The Long and Winding Road, Take 3

November 10 -- Sometimes the road is most challenging when you're sitting at home. It's been that kind of week for me.

The first blow was when my sister, who is 15 months older than me, was admitted to the hospital on Halloween and the following day had surgery to remove a portion of her colon, including a tumor. We waited all week to hear the outcome of the pathology on the tumor. Just this Saturday I spoke with her and she told me she has stage 3C colon cancer. She will undergo chemo sometime this winter. It is a frightening prospect and I have been devastated by this news. Colleen is the person I've known longer than any other living person. We grew up as sisters do: sharing clothes and secrets, sharing hopes and dreams and fears, bickering, sometimes, yelling and slapping and hugging, laughing and crying together. She is the one who most faithfully called me every single week for at least two years after John died. She went to Italy with me, and then Hawaii with me. She's been to Cabo with me two or three times. Last summer we went to Yosemite in the Mo together. She probably knows more about me than anyone, has seen my deepest canyons and been there for me.

I will drive to California on Friday to spend some time with her, trying to prop her up and help her be positive about the outcome of medical procedures, help her fight. But I have spent a lot of time the last couple of days mourning, lots of time crying about this. I know prayers help and I ask for those from anyone reading this.

The second blow was from the election. My friend and former employer, Gordon Smith, was taken down after 12 years of service to Oregon, by a political machine that spent nearly $20 million on ads that misrepresented so much of who Gordon Smith is and how he voted. His supposed friend, Senator Ron Wyden, was instrumental in that, according to newspaper reports. The Democratic ads called Gordon a hypocrite, but it was Ron Wyden and his chief of staff Josh Karden (whom I have never liked and always distrusted) who were the true hypocrites. And it is Oregon who will pay for that betrayal. Gordon Smith and his staff did much of the heavy lifting on casework, helping those who needed social security disability or help with immigration issues or help with veterans issues and so many other things. People learned to just call Gordon's office, or Wyden's office sent them there. THey apparently couldn't be bothered to help Oregonians themselves. Gordon did so much on appropriations, to help bring mental illness out of the closet and make it something to be treated rather than be ashamed of, and worked on many other efforts that have helped Oregonians the past 12 years. He rarely received public credit, but those who needed help know where the true help and service came from. Now Wyden and his people will finally have to step up to the plate and do some actual work. Congratulations, Ron! You and your staff betrayed a man you called your friend for political gain. See why I love politics so much?!

So it has been a very difficult week and I am coping with all this as well as I can. I spoke with the Senator's wife, Sharon, on Saturday, sent my love to them both and told her how very much they have meant to me and how terribly sad I am at this loss. I haven't talked to my friends, who will all be out of work next month. Some of them had worked for Senator Hatfield before Senator Smith, and serving Oregon has been their life. Now, in a very difficult economic and political climate, they will be looking for work to provide for their families. Please keep all of them in your prayers, as well.

So, guess that pretty well sums up my week. Hope all you had a better one.

TravelinLady