The Beast Has Returned

Hello all, Back again in  spite of popular demand. A lengthy recap is in order to bring friend and foe up to date So,brain surgery 07/07,radiation five days a week for six weeks,and daily chemo for about six weeks.Then chemo for five days out of every 28 until 12/09. At this point I was functioning well(I could wield a fly rod) and my bone marrow had wearied of the toxic effects of chemo. I was still alive(always an outlier) and the experts said stop the chemo. I continued to get bimonthly MRIs and they remained stable. Marjorie and I traveled to Europe with our chorale group, went to Wales and England last summer to sing again, volunteered, fished, built furniture, participated in a Hindu engagement ceremony of our nephew who is marrying a beautiful MD PHD candidate at UC SF She is from Bangalore and we need to return for the wedding in December 2012, visited grandchildren, and had a rich life.

In April a followup MRI showed new changes and I wanted to know what they meant. On 4/10we unleashed the Neurosurgeon who kindly removed enough right brain to confirm that the tumor had returned but not so much brain that I was turned into a radical right-winger. My recovery from surgery was complicated by seizures, but I don't remember much of that, in fact I didn't really "come to" until 4/29 12 days after discharge from the hospital. I make slow progress in my rehab effort each day. Cared for by Saint Marjorie, surrounded by well wishers(they want my fishing secrets.I feel them probing my mind. They shall not succeed). Ahead we face the challenge of finding a new chemo program. The majority are experimental since fewer than 5% of people with this type of brain malignancy survive this long and no one can speak with science based authority on what is the correct path in this illness at this time. Our daughter, Maryann, is arranging a neurooncology
consultation at the University of Washington to help start a program. She says "congratulations Dad you may be put on the most expensive drug ever put on the market"  it has flib-flab some where in the name. Thanks to all of you for funding Medicare.The neurosurgeon and hospital also thank you. I don't know about this new drug. You may have to be in the 1% to enjoy it's benefits.

On the plus side we are expecting our fifth grandchild within the month and our oldest son is marrying a wonderful women in Seattle in August. Much to celebrate and be thankful for. Too much complaining these days me thinks, although it occurred to me as I began recovering at home that I was fortunate to have a roof over my head and guaranteed at that,food to eat,clothing,medical care,caring family.Fortunate to be born in this spot at this time and married to this woman. I'll be back with serious cogitation in a few days,Eric  

Eric will be updating his blog very soon.  He has been out of the hospital since 4/17 after his neurosurgery for a recurrence of the glioblastoma multiforme and has been recuperating and getting his strength back.  Stay tuned for more of the imaginative writings of ESO.

Marjorie

Hope is a thing that perches in the soul

Well, it is a new year in Europe; 3:30pm in So. Oregon. Rainy, cool, snow on the way. It brings the Norwegian out in me. A hundred and sixty years ago my forefathers arrived filled with hope and certainly trepidation. They had what it takes like the fellow looking for a bathing spot below. He looks just like my dad and I can hear him saying 'karumba, its cold".

Smiling, comfy, and warm is Grace Katherine, six months old and a seventh generation Overland. Each generation enjoyed a better education, living standard, and world view. They stood up in WWI, the great depression, WWII, stood down the threat of communism, linked arms with like minded citizens and got the world back on course. The doomsday handwringers of today remind me of the crybaby-bedwetters of my gradeschool years. No hope, no vision, no problem solving attributes. Enough! Take stock of what generations before us have sacrificed and built up for us and the two generations behind us. They are up to the task and will unravel the misdeeds of our generation and get the ship of state back on course. Watching Grace and her brother Jack grow and face each new day with delight fans that ember of hope that burns brightly in my soul. The pessimists of today are missing a healthy dose of children.

I am doing well, just irritated(incase you didn't notice) about the low level of discourse present in our media. I continue with chemotherapy, grumble about it while thanking the scientists who developed the treatment as it is giving me the opportunity to still get irritated now and then.


Hope you all have a great New Year. Come visit us. Eric

Eric saving ancient civilization

Margie and I are back from a tour of western Turkey. It is hard to wrap one's mind around the idea of 10 to 15 thousands years of recorded and preserved human enterprise that exists in Turkey, especially coming from a small logging-farming community in Oregon. Evidence of past human activity from caves to temples, early christian churches, and mosques are so common as to even merit a glance in many parts of western Turkey. Many structures are falling down and as you see in the picture I'm doing my part to get this Roman ampitheater in Myra from falling into further disorder.
What were the high lights of the tour you ask? To me seeing the importance of religion through the eons. Everyone had lots of gods and temples and ceremonies to propitiate the gods and goddesses- the source of life's misfortunes. Fertility goddesses were big. It took a few thousand years for them to recognize that the male had a role. Along came the Jews claiming there was only one true god. Very bad if you are in the temple building or offeratory business. Then the christians, again bad for business, also challenging the idea that the Roman emperor might not be the head hauncho. Possibly it was the early christians who knocked the noses and genitalia off all those beautiful statues, or possibly just unruly teenagers. Mohammed upset the order again in 600 AD. Turkey is still trying to find it's religious identity. Although 99% call themselves Muslim there was a lot of imbibing of the fruit of the vine, interest in heathen western ways, and hopes that Turkey could one day join the Europeon Union.

Another observation. Slavery was the economic model for eons. The wealthy and powerful constructed elaborate temples and mausoleums to memorialize themselves(using slaves of course). Maurading bands, tribes and imperial armies were after territory and plunder of course, but mainly they needed women and children for their slave force and men inscripted into their armies and navies. Tough eons those.

If travel is in your future, put Turkey at the top of the list. Wonderful people, fabulous history, vistas everywhere, scrumptious food, vibrant economy, you will be treated hospitably by people proud of their country.

I had another MRI last Friday and it remains unchanged, thankfully. I'm tired from the monthly chemo, but thankful that it is still working to keep the beast at bay.
Affection and heartfelt regards to all, Eric

Two years, two grand children, cancer in remission

The past two years have been quite a journey with a few lows but primarily highs and grand events. The most recent posting shows the two most recent additions to the Overland clan. Grace, joined us on June 12th, Marjorie and my 39th wedding anniversary. I know you are thinking they are much too young to be grandparents, but things are mixed up these days and the traditional timelines of weddings, children, grandchildren, are a tossup and we are just grateful to catch the tip now and then. Grandchildren add a whole new luster to life and being a teacher, mentor, friend, and source of loving protection assumes primacy. They need to know which raspberrys are ripe, how to pluck them and check for flavor quality, what lives under the rock, why that buzzing sound from the snake means danger, and the joy of the scent of the newly opened lily. They should love poetry, recitation, music, literature, the exilaration of strenuous sport, and the satisfaction of serving others.

This benediction or offering starts my day. It originated with the Mohawk nation long before Europeons settled and tradition says they opened and closed each gathering of clan, tribe, or confederation with this offering. Gary Snyder, Pulitzer prize winning poet, put it in this contemporary form. I have adapted it somewhat to fit my inner sensibilities.

Prayer for the Great Family

GRATITUDE TO MOTHER EARTH
Soaring through night and day,
And to her soil, rich, rare, and sweet.
In our minds so be it
GRATITUDE TO THE SUN
Blinding pulsing light through the trunks of trees and mists
Warming the caves of sleeping bears and snakes
He who wakes us
In our minds so be it
GRATITUDE TO THE AIR
Bearing the soaring swift and silent owl at dawn
Breath of our prayer and song
Clear spirit breeze
In our mind so be it
GRATITUDE TO THE WATER
Clouds, rivers, lakes, or glaciers
Holding or releasing
Streaming through our body's salty streams
In our minds so be it
GRATITUDE TO THE PLANTS
Sun-facing life-changing leaf
Fine root-hairs withstanding wintry blasts and spring torrents
Their dance is in the flutter of leaf and spiral of wind swept grain
In our minds so be it
GRATITUDE TO THE WILD BEINGS
Our brothers, teaching secrets, ways, and freedoms
Who feed and cloth us
Self-complete, brave and aware
In our minds so be it
GRATITUDE TO THE GREAT SKY
Holding uncounted stars, more beyond that, beyond thought
And yet is within us
Home of Grandfather Spirit, the mind is his wife
In our minds so be it

Gratitude all of you for your thoughs and prayers.

Eric

Two years, two grandchildren, cancer in remission

Mother's Day

Salutations to mothers past, present, and future. From the fruit of your wombs we sprang or maybe were pushed and pulled, but we thank you for your nurturing garden that gave us life and the careful tending, love, guidance, that got us to this time that we could express gratitude for the gift.

This poem "Soul Weavings": a Gathering of Women's Prayers, by Lyn Klug says it better.

My God, I praise you, I thank you for my mother.
For all that she could give me,
For all that she gave of herself,
a true, living school of love and humility.
She reveals to me your mystery-
thank you for her revelation of your truth.
Now, O God, I pray for all the children
of Africa, of Asia, of America and Europe.
For all the children of the world.
Give me a heart like that of a mother
the heart of a black woman for her children.

We had a memorial service for Marjorie's father last Saturday. Family from Canada, Montana, Washington, and the Medford area came to acknowledge a life well-lived and a life to emulate. As Tom Brokaw stated, "these among us represented the greatest generation". Those of us fortunate to know this man witnessed daily examples of character, steadfastness, core values, kindness, generosity, and grace. I want to be like him. Daily, he nurtured the garden, his poetry reading, music, and his charities. Hardly a moment goes by during the day when a flower bright, a bird song, or an emerging beet in the garden doesn't remind me of him. This spring prayer by RW Emerson is for him. He would feel at home in this poem.

For flowers that bloom about our feet
For fresh grass tender and sweet
For song of bird and hum of bee
For all things near we hear or see
Father, creator of all, we thankThee.

For blue of streams, blue of sky
For shading branches reaching high
For perfumed air and cooling breezes
For the beauty of flowering trees
Father, creator of all, we than Thee.

My brain MRI last Friday showed no tumor recurrence in the last two months and Marjorie said that was her Mother's Day present. Chemotherapy on a monthly basis remains the main menu going forward. I have an accumulative fatigue from this but fight back with heavy doses of family love, music, friends, hikes, time on rivers, and conversations with the creative forces flowing through the emerging flowers in the garden and the energy pushing forward the Spring.

Gratitude to mother earth, sailing through night and day, and to her soil, rich rare and sweet. In our minds so be it. (More of this first American prayer later)

Thanks to all for your friendship and love. Now, the roses are calling, we have a memorial garden for my parents and Marjorie's. The want to talk to me. I will listen. Eric