Other Ways to remember Meg

If you'd like to remember Meg by donating to something other than (or in addition to!?) the Brain Cancer Walk (previous post), here are a few suggestions:

• Compassion and Choices Washington helped Meg use the Washington Death with Dignity Act: it would have been almost impossible to do without their advice and the remarkable services of the volunteer assigned to us. Here's their donation page.
• The National Death with Dignity Center is working to expand the services available in Washington and Oregon to other States. Our story was featured on their website. They would welcome your support.
• I have found great comfort and support at a local grief support non-profit, The Healing Center of Seattle. They would surely welcome your support.

Seattle Brain Cancer Walk: September 22nd

 We had a team, Club Meg, in the Seattle Brain Cancer Walk in 2010 and 2011: Meg walked with us in 2010 but was confined to her bed in 2011. This year, rather than running our own team, I am inviting you to join me in supporting "Zeb's Bunch", a team run by a woman I met at our brain cancer support group. She's doing very well and she and her many friends will bring great enthusiasm to the event.

To go straight to my fundraising page, click here or to DONATE right now, just click here

Below is Elizabeth's story, in her own words:

As most of you know, I was diagnosed with a brain tumor on April 25, 2011. I am happy to report that after surgery, chemotherapy and radiation treatments, the tumor has not shown any signs of growth. Thankfully, for now, I am stable. I am back at work part-time and have been working on regaining my energy and strength. Thank you to everyone who has supported me and my family during these difficult times.

Once again, I am coming to you for help. On Saturday September 22, I am participating again in the Seattle Brain Cancer Walk so that I can give back to the Brain Cancer community that has supported me during my difficult diagnosis and treatment. Last year, we raised nearly $30,000.00 toward finding a cure for this awful disease and this year we hope to exceed that goal. I would love for you to join my team, Zeb's Bunch. My team page is here: http://community.swedish.org/page.aspx?pid=313&tab=0&frtid=904
Only 22,000 people in the US are diagnosed with brain cancer every year. This is HUGE event in every patient's life but the number itself is so small that Big Pharma currently does not have a SINGLE brain cancer drug in its pipeline - (excuse the cliche) an extremely hard pill to swallow when you are fighting this. But business-wise, it makes sense. In my heart I have accepted that it is up to me to do all I can to save my own life.

The money raised by this event goes directly to Brain Cancer research conducted by Dr. Greg Foltz. He is a dedicated, caring, very hopeful and brilliant doctor who I truly know is doing everything he can to cure brain cancer. I want to give him as much money as he needs to get this done!

Please join my team and then ask 10 friends to give $10 each - you are at $100 already! I know we can do this! If you can walk with me and my team, I would love to see you there. If getting up early on a Saturday isn't your thing, please consider making a donation. Everything counts in this fight.

Six month update

Meg took particular joy in the unfurling of fern fronds, and often pointed them out to me. I have spread some of her ashes under each of the ferns that she planted in our backyard.

Meg died October 1st, so 6 months would have been April Fools' Day, which seemed inappropriate. But it was also the first Saturday in October, so 6 months brought us to Easter and Passover (and 1 year will bring us to our favorite small town parade, Granite Falls Railroad Days).  The Saturday I spent on my first date since 1979 (hints below, details later) and on Sunday I attended a delightful lunch and a wonderful dinner!

I've been quashing the desire to share with you every little bump along my road to emotional recovery and every little misadventure in my attempts to take over the great variety of tasks around the house that I (blush!) took for granted, did not fully appreciate, and never thanked Meg adequately for. On the latter point I'll merely note that the taxes are done (Turbotax rather than Meg's #2 pencil), the grass is mown, the house is cleanish (Roomba!), I'm neither gaining nor losing weight, and I am eating my vegetables and fruit.

My emotional recovery is due in main part to the tremendous support and care I continue to get from all of you, and for which I can never thank you enough (without risking a run-on sentence). You may recall that the Swedish Hospital brain cancer caregivers' group transitioned into a widows' group, and that the widows graciously voted to invite me to join them. They support and encourage me, and demonstrate how life can go on despite what we had all been through. At the suggestion of a hospice social worker I started attending grief support groups at a local non-profit (the Healing Center). There I find support, understanding, acceptance and the realization that it could have been a whole lot worse (slim comfort but, sadly, true).

It's also where I found the date mentioned above, another recent widow. And that's enough to burden you with for now. I'll try and stay in touch occasionally if I see you actually reading this. You might care to mention to others that I've broken my long silence...