Get away

Don't fly me to the Moon - fly on Mars instead:
http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/odyssey/gallery/video/movies/ThemisFlybyMusic.mpg

This is a movie of a simulated flight over Mariner Valley on Mars, based on data collected by Mars orbiter instrumentation. Download time is over a minute for a hi-speed connection.

Not much to report

We haven't talked to Derek in a couple of days, but he's taking it easy, from what Airdrie and our granddaughters tell us. As mentioned before, it's a slow and gradual recovery for Derek.

We have guests from Europe ourselves for a couple of days, so we're showing them the Vancouver sites - the weather is beautiful.

Cloud ring

We live in a house with "northern exposure" and have a beautiful view of the "North Shore Mountains". My wife and I never get tired of the ever-changing scenery - even though we have lived here for 36 years. Many a morning and evening we sit in our living room to watch the play of light at sunrise and sunset.

The pictures shown above were taken on the evening of Aug 4, 2007. From our point of view, the sun has already set, but it is still illuminating these clouds from below. Here's another one:


















This sunset picture was taken earlier this year, also from our front window.

If you're interested in some more "view" shots, Here's the link:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mimiandpapa/sets/72157594393515729/

Dereks' evening out

I'm sure most of you who read this blog do so because, when Derek is temporarily incapacitated in his fight with the cancer, I post information here. So it is with some degree of pleasure that I point you back to his blog (http://www.penmachine.com/), because Derek is blogging more regularly again. It is also good to know that more substantial food, and an occasional drink (http://www.penmachine.com/2007/08/know-your-limit), do go down well with him, even though he has to watch the interactions between drink and medication. He can use all the calories he can get.

When adversity strikes, you really learn for whom you care and what is important.

Dereks' amazing mind

You can accuse me of being biased, and, being his dad, I'll cheerfully admit it. Derek has put another post on his blog (http://www.penmachine.com/2007/08/my-love-is-vengeance), and, if you read it, you'll likely agree that the theme of this post is totally different from that of his other recent posts. I'm constantly amazed at the depth and breadth of Dereks' interests and knowledge. I can't even pretend to know what Derek is talking about in that post (my interests are quite different from Dereks' and that regard), but what astounds me is that he seems to be able to divorce himself mentally from his current medical problems and concerns.

Derek and I went down to the hospital to talk to the surgeon (Dr. Phang) who removed Dereks' cancerous rectum. Derek wanted to find out whether his current symptoms need some attention. Dr. Phang told us that what Derek is experiencing is quite normal. He said that the recovery will be lengthy, and painful episodes will still occur with some regularity. Derek will take some Tylenol 3 when necessary to combat those. On Tuesday, he will meet with the pain management experts at the BC Cancer Institute for further information in this regard.

My relief, and I'm sure Dereks', too, is palpable. While having to go through this is no fun, it's obvious to me that this information is contributing to Dereks' renewed interest in blogging about other subjects.

My wife and I are very proud of him.

Getting rolling

As you all know by now, Derek is not too strong right now, so walking is a chore, rather than a pleasure. We have a wheelchair in our family, which has had some use in the past. I picked it up from our downtown storage this afternoon to make it possible for Derek to be rolled to places other than the immediate surroundings of the house, where he then can go walking. The Metrotown Mall is not far away (and it's a big mall), with many interesting shops and many people, where he can have a meal or coffee. We also have a nice park in our neighbourhood. Additionally, the wheel chair is light enough to put into the car, and be taken to areas farther away. Vancouver is a beautiful city; there are many interesting spots.

I'm sure that all this will lift Derek's spirits. He already sounds much happier.

Flat line today

You'll have noticed that Derek's not been blogging lately. While he is eating more and more each day, he still feels very weak and gets tired very easily. He does try, though. This afternoon, he went for a one and a half block (slow) walk, and he just took another one in our garden and in the back of the house. Nonetheless, he doesn't feel any better than yesterday.

I think that this can be expected. Derek's body has been subject to a major medical assault. His weight loss cannot be made up in short order. The restricted diet he has to follow limits progress in some ways. Recovery rarely occurs in a linear fashion, there are ups and downs.

It's easy to talk this way, because when you feel the way Derek does right now, this is all academic talk. It's painful as a parent to see him labour to do any of the things he used to do easily - Derek feels this most of all, no doubt. For Derek, the time must seem interminable.

Of course Derek, Airdrie, Marina, and Lauren have our unquestioned support. It is depressing to think that we can't speed up his recovery - time is the only healer.