May 2023 - Trying to be better about posting…. And actually succeeding for once. A computer update – I still haven’t made much progress on my project to move pictures and documents to the new laptop. Apparently I’m lacking motivation. Or something. I also found a website that I can donate crocheted things to, locally, for cancer patients. Sounds perfect – use up some of the yarn I keep buying, make something useful – but I haven’t done that either. At least I’m doing a blog post and it hasn’t been a year yet. I did go and give blood, and I wasn’t exhausted afterward. I got the blood donor app on my phone, so I think that will help me remember to go donate more often. It also tells you where your donation goes, which is kind of cool! We went to our usual family Easter event in Pennsylvania. It’s always good to gather! The weather was nice, the food was delicious, and the company enjoyable. We are so fortunate to enjoy spending time with family, and that our kids still want to come along to family events. Speaking of family events, there was a large 80th birthday party in New Jersey (the other side of the family) and the kids wanted to come along to that one too! We made a weekend out of it, seeing 3 of my siblings, a couple of nieces, lots of my cousins, and of course the birthday girl, my mother’s youngest sister (and last surviving sibling) at the party and then again the next morning. It’s always wonderful to get together for something other than a funeral. I actually saw a cousin I didn’t even know we had, from my grandfather’s family. There are probably more of them that my mom just didn’t keep in touch with, but usually the faces are at least familiar at these events, even if I can’t come up with the appropriate names. Another one of Karen’s friends got married recently, in Atlanta. The weather was great, the bride was beautiful (and the bridesmaids too) and the couple did a wonderful job personalizing the ceremony. We weren’t the only parents of friends there, which was nice. I think we might have been invited even if Karen had been there! They had asked for a picture of her to display with the other loved ones gone too soon, so I was expecting that. I was NOT expecting the cookies at each place setting describing donations they had made to charities that were important to Karen. Of course I cried! Just a little. Karen had such good friends! We decided to stay a few extra days after the wedding and see a few sights. You can’t visit the area without seeing a few Civil War sites, especially not if one of you spent hours playing a Civil War computer game that had most of the battles recreated. At least one of us kept all of the generals on the right sides. You also have to visit the MLK Jr Historic Site, so that you can remember how bad things were, and know that there is still much more improvement to be made. You also shouldn’t leave Atlanta without seeing the World of Coke exhibit. Not to diminish the other area attractions – the Aquarium, the Zoo, Fernbank Museum, and Tallulah Gorge, all great places to visit. So much for getting a blog post done… I started this in May, and now it’s the end of July! Oh, well, maybe the next post will be quicker. It could happen, but I wouldn’t bet on it. Susie came home from her first year at college. She’s been working at a small manufacturing company, doing all kinds of interesting tasks. As with all jobs, some are more interesting than others! She’s enjoying the people, and the work, and also the paychecks. Since we only have two cars, most days I’m home without a car, but most days I don’t have anywhere I have to go, so it’s been fine. I’ll get back to volunteering when she goes back to school. There was another wedding Memorial Day weekend in New Hampshire. I remembered why we don’t go to New England for Memorial Day weekend. The black flies were out, slightly worse than the mosquitoes. Fortunately, they weren’t so bad during the actual ceremony. The wedding venue was pretty, the bride was beautiful, and it was wonderful to see that part of the extended family. I’ve lost touch with them a bit, but I’m hoping to do a better job keeping in touch going forward. Every so often, I go through some of the things in Karen’s room. It’s not something I enjoy, but it needs to be done. Each time, I find I am able to get rid of more clothes. Soon the closet will only have Camp t-shirts and a few other things she wore often. Ok, maybe not that soon. This time I did come up with a fair sized pile of things to donate – progress! Then I looked around a bit more, and came upon 3 containers on a shelf. Imagine how surprised I was when they all had rocks and shells in them…. Mostly broken shells, and plain rocks. I guess they were pretty when Karen collected them, but I definitely don’t need to keep them any longer! We went to Maine to celebrate a bunch of milestone birthdays. My oldest sister turned 70 this year, a niece turned 40, and another one turned 30. There are a lot of summer birthdays! There were a lot of gatherings, which I love. The rain didn’t dampen anybody’s spirits during the lobster dinner or the birthday party, and fortunately it stopped in time for the fireworks! We also managed to fit in some hikes, of course, and some time watching the ocean at Schoodic Peninsula. There was also a day at my sister’s house on the island. Karen loved being there. I sat on the swing and cried. Karen’s birthday was among those we always celebrated in Maine in the summer. This year, it was tacos for dinner, and lots of people sending me messages. I appreciate every one of them!! Of course they make me cry, but every time somebody remembers Karen, it makes my day a little brighter.
Camp Sunrise is this week. Karen NEVER missed Camp. Even that last year, when she was in terrible pain, she wanted to be there, and she was. She had wonderful friends there, and her Camp family has welcomed us, in her absence. Among her many Camp friends was Amy, a woman who had been involved with Camp long before Karen started going. Amy also NEVER missed Camp. When Amy got cancer herself during Covid, she was inspired by all of those kids she knew at Camp. I started sending Amy a quote or a joke from Karen’s transplant chains each morning, and when I ran out of chain links, I found other sources. It has expanded now to over 20 people. Amy passed away on Saturday, as the volunteers were getting ready for orientation. I like to think that she was welcomed on her journey by all the kids she knew from Camp, with Karen at the front of the group.
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11/29/2023 08:40:50 am
Cooperation and Coordination: The hospital cooperates with other medical institutions, law enforcement agencies and emergency teams in emergency situations. In this way, the management and coordination of emergency situations are provided more effectively.
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AuthorI’m Karen. I was originally diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) in August 2004 when I was 10 years old. When I was working on my college and scholarship application essays two years ago, I wrote about my journey. Although it was a rough few years, it became such an influential part of my life that I can’t, and wouldn’t want to, imagine my life without having had cancer. I called it the worst best thing that ever happened to me. Archives
April 2022
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