for our 4th month and projects are still going on but it is a very delightful place to live. Linda has not regretted one moment of this project and is happy to have such a comfortable and warm place to call ours.
Now for the bad news… this rain is a bit much…the climate here is made for ducks…but we are coping….our Florida friends are surely feeling sorry for us.
What do we find in Canby that excited us enough to find a place to call our own? It is more of a laid back community close enough to Portland but also far enough away to avoid the traffic jams, shootings, etc., etc… Neighbors take care of their places and are very friendly and helpful and it is not uncommon to lose an hour or two engaging in a spontaneous conversation in the middle of the street. Although a bit conservative, the community takes pride in itself and reflects that in many ways. We like Canby because we a very close to the city boundary surrounded by farms and nurseries…and a ferry that crosses the Willamette River just to the north of us…with a ferryman that one can ride with for an hour or two and just shoot “the bull”. We like Canby because one can go in several different directions and end up in a different town or store or mall … and all is very close drive. We like Canby as we are close to Janine and Jim and Jenn…and not that far from Seattle…and the train if we chose to ride north. We also can catch the west side train to the Max system into Portland. Enough said…we like it and feel blessed we found this community.
For a more exhaustive communiucation …day by day… check with www.linda-lou.blogspot.com
Odds and Ends…
Dave did a Crossover back up for Wings Seminars again this year as well as a couple’ Listening Heart Seminar with Linda….
We took granddaughter Jillian by train to Seattle and then by boat to Victoria where we stayed at the Empress Hotel…
We went on a “camping” trip with daughters Janine and Wendy (with Chris and Taigen)…we say “camping” because it is a 38 foot motor home for us…
Our kids put on a 30th Anniversary Event for us for which we are very grateful…they did a wonderful job and we thank them…we got to see a lot of “old” and “new” friends…it was very special.
In wrapping this up, we want to say we are grateful for each other and those around us…so many friends and family members have stepped up and supported us in many ways…we want to say..”Thank you”…you are special…. We have been through some hard times and we are committed to be “in the present” and not worry too much about the future where we lose the present. And to have such a support system of family and friends has been so critical to this goal in our lives.
Our “contracts” we have taken for our lives through Crossover…in 1988…
Linda….. “I am an open, powerful and courageous woman” Dave…”I am a gentle, relaxed and flexible man” Our “commitment statement” from Listening Heart…in 1989… to each other … begins “We are one….”
With Love and Gratitude…Dave and Linda
2 comments:
Dave and Linda, You are very special people. It was our pleasure to meet you during Champ Car days and to get to know you. We
wish you a very Merry Christmas! Bob and Julie Brown
What a great Christmas message, Dave and Linda. You have a lot to share and you always do it with such class.
As I'm certain this week will catch up with us all before we know it, I'll take this opportunity to wish you both a very Merry and Blessed Christmas! I hope you have a wonderful time with family and friends.
Love,
shelly & jason paul
P.S. Dave, good luck with your kaleidoscope!
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