Bev Battles Lymphoma

2012 Sept. 21 Autumn Joys

Tomorrow is the equinox. Already we feel the beauties of the autumn in Virginia. I feel an embarrassment of riches in the meadows of goldenrod, the red berries of dogwood. In the garden we have the swiss chard, the summer herbs still blooming, the last of the tomatoes, the sweet potatoes almost ready to harvest, the basil, the many crops just starting to grow.

We had on Wednesday the excitement of about 200 people, mostly children in grade 6 and high school, learning about the watershed on RappFLOW field day at the Old Schoolhouse in Sperryville.

Bicycling in 70 degree weather in this lovely terrain is a blessing.

Every weekend is filled with optimism and celebrations: art, farms, harvests, house tours, wine, plays, music. Last weekend we went to the autumn harvest festival in Monticello. Wow. And Barboursville for the vineyards and winery and the historic ruins and the Palladio Restaurant and a B&B.

Over a year has passed since my PET scans and CT scans are showing no presence of lymphoma.

Our grandchildren are happy and healthy, in Maine. Too far away.

Almost every day i try a different route for practicing the bicycle.

Soon I will spend full time on the election campaign.

We have new water features in the garden, and planning more.

I have a new meadow garden under development.

Hal and I both are involved in several community service activities.

THis week will be the meeting of the Stewards of Creation for Trinity Episcopal Church in which we decide how to interpret the survey of opinions from our parishioners regarding creation issues.

I am starting to work with little children at the CHild Care and Learning Center in their garden, teaching things like the difference between an orange tomato and a green tomato.

Such are joys of autumn in Virginia.

2012 July 4 Being Here Now in Summer Garden

2012 July 4 Being Here Now

Sometimes my experience of the beauty in the garden is so intense it is painful. I will explore some reasons for the pain.

“Be Here Now” was the title of a book by Ram Dass in the 1970’s, and an ongoing theme of learning in our lives. “Be here now” is essentially the goal of meditation methods I’ve learned. I believe that being totally in the present moment is essential for health and healing. Some of the pain of the beauty of the garden, I am coming to think, is about ways in which we allow ourselves to NOT be here fully present to the moment.

This summer I have been attempting to advance my skills and awareness at “being here now” by focusing on nature. Very dominant in the past two weeks has been the record-breaking heat. I spend some time each day outdoors when it is really hot. Feel the heat. Empathize with the trees and plants and insects and wildlife.

“Being here now” in the garden includes observing bees and butterflies pollinating the flowers that are blooming now — beebalm (monarda), daylillies, echinacea, butterfly weed, and many others. Hearing the buzz of the bees. Feeling the heat on one’s damp skin. Seeing the intensity of the sunlight on and around the bright colors.

So often in the garden my mind goes immediately to tasks to be done there: clumps to be divided and moved to other locations in autumn; plants that MUST be watered; places where autumn-flowering plants would be nice to add; unknown species to research and label; tall stalks bending over that would benefit from staking; a path to put wood chips on. But “being here now” discipline in the garden allows those to-do thoughts to just rise, be noted, and float away so that the awareness can return to here now.

I think part of the pain in the glory of the garden is about the fear of loss. Each day in the garden is ephemeral. Each blossom will be lost in a day or two. The heat will dry up the lillies in a snap.

Native honeysuckle

native honeysuckle

Sometimes my inclination in the garden, like when it’s 95 degrees outside, is to worry about the effects of the heat and drought on the soil and the plants and then wander into climate change and what I should be doing more to help people cope with it or change with it. Then wander to wanting more people to be in nature so they can feel and experience what we are doing to the planet with our human-dominating strategies.

Some of the pain of the beauty of the garden is in wanting everyone to have opportunity to share this. It is so important to me to share the experience of the garden with others, whether they are near and dear or simply passers by (of which we have almost none!) I have friends who are expert gardeners, and friends for whom it is “too hot” to stroll the garden. I strongly encourage all to experience some of the garden.

Carol and me in the garden on June 16

: Teenage visitor from Paris in our garden

: Ray Boc, Keith Rowand with fresh picked fruit

: Native honeysuckle

: Carol and me in the garden on June 16

: Hal in the garden July 2

June 21 2012 Good summer kickoff health report

Several positive developments on the health front this morning with my oncologist at the Cancer Center.

First the CT scan report from Monday was very good and one small anomaly in the scan the doctor thinks is not significant.

Second, the blood counts are better than in a long time.

THird,we discussed several issues that were concerning me and she basically did not see anything to worry about. (It is very easy to develop misconceptions when dealing with very complex physiology and chemistry and biology that a person has no backgound in.)

Fourth, we were able to reschedule the monoclonal antibody (rituxiMAB) maintenance procedure that had been scheduled for the time we will be in Paris.

We also discussed importance of physical activity and exercise in getting and staying healthy (she has lost a lot of weight and gives me some credit for inspiring that. In turn, I described the inspiration I get from Shawn and his family regarding setting physical goals and achieving them.)

Celebrating the summer solstice today (officially yesterday) with my RappFLOW Board of Directors. Good way to start the summer.

2012 Memorial Day Tubing Down the Rappahannock

Tubing Down the Rappahannock River

The water is perfect this weekend for tubing down the Rappahannock River at our place. It’s been raining gently for a few days, so the water is higher than the rocks and a nice temperature. Fast current, some whitewater. Even a few canoists and kayakers in the river!

Tubing down the read more>>

2012 May 7 Still healing and learning

The process of healing from last year’s lymphoma, chemotherapy, and other challenges, continues. This past weekend was another milestone in this journey, in learning and reflection. On one level, it’s learning more about certain nutrients and plants and how they interact with body chemistry. On another level, it’s about being with loving, caring, supportive community read more>>

2012 April 21 Finishing the Fodderstack 10K Footrace

On Saturday April 21 I started and finished the 10 K Fodderstack Race, which in and of itself does not sound like a Big Deal, but surely for me it was a very good milestone. A year ago and even less I was so weak I could walk just a few yards.

Here we are, the read more>>

2012 April 5 Reaching Higher Ground

“Love lifted me” goes a song I learned long ago. ”Love lifted even me. WHen nothing else would help, love…lifted…me.”

About a year ago, I wrote blog titled “hitting new lows”. Yesterday, Hal and I went to higher ground, literally. To Mary’s Rock, up in Shenandoah National Park.

Bev, Hal and Casey up near Mary’s Rock in read more>>

2012 March 19 Rituximab

I am at the Cancer Center getting an infusion of Rituximab. This takes several hours. Hal will drive me home because the drugs they give you to avoid a reaction to the infusion can make you sleepy.

According to Wikipedia, Rituximab is one of a class of substances called Monoclonal Antibodies. Rituximab(trade names Rituxan and MabThera), is a chimeric read more>>