La Joie de Vivre

We plan our dog park visits based on the tides – higher is better. The beaches are less rocky (for Buddy) and the swimming’s better with sandbars submerged (for River).

We prefer the calm of early mornings when we can enjoy the wildlife. Yesterday we had to go in the late afternoon.

Still, the eagle we’d seen the weekend before was perched on his post (having a bad feather day).

I missed it, but Peter said he’d had his wings spread. I worry about the small dogs, that they might be prey on a hungry day.

Last weekend, high tide was in the wee hours.

I barely noticed our dogs as I wandered down to the “no dogs” side of the beach, camera in hand, to photograph a baby harbor seal that was sunning itself.

I didn’t make a sound and kept my distance as did the other few people on the beach.

I got this picture with it’s head up as it looked down the beach, annoyed by some loud noise.

This Canada goose was the culprit – it was honking up a storm.

It took me a while to realize that he was calling in the rest of the flock.

I’m sorry to have let so much time pass since my last update. I was a bit down last week and struggled some emotionally. That might seem odd since I am cancer-free. The surgery is the only treatment I’ll need – no chemo, no radiation. Yeah!

But I still have a ways to go to recover from my operation and for my body to settle in to a new normal sans 6-10″ of my large intestine.

I’m up and about, getting outside for walks around the block and some light gardening with the fabulous 70-80 degree weather we’ve had last weekend and this week. (Amazing how some sun improved my mood!)

I worked up the nerve to drive for the first time yesterday (I went to the gym – more on that later). I am starting to enjoy short outings with others behind the wheel. I still tire easily and quickly so have had to adjust my expectations about what I can accomplish in a day.

I’ve decided not to add more requests to the care calendar, BUT I am open to visits, walks and outings. Just email me! Feel free to propose something specific that fits your calendar. Forgive me if I am slow to respond.

If you are reading this, you probably know that I’m also back to blogging regularly on misc. topics and some posts specific to the cancer. 

We had a follow-up appointment with my surgeon today. My recovery is progressing nicely. We have a couple of things to be aware of:

• Activity to continue to be restricted for another 2-3 weeks. Light aerobic only, no abdominal or resistance work yet.
• Lift and carry weight with caution so as not to pull on the surgical site. I discovered this at the gym – cannot carry my own bag comfortably yet.
• Reduce the fiber (esp. legumes) in my diet temporarily to allow my bowels to adjust. We had already figured this one out and are looking forward to pasta!
• Fatigue is normal. I’ll continue to rest and take it easy so my body can recover.
• Technically, mine was rectal, not colon cancer; there will be some adjustment to having part of both removed. Realistically, my bowel function will be different. I’ll experience noticeable improvements over the coming weeks and months.
• I’ll need to have a follow-up colonoscopy in a year.

Unless I have any issues, I won’t need to see the surgical team again. Yeah!

By necessity, many of our 1000+ driving miles on our April 2012 vacation were on local highways, the best place to enjoy odd road-side attractions.

This was the first I noticed, although it was as we crossed the Chicago River on foot – a knitted bridge cozy! I’ve seen a lot of urban yarn art with this being the smallest. It made me smile and wish I had a crochet project with me.

Once on the road to our Michigan destination, we stopped to admire a commemoration of the one-time World’s Largest Cherry Pie in Charlevoix, Michigan.

The final pie was 14+ feet across, 2 feet deep and weighed more than 7 tons.

This is the actual tin – it was baked in a custom-built brick oven created for the occasion by Medusa Cement Corporation. It was the first World’s Largest Cherry Pie in the USA.

A Statue of Liberty Head sits in a parking lot on the side of a 2-lane highway in Onaway, Michigan. My brother told us there are others, including Abe Lincoln, in a field in the area.

No sign, no explanation, just a big metal head.

These big statues of Paul Bunyan and Babe, his blue ox were great fun for our nephews. I wasn’t on this outing – thanks to Peter for the photos.

The youngest is at the age where everything needs to be climbed. We were on our way in for dessert when he stopped to climb on the Big Boy statue. Oh, to be a kid again and live with such joy and abandon! 

I took these pictures on a Lake Huron pier. These flying bugs, sand fleas maybe, were clustered on (and eating?) bird poo. The boys pointed them out everywhere, including this spider web. Good thing the wind was blowing a gale or we might have been chewed up.

The nearby orange clusters were a hardy lichen.

From a distance, this looked like a tree full of wasp’s nests to me. The Boot Tree is on state highway 31 near Atlanta, Michigan. Go figure?

Mother’s Day used to be tough for me. With Mom gone, the hallmark hoopla made me sad.

I feel differently this year.

It’s partly because I recently got to know my Mother-In-Law better. And it’s partly because I finally did something in Mom’s memory that’s been a goal for some time.

I wrote last month about the memorial fund we recently started in Mom’s name. You can find it here (and donate, if you like): www.alsa.org/NormaFruchey. The fund was a means to reach this goal that I’d had in mind for the 14+ years since she died. We created this video, using the scant 10 minutes of good footage we had of Mom. I think it captures her well…

I sorted through all the old footage (on tape) to come up with the segments, then designed a rough flow and transitions. The local ALS Chapter had it all converted to digital. Family friend Sara Avery created the final product, editing video, sound, music and all the transitions into this beautiful piece. It’s especially poignant to me since my Mom and Sara’s mom worked together as travel agents in Riverton, Wyoming and my sister and I grew up baby sitting Sara and her brother Mark. It’s amazing that she is here in Seattle and has this talent. The universe is watching out for me!

P.S. I’m having trouble embedding the video, so if is doesn’t appear above, click here.

I know I’m a few days early posting this Mother’s Day wish, but it’s been a week since Peter’s mom returned to her Virginia home and she’s been on my mind.

My wonderful mother-in-law Joanne was in Seattle to help us during my hospital stay and first week of recovery at home.

On her last day here 5/4, the whole gang went to the dog park. Here she and Peter wave to me from the beach.

I stayed safely outside the fence to avoid any dogs jumping on me.

This was quite confusing for Buddy. The whole situation has been challenging for him – going back and forth between our home and my ex-husband’s place where they’ve been staying during the week.

River adjusts; Buddy worries.

He and Joanne bonded. Here she is throwing his ball on the beach while Peter and River work the surf.

Buddy seldom drops his ball at the beach so this was a big surprise. Her gentle touch was what he needed and he soaked up all the petting he could in the 24 hours before she left.

We are so appreciative of all the help we’ve received from our friends and family – I wanted to take this special occasion of Mother’s Day to send a special thanks to my MIL.

Joanne arrived on Tuesday 4/24 while I was in surgery so kept Peter company during those long hours. She was at the hospital every day and brought things back and forth for us.

I was discharged on Sunday 4/29. It was a dreary rainy day but when we walked in our door, the house was warm and cozy and smelled of the home-cooked meal she had on the stove. I burst into tears – I had forgotten how good it feels to be cared for by your mom. Peter’s eyes welled up too.

Joanne – I miss you and wish you could have stayed longer – it was a precious time we got to spend together.

Happy Mother’s Day

Love,
Cheri

Oh boy, I had been warned about this but until this past weekend of feeling a deep down weariness, didn’t quite believe it.

My recovery has gone very well, with only minor complications to contend with. I didn’t fill any of the prescriptions the hospital sent home with us. I’ve been active but careful to avoid situations that might cause pain so have not needed any narcotics and have only taken acetaminophen every few days.

Two weeks and a day after colon cancer surgery and I’m doing well. Except for this fatigue.

I had more energy the first week I was home, I think. I didn’t do much but I don’t recall feeling this exhausted. But then again, I slept a lot and probably still had some oxycodone in my system, so my perception might have been altered.

I’d been warned by friends that I would be tired – boy, oh boy, were they right!

I have lots of things I want to do. Books I want to read, blog posts I want to write, emails I’d like to respond to and a long list of thank you notes that aren’t going to write themselves. But I’m tired, so tired I can’t even find the energy to make my list.

I think I’ll go take a nap instead.

P.S. I took a travelers French class years ago. “Je suis fatigue” sounded so poetic and was one of the few phrases that has stuck with me over the years, though it is hard to imagine how it might have been useful. I didn’t meet a single innkeeper in my travels in France who I’d have told, “I’m so tired.”

We spent a week of our recent vacation with my brother and his family at their new home in Michigan. We took lots of pictures of our three nephews. They are cute, smart, funny and I love them more than I can express. My blog guideline of not posting recognizable pictures of minors resulted in some creative picture-taking!

Here they are with Peter coloring Easter eggs. They also enjoyed swimming in our motel pool with him but all those pictures are blurry – they were all moving too fast.

We both got our dog fix playing  with their dog Gauge. He’s a darling and I was calling him as our fourth nephew by the end of the visit. This is the best shot I have of the dog. Sorry for the angle Peter!

Here’s nephew B hunting for eggs at the local home improvement store. They’ve had a warm spring and live a bit inland so the flowering fruit tree stock was starting to bloom.

We took goofy pictures in the car, but this one of Peter is the only one I can share.

This is nephew G as we both photographed a local light house. He pointed out that the top looked like a face – I told him that’s something a blogger would notice!

Here’s another lighthouse.

We ventured out several times for sightseeing but, despite the early  spring, it was still very chilly.

Temps near the lake can be 10-20 degrees cooler than inland.

A third lighthouse with Peter and the boys posing in the cold wind. We could see a barge off in the distance on Lake Huron.

They live in a land of small towns and forested land. We saw several deer and a flock of wild turkey on our lighthouse outings. I didn’t have my camera handy for those sightings. Lucky us – we saw these in the back yard.

On our last night we had a bonfire in their fire pit and enjoyed a starry Easter eve. With no competing city lights, the night sky is as I remember it, from growing up in the country. It had been a long time since we’d seen them but easy to pick up the fun and love.

It’s been 10 days since my surgery and I’m finally finding my blogging voice. Every single one of those days, someone has commented on how good I look. It’s been nice to hear that.

That sounds bad – let me explain. While I’m as vain as the next girl, this “looking good” was on my mind long before I went into the hospital – it was a planned-for part of my recovery. Working within the bathing, soap, lotion, shampoo and conditioner restrictions the 24 hours before surgery, I blow dried and styled my hair a few hours before we left for UWMC.

I knew I couldn’t shower for several days and I’d feel better if my hair was smooth and shiny. While I do love my mass of blond, salt and pepper curls, I think they age me and make me look a little crazy. Smooth hair makes me feel more polished, professional and in control.

During those long first few days recovering in a hospital bed, feeling a lot of pain, getting over the shock of bruising and swelling, and contemplating my future scars, I would see myself in the mirror and like the way I looked. It was a bonus that other people commented.

It is true that when you look better, you feel better.

In the weeks leading up to my surgery, when I heard similar comments, my response was, “I’m the new face of cancer!”

Except now I’m cancer-free!

I’m still wrapping my head around that fact. Doctors will be monitoring me closely, likely for the rest of my life, for a recurrence. But colon cancer will never have the opportunity to sneak up on me again. And, with any luck, I’ll never have to have surgery again.

Since I wasn’t symptomatic (thank goodness), the cure felt worse than the disease. I’m five days into the 3-4 week home recovery with strict restrictions. I suspect it will be several more months of gradual increases in activity before I am “back to normal,” if that’s possible.

In the meantime, I’ll fix my hair and don a little make-up before leaving the house and try my best to look as good as I feel. Or is that feel as good as I look?

P.S. I’m not really stuck in the 80s…

P.P.S. I’ve given myself permission to not keep up with correspondence (electronic or otherwise) for the time being. I am reading all the notes and emails that are coming my way and am overwhelmed by the love and support of my friends and family. If you are interested in visiting, please see the care calendar for opportunities. If you don’t have access to the calendar, send an email to koppcare@gmail.com to be added.

It’s been a few years since we’ve traveled anywhere with a note-worthy Frank Lloyd Wright building so Robie House was on our list for our recent Chicago visit. The Robie House is in the Hyde Park neighborhood, adjacent to the University of Chicago campus.

Here’s an exterior view from the street corner. Like many FLW homes, Robie is private from the street, appearing to be dark and closed off. However, with long walls of custom art glass doors that lead to verandas that encircle the home, interiors are light-filled and spacious with great views of the surrounding environs.

Though likely beautiful when original, the integral copper downspouts are corroded and barely functional a half-century later. Wright was known for choosing form over function and was the bane of civil engineers. (I wonder if that’s why Peter likes him?)

Here’s Mark taking a rest before our tour. While the house itself is interesting, the tour was less engaging than others we’d experienced. I found myself getting distracted by the people on the catwalk of the church across the street…

…and this huge grey squirrel.

It was interesting to me how different squirrels are in different parts of the country. This black squirrel was in a town on the north shore of Lake Michigan.

We only had time for one FLW stop on this trip – next time we’re in Chicago, we’ll visit Oak Park.

* We had previously visited Fallingwater and Kentuck Knob in Pennsylvania, Polk House in Washington, D.C., Darwin Martin Complex in Buffalo, NY, Taliesin West and The Biltmore in Phoenix and the San Rafael City Hall in California (exterior drive-by only).

Let us know if you would suggest any other Frank Lloyd Wright sites we ought to see.

We met our friends Mary and Mark in Chicago for the first weekend of our recent vacation. I love the Windy City architecture.

This is the glorious 1929 art deco Carbide and Carbon building, now home to the Hard Rock Hotel.

According to legend, a champagne bottle inspired the gold and green colors. The bronze elevator doors are spectacular.

Our Saturday stroll also included a stop at a dance shop in the Sentinel  Building. (They are parents to dancer Melanie.) Though often referred to as art deco, these elevator doors look more art moderne or  nouveau to me.

In contrast, the structures in Millennium Park are completely contemporary, including this Frank Gehry designed amphitheater.

I was fascinated with the Millennium Orb. I loved this classic shot of a group posed before the structure. Notice all the cameras the photographer had to use. Lots of patient smiling for this group of teenagers. Here are the four of us reflected in it.

In this classic shot looking southwest, the Chicago skyline, to the northeast, is reflected in reverse.

The structure is actually bean-shaped with a recess at the bottom that you can walk under.

I was drawn in but it wasn’t a good place for an agoraphobic!

It felt too close overhead to me and I must admit feeling very disoriented and even a little dizzy when I stood under and aimed my camera up.

It’s a crazy perspective on an interesting piece of contemporary art.

Chicago, like all big cities has its share of nondescript glass buildings. I didn’t record the name of this one but was intrigued by the later addition of this eyebrow-like awning. This is the Wrigley Building.

Though not noteworthy, architecturally speaking, The Apollo Theatre was our evening stop for the production of Million Dollar Quartet, a stylized account of the early days of Sun Studios and a fateful night where founder Sam Philips brought together Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins and Jerry Lee Lewis. It was a fun song-filled night and a show we’d all recommend. It’s coming to Seattle’s Paramount Theater in May.