This is a blessed season no matter the circumstances. We have been blessed over and over on this journey and here at the Caring House. We are so blessed to have a supportive family and so many wonderful friends. Barry and Libby Cates came to see us this weekend and to bring three weeks worth of mail. And yesterday, Jenny Southerland and Phyllis Eisenman came for two days to visit. Our friends brought their gift of fun and medicine of “laughter,” what a blessing! We gave them the grand tour of the Caring House, a wonderful refuge during this journey. Al’s sister and brother-in-law, Joyce and Steve Bishop, are coming on Sunday for the day. Nancy and Tommy Lee are planning a trip next week. And, I haven’t mentioned the hundreds of cards we have received. We are overwhelmed by everyone’s love, generosity and attention. In the short month that we have been at the Caring House, we have made some wonderful friends. I was a little hesitant about the community kitchen part of the experience, but it has been a great gathering place every evening preparing community meals. I called our gathering time “Cancer Happy Hour” and that has sort of stuck, so as new residents come in we introduce them to it. Wednesday is “potluck” night with a signup sheet. But, every night is a community meal, whether an outside organization or church is bringing in a meal or residents are pitching in and organizing leftovers. There are always lots of leftovers. Most nights I prepare a large crock pot of soup from leftovers for the next day’s lunch – there is a hot bowl of soup ready and available for people as they return from their treatments (I didn’t have anything else to do in the evening for the 14 days Al was in the hospital). It is amazing how the Durham community donates their time, talents, gifts, food products to our community pantry, meals and desserts to the Caring House. One volunteer comes every Wednesday and bakes cookies onsite – we call her the Cookie Lady. Monday, a couple of ladies brought paint supplies and glass ornaments to paint. I got Al to participate and then two other gentlemen joined us. Tuesday, a lady that owns a floral business brought in ribbons and decorations to make wreaths (with residents) for each resident’s door (see picture). And, we get to keep them! A board member donated a certificate for four people to have dinner at the Washington Duke Inn and Golf Club – a very, very lovely inn adjacent to Duke University. Carolyn and George Becker invited us to share the certificate with them tonight. Actually, George thought he was finished with his treatments yesterday and planned to leave today (they were all packed up to leave), but when he got to the clinic yesterday they said there was a scheduling mix up and he had 4 more treatments. So, we spent a delightful evening of fine dining with them at the Washington Duke Inn. (We had to go buy Al’s some pants to wear, didn’t think sweat pants were appropriate – he is now size 32, down from 36.) Tomorrow we will learn how effective the treatments have been (PET scan results) and where we go from here. We are in God’s hands and only he knows the path ahead. Enjoy every minute of this special season. Ellen and Alan Nagy
Posted on: Thu, 11 Dec 2014 03:23:29 +0000
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