How Could I Have Known?

I remember laying in the grass at Porter Park watching Jane play softball. She was the team pitcher, and we worked together on her pitches every year on our side yard. The black and white photo of her in this note was taken at one of the games at Porter Park.

I realized just this morning that as I watched some of the games held there, I was less than 200 meters from the duplex where I now live. It's interesting to me, and I sometimes wonder at how things in life change. I could not have known then that I would eventually be living only a short distance from where I was laying on the grass, my life changed.

A wise friend told me shortly after Jane passed away that there would be many "firsts." I don't remember them mentioning "seconds" or possibly even "thirds."

Thanks go out this morning to my friend Bob L. who pointed out the blazing sunrise, causing me to look out my back door and notice how things have changed.

Sunrise, sunset
Sunrise, sunset
Swiftly fly the years
One season following another
Laden with happiness and tears . . .

-Sunrise, Sunset (From Fiddler on the Roof)

Jane Pitching


Beautiful, blazing sunrise this morning.

The ball field (Porter Park) just outside my back door.

Jane's Birthday

Friends,

Today is Jane's birthday. She would be 54.

I pause this morning to remember her fondly, and to tell God how much she is missed. To quote a sonnet from the poet John Dunne:

Death be not proud, though some have called thee
Mighty and dreadful, for thou art not so,
For those whom thou think'st thou dost overthrow,
Die not, poor death, nor yet canst thou kill me.

From rest and sleep, which but thy pictures be,
Much pleasure, then from thee, much more must flow,
And soonest our best men with thee do go,
Rest of their bones, and soul's delivery.

Thou art slave to Fate, Chance, kings, and desperate men,
And dost with poison, war, and sickness dwell,
And poppy, or charms can make us sleep as well,
And better than thy stroke; why swell'st thou then?
One short sleep past, we wake eternally,
And death shall be no more, death thou shalt die.

Memorial Video

Hi Friends,

While I'm on the video kick, I thought I'd share the slide show that I made for Jane's memorial service.


Jane's Memorial Service Slide Show from Doug Easton on Vimeo.

Hope you enjoy!

American Idol Tour Concert

My sister Robin and brother in law Tim bought tickets for Amy and me to go with the to the "American Idol" tour show in Portland last Friday. It was a pretty good show, overall. The lighting was great, the band was fabulous, and the singers were even better than when they were on the show in competition.

Jane and I watched every week of this year's season, and she even saw the final show when David Cook was crowned the winner of American Idol. Jane was weak and tired, but she raised her hand, made a fist, and whispered in a weak voice, "YES!"

So I took my cell phone to the concert on Friday, and I have a photo of Jane as my screen saver. When David Cook performed, I turned on the phone and pointed her photo toward the stage and told Robin, "Look, Jane is watching David Cook from heaven." We both laughed.

After a few seconds, her picture faded to black (it's a screen saver that times out) so I pushed the button and it came back on. Then it faded again, so I pushed the button and it came back on. I was reminded of Tom Hanks in the movie "Castaway" when he would flick the penlight on and off, while looking at the photo of his fiancee.

So, here's a video of the cellphone version of "Castaway" starring Doug and Jane.

End of Week 8

Not only is this the end of week 8, but after this term, it is the end of nursing school for me; for awhile at least.

But this is really not about ME at all, it's about Jane. My beautiful bride of 20 years has been hit again with a recurrence of her cancer. After her PET scan last Friday, we received a phone call this Monday from the oncologist, telling us that the cancer had reappeared, and new nodules were present. We went for a visit on Tuesday, and saw the films (PET Scan) for ourselves; and it did not look good.

Jane started back with her chemotherapy the very next day (Wednesday) and so far has tolerated this first treatment fairly well. The oncologist changed one of her drugs (Oxalyplatin) which caused neuropathy (sensitivity to cold, tingling, numbness, etc.) and those symptoms, obviously, have not occurred.

We have decided to put my nursing school on hold for the time being, and I will be returning to work full time at Samaritan Albany General Hospital. I have 2 more weeks of nursing school this term, and then finals. My grades are good, so there should be no problem completing this term. I spoke with my Trade Act representative, and was told that they will place a "gap" in my training, which might allow me to return to school in the fall of 2008 and restart the program. We'll see what happens between now and then . . .

Most of all, right now, please pray for Jane and her health.