Poetry helps

People have asked how they can help and though I understand the desire to be able to do something to help folks you care for, I really haven't had much to suggest. So here's a few ideas.

First and foremost, donate blood. The place to do it is the Red Cross and I think you can give it directly to Gil if you are blood type A positive, and if not have it go to UW Hospital. Gil has gone through a tremendous amount of blood and platelets and will continue to need them. I'd love to know that we're putting back some of what he's used.

When we move to Winnemac, I'd love to set up some kind of visit schedule to give both of us a break. If you're interested, feel free to drop me a line at piperkath@gmail.com, and when I'm ready to set something up, I'll get back in touch with you.

Come spring, there might be stuff out at the farm that I could use help with, fencing, firewood etc, but I've got it covered at the moment. Let me know if you'd be interested, and I'll get back to you when farm work comes up.

Finally, as I said many years ago in an earlier crisis when a friend said she just wanted something she could DO, poetry helps. Find me a good poem which will help me see some aspect of my life in a new way, one which gives words or images to bring to the surface some of the deep current of feeling I may not be conscious of. And it "shifts the pressure points" in my soul, an image that we are very conscious of with all Gil's bed and chair time.

Now for the numbers: two days out from 2 units of red blood and one of platelets, the red has settled at 9.5 but the platelets dropped to 9. So we're in the hospital getting a bag of platelets and a 20 mg shot of dexamethasone and waiting til Monday to see if the IGG drops. His appetite is improving so we're off to find some tasty morsels when we leave here. During this last week or so, I've been giving myself the freedom to have chocolate croissant whenever I feel like it. Unfortunately, I didn't loose 20# this month, but I will say, chocolate helps too!