We came home from the hospital on Thursday and have been mostly trying to catch up on our sleep since then. Thank you all for the good wishes/support/meals/cards [cookies!] you have sent. Om nom nom, really truly.  

Kate is very tired and has difficulty communicating, but she is improving every day. She got out of the ICU and then home from the hospital more quickly than anticipated, a very positive sign. Her sister Sue left this weekend, but will be back later this week. We will be meeting with various doctors in the coming week, and will know more about our schedule going forward after those meetings.

We would welcome visitors at just about any time we are home and awake. Conversation and distraction are wonderful, but we do need to keep an eye on our energy level, mine as well as Kate’s. It’s also very pleasant just to have someone around who is reading or knitting or working on a jigsaw puzzle while I run an errand or take a nap.  

If you would like to come by for a visit or bring/send food, our friend Bo O’Dell has set up a page on a site called “Meal Train” which you can use to schedule yourself. Please contact him (youknowmeasbo at gmail dot com) for information on the site.

HOWEVER, if you find yourself able to pop by, day or evening, please text or call my cell (503-806-7562) and we’ll let you know if we are up for visitors.

You want to take 5 minutes to call? Just call.  

One thing that is really important is to understand that this is going to be a long haul — we are looking at weeks and months of treatments. We really welcome your help now, but will be needing it even more later on as people burn out. So it’s really, really okay if you can’t come by this month.  We will still need your help in 2015.

I’m also trying to get back to my writing, and we’re looking at setting up regular writing sessions with other writers, either here at home or possibly at a coffee shop nearby (which might involve scheduling another person to be with Kate while I’m offsite). If you’re interested in joining in, email me.

Thanks again for your help in this difficult time.