Tarheel Tavern #37

The big top goes up here again this week for the Tarheel Tavern. It's a simple one this week, no theme - you Carolina Bloggers just pass along your most brilliant post of the week and watch me work my magic ;) Send them to my inbox before midnight Saturday night and I'll juggle them into the post for a pre-dawn Sunday opening!

The News So Far

All of Scott's sisters and brother had their blood drawn on Thursday morning, Scott's wasn't drawn until Friday, so his results are a bit behind the rest, but so far, without Scott's results, we know that none of the others are a perfect match for the bone marrow transplant. Their oldest sister is a partial match, and might be a possibility. We're still waiting for the results from Scott's tests. Hopefully we'll know tomorrow if he matches more closely, and is therefore a better candidate for donating.

Everyone has said, from a completely non-medical point of view, that Scott and Randy would be a perfect match because they're so much alike, both physically and mentally/emotionally - they're like 2 peas in a pod. Let's hope they really are, even on a genetic level. At this point Scott may be the only real chance they have out of the siblings.

Just because I need it, I'm going to tell a funny story that ought to tell you how much alike they are.

The first time I met Randy, we had gone to New York for one holiday or another, who remembers, maybe it was a just 'cuz trip, but it was the first time I met Randy, the second time I'd met their mother, and we were staying with her. Since we live 850 miles away, visits with Scott were like holidays in and of themselves for the family, and everyone would pile into her house and hang out and Connie would make breakfast and it would just be a hectic chaotic everyone-everywhere-trying-not-to-trample-any-kids sort of time.

This time, Randy showed up early, as in, we were barely awake, no one had made coffee yet sort of early, and I was still a little disoriented, feeling out of place, and I'll even admit to being clingy. I barely let Scott out of my sight. So, at one point, I toddle off to the little girl's room, and come back out, and there, at the microwave with his back to me is a man I believe to be Scott. Silly cutesy clingy me decides to walk up behind him and say hi... with, of course, what else, but a discreet lil ass-grab.

Thank you God in that last half a second I looked up and realized that the hair was just a half shade too dark to be Scott's! Now THAT would have been a great way to impress Scott's brother, yes? Ugh! I was so so embarrassed! And that was even with having avoided the disaster! Now I laugh about it, even Scott laughs at me about it. . . but then, oh man was I mortified!

But that is how much alike they look, walk, stand, talk, and carry themselves. They're like twins, only with a few years between them.

Anyway, hopefully we'll know tomorrow about Scott's results and it'll be good news. We've all decided.

More

Thanks very much to a reader with a generous heart, I had the pleasure yesterday morning, of mailing out a check to Randy and his wife. Both sides of this family tend to be hard-headed, and too proud for our own good, and because of that I was a little worried that they'd be offended that I was sending them money, let alone money from a stranger, because I hadn't mentioned a word to them about my donation button on their behalf.

I just wanted to let the person who donated that money know how very grateful they were for that check. Things have been very tough for them financially, since Randy was diagnosed and put out of work. They lost a huge chunk of their income, and then piled on medical expenses, traveling expenses, and the bills from a new baby. Plus she's having to miss work too, to be there for him and get him where he needs to be for various appointments.

So, from them, thank you for that, and for all the messages of support, and I want to thank you all too, for allowing me the pleasure of delivering all of the above.

Poetry Carnival 11/13

Go to legwarmers [link] for a complete description of this
Carnival's theme, submission instructions, etc.

In brief: This Carnival challenge is to create your own Ars Poetica. Dabble in art for art's sake. What is your personal rulebook for the function, craft, form or purpose of a poem--or are there rules? What motivates you, as a poet? What you seek to accomplish each time you set pen to paper (or fingertip to keyboard, as it may be)? What is a poem? What mustn't it be? All mediums and formats welcome -- after all, you're the poet.

Submissions due by November 12 (next Saturday) at NOON. Please email submissions to liz8murray(at)hotmail(dot)com or submit them via the email button on Legwarmers.

Contest Call - Science Creative Quarterly

Dave over at The Science Creative Quarterly (in which, with respect to our name, we're as confused as you are.) contacted me this morning and asked that I make an announcement to help spread the word for a contest they're running.

They announce it with the following introduction, which to me, says it all, but go have a look and maybe even participate. All the details are there!
WE SEEK CREATIVE PIECES - KEYWORD EVOLUTION.
By The Science Creative Quarterly


"Hey hey, it's time to play
Evolution is what we say
My my, we must try
For ID is a silly lie"
[link]

THT1106

My mother used to tell me, among many other things, "Erin, you'll never get help when you need it, unless you ask for it." And then she'd go through life being completely independent of anyone else. She never asked for help or relied on any other person to do things for her. She was strong, and kids, well, we learn by example don't we?

I grew up always wanting to accomplish everything on my own, prove myself to be as strong and independent and dependable as she was. So I've spent years never asking for help, feeling like I was weak if I ever needed someone for anything. Well, right now I'm going to ask you all for help, and I refuse to even indulge my tendency to be apologetic or ashamed while I do it. Not so hard really, because I'm not asking for myself, I'm asking for my brother in law.

He became a first-time homeowner in March/April, a new Daddy in June, and a cancer patient in July. He went from the captain of the local fire squad and a full time employee of a mattress factory, to a full time Leukemia patient undergoing chemotherapy in a matter of a week. His family is struggling just to keep the bills paid and food on the table - and that's without taking into consideration all the treatments, travel and life-saving medications that his insurance either doesn't pay for at all, or only pays a portion of. Just one of those medications alone, an experimental drug that his insurance won't pay for, costs $400 a month, and may be the one drug that gives him the chance at surviving long enough to get a stem cell transplant (the modern version of the bone marrow transplant) that is the only thing that might guarantee his remission.

So what I'm asking is that you please please take a minute to use the donation button there on the right, and contribute whatever you can to help them out. Help me help them pay for that medication he so desperately needs.

The Well

The Well - 55 Word Poem

He still anticipates her homecoming,
four irrational years later.
He's still blinded
by the brilliance of her smile.

It's in his pocket now -
a worn out lucky coin he fingers
as he walks life's shadowed streets.

He'll toss it, make a wish;
he'll realize
he can't take it with him,
someday.

But not today.

Tagged: 55 word poem, Literature, Poem, Poetics, Poetry, Writing

Waiting

It only occurred to me about an hour ago that, even with 5 siblings being tested, it's possible that no one will match. I hadn't considered that thought before, and I've decided not to consider it right now either. We should know today, or possibly tomorrow, if Scott or any of their other brothers or sisters can donate their marrow, and I'm choosing just to believe that one of them will.

The waiting and anticipation is so hard, I can't imagine what Randy and his wife must be feeling right now. Please God let this be one of those times that the Doctors have the results when they said they would, and NOT make them wait any longer. And please please, let someone be a perfect match!

Thank you

I don't know how to thank those of you who have emailed and commented and otherwise shown your support... The concern and caring has been both heartwarming and uplifting. For the couple of you who have been kind enough to make donations, (whose names I won't mention because I get the impression that that's the way you prefer it) I hope that you understand how helpful it is, and how grateful we are. All of you, as a group, have given us reason to stay positive and remember the good things in the middle of all the difficulties and emotions we've been dealing with lately. You're all just wonderful, and you're all very appreciated. Thank you all very very much. I hope that at some point I can find a way to repay the kindnesses.

Maple Syrup

Maple Syrup

He will wake soon, cold
in sullied city snow,
and though I've never seen it,
that seems forlorn and grey.

His leaves have fallen and
this season has shaken him.
Winter finds him pale and naked
and takes all he has left,
tapped him like a maple, sapped
for the making of syrup.

So I sit this morning,
with coffee and breakfast
contemplating life -
hoping this harvest
renders something sweet.

Poetry