Gift from the Sea

“Patience, patience, patience, is what the sea teaches. Patience and faith.
 One should lie empty, open, choiceless as a beach—waiting for a gift from the sea.” 

― Anne Morrow Lindbergh, Gift from the Sea

Mom has always loved Anne Morrow Lindbergh and her book Gift from the Sea. Mom's walks along the beach are certainly acts of great patience and faith, joyfully searching for the gifts of the day, be it a special shell, a beautiful sunrise, the patterns in the sand.

Her medical appointments are also exercises of patience and faith - waiting for tests, results, analysis and hoping and praying for the best. Yesterday at mom's chemo appointment, she was able to receive a 50% dose. It seems the neupogen shots were able to bolster her white blood cell counts enough for her to receive the treatment, so she will return for shots again twice this week. Next week will be her week off from chemo.

A few folks have asked about Mom's special shells mentioned in the last posting.  "Smoothies" are pieces of shells that have been polished by the sand and surf to a super smooth finish.  For Mom, the keepers are the ones that fit perfectly between her thumb and other fingers. "Angel wings" are bits of scallop shells that are reminiscent of wings, and  Mom looks for the curve of the shell and the patterns of colors to be just right before declaring it a true "angel wing" for her collection.

During my trip to Flordia, I realized a gift from the sea can come when and how you least expect it.  One morning, I went to meet Mom at the beach at sunrise, but I could not find her anywhere.  I was getting pretty anxious about where could she be.  The surf was dangerously rough - but it seemed crazy to think that she would have gotten literally carried away.  I finally reached her by phone - somehow we had just missed each other back at the condo complex and she was on her way over.  I sat down on the sand with great relief, starting to appreciate the sunrise with a new frame of mind now that I had "found" Mom.  While I was sitting, a woman walked by with her black lab and holding a large beautiful shell.  When she said she had just found it close to where we were, I thought to myself it was too bad I had not found that shell for Mom.  The woman walked down the beach but then returned a few minutes later and offered me the shell. I said that was too kind but no thank you.  She insisted.  I thanked her very much and told her that I would give it to my mother.  I am glad I got to introduce the woman, whose name is Debra, to Mom the next day.  Mom asked if she had ever read Gift from the Sea.

Photo of Mom holding a heart rock

Photo of Mom with the "Gift from the Sea/ Gift from Debra" Shell

Nice photo of Mom and Dad heading out to the St. Patrick's Day party at the condo

For photos, comments and their FL address go to followingdenise.blogspot.com

Endless Summer

Mom and Dad are truly soaking up all the good things that their Florida home offers them – the bright sunshine, the sounds of the surf, and good friends.  I am so lucky and happy to be seeing it all first hand as my family and I have spent the last week in Florida with them.

Mom’s first FL chemo appointment last week on March 1st went well.  Dad went with her; Mom said he was perhaps a bit overwhelmed by the large medical complex.  Her blood work looked good so her doctor prescribed a 80% dose of chemo. 

Yesterday Mom had her second chemo appointment.  When the nurse came back with the blood work results, she braced us that she did not think there would be chemo since the white blood cells counts were low.  But doctor decided to proceed with a 50% dose, though he wanted her to return two more times this week to receive neupogen shots to help boost her white blood cells.  Hopefully this will work so she will be able to receive chemo next week.

Over the last few years, Florida has been a welcome retreat for Mom and Dad during the winter months.  When they bought their condo last March, Mom named their new home Endless Summer.  This year Endless Summer is providing the perfect place to find many moments peace and joy.

Mom gets up early every morning while Dad is still sleeping and walks the beach, reveling in the early sunlight streaming through the clouds.  She combs the beach looking for treasures – shells that she has given her own special nomenclature: angel wings, smoothies, hearts, sunrise shells to name a few. For each one she takes home, she must pick up a hundred or more. For Mom, each morning is a gift, each with a unique combination of surf, sun, sand and shells.

Photo of Sunrise

Photo of some of Mom's Heart Shells and Rocks

My kids have just loved spending the week with DeeDee and Vovo.  They have seen sunrises and sunsets with Mom, and enjoyed everything in between.  It has been a great time that none of us want to end – we are all loving our time together during our little "endless summer".

Photo of DeeDee, the kids and me at the seawall by the farmers' market

For pictures, comments and their FL address go to followingdenise.blogspot.com