Takin' the Blog for a Walk

things I would've blogged about

Posted by Brien Lee on March 12, 2009

1) sound of music, Carroll, politics, Tim

 I don't like going this long between posts. Must be a victim of the economy - cutbacks are everywhere. More time spent working, less spent writing. Laying off half the employees doesn't necessarily mean the workload decreases by half.

I've been active, but just too blogged down to write about it. Here's a few things that I didn't write about in the last couple weeks:

I was the only man in a room of 25 women at Country Springs making Mother's Day cards for troops overseas. Leslie and Maria, a couple of local stamping crafters, got the idea of helping the troops honor their mothers from a Missouri woman's blog. One thing I noticed is how much work goes into those cards. The one I was making took about 20 steps to completion. Noticed all the neat gadgets used by crafters - the preinked design rollers, oval-shaped paper punches, glue tape... Noticed how very popular stamping for troops is - I left after just 15 cards to free up space for someone else to try.

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Later that day I attended Carroll's Concert Choir, Vocal Collective and Chorale performance at St. Joe's. I probably enjoyed the Women's Ensemble the most. The women, all dressed in matching black gowns and wearing similar necklaces, looked as good as they sounded. The directing was flawless, the program entertaining, and acoustics in the old church superb.

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I met State Senator John Lehman Friday, U.S. Senator Russ Feingold Saturday and Representative Scott Gunderson on Monday. This must be a rough time to be a politician. Everyone seeking answers, jobs, money.

I recently caught the last episode of "The Bachelor". Jason rejected Molly, then proposed to Melissa. He later broke off the engagement with Melissa to get back together with Molly. Unusual, but not as weird as seeing Melissa now "Dancing with the Stars". 

Got lucky at the Get Lucky Art Crawl Saturday. Lucky to find a parking spot! Once I found a good spot on one end of town, I left the car and walked to the other, checking out art stops along the way. One of the nicest surprises was the Springs Riverfront Gallery. I was never a visitor when the building was an antique store so I was exploring new territory. I like the old warehouse look to the place, where the individual studios and galleries merge to form an artwork in progress. There's a comfortable feel to it with worn rug, bare wood and mismatched furniture. There's a lot of creativity going on there and I intend to visit back on occasion to see how it's coming.

Finally got a tour of a Clarke Hotel room. The shower looked splashy, bed thick and comfy. I can't see myself staying there, but that's just me. Not the right setting to get away from it all, and not enough there to keep me occupied. 

Been a long, long time since I wrote about Tim so here's the latest update:

THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 2009 04:12 PM, CDT

Just a quick note to update everyone. Tim continues to do well. His Leukemia continues to be in remission. We are grateful each day for his continuing good health.

Life after cancer is different then we all expected. I had read up on what to expect after treatment is over but it is still quite a shock. Life has changed for Tim. He no longer does the same activities he did prior to cancer and his goals have changed. As parents, our lives have changed. We have learned how to navigate a new world of medicine, have learned patience, and remember everyday how precious life is. I read his whole journal the other day and was amazed at the journey Tim has taken. I am very proud of how well he handled all the medical procedures, doctor visits, hospitalizations, and clinic visits that it took to be called a Survivor. Along with the medical side, he finished High School, supported the four sports teams that he had been on for three years, and started college. He is truly an amazing young man.

On behalf of Children's Hospital Skywalk Pharmacy, Tim will be at the Milwaukee Iron arena football game tonight. It should be an exciting night.

One of Tim's goals is to start a foundation or group for athletes that have had cancer. Many athletes during treatment and during survivorship are unable to perform to the level they could before cancer. They are unable to join friends in a high paced competitive game. Tim would like to sponsor sporting events to get athletes with cancer together to play a pick up game, flag football, soccer, volleyball, tennis, swimming, or baseball. Being active is so important even when you don't feel 100%. If you have ideas that can help Tim reach his goal, please email him at thoehnke@uwm.edu.

Tim has another check up tomorrow at the MACC Fund Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders. This is the new name for the Children's Hospital Oncology Clinic. I will update more after that appointment.