Today many of us are pausing with heavy hearts to remember our dear Anna Hollander. I never thought she would die. She seemed invincible because she lived through so much; surviving the Holocaust as a young girl, the struggles of living in the young state of Israel and getting through the painful personal tragedies of losing her beloved husband Ernie and children, Beverly and Michael before their time. It seems way too much for one person to have endured in a lifetime. Yet Anna had the capacity to keep on going, to emit an endless stream of love to all who knew her. Her beloved Kathy became her daughter after Michael died.
There are so many of us whom she has profoundly affected. What a legacy, to have lived a life with the power to have touched so many, to have imparted her wisdom not to mention her sponge cakes. I knew Anna for forty years, Jeff even longer. He would hang out at Ernie and Anna's house when he was a teenager as a friend of their oldest child, Beverly.
I met Anna when I joined Beth Jacob, though it is almost impossible to say just Anna because "Ernie and Anna" were a team then and until Ernie died one would say them in the same breath. The two of them together could whip up a Shabbat dinner for the congregation. Anna's vegetable soup was legendary. The rest of us might try to help in the kitchen but we were pretty much superfluous.
Over the years I was one of her"kids", one of the hundreds she nurtured as a surrogate mother or grandmother. I loved hearing their stories, especially their wedding day in Israel on the day the state was created when they were on a rooftop and bullets were flying. Their wedding feast was a few rolls Ernie managed to get from the bakery where he worked.
When she saw me, she always rushed over to me in shul with her big smile and a kiss to ask how I was, what my children were doing and later to inquire about my grandchildren.She qvelled when my oldest daughter Devora moved to Israel. She would have loved to go back there to live once again but that was a dream that was not to be.
Those of us who were invited to the Hollander home for a Sabbath or holiday celebration like their legendary sukkot feasts when they invited the entire congregation never forgot their incredible hospitality and their abundant food, course after course served until we were bursting. My recipe binder has well worn pages, "Anna's brisket, ." "Anna's stuffed cabbage."
When I think about what I will most keep in my heart is her spirit which kept shining inside of her despite everything. That is what I would like to emulate. My heart goes out to Kathy, David, Nikki and the whole family. Dear Anna, we will never forget you.
Sunday, November 15, 2015
Tuesday, October 27, 2015
That Certain Age!!!
So here we are at the end of October and I realize I have not
written my blog for months. Where have the weeks and months gone? We had
a wonderful summer highlighted by the six week visit of our children
from Israel. It worked out really well for them and us as they did a
house exchange with friends in Berkeley who stayed in their place in
Jerusalem. This meant that they had a home base and did not need to shlep quite as much.
However, even with them staying in Berkeley, they still slept in our house a few nights and at the grandparents in Palo Alto. They also spent time in Russian River with my son in law's family, and we took the whole crew, my other daughters, spouses and the little guys, to Tahoe. Their car was packed to the hilt with their kosher food and dishes, and my son in law deserves an Olympic medal for how many times he packed and unpacked. I think they would agree the hassles were worth it. The children loved hanging with their cousins in the Russian River and Tahoe. They also spent two weeks going to the terrific Chabad day camp at Lake Temescal and made some friends with some of the local kids.We are hoping they can do this every summer.
It is always remarkable to me how my family copes and deals with the extra stresses of living in Israel with strength and conviction. Jerusalem this time around has been the target of many random terrorist attacks. Andy and Devora do a great job in keeping life as normal as possible for their family. My granddaughter Eliana, AKA, "Lulie" called me to show me her loose tooth up close on Skype which finally came out this morning.
Sometimes my heart breaks. I pray that her biggest worry amidst all the craziness going on around her will be loose teeth. My daughter Devora started a blog where women writers contribute pieces (a personal story, a line from Torah, a song, ....an inspirational thought) as a way to stay strong during these difficult days. I tell her she is my Five Star General of faith and strength.
We also spent a few days in Ashland staying with my sister in law and brother in law at their stunning home, modeled after a French chateaux. My brother in law Stan designed the home which is made of Styrofoam blocks filled with cement and re-bar. You have to see it to believe it! It has gorgeous grounds and waking up in the morning and looking out at the vineyards is breathtaking. We saw two productions of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, including Count of Mone Cristo which was in the outdoor Elizabethan theater. That night it was 95 degrees at 11PM so we were hot and uncomfortable. We saw a version of Cabaret in a local theater which was very well done.
After Ashland we drove to Portland for a wedding. It was our first visit there, and we found it to be a fun city packed with tourists.It was also going to be our fist experience at a gay wedding. The setting was amazing, in front of a scenic lake in a park. We had a great time and were glad to participate.
Another highlight of the summer was celebrating our forty fourth anniversary with our family. This anniversary was especially meaningful to us because last summer was so difficult with me not knowing yet about my treatment plan. We sponsored a big kiddush lunch at Beth Jacob as well and also celebrated our fortieth year of membership there, a big milestone.
My life has resumed to a somewhat uneventful status in regards to my health (thank G-d!) I met with my oncologist in September, and he was in and out of the room in a flash. In some ways I was frustrated because I wanted to talk to him more, but he is so busy and I am doing well so the visit was quick and routine. I have resumed my normal activities and am extremely grateful to have bounced back this well. I have taken several post-cancer seminars and learned that this is not always the case so I really appreciate my return to good health. I will meet with him every four months for a while.
As of November 1, I go on Medicare. Yikes...can it be true? Am I really reaching the age where I become an official senior citizen. I am grappling with that fact. How can I be a senior when I like to dance to Uptown Funke (and I can still dance!!) and sing the lyrics to Prince when they come on in the car. I don't think this is something my mother would have done at almost age 65. Are sixty fve year olds today different than before? I just refuse to think of myself as being old. Call me a "hip" grandma, a "cool" senior, but don't think of me as old!
I am back to my writing workshops and am taking a poetry class as well. I love to write and try to stay positive about the experience. I send my work out to various publications but it is like shooting out darts. One hopes that a few will hit their mark, but it is a tough and competitive writing world and it is easy to get discouraged.
In December we will take the trip to Maui that we had planned and cancelled. This time we are going with good friends who live in Ohio whom we have known since before we got married. We are looking forward to relaxing and spending time with them.
Thanks for reading my blog and hope to be more consistent about writing!!
However, even with them staying in Berkeley, they still slept in our house a few nights and at the grandparents in Palo Alto. They also spent time in Russian River with my son in law's family, and we took the whole crew, my other daughters, spouses and the little guys, to Tahoe. Their car was packed to the hilt with their kosher food and dishes, and my son in law deserves an Olympic medal for how many times he packed and unpacked. I think they would agree the hassles were worth it. The children loved hanging with their cousins in the Russian River and Tahoe. They also spent two weeks going to the terrific Chabad day camp at Lake Temescal and made some friends with some of the local kids.We are hoping they can do this every summer.
It is always remarkable to me how my family copes and deals with the extra stresses of living in Israel with strength and conviction. Jerusalem this time around has been the target of many random terrorist attacks. Andy and Devora do a great job in keeping life as normal as possible for their family. My granddaughter Eliana, AKA, "Lulie" called me to show me her loose tooth up close on Skype which finally came out this morning.
Sometimes my heart breaks. I pray that her biggest worry amidst all the craziness going on around her will be loose teeth. My daughter Devora started a blog where women writers contribute pieces (a personal story, a line from Torah, a song, ....an inspirational thought) as a way to stay strong during these difficult days. I tell her she is my Five Star General of faith and strength.
We also spent a few days in Ashland staying with my sister in law and brother in law at their stunning home, modeled after a French chateaux. My brother in law Stan designed the home which is made of Styrofoam blocks filled with cement and re-bar. You have to see it to believe it! It has gorgeous grounds and waking up in the morning and looking out at the vineyards is breathtaking. We saw two productions of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, including Count of Mone Cristo which was in the outdoor Elizabethan theater. That night it was 95 degrees at 11PM so we were hot and uncomfortable. We saw a version of Cabaret in a local theater which was very well done.
After Ashland we drove to Portland for a wedding. It was our first visit there, and we found it to be a fun city packed with tourists.It was also going to be our fist experience at a gay wedding. The setting was amazing, in front of a scenic lake in a park. We had a great time and were glad to participate.
Another highlight of the summer was celebrating our forty fourth anniversary with our family. This anniversary was especially meaningful to us because last summer was so difficult with me not knowing yet about my treatment plan. We sponsored a big kiddush lunch at Beth Jacob as well and also celebrated our fortieth year of membership there, a big milestone.
My life has resumed to a somewhat uneventful status in regards to my health (thank G-d!) I met with my oncologist in September, and he was in and out of the room in a flash. In some ways I was frustrated because I wanted to talk to him more, but he is so busy and I am doing well so the visit was quick and routine. I have resumed my normal activities and am extremely grateful to have bounced back this well. I have taken several post-cancer seminars and learned that this is not always the case so I really appreciate my return to good health. I will meet with him every four months for a while.
As of November 1, I go on Medicare. Yikes...can it be true? Am I really reaching the age where I become an official senior citizen. I am grappling with that fact. How can I be a senior when I like to dance to Uptown Funke (and I can still dance!!) and sing the lyrics to Prince when they come on in the car. I don't think this is something my mother would have done at almost age 65. Are sixty fve year olds today different than before? I just refuse to think of myself as being old. Call me a "hip" grandma, a "cool" senior, but don't think of me as old!
I am back to my writing workshops and am taking a poetry class as well. I love to write and try to stay positive about the experience. I send my work out to various publications but it is like shooting out darts. One hopes that a few will hit their mark, but it is a tough and competitive writing world and it is easy to get discouraged.
In December we will take the trip to Maui that we had planned and cancelled. This time we are going with good friends who live in Ohio whom we have known since before we got married. We are looking forward to relaxing and spending time with them.
Thanks for reading my blog and hope to be more consistent about writing!!
Sunday, July 12, 2015
Grandparenting; my first mammogram
When our family arrives from Israel, we have our little ritual at the airport. Both sets of grandparents anxiously hang out in the waiting area. When the children see us,they come tearing down the hall into our arms.Andy's mom has snacks like tangerines and juice for the children and Odwalla juice for my daughter. We hear about their adventures on the plane. This last time, our youngest, almost five, was a trooper and sat the entire flight busy with art projects and watching videos without falling apart. This was nothing short of a miracle as in the past my son in law had to walk him back and forth for hours. Our middle granddaughter made it without getting airsick.Another small miracle.
I marvel at the fact that even though we had not seen them for six months, it is as though they live across the city, not across the world. I attribute this to the marvels of modern technology. They see us on Skype, at least a few times a week. This is not to say it is a perfect visit, with the three grandchildren calmly chatting and telling us about their day. Usually one of them is hanging off the desk chair, another is doing gymnastics in the background and someone else is fussing about whatever. I used to say "be careful" so often when I thought they would get hurt, they started calling me "Savta- Be- Careful."
Often because of the time difference, when we talk to them in the morning, they are exhausted after their busy days. We try to see them every week before the Sabbath which is inherently a hectic time. They have finished their baths, they are wearing Shabbat clothes or sometimes just their jammies and their parents are rushing with the final preparations before the Sabbath. The computer gets shut off. We won't talk to them then until Sunday.
However hearing our voices and just seeing us even for a few minutes every week, even hanging upside down, makes them feel close to us. Both sets of grandparents have made many trips to Israel and the children will be waiting on the balcony when we get out of the cab excited to jump in our arms as though we just saw them without any distance between us.
We are thrilled that our Israeli family will be here for six weeks. They did a house exchange with old friends from Berkeley who are staying in their house in Jerusalem. This is great for all of us. They have a home base and don't need to shlep quite as much to see everyone as we can go to them. They will take some little trips and the children will go to summer camp for two weeks as well. And I get a break from constantly cooking and cleaning which I do when they are in my house though we will have them over often.
My oldest granddaughter spent a night alone at our house and it was a pleasure to have her. I took her for a manicure, to the kosher bakery for borrekas, to Amba (the only kosher restaurant in Oakland) for dinner and of course there was a little shopping interspersed in there. At nine, she is fun to be with. Our middle granddaughter went with her Poppa and helped him deliver Meals on Wheels . Her treat was a big scoop of Baskin Robins ice cream. The other grandparents who equally adore our little ones (and we gladly share our time with them) took the children swimming and shoe shopping. We all went to the Oakland zoo one day. We had a BBQ at our house. This was just in one week!! Because our children observe the Kosher dietary laws strictly, there are hardly any places to go out to eat, and we do lots of cooking.
Besides the children arriving,last week was a significant milestone for me as I had my first mammogram after my treatment. Thankfully everything was fine. I hope as time goes on it will get easier, but it was stressful until I got my results. I only had to wait a half hour as I had an immediate follow up appointment with my radiation oncologist.
This week I will participate in a study at UCSF about the effects of chemotherapy in causing neuropathy, which is tingling or numbness in the hands and feet that is a common problem after taking certain chemo drugs. There are 750 participants in the study. I was lucky in this regard as I did not get this side effect, and they were very interested in having me participate. I had to fill out an extensive questionnaire, they will take blood, and put me through some exercises and tests. It will take around three hours.
This summer is especially sweet for Jeff and I, and we are filled with gratitude, not only to have all of our children and grandchildren close but to treasure that I am doing so well.
I marvel at the fact that even though we had not seen them for six months, it is as though they live across the city, not across the world. I attribute this to the marvels of modern technology. They see us on Skype, at least a few times a week. This is not to say it is a perfect visit, with the three grandchildren calmly chatting and telling us about their day. Usually one of them is hanging off the desk chair, another is doing gymnastics in the background and someone else is fussing about whatever. I used to say "be careful" so often when I thought they would get hurt, they started calling me "Savta- Be- Careful."
Often because of the time difference, when we talk to them in the morning, they are exhausted after their busy days. We try to see them every week before the Sabbath which is inherently a hectic time. They have finished their baths, they are wearing Shabbat clothes or sometimes just their jammies and their parents are rushing with the final preparations before the Sabbath. The computer gets shut off. We won't talk to them then until Sunday.
However hearing our voices and just seeing us even for a few minutes every week, even hanging upside down, makes them feel close to us. Both sets of grandparents have made many trips to Israel and the children will be waiting on the balcony when we get out of the cab excited to jump in our arms as though we just saw them without any distance between us.
We are thrilled that our Israeli family will be here for six weeks. They did a house exchange with old friends from Berkeley who are staying in their house in Jerusalem. This is great for all of us. They have a home base and don't need to shlep quite as much to see everyone as we can go to them. They will take some little trips and the children will go to summer camp for two weeks as well. And I get a break from constantly cooking and cleaning which I do when they are in my house though we will have them over often.
My oldest granddaughter spent a night alone at our house and it was a pleasure to have her. I took her for a manicure, to the kosher bakery for borrekas, to Amba (the only kosher restaurant in Oakland) for dinner and of course there was a little shopping interspersed in there. At nine, she is fun to be with. Our middle granddaughter went with her Poppa and helped him deliver Meals on Wheels . Her treat was a big scoop of Baskin Robins ice cream. The other grandparents who equally adore our little ones (and we gladly share our time with them) took the children swimming and shoe shopping. We all went to the Oakland zoo one day. We had a BBQ at our house. This was just in one week!! Because our children observe the Kosher dietary laws strictly, there are hardly any places to go out to eat, and we do lots of cooking.
Besides the children arriving,last week was a significant milestone for me as I had my first mammogram after my treatment. Thankfully everything was fine. I hope as time goes on it will get easier, but it was stressful until I got my results. I only had to wait a half hour as I had an immediate follow up appointment with my radiation oncologist.
This week I will participate in a study at UCSF about the effects of chemotherapy in causing neuropathy, which is tingling or numbness in the hands and feet that is a common problem after taking certain chemo drugs. There are 750 participants in the study. I was lucky in this regard as I did not get this side effect, and they were very interested in having me participate. I had to fill out an extensive questionnaire, they will take blood, and put me through some exercises and tests. It will take around three hours.
This summer is especially sweet for Jeff and I, and we are filled with gratitude, not only to have all of our children and grandchildren close but to treasure that I am doing so well.
Tuesday, June 23, 2015
Catching up... why I like my Zumba
It has been a while since I have written. Life has been blessedly uneventful. I am feeling really well and getting back to normal or what I call my new normal. I wish I could say that I could completely wash out my memories of last year and my cancer treatment, but that is not possible.I hope and pray as time goes on, those memories will fade. I am reminded of the new me every day I see my super short silver hair but I am getting used to it....slowly.
I took a post-cancer seminar on "survivorship" at Alta Bates Summit Hospital and learned that the post-treatment period can be quite challenging. During treatment one is engaged in a battle like a soldier. After treatment there can be a let down. As much as one strives to have a positive attitude, emotions and feelings and anxieties will surface and fatigue and depression are common. Thankfully I am doing great. Jeff keeps saying to me YOUR"E BACK!!" I did not know it at the time, but writing my blog was extremely important as it gave me a vehicle to express my feelings during my whole ordeal. This has made my recovery easier.
Because of my Ashkenazic background, (Jews whose family is from central or Eastern Europe), there is a concern about a possible genetic connection to breast cancer. I decided to have the testing for the BCRA genes. My sister went with me to meet with the genetics counselor at 1600 Divisadero and to take notes. Linda concluded it would be good for her to be tested as well. The genetics counselor, a lovely young woman, took a detailed family history of illnesses in our family going back to grandparents, aunts and uncles and charted the results. Sadly my father's parents, having been killed during the holocaust, were a blank slate in terms of any genetic history. Listening to what we could piece together about our family, the genetics counselor was fairly confident that we did not have the BCRA gene as there is thankfully not much cancer in our family history.
My sister and I left her office and headed downstairs to the lab for a blood test. We would get the results in about a month. The test checked 26 genes in all which predicted whether there was a possibility of developing certain other cancers or diseases. I was a bit apprehensive about doing this test but felt it was important.
As we left the building, we kept cracking each other up by coming up with a list of funny family traits we were sure we inherited like shopping. It was a great way to relieve tension and we laughed until we practically cried.
When our appointment came to get the results, we went together. I was a little nervous but not crazy with worry. I had an instinctive feeling that we did not carry the BCRA genetic markers for cancer. The genetics counselor greeted us with a big smile and told us right away that we did not carry those genes . I felt a huge sigh of relief because I was afraid for my daughters. The counselor told me that my cancer was "spontaneous" as 90% of all cancers are. Who knows what started those deviant cells growing?
I have been asked to participate in a study for UCSF. Because UCSF is a teaching hospital, there are many studies which one might be asked to join. This particular study is about one of the common side effects of chemotherapy drugs, neuropathy, which is tingling or numbness of fingers, hands and feet. Thankfully I was spared this side effect and never got any numbness. The nurse who called me about particpating was very interested in me because they are trying to find out why some people don't get neuropathy. I have to fill out an extensive survey and go to UCSF on Parnassus for several hours of tests of such things as my balance and reflexes. And yes, they want my blood...too!
I'm very happy to be back exercising. The favorite thing I do is my Zumba for seniors class on Friday mornings at the Oakland Senior Center. The teacher is terrific and a great dancer. I love moving to salsa music and have so much fun that I don't think of it as exercise. In the front of the class there is a woman who comes every week whom I can't help noticing. She can't keep the beat at all, doesn't follow the teacher and somehow makes up her own steps. She has a great time and it doesn't bother her in the least that she can't dance a lick. I think that's a good way to live...do your own thing, enjoy life and don't worry whether you are in step.
I took a post-cancer seminar on "survivorship" at Alta Bates Summit Hospital and learned that the post-treatment period can be quite challenging. During treatment one is engaged in a battle like a soldier. After treatment there can be a let down. As much as one strives to have a positive attitude, emotions and feelings and anxieties will surface and fatigue and depression are common. Thankfully I am doing great. Jeff keeps saying to me YOUR"E BACK!!" I did not know it at the time, but writing my blog was extremely important as it gave me a vehicle to express my feelings during my whole ordeal. This has made my recovery easier.
Because of my Ashkenazic background, (Jews whose family is from central or Eastern Europe), there is a concern about a possible genetic connection to breast cancer. I decided to have the testing for the BCRA genes. My sister went with me to meet with the genetics counselor at 1600 Divisadero and to take notes. Linda concluded it would be good for her to be tested as well. The genetics counselor, a lovely young woman, took a detailed family history of illnesses in our family going back to grandparents, aunts and uncles and charted the results. Sadly my father's parents, having been killed during the holocaust, were a blank slate in terms of any genetic history. Listening to what we could piece together about our family, the genetics counselor was fairly confident that we did not have the BCRA gene as there is thankfully not much cancer in our family history.
My sister and I left her office and headed downstairs to the lab for a blood test. We would get the results in about a month. The test checked 26 genes in all which predicted whether there was a possibility of developing certain other cancers or diseases. I was a bit apprehensive about doing this test but felt it was important.
As we left the building, we kept cracking each other up by coming up with a list of funny family traits we were sure we inherited like shopping. It was a great way to relieve tension and we laughed until we practically cried.
When our appointment came to get the results, we went together. I was a little nervous but not crazy with worry. I had an instinctive feeling that we did not carry the BCRA genetic markers for cancer. The genetics counselor greeted us with a big smile and told us right away that we did not carry those genes . I felt a huge sigh of relief because I was afraid for my daughters. The counselor told me that my cancer was "spontaneous" as 90% of all cancers are. Who knows what started those deviant cells growing?
I have been asked to participate in a study for UCSF. Because UCSF is a teaching hospital, there are many studies which one might be asked to join. This particular study is about one of the common side effects of chemotherapy drugs, neuropathy, which is tingling or numbness of fingers, hands and feet. Thankfully I was spared this side effect and never got any numbness. The nurse who called me about particpating was very interested in me because they are trying to find out why some people don't get neuropathy. I have to fill out an extensive survey and go to UCSF on Parnassus for several hours of tests of such things as my balance and reflexes. And yes, they want my blood...too!
I'm very happy to be back exercising. The favorite thing I do is my Zumba for seniors class on Friday mornings at the Oakland Senior Center. The teacher is terrific and a great dancer. I love moving to salsa music and have so much fun that I don't think of it as exercise. In the front of the class there is a woman who comes every week whom I can't help noticing. She can't keep the beat at all, doesn't follow the teacher and somehow makes up her own steps. She has a great time and it doesn't bother her in the least that she can't dance a lick. I think that's a good way to live...do your own thing, enjoy life and don't worry whether you are in step.
Tuesday, May 5, 2015
Cruising
We are one week back from our Caribbean cruise on the, Navigator of the Seas, part of the Royal Caribbean fleet. The ship was leaving from Galveston Texas. We flew in to Houston and decided to to visit the Johnson Space Center before heading to Galveston. The Johnson Space Center is known around the world as the home of NASA Mission Control,
International Space Station Mission Control and astronaut training. We took several tours and got an overview of the first historic manned rockets of the early space programs.
We spent the weekend in Galveston which is a charming seaside city on the gulf of Mexico still getting back on its feet after a devastating hurricane in 2008. There are some areas which have not yet been re-built. We stayed in the Seawall area and took a long walk along the beach to the old town area called the Strand. Galveston was a port where immigrants landed in the late 1800's well has quite a colorful history as a bustling port and home to thriving casinos. Our favorite way to see a place and get a feel for it is by walking. We even found a historic synagogue building which is no longer in use.
Our first night in Galveston we were entertained by a booming thunderstorm and lashing rains which we watched from our hotel room facing the sea. Jeff almost jumped off the bed with the crash of the thunder. We are not accustomed to that kind of show put on by mother nature. On Sunday, the day we left for the cruise, the weather had turned beautiful and warm with crystal clear blue skies.
The ship had been refurbished several years ago and was elegant with a stunning atrium dominated by a magnificent glass structure. The promenade deck featured stores with typical wares; liquor, jewelry, merchandise with the ship logo. Years ago these shops were much more appealing to me and there wasn't one tzothzke I wanted to take home. There was even a pub and wine bar as well as several specialty restaurants.
The ship, which carried over three thousand passengers, ran like a well-oiled machine. Every time before we entered the dining room we spritzed our hands with Purell from a disinfectant stand or one of the ship's attendants would give us a squirt. They were concerned about viruses spreading which has happened on some ships.
Because we have taken a number of cruises over the years, we could see changes which I would guess are done for cost-cutting purposes.Our room steward, a woman for the first time, was in charge of thirteen rooms without an assistant. She was always rushing, and we could see she was a very hard worker. Our waiter also was hassled and some of the meal service was quite slow. Tipping which used to be a production on the last night of the cruise,handing out envelopes to the water and steward, is now automatically applied to our standing credit card account.
The food was very good and abundant, more than anyone should eat. However there were no midnight buffets (already on the last few cruises this was the case) not that we needed them...! There was no outside pizza or grill or sushi bar as on previous cruises. There was a constant push to buy alcoholic beverages and many people buy drink packages which we don't do.
The excursions off the ship can be quite pricey and one has to read between the lines to figure out if the excursion is really what we want to do. In Riotan Honduras, we spent a low key day at a lovely beach. In Belize we went with a group on a boat to go snorkeling over a coral reef which was fun. The snorkeling equipment is much easier to use than I remember and the swaying coral reefs and fish were amazing.
After the snorkeling, our excursion included several hours at another beautiful beach with soothing, temperate water. We spent several hours in the water just floating around.
In Cozumel, our third stop, I went to a hotel with a group to learn how to make margaritas, several types of salsa and to learn salsa It was an enjoyable experience and I now make a great salsa... though I'm still perfecting my margaritas. Jeff stayed on the ship and had a lazy, relaxing day.
The evening entertainment on the ship was good and included singers, dancers, comedians. Every night there were shows as well as other musical entertainment and several "themed" events and of course a casino. There is plenty to do or you can opt to do nothing much at all...! This ship even had a climbing wall and ice skating rink. You can be sure Jeff and I were not participating in either of these activities but you could find us enjoying the hot tub and the salt water solarium pool.
One thing we observed over and over is how friendly and polite Texans are from the bellman at the Houston hotel, to waitresses in Galveston, to guests in the ship's elevator, to people I chatted with in the hot tub. What is it about Texas? Are people taught good manners as part of their Texas culture and upbringing? We met a lovely couple at our dining table from a small town in Texas and enjoyed our time with them very much. I was surprised to discover the wife played mahjong on Tuesdays just like me!
I brought four different caps and my wig but never wore it once. My "new look" is a fringe of very short silver hair which I have been told looks very chic...(oy!) If you would have said to me before I started cancer treatment that I would "rock" a very short natural hairstyle, not colored or highlighted, I would say , impossible, no way. Yet, here I am enjoying my liberated hairdo. We'll see how it looks as it grows in but for now, my wigs are officially "retired."
The best part of the cruise was sitting on our balcony contemplating the vastness of the ocean and reveling in our time together and my return to good health.
We spent the weekend in Galveston which is a charming seaside city on the gulf of Mexico still getting back on its feet after a devastating hurricane in 2008. There are some areas which have not yet been re-built. We stayed in the Seawall area and took a long walk along the beach to the old town area called the Strand. Galveston was a port where immigrants landed in the late 1800's well has quite a colorful history as a bustling port and home to thriving casinos. Our favorite way to see a place and get a feel for it is by walking. We even found a historic synagogue building which is no longer in use.
Our first night in Galveston we were entertained by a booming thunderstorm and lashing rains which we watched from our hotel room facing the sea. Jeff almost jumped off the bed with the crash of the thunder. We are not accustomed to that kind of show put on by mother nature. On Sunday, the day we left for the cruise, the weather had turned beautiful and warm with crystal clear blue skies.
The ship had been refurbished several years ago and was elegant with a stunning atrium dominated by a magnificent glass structure. The promenade deck featured stores with typical wares; liquor, jewelry, merchandise with the ship logo. Years ago these shops were much more appealing to me and there wasn't one tzothzke I wanted to take home. There was even a pub and wine bar as well as several specialty restaurants.
The ship, which carried over three thousand passengers, ran like a well-oiled machine. Every time before we entered the dining room we spritzed our hands with Purell from a disinfectant stand or one of the ship's attendants would give us a squirt. They were concerned about viruses spreading which has happened on some ships.
Because we have taken a number of cruises over the years, we could see changes which I would guess are done for cost-cutting purposes.Our room steward, a woman for the first time, was in charge of thirteen rooms without an assistant. She was always rushing, and we could see she was a very hard worker. Our waiter also was hassled and some of the meal service was quite slow. Tipping which used to be a production on the last night of the cruise,handing out envelopes to the water and steward, is now automatically applied to our standing credit card account.
The food was very good and abundant, more than anyone should eat. However there were no midnight buffets (already on the last few cruises this was the case) not that we needed them...! There was no outside pizza or grill or sushi bar as on previous cruises. There was a constant push to buy alcoholic beverages and many people buy drink packages which we don't do.
The excursions off the ship can be quite pricey and one has to read between the lines to figure out if the excursion is really what we want to do. In Riotan Honduras, we spent a low key day at a lovely beach. In Belize we went with a group on a boat to go snorkeling over a coral reef which was fun. The snorkeling equipment is much easier to use than I remember and the swaying coral reefs and fish were amazing.
After the snorkeling, our excursion included several hours at another beautiful beach with soothing, temperate water. We spent several hours in the water just floating around.
In Cozumel, our third stop, I went to a hotel with a group to learn how to make margaritas, several types of salsa and to learn salsa It was an enjoyable experience and I now make a great salsa... though I'm still perfecting my margaritas. Jeff stayed on the ship and had a lazy, relaxing day.
The evening entertainment on the ship was good and included singers, dancers, comedians. Every night there were shows as well as other musical entertainment and several "themed" events and of course a casino. There is plenty to do or you can opt to do nothing much at all...! This ship even had a climbing wall and ice skating rink. You can be sure Jeff and I were not participating in either of these activities but you could find us enjoying the hot tub and the salt water solarium pool.
One thing we observed over and over is how friendly and polite Texans are from the bellman at the Houston hotel, to waitresses in Galveston, to guests in the ship's elevator, to people I chatted with in the hot tub. What is it about Texas? Are people taught good manners as part of their Texas culture and upbringing? We met a lovely couple at our dining table from a small town in Texas and enjoyed our time with them very much. I was surprised to discover the wife played mahjong on Tuesdays just like me!
I brought four different caps and my wig but never wore it once. My "new look" is a fringe of very short silver hair which I have been told looks very chic...(oy!) If you would have said to me before I started cancer treatment that I would "rock" a very short natural hairstyle, not colored or highlighted, I would say , impossible, no way. Yet, here I am enjoying my liberated hairdo. We'll see how it looks as it grows in but for now, my wigs are officially "retired."
The best part of the cruise was sitting on our balcony contemplating the vastness of the ocean and reveling in our time together and my return to good health.
Monday, April 13, 2015
Five Shades of Gray
I have created a new blog, Movin' On, to chronicle my post-cancer life. There was a very interesting three part series on PBS two weeks ago which was based on the book, The Emperor of Maladies, a history of cancer and treatment. I had read the book several years ago in my book club, BC, before cancer.I wasn't sure if I could even watch the program but I did see two episodes.
It was fascinating to follow the first pioneers of cancer treatment and how they came to discoveries which have evolved to standard medical practices. There have been huge strides made in treating childhood leukemia as well as many other cancers. It seems like every day in the news there are promising clinical trials. Sixty Minutes had a segment on the use of the polio virus to activate the body's own immune system for treating certain cancers.
These days hearing and reading about cancer has become much more personal and this post treatment time is still delicate for me as I regain my strength and confidence in my return to good health. I try to follow recommendations in diet and exercise I have learned through UCSF classes and literature. Sometimes I laugh at the food I try to incorporate into my daily diet. I eat cruciferous vegetables because the nutritionist says they are important e.g.(broccoli, cauliflower, arugula.) I drink a cup of green tea for anti oxidants. I try to have some ground flax seed every day though I forget why, and I'm supposed to exercise 150 minutes a week both aerobic and weight bearing. You are probably thinking OY VEY...all these things. My theory is if I do some of them some of the time...it is better than not doing them ever and if they can keep me healthy then why not? Oh and don't worry, I haven't given up my favorite treat (ice cream) that doesn't appear on the list of cruciferous veggies.
The good news is I feel terrific. I had so much energy that I cooked Passover dinner for seventeen and loved doing it; two kinds of charoset, gefillte fish, matzoh ball soup, real chopped liver and vegetarian chopped liver, brisket, two kugels, homemade apple rhubarb sauce and several desserts including meringues with a lemon curd filling and rich chocolate brownies. Jeff couldn't believe that I did most of the cooking though with some help from my sister. I felt incredibly grateful to be able to gather the family and this was a Seder we will never forget.
Now for the trivial. My hair is growing in and is several intriguing shades of light and dark silver. At this point it has a mind of its own with strange waves and places where it is sticking up. My nephew calls me Annie Lennox. Who would believe that I would even contemplate leaving this silver concoction untouched and not coloring it. The amazing part is that it looks very contemporary at least for now. A hip young sales associate, Anthony helping me pick out some make up at the Macy's counter in San Francisco says I should keep it natural and rock it. If one day my silver hair will make me feel older than I want to feel, I might hit the "bottle" again but for now it is part of the "new" me.
One of the women on the PBS special, a cancer survivor, expressed a sentiment simply but eloquently with which I totally agree. Once you have been through cancer you are never the same. That is OK with me. I don't have to be the same person, but I can try to be a better one.
And I will close with the exciting news that we are heading on a cruise to the Western Caribbean in a few days stopping in Belize, Riotan, Honduras and Cozumel. We fly to Houston than pick up the ship in Galveston. Having never been to Houston or Galveston we will go to the Space Center and spend the weekend in Galveston checking out the beach and the historical areas. We are most looking forward to relaxing and re-charging.
It was fascinating to follow the first pioneers of cancer treatment and how they came to discoveries which have evolved to standard medical practices. There have been huge strides made in treating childhood leukemia as well as many other cancers. It seems like every day in the news there are promising clinical trials. Sixty Minutes had a segment on the use of the polio virus to activate the body's own immune system for treating certain cancers.
These days hearing and reading about cancer has become much more personal and this post treatment time is still delicate for me as I regain my strength and confidence in my return to good health. I try to follow recommendations in diet and exercise I have learned through UCSF classes and literature. Sometimes I laugh at the food I try to incorporate into my daily diet. I eat cruciferous vegetables because the nutritionist says they are important e.g.(broccoli, cauliflower, arugula.) I drink a cup of green tea for anti oxidants. I try to have some ground flax seed every day though I forget why, and I'm supposed to exercise 150 minutes a week both aerobic and weight bearing. You are probably thinking OY VEY...all these things. My theory is if I do some of them some of the time...it is better than not doing them ever and if they can keep me healthy then why not? Oh and don't worry, I haven't given up my favorite treat (ice cream) that doesn't appear on the list of cruciferous veggies.
The good news is I feel terrific. I had so much energy that I cooked Passover dinner for seventeen and loved doing it; two kinds of charoset, gefillte fish, matzoh ball soup, real chopped liver and vegetarian chopped liver, brisket, two kugels, homemade apple rhubarb sauce and several desserts including meringues with a lemon curd filling and rich chocolate brownies. Jeff couldn't believe that I did most of the cooking though with some help from my sister. I felt incredibly grateful to be able to gather the family and this was a Seder we will never forget.
Now for the trivial. My hair is growing in and is several intriguing shades of light and dark silver. At this point it has a mind of its own with strange waves and places where it is sticking up. My nephew calls me Annie Lennox. Who would believe that I would even contemplate leaving this silver concoction untouched and not coloring it. The amazing part is that it looks very contemporary at least for now. A hip young sales associate, Anthony helping me pick out some make up at the Macy's counter in San Francisco says I should keep it natural and rock it. If one day my silver hair will make me feel older than I want to feel, I might hit the "bottle" again but for now it is part of the "new" me.
One of the women on the PBS special, a cancer survivor, expressed a sentiment simply but eloquently with which I totally agree. Once you have been through cancer you are never the same. That is OK with me. I don't have to be the same person, but I can try to be a better one.
And I will close with the exciting news that we are heading on a cruise to the Western Caribbean in a few days stopping in Belize, Riotan, Honduras and Cozumel. We fly to Houston than pick up the ship in Galveston. Having never been to Houston or Galveston we will go to the Space Center and spend the weekend in Galveston checking out the beach and the historical areas. We are most looking forward to relaxing and re-charging.
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