A Quiet Saturday

For my loyal readers I will try to be faithful about writing this blog on Saturdays so you won’t have to keep checking throughout the week. I appreciate your reading it, and it certainly is a timesaver for me so that I do not have to repeat information multiple times, fearing that I will forget something important along the way.  That is, however, if something important has happened!

Sunday I went to the 8:00 service, returned home for breakfast, and returned to the Cathedral to manage the bookstore following the 10 AM service. Two of my longest, most loving friends came in to announce that they were moving out of Sioux Falls. I am struggling because I will miss them so much. Many interior and exterior tears have been shed over this news.  In time I know I can cope with it. Afternoon was spent with the Sunday New York Times. I consider it a victory of some substantiality when I can read the whole thing in one afternoon.  To be honest I skip the parts in which I have little interest.

Monday was Labor Day and a quiet day until the evening when the friends arrived. Having prepared most of the dishes on Saturday there was little to do except fix the pasta and heat the grill for the aforementioned Labor Day lamb chops. We had a good time and it was great to have friends around the table. It’s been a while since I’ve entertained. It is something I really enjoy.

Tuesday, bright and early, it was off to the Prairie Center, a magnificent palace of healing as I would describe it. My good friend picked me up and I joined the line for blood draws. Then it was waiting time for the lab to do their thing during which I ate breakfast. The oncologist had a visit with me after the results came in.  It appears that things are going well and that the chemotherapy is doing its thing. I have had so few side effects that I was beginning to wonder if it was working at all. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t want the side effects, but I do want the stuff to work. His opinion: it’s working. Thanks be to God.

Wednesday morning round two of the chemo began.  It turns out that the first day is the longest followed by two shorter regimes. I was hooked up to my girl friend “IVy” for four hours. There were visitors throughout the time that certainly made it pass quickly. My very first personal trainer stopped in to see me. She is a dietitian at the Prairie Center now. The chaplain stopped in.

My choice, my quilt.

A very kind lady with the “Prayers and Squares” quilt ministry came to visit and ask if I would like one of their quilts. After inquiring about my favorite colors she brought two from which I could choose. This ministry is a volunteer program. The hospital furnishes a sewing room with the equipment. The volunteers contribute fabric and if more is needed the hospital furnishes it. The quilters produce the quilts and then more volunteers distribute them to those who would like them.  My quilt was something like the 3,560th quilt produced. The long strings on the quilt puzzled me until the volunteer said a prayer for me and then tied a knot with one of the strings. Everyone who says a prayer or has a kind thought for me is asked to tie a knot. My nurse tied a knot.  My friend tied a knot. The quilt kept me warm during the long hours with “IVy.”

It is such a difference being treated in a faith-based hospital. I can’t say enough about the excellence of the staff and their attention to the patients. The Prairie Center is the cancer treatment center for Avera McKennan Hospital. The whole Avera system is based on the hospital ministry of the Benedictine and Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary sisters who began the hospital work in South Dakota. Although the system is now huge they still maintain their presence. It is interesting that a Roman Catholic Hospital has an Episcopal Deacon as their head of chaplains. They practice integrative medicine which includes the potions from the pharmacy but also Tai Chi, yoga, music therapy, diet, and a multitude of other things. The infusion rooms have a beautiful view out the large windows. They welcome and encourage friends visiting while the infusion takes place. They provide snacks and beverages and another volunteer comes and takes lunch orders and returns with the meal. Television and music are also available in each infusion room. 

Later Wednesday afternoon good friends from Denver arrived for a visit. They had been attending an event in eastern Iowa and took a side trip to see me on the way back to Denver—rather quite a bit out of the way.  It was so good to see them again.  They did so much for me when I was the interim priest and St. Michael and All Angels.  We had a little happy hour and went out for a light dinner. They were tired and so was I so we had an early night. 

Thursday morning they picked me up for my second infusion and spent the morning at the Prairie Center with me. The also had a chance to enjoy the gardens, the waterfall, and the art in the building. They commented that it didn’t even seem like they had been in a hospital. Check it out: https://www.avera.org/locations/profile/prairie-center-at-avera-mckennan/

Following the much briefer infusion (only about two hours with the prep and all) we went out for brunch, viewed the newest art addition to Sioux Falls, the Arc of Dreams, went to the Washington Pavilion to view the exhibit there on the Arc, went to The Parlour for an ice cream, went to the Cathedral to see the new decorations there, paid a visit to the Benedictine Oratory, went out for a delicious, quiet dinner, did a little shopping and called it a day. 

The Arc is quite an engineering feat, the latest work of Dale Lamphere our South Dakota Artist Laureate: https://lampherestudio.com/home/

Friday my friends took off for Denver. My guide-through-chemo picked me up and delivered me to the Prairie Center where I had my third infusion, another shorter one. We ran an errand and then she dropped me off at home. Other friends came by in the afternoon including my beer-drinking group complete with snacks. So we had our monthly meeting sans beer hall. It was fun.

Now a quiet Saturday which has already allowed me to get a lot of paper work done. Quiet days are not all bad and necessary once in a while.

But the quiet day also brought a sad phone call.  One of oldest and dearest friends left for the Church Expectant last night. Her family hesitated to call me then because they knew I was in treatment. Her daughter called this morning and told me of her death. She wanted me to be the celebrant at her funeral. I had baptized two of her grandsons, buried one of her sons, and enjoyed her company so much.  She will be sorely missed in the arts community in Sioux Falls.  She was such an advocate. I could not say no. Her funeral will be next Saturday. God willing I will be at the altar and in the pulpit. I know He will provide the strength.  May Charlotte rest in peace and rise in glory.

No particularly good at selfies,
especially overhead selfies

I mentioned before that the side effects of the chemo have been minimal, very minimal. The most noticeable one being the losing of the hair, or what there was of it start with. I only have to shave once a week, and that is mostly going through the motions. That’s a nice break. Every time I shower there is more hair in the drain. The medics promise it will grow back, perhaps in a different color.  That would be a shock after several years as the “silver haired teacher” (once described by the local newspaper). Maybe I’ll be a red head!  A red headed Swede, imagine that!

Have a wonderful week.  Remember to keep sending up those prayers.  You have no idea how much they help me.