Sunday, September 7, 2008

Welcome to the spa.

Hi. Friday they moved me to the Zilber Hospice in Wauwatosa. It's very close to home--literally over the river and through the woods--about two blocks away. It looks more like a 5-star hotel than a hospital room.

I would like to have visitors BUT it is essential that I not over-exert myself and that I get lots of rest each day. If you want to visit, please observe the following rules:

1. Please keep visits short.
2. DO NOT visit if you have a cold or are recovering from a cold or if you have another communicable disease.
3. Please plan to visit between noon and 1:30 p.m. You do not need to call in advance.
4. If you arrive when I am visiting with someone else, please wait quietly in the hallway.
5. I don't mind more than one visitor at a time, but please try to limit groups; young children (7 and younger) should not stay more than 3-5 minutes.

My primary goal is to get rest so that my body can heal to the point that it can accept another round of cancer treatment.

We will try to keep the blog as up to date as possible so that there is less need for phone calls.

12 comments:

Kara Smith said...

May you find the much needed rest at Zilber that you need. You are all in my prayers!

Jerry and Lu Olmsted said...

Dear Jeff:
Have just returned from church and you, Kelly and the children were the center of all our prayers. We love you all very much and are with you in spirit every day. Jeff, you are an inspiration to all of us.
Uncle Jerry and Aunt Lu

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Mary H. Dodd said...

Dear Jeff,

Dear Jeff: So glad to hear of the TLC you are getting at Zilber. What a blessing it's in the neighborhood, you probably will see the same fox and deer that visit your house regularly. It will be convenient for Kelly and the kids. You are all on our minds constantly. We are praying and we know--prayer changes things. Love and prayers, Mom and Dad

TheRamFam said...

Jeff,

I spent the weekend in South Bend watching you know who nearly lose to a far inferior team. But they didn't. They overcame their youthful mistakes, poor momentum, and an inspired but unworthy opponent to "win over all". I lit a candle for you and your family at the Grotto, and we prayed for you during the intentions at the post-game mass in Seigfried Hall. All of Notre Dame Nation is praying for you and your family. Stay strong, and keep battling this unworthy opponent you face. Never discout the chance of a last minute drive for victory. If anyonecan pull it off, you're the one!

Tom

Katie Elsener said...

Hi Jeff and all,
I want you to know that my classes are praying for you every single day. We prayed for you every day last year too and some of the students I taught last year are praying for you in their new classes this year. I hope you can feel the power of these prayers.
Sincerely,
Mark and Katie

Kerry (Hanigan) Benes said...

Dear Jeff, Kelly, and Kids,
Please know that entire Hanigan family is praying for all of you. We know how hard this time is, but we also know that your faith WILL pull you through this difficult time. We're sending our heavenly angel to give you strength. We love you! Stay strong.

homejon said...

Hey, Jeff... I saw your dad today. He is thinking only the very best for you and I share his prayers.

Gretchen Viney said...

It's a beautiful sunny day today. The sky is so blue, although not as blue as in Wyoming (Go Pokes!, the heck with ND!) and the clouds are puffy and moving. I hope your new room has a window and that you can enjoy all that nature has to offer. "Here comes the sun, it's all right!"
Gretchen V.

pj ryan said...

Hi Jeff,

By chance, your father met my brother Jon. Since then I've learned that you and Jon are carved from the same spirit; and that you can learn a lot about a father by getting to know his son.

I'm certain that he is so proud of your faith, courage and determination. Jeff, please know that you and all of your family are in our hearts and prayers.

As a Soldier of Christ, everything is possible and fear nothing.

pjryan

Jim said...

I've been brooding and keeping the information I'm about to share with you for about three days now..But I feel that it's time that I speak out. My life was ruined by Hardees...I was upset...I was hurt emotionally...and I was not at all satisfied...probably will never be right again if you must know!
I went to Hardees for a blueberry biscuit and didn't get one...I wasn't in uniform either so I know that they weren't just messing with me. Hardees has always had delicious fluffy blueberry biscuits so I went there to partake. When I asked for my blueberry biscuit, the cold and uncaring voice yelled at me stating,"we don't have blueberry! We only have strawberry or raisin"! I informed this person that they did too have blueberry biscuits and that (again) was what I wanted. She repeated the previous statement only this time with a tinge of attitude. I was stuck between a rock and a hard place... I didn't want crappy raisin and I didn't want stupid strawberry..I wanted Blueberry dangit!! The blueberry biscuit that is warm and smiling at me, and is covered in moist, plump, tasty, cute little bluberries, that ever so gently tumble off the side and make me giggle with delight and bring joy to my mind, body and soul. But then again I was hungry and had already waited in line wasting gas! I would eat a cold bowl of soup for breakfast before I'd eat the raisin biscuit, so reluctantly and after swallowing much pride I commanded the lady to fetch me the strawberry biscuit. I don't mind strawerries by the way...turnovers, cake, pop, raw, and even in a biscuit, but today a strawberry biscuit was nothing but second rate swill!! Not first rate swill, but second rate!!
After receiving my biscuit I considered the dine-and-dash...that's right I considered taking off with my unwanted strawberry biscuit...so unwanted that I didn't even want to pay for it, but I did pay for the swill and took the thing to my office.
Once there I looked at it in utter disgust! It was the ugliest biscuit I had ever seen; it was too done on the bottom, the strawberries were too mashed and stinky, and there was hardly any frosting on it, But...since I was starving and emaciated like a cambodian I needed the swill (if only for a moment)...I took a bite! I can only describe the first bite as horrendous!
The biscuit wasn't at all what I wanted, I wasted my time and money to get the thing, it was stinky, tasted like a combination of human flesh, human feces, and a morbidly obese woman's cankle sweat, and adding to my horrible dining experience was the fact that I'm right handed and I had to eat this grotesque lifeform with my left hand because my right hand is still in a cast! I didn't even eat the full thing because it tasted so bad and with the bottom being too done it was hard for my left hand to cut , pick up, and eat with a flimsy plastic fork and I dropped a chunk of swill on my shirt (that stayed discolored and sticky for the rest of the day no matter what I did).
In hindsight I should've just drove off and starved that day! But now that I look back at that day I can't blame myself for such a tramatic event, so I blame John for it. Why? Just because, how about that!! And he owes me at least 15 dollars for my gas, meal, and inconvenience, plus he has to hand make me some proper blueberry biscuits next time I'm in Kansas City! and even then that won't make me feel better! Dang you Hardees..,you ruined my life!!!

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