It is challenging for me (Mark) to be away on the weekend but with lots of work it was unavoidable.
Mum had the feeding tube put in - unfortunately the hospital's schedule continues to be approximate at best. They told the family she was about to go in, so they all left, and then they were delayed again so she was alone in her room for a bit before they figured it out and went to visit again until she actually did leave. The procedure went well and the tube appears to be pretty unobtrusive. The earliest they can feed her is 24 hours after the tube was put in, so you can bet that we will be watching the clock and making sure that she gets some nourishment as soon as possible! Here's hoping they have liquid Yorkshire Pudding and Wiener Schnitzel, and no Jello!
Mum's voice was sounding stronger and she was even more lucid - amazing considering the medication they are giving her, her state of hunger, and her overall condition. She is making really interesting observations and her sense of humour is more paprika-like than ever. Could it be the morphine? Whatever the reason, we're enjoying it!
The weather continues to be exceptionally clear and sunny, which certainly helps keep one's mood up - the sunlight comes through one of Mum's paintings Robin Hood's Bay in North Yorkshire which has been placed in one of the window frames, and it just creates a glow in the room.
Gyongyi was flying out early Sunday so had her last visit on Saturday evening after a dinner with the family and a close friend. Vicky was sleeping over in the room on Saturday and will pass along updates later.
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8 comments:
Hello Marika and family:
I have such appreciation and admiration for all of you in this difficult time but it is not surprising to me that you all face this test with such grace, courage and humour. Marika was a great role model and support with all of these qualities when I first came to UNBC in 1994 and taught me so much. Please convey to her and to ayou all my very best love and that of Wendy. Her painting in honour of our wedding has pride of place in our home..
hugs and kisses xoxox Tess Healy and Wendy Young
Hallo dràga Marikam, megint egy nap eltelt. Mark màr koràn reggel hosszan beszàmolt mindenröl. Sok idejébe tellik, nagyon tiszteljük érte. Ma gondoltam vissza, hogy amikor Daviddal itt voltatok, 1967-ben, Sandra màr utban volt, Vicky és Peter kicsik voltak, na és Mark csak késöbb érkezett.A képeket làttuk, nem tudtam hogy ilyen rejtett tehetségeid is vannak, nagyon szèpek. Gondolatban sokat Veled, meg az egész csalàddal, nagyon bizom azerös akaratodban, vàrjuk a jo vàltozàst . Sok puszi Kati és Gèza (Haber)
Marika always had a sharp- I won't say caustic - sense of humour. Probably a good thing to counteract Yorkshire realism. We went to Hebden Bridge last March as John once had relatives there. I had not seen it for 45 years. It is now a Yuppie heaven with a pedestrian centre filled with art shops! Quite a contrast from the grim mill town of the past which was a real shock for a Southerner who had never been north of London.
I hope that Marika is comfortable. I am sure she finds the room improvements reassuring.
Jackie Burrows
Hi Marika. Your 24 hours is up and you must be getting some yummy nourishment by now... hope it smells and tastes good to you and that you can soon swallow more by
yourself!!!
I have the info for the Goward House show, and the photos you asked for of our little ones and think I will pop over tomorrow briefly to at least drop it off. If you are busy, sleeping or otherwise not feeling up to a visit, I'll just dash and return another day. You will soon regain some strength, but Oh what a way to shed a few pounds!!! Hugs, Bonny Myers
My Dear Marika,
Hope your belly feels a bit full now. I am amazed that they had not done this sooner. Jello is not a food in my opinion. Your throat will be able to heal now.
Matthew and I are driving to Vancouver on Thurdsay and hope to get over to Victoria on Monday the 22nd. It would be wonderful to see you if you are able to receive visitors. We will visit David for sure if he is available.
Matthew starts his external radiation treaments on October 1st. That is his 70th birthday. He didn't think he would feel up to much travel once his treaments started so we are heading to the coast for a few days of R&R.
Great to hear that your sense of humour is as sharp as ever. Laughter is the best medicine.
Love
Carol Sigurdson and Matthew Swan
Hi Marika -
I saw Stéphane Dion on Friday at UVic and thought I'd share a joke he told. He was asked about Canadian sovereignty in the Arctic and said we'd have to share because we can't defeat either the Americans or the Russians ... and we are too polite to shoot the whales.
Okay it is not a top of the charts joke, but it was pretty good, don't you think?
We still love 'Art History 101' and thank you for painting it. You go, girl!
Hugs from Kate Mailer
Swenn Versus the Hungarians
You've heard this before, but Chaucer and Shakespeare re-told tales, so.... UBC, 1961 or so. Intramural soccer at noon. VCF vs Forestry II. Swenn thinks, Forestry? OK, blokes from Nelson, Chilliwack, Prince George, etc. They'll be no match for Varsity Christian Fellowship. God will be on our side of course. We take the field, so do the foresters. Someone says, who are those guys? They're all short, and they look serious. Their 'keeper isn't short; I see a few tall guys. Along comes alarmist, Hey, you guys, warning, danger, and mega-alert. Forestry II is Sopron! Shop Worn? says Swenn the Kool, Those guys don't look all that shop worn to me. Their passing looks rather snappy. SOPRON! you git! What's shop run? Swenn, where were you when the Hungarians chopped down the English 6-3 in Wembley of all places. These lads flew from Wembley to UBC? Wooooooo! Why? To teach you a lesson, Swenn, get with it! So the VCFers took to the field with Swenn the Kool at left half. One of Swenn's team mates scored a goal at about the 10 minute mark into the Magyar net which is where you're supposed to score your goals although it doesn't always happen that way. Cheers! Swenn began to notice various foresters running, passing, heading, diving and sliding by; oftentimes the ball was accompanying the forester on the move. Hmmmmmm, thought Kool Swenn. He thought deeper when the foresters scored one, two, three, four, was it five goals into the Christian net. The noon-hour Christians were beginning to say Damn. Some of the more fervent said Double Damn. Some of the super pious began to pray aloud for the game to end. It did. Neither Swenn nor his teammates scored any more goals because it was a short game. The Hungarians came to UBC to teach (Swenn encountered some on the volleyball court; he also watched some fencers, probably Forestry I fencers). They were good teachers (Swenn knows his teachers!) Marika showed up at UNBC where she did no forestry to speak of, no fencing of the sword-play variety although she relished the thrust and parry of academe, no football, nor did she waste any time with the shop worn cool although she did hang about with some colourful birds (Marika knows her birds!). She taught! Oh, did she teach! She also wrote. And told stories. She also listened to stories. Sometimes she said YOU'VE GOT TO BE KIDDING! and she always laughed heartily, which every teacher has to be able to do. That's about it for now, but you'd better watch out for those Hungarians. They're wizard teachers. PDS
Dearest Marika.....Our visit with you and David last June was wonderful, what happy memories of you both and all your magificent paintings. Thankyou for sharing your space at Goward House.... I sketched a sun flower at the community gardens to-day, thinking of you....
Artists Workshop started up again on Thursday....You were the fun part of the workshop...we miss you so much. You are very much loved and prayed for....Joy Cotter
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