The Better News and Views I hope

Having had those wonderful experiences on Saturday I simply cannot wait to tell you all about yesterday and today.

Yesterday I had a visit from one of the 'followers' of this blog. A 'follower', if I may add, with whom I have had the good fortune to work in the past. Through common concerns about cancer treatment in our lives, as well as personal interactions we have managed to have, what I certainly regard, as a warm friendship.

It was fabulous to see her. I am just sad that there are others, also lovely people who are kind enough to be both caring and kind and do not visit, because they have someone in their family who is possibly ill with something. When someone like me is at risk of infection, because of lowered white blood cell count thanks to the chemo therapy, their vigilance in not visiting, is also appreciated.

Visits like this from family and friends are perhaps the most welcome events that can happen for me and also perhaps for others who become more and more isolated thanks to illness. This may not appear to be the case if and when I or someone in a situation like mine becomes unable to take things in and seemingly do little more than survive from one hour to the next.

Nevertheless it's true and even if there is an impression created that there is nothing 'there' often the perception is open even for a little while and the very presence of the visitor is both soothing and welcome. That is to say this how it is with me - yet I recall almost as a clarion call that each person is different, so perhaps I should be advising that asking the ill person as well as his or her carer may be the means for clarifying what is appreciated and what is not.

Failing visits, I welcome calls on the phone or Skype when I can manage to croak with appreciation. Once again thee are many times when the body will simply not cooperate and actually prevents me from taking calls, speaking clearly and thus of course being understood. I can assure you that for someone who used to value and be valued for his communication skills - this is a development that has been almost as hard to bear as having to do without the use of the arm that was designated by our school system as the arm for writing. The great news now is that finally, after more than 50 years, I can and have started to practice writing with my left hand to ensure that it is clear enough and useful enough to be read and used in meeting the needs of daily life out there in the real world that exists outside my home. As for speaking - that's not good, but with any luck the ears are still working and I can hear what is being said to me and respond - even if it is with monosyllabic grunted 'views'.

Today and over the last few days especially, I have had the joy of people I was privileged to work with as a youth worker well over several decades ago, contact me through email or Skype to express their best wishes and their appreciation of our time together - so long ago in Sydney.

Being even remembered - much less appreciated is wonderful and simply brings tears to the eyes. For those of you who have sent best wishes and notes of appreciation - thank you. I hope yo read this blog to know how much I appreciate your notes and best wishes.

I am afraid that all or at least most if not all of the families to which I belong are scattered across the face of the planet.

So it's only in my fantasies that I can meet with them, talk with them, hug them when needed. I guess that Skype and Google talk help when available to them simply because I can see as well as hear them. It's about the closest I can get to being with them.

My most immediate family lives in New York and its environs, then there is one in South Carolina, another in Vermont. There is one in Washington state, then we have to head towards Canada if we are going north or California if we are heading south. Yep, you guessed it - very extended family relatives I grant you - but relatives none the less.

I do not miss out on Chicago Ill. and a number of other places as well.

From here I have to take the plunge and swim back to Europe and especially Hungary - from whence I came into the world and look for the descendants of as number of families all part of the large eventually extended family that remains there. Another time I can perhaps consider how I can tell you about their situation and views in the current financial recession that is reported on elsewhere.

That conversation is not appropriate for this blog.

Anyway, suffice it to say dear readers that when I could travel I did so to meet those relation about whom I was aware. Alas those trips were at a time when the data base about who could be called relations did not exist to the stage that it does today. Thus there are many, and I mean many people around the world, whose connection with me and indeed sometimes with each other has only taken place because they and I were interested in pursuing the exhilarating hunt for ancestors and family. I really wish I could meet and spend time with them. I certainly hope that they will use the genealogical material I have compiled in addition to the material that some of them have gathered and published on their own.

If they happen to contact me, when the effect of the drugs is absent from my body, when the legs work, when the brain works, when I can feel normal and really more alive than just a patient in chemo therapy I am and continue to be delighted by the contact. I am afraid that I may not be able to manage my side of it because of my condition. Today, alone I have tried to manage at least five or more connections with Skype.Some were more successful than others. All of them were wonderful.

In addition, other private, but happy events took place today and I can only report to you how pleasing it has been to be there, fully awake and fully cognisant of what's going on.

As for my health situation. In the last few days I have felt that my system has been drying up inside leaving behind only some stuff that continually expects to be expelled orally. Not really a nice feeling. It is likely that there is another infection spreading in my lungs or something - then again perhaps not. I have just finished one round of treatment - just in case it may be that another one is warranted.

In the last few days we discovered that the so called 'peg tube' that I have been using as my 'feeding station' for the last year or more had a problem. Though it was replaced in a brief procedure a few months ago, the tap we had asked to be inserted had cracked and was leaking. For those with peg tubes I hope that this comes as an appropriate and informative piece of knowledge. The good news is it can and indeed was replaced at the same place where we managed to get the peg tube in the first place.

I am not sure how many others are as restricted by such things as peg tubes - but it is good to know that assistance is available when needed.

To be honest I have so much more to scribble but time is short and I really need to rest.

I will see what I can do tomorrow - with any luck it will be as great as today has been.