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by maribeth
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A Different Winter: Trekking and Snowshoeing Through Caretaking
Mom and I on One of our Better Days After I Finally Let Her Out of the House to Have Her Hair Done
As the freshness of spring shines upon us, I am hopeful for brighter days. I think we all are!
Life has been quite interrupted for me and I’m writing this from upstate New York where I have been taking care of my my 87-year-old mother. I arrived here the first part of January, quarantined for a good week in the Adirondacks and then settled in with my mom at her house in Troy, New York.
ADK Frozen Lake Fun
I wrote the below story quite a while ago but wasn’t able to post it to my blog due to mysterious technical happenings. Those problems still have not been resolved but I found a backdoor way of finally posting this story. It’s a little out of date at this point, however, I hope you’ll still find it of interest.
This blog SNAFU is illustrative of the issues I have been dealing with and how I find my way around them as I figure out how to best help my mom and take care of the family home. (Built by my grandfather, Mom’s father, it is sixty-plus years old and in need of attention as well. But my mom wants to live out her days here, which I totally understand and I will do everything I can to make that possible.)
Yet I’ve been so overwhelmed! I call it living in the blender. Holy smokes!
Out of respect to my mom, I will not reveal all that I have had to deal with but I can tell you it has been a full-time job. Anyone that has found themselves in this role knows what I mean by that. I’ve looked back at the freedom of my life in Colorado–the joy of waking up at 5:30am in order to head off to the mountain long before the lifts start to turn–with a combination of longing, awe and gratitude. I’ve never taken my job as a Telluride ski instructor for granted and I certainly never will in the future. It is a true pleasure even though that, too, can be exhausting.
Troy Country Club Road: A Great Place to Trek Next to Our House in Upstate New York
Not being in Colorado has been rough at times; just different at others. I have been very much needed here. And as hard as it is, I am grateful that I am able to be here to help my mom. As the old adage goes, “getting old is not for the feint of heart.” I just wish we would have had more snow–boy, have I been envious of the March storms out West.
Troy Country Club Golf Course/Snowfield
ADK Trek
Interspersed with all of the doings for Mom and her house, I still was able to recreate some in the snow. By the third week of February, I was even able to go skiing. (I hope to post a story on that at a later date–maybe for spring skiing?) I feel so fortunate about those few forays!
Since I moved to Colorado twenty years ago (from upstate New York), I have morphed into someone who embraces snowsports more than I ever would have imagined. Skiing has become my life in winter. So since I didn’t have much time for skiing, I found other ways to feel the calm of surrounding myself with snow, beautiful snow. I found other ways to work my body in the cold, crisp air. I delighted in the sweet and toasty sensation of coming inside and sipping a hot drink after playing outside in a winter wonderland, even if I was only able to escape for an hour or so.
Yes, I found ways to enjoy the beauty of winter. And most of all, I have found better ways to cope with all that I have to manage here. Spring has sprung and with it comes the prospect of dealing with all with more serenity and calm and also hopefully, the possibility of doing some nice hikes and walkabouts in the fresh air as the flowers begin to bloom. The upsets and breakdowns over all that I need to respond to here have lessened. I am fully assuming this role and I will see it through.
Wheelchair and Snowshoes: This Winter’s Equipment
I hope you like the below story!
Snowshoeing and Snowtrekking: A Different Kind of Winter Fun
Me Near Telluride After My First Big Snowshoe Outing
Have you ever heard of Snowshoe Magazine? I just checked it out online. It’s pretty cool in a laidback, crunchy granola sort of way. Kind of like snowshoeing itself.
Coming from a very ski-oriented family, I grew up with Ski Magazine. As a twenty-year resident of Colorado, skiing became my way of life. And since I’m a ski instructor, it’s included in my annual membership to PSIA (Professional Ski Instructors of America). But Snowshoe Magazine, well, such a publication never crossed my mind.
I’ve thought very little about snowshoeing–or anything other than skiing–all these winters. And yet to my delight, I’m finally giving it a go and enjoying it.
I knew this winter was going to be different from the ones I had experienced in Colorado. COVID has made everything different for everyone. But little did I know that it would shake up my ski world. Yet when I was given the option by the director at the Telluride Ski & Snowboard School early fall to sit out the season without it effecting my priority, I eventually realized that that was the sensible thing to do. This was to be my eighteenth season and skiing has become an essential part of who I am in winter; it was hard to imagine not being out on the mountain with the rest of my “ski family.”
View from a Bridge: Frozen Creek
But family matters back east and an inherent fear of catching the virus made me think twice about it all. I felt grateful–I still in fact feel very grateful–to the resort for granting this opportunity. Normally, if you sit out a season the counter is reset at zero and that would have been a real bummer for me, since at year twenty I will receive my lifetime pass, a brass ring of sorts for Telluride Ski Resort employees.
So I pulled out a pair of Tubbs snowshoes that I had purchased long before I moved to Colorado to see what fun I could have with them. I had only used them once during my time in Telluride and that was to do a full-moon jaunt to an igloo that’s built annually up at Lizard Head Pass. (I remember the hike downhill left me with agonizing hip pain the next day and lo and behold didn’t I have to have a hip replacement a handful of years later.)
This year I was in T-ride just past the new year and then flew back east to help out at home. Early season was not blessed with an abundance of snow and I was recovering from surgery (this time for a hysterectomy!), so I was in no rush to head out to the slopes. By the time I started to ponder how I’d feel going out for some turns without wearing my big red uniform, the holiday season was upon us and I knew I didn’t want to have to deal with any lines. (When teaching, we have our own line, which is rarely long at all.) Plus, the thought of not hanging in the lodge for a hot chocolate, a bowl of chili or a cold and frosty (out of uniform of course) made the idea of a ski outing seem rather daunting no matter how sweet the turns. This is especially the case in December and January.
Priest Lake View
So I decided to strap on my snowshoes and head out the door and venture into the San Juans on my own steam. My guy lives in San Bernardo, a little residential neighborhood about twenty minutes from Telluride. You can find The Priest Lake Trails, a wonderful nordic skiing trail system, right across the road. It’s one of the best outdoor circuits in the region all year long and much appreciated for its natural beauty and the fact that it has so far remained sparsely used.
As I clunked onto the trail, I was first shocked about how different snowshoeing is from skiing. As I say when I’m teaching, skiing–as well as snowboarding–is all about the glide. We encourage people to embrace the slide, something that is often a foreign concept for folks that haven’t been into snowsports much and work hard not to slip on ice or snow when padding about in winter. Indeed, I felt like a robot as I mechanically stepped forward in my snowshoes. So much for the delicious feeling of cruising down the slopes and setting your skis on edge, tipping and turning as you create your own perfect buttercream swirls as you head down the slopes. No, this stilted method of moving left me feeling like a multijointed superhero setting out to survey the land.
Rocky Mountain Outing
Yet as I dipped into the woods, something magical began to happen. My stiff robotic movements eased into a rhythmic walkabout and suddenly I discovered the bliss of being out in nature amid the quiet of the trees and the thick blanket of snow without having a soul around, let alone a skier or boarder zooming by me. (Or me blowing by someone else for that matter.) I discovered the supreme solitude of the forest and it was at that moment that I realized that that was exactly what I needed at that moment, it is exactly what I need this winter.
Life has been extremely chaotic. Between COVID and other crises, I have retreated into a more insular life. Yet I love the outdoors and desperately need it in the winter. (Seasonal affective disorder, or SAD, is what drove me to Colorado.) I love bundling up and braving the cold–even on a grey day. And then to head back inside and settle in to a nice hot cinnamon-laced mocha is one of the greatest joys of the season for me.
My Yaktraks
Since I’ve been back east in upstate New York, I’ve done that many times. I’ve snowshoed some and trekked even more. To me, trekking is going for an energetic walk on snow-covered trails or roads (or even lakes!) with my Yaktraks. For others, trekking is about venturing into the Himalayas. Either way, the joy of being outside surrounded by the illuminating effects of snow is a universal theme, even if it means just bopping out for a tour in your neighborhood.
One of the benefits of COVID is that more people have discovered the amazing benefits of recreating out of doors. I read a while back that many snowshoe suppliers sold out for the season–go figure! It is a great way to enjoy a blast of nature and have an aerobic workout in a short amount of time. I’ve become better at it and although it will never (EVER!) replace my love for skiing, it does provide a nice hit of winter fun.
Hudson Pointe Nature Preserve
Stockpiling in the Adirondacks Where Winter is Most Grey
So far I’ve mostly snowshoed on rather groomed trails and plodded along on some crusty snow in the northeast where normally I would have punched threw. They say that snowshoeing is primo on a powder day. Wow, coming from Telluride, I can tell you that people there live for powder days; people will ditch their nearest and dearest to find some freshies. (Ever hear of the expression “There are no friends on powder days?”) Somehow, I can’t imagine the same frenzy about heading out to find fresh tracks on snowshoes. But that, too, is likely part of the beauty of it all. Snowshoeing and trekking are so much about quietly communing with nature. Yes, now I can feel and hear it–fluff, fluff, fluff, ploufff.
I hope you will enjoy these pictures from my snowshoe and trekking jaunts in the Rockies, the Adirondacks and in Troy, New York. I quarantined for a week at Lake Luzerne (in the Adirondacks) and was once again able to experience the thrill of walking on frozen water. (The last time was decades ago.) Here in Troy, I’m delighted to have the Troy Country Club right outside my door, which provides a variety of terrain for treks and snowshoeing.
All this helps to make the challenges of COVID and caring for an elderly parent (my mom) much more manageable. I hope you find your fix this winter, too. It also makes the chocolate, cheese, wine and hearty meals such as stew with dumplings feel less self indulgent. If I keep this up, I just might become a regular subscriber to Snowshoe Magazine. And hopefully burn off a bunch more calories while breathing in the great outdoors.
Vintage ADK
Note that with all the snow in Colorado this year, there will likely be snowsport fun up through May.
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by maribeth
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Giving Thanks
Thank you!
Hello, it’s me. I’m still here. I have composed many blog posts in my head to you these past months but it has been hard putting my thoughts in writing. Like so many people these days, I’ve been rather overwhelmed with life. And yet there have been many bright spots, a lot that have involved enjoying wonderful meals at home, tuning into concerts and movies online, embracing paddle boarding and picnicking and other low-risk activities, mostly with Steve, my partner of twelve years, and our three kitty cats. I’ve also poured much love and energy into cultivating my garden and settling into my little house. I’ve done some writing, mainly for Discovery Map and, in fact, I recommend you check out their Map Geek Blog where you can read stories that I think you’ll find to be both entertaining and informative.
I know how to make the best out of every day and every situation and I try hard to do just that. Thank God! Sometimes though it’s more of a challenge than others. Focusing on gratitude even in the darkest times helps a lot.
Summer Fun
As you can read in my recent Caring Bridge post, entitled Hoping Against Hope, my brother, David, continues to battle cancer very hard. He truly is an inspiration and there’s no doubt that his positive attitude has buoyed many of us up when we have felt great despair.
Sometimes I wish I wasn’t such a feeling person but there’s no doubt that vulnerability can also be a strength. It definitely fosters compassion.
Like so many, I hold my feelings in my gut. I’m hoping that I’ve hit the reset button on that–at least for the most part. As I wrote in my Caring Bridge post, learning last May that my brother still had cancer thrust me into a high state of anxiety. I thought that after his laryngectomy last February that he’d be cancer free. By early August my stress began to manifest itself into severe abdominal pain. It took a while to figure out the cause of it and lots of Oxycodones and wines to manage it but it was finally corrected the Tuesday before Thanksgiving. That’s when I had a hysterectomy and aside from some post operative pain and discomfort, I could tell right away that the surgery had worked. Time to say goodbye to the Oxies, the heating pads and hot water bottles and to enjoy wine purely for its taste rather than largely for its medicinal benefits. (I had even gone so far as to buy a bottle of whisky recently; anti-inflammatories just weren’t working.)
I am so very grateful for having had this surgery. It almost didn’t happen. I’m sure you’ve heard how overloaded our hospitals are due to COVID and that there’s a big nursing shortage (since many are in quarantine). Well, I can tell you that it’s real. My doctor, Dr. Kimberly Priebe, called me about four days before I was scheduled to go in and explained to me how Mercy Hospital in Durango, Colorado–like so many of our hospitals throughout Colorado and the rest of the country–was loaded with COVID. She explained to me that if I went through with the operation, she’d want to keep me off the floor and have me stay overnight in a hotel rather than in the hospital. The plan was for her to check in on me there and to keep me as far away from COVID central as possible. With the help of Steve, it appeared that I’d be reliant on a sort of “Little House on the Prairie” nursing and doctoring, straight out of the post-op recovery room. “And that’s provided there aren’t any complications and that you meet all the criteria for being released,” my doctor emphasized.
This all felt daunting and pretty scary, adding stress to a situation that was to be more than just a walk in the park as it was. I’m so grateful for all the support and advice I received from loved ones and particularly a couple of close friends from the medical world that helped me to eventually give my doctor the greenligiht with confidence. “You need to get this done. You have to trust that the medical professionals will keep you safe,” said my brother Frank. It wasn’t an easy decision, especially knowing that all of my doctor’s other surgeries for that day had been cancelled, including for a woman that had Stage 4 uterine cancer. But I persevered.
So Steve and I drove over two hours to Durango in a snowstorm the Monday night before, sanitized our hotel room (with a complete spray down of alcohol) and stocked the fridge with the food and drink I had packed into our cooler. Steve brought a thermometer as well as a blood pressure monitor; he was ready to handle whatever situation was going to be thrown our way. (He also had all of his ski gear because I insisted that he hit Wolf Creek the day of my surgery, since there was no point of him stepping foot in the hospital. He lucked out because it was a powder day. He talked to my doctor slopeside and then later picked me up at the end of his ski day!)
Thankfully all went seamlessly and I am so very grateful that I was able to have the surgery because I can’t imagine having had to go on much longer with such pain. My wonderful doctor lobbied for it to happen because as is the case with most of the hospitals in Colorado now, mostly only emergent surgeries are scheduled these days. I’m also very grateful to the entire medical staff because I know they are all working extra hard in order to make up for the shortages.
This brings me to a full-on plea to all to wear your mask and take all of the recommended precautions to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Please, if you are a non-masker or if you tend to be lax with your social distancing and such, know that it is very real. My heart goes out to all of our medical workers that have to be exposed to this virus in order to help us. Just walking into the hospital for my pre-op bloodwork and COVID-19 test a few days before my surgery gave me the willies.
I have, in fact, felt heaps of gratitude to all healthcare workers and their support staff the past few years as I’ve assisted my brother with his cancer battle. I am in awe of their skill, hard work and commitment to their patients’ well being. In all of our countless interactions, I think we only encountered a handful that were less than pleasant and maybe one that was incompetent–or at least made a significant mistake. These people truly are heroes and I salute them during this period of giving thanks and forever more.
It seems as though the reset button has been hit for my brother, David, as well. We all have the power to promote healing within ourselves but there’s no doubt that we need help (sometimes a lot of it) from those in the medical profession.
I am grateful for modern medicine and all of our healthcare workers. I am also very grateful for the friends and family members that have supported me throughout these trying times.
I just received my pathology report and there’s no cancer. Plus, it has been almost ten days since our little Durango jaunt and Steve and I have seemingly not caught COVID. All is well.
Here’s wishing all of you good health and healing!
Steve & Me this Summer
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by maribeth
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I’m Thinking of You
A Good Sign: Heart-Shaped Tea Stain on My Kitty Dish
I’ve never been so consumed with thinking about people. I’m not dwelling or ruminating or obsessing about others. I’m visiting with folks. I’m spending time with my closest loved ones as much as I’m guarding the safety of those tight-knit families living in their one-room hovels in the slums of Islamabad. I’m hanging with my boyfriend who’s been working 12-hour days to keep the hotel he manages afloat and I’m rushing through the halls of a busy ICU with over-worked medical professionals. I’m sitting with the families that are grieving the loss of their loved ones while maintaining social distancing and I’m riding with that trucker who’s bravely making his way across the country to deliver goods without even being able to sit down at a truck stop to enjoy a good meal. I’m in the kitchen with that family that’s trying to figure out a new way of living, juggling working remotely with homeschooling and this new concentrated version of togetherness. I’m looking over the shoulder of that grocery store clerk who’s stocking shelves for a small wage so that we can continue to fill our refrigerators and pantries. I’m with that person fighting for his or her life on a respirator in the hospital. Indeed, it feels like I’m everywhere these days–at least in my thoughts.
My Partner Delivering the Goods Beneath the Cover of Darkness
Yet, I am all alone–at least from a physical standpoint. I was very sick for quite a while with presumably some kind of a Telluride crud that I picked up on the mountain while teaching skiing the first week of spring break. (I had a COVID-19 swab test, self isolated for over two weeks and then found out it was negative. It took ten days for the results to come back but even if I had found out that I was coronavirus free sooner, it was best not to be out spreading germs.) During this time, I saw a couple of friends who came by to drop off provisions for me, safely separated by the glass door of my foyer. My guy came by with care packages as well but as hard as it was, we maintained a good ten feet between us, knowing that had there been any less distance we would have been more tempted to fall into each other’s arms. And then once I received my test report, I was thrilled to carefully venture out to the store, the pharmacy and a couple of other necessary places on my list. (Thankfully liquor stores are considered essential businesses here in Colorado.)
Driving Up for My COVID-19 Test
Like many people throughout the rest of the world, I’ve been doing this for over a month. I’m not at all bored though. I have my reading and writing, cooking, cleaning and house projects, lots of radio programming (I don’t have a TV) and now that I’m better, I enjoy doing an occasional walk in the countryside surrounding my house. Plus, I have all of you. Really. I’ve never felt so connected to the rest of the world in all my life. All kinds of people, including old college friends, old boyfriends, my ex husband, friends in France, and so many more from the cast of characters that have played a role in the movie that is my life have filled my thoughts and dreams. Prince Charles even appeared in one of my nighttime productions last week! We were eating potato chips together sans gin and tonic unfortunately. I sleep as deeply as a Rocky Mountain bear during the month of January and wake up exhausted, perhaps because of all the visiting I do during the night. In pondering the symbolism behind these dreams, I’ve come to the conclusion that the night is just a continuation of how my brain has been functioning throughout my waking hours: thousands of loved ones and total strangers pop into my head over the course of the day and with each flash, I’m wondering consciously or unconsciously how they are doing. Best of all, I feel myself sending them strength and love.
Saying Hello to Cows on My Walk is Good Therapy
The expression “my thoughts and prayers are with you” has gotten a bad rap. Honestly. I believe in the power of thoughts and prayers more so than ever. And I feel like I’m working overtime these days to stay emotionally connected with everyone in this world, particularly those in need. We have all discovered the meaning of “we are one” throughout this worldwide pandemic. I feel for the people of Italy as their death toll reaches inconceivable numbers. I’m experiencing the horror and sadness that New Yorkers feel upon seeing the refrigerated trucks line up outside their hospitals for the storage of the dead. I’m fluffing up the pillow for that medic sleeping in his car. I’m feeling the excitement of that oh-so creative person that has turned her 3-D printer into a face mask-making machine.
Everyday I find myself having a good cry. I’m not at all depressed. I’m just full of empathy and compassion and although it can be tiresome, shedding tears is a wonderful release both physically, emotionally and mentally.
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by maribeth
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Taking a Break from Skiing at the Madeline Spa
The Glorious Pool at the Madeline
Boy, what a season it has been here in Telluride, Colorado! I’m sure you’ve heard of the record-breaking snowfalls we’ve had. The skiing and riding have been extraordinary. But with all the joy that came with so many powder days, the massive accumulations of snow also created a lot of hassles and unfortunately many sorrows. Daily drives to and from work in slick, whiteout conditions were numerous. (One day after the marshal helped me dig out my car, I careened into a snowbank down the road. Thankfully there’s always a capable mountain man with a big rig in these parts that shows up happy to help out at just the right moment.)
It was so cold and snowy that the Telluride School District closed twice, something that rarely happens even once a year in this rugged mountain town. And yes, the avalanches were plentiful. Their force barreled down in parts that hadn’t slid in years, leaving all kinds of destruction in their paths, creating road closures, evacuations of homes and businesses and sadly in Telluride, two deaths of locals. In a small community such as ours, you’re up close and personal to such events and each happening packs a wallop, a harsh reminder of the force of nature and the immortality of us all.
Indeed, it was a winter that most of us here in the West weathered with grit.
For me, it was additionally challenging because I had a body part that crapped out on me. That seems to happen to a lot of us ski instructors. So when I finally learned that the pain I was enduring was due to a worn out hip–bone-on-bone–no less–I heard firsthand from a seemingly endless stream of instructors, patrollers and just general mountain people about their tales of “replaced parts.” Yes, I’m in need of a hip replacement, something I’ll do this off season in order to be in shape for next ski season. Fortunately I have a surplus of friends and acquaintances that have assured me that “it’s no big deal.” Such is life in a mountain town.
A cortisone shot, Celebrex, CBD salve and a little extra wine have helped me through. But I have to say that it’s been tough keeping up with the physical therapy and soaks that I promised myself I’d make a part of my regular regime. Life has a way of getting away from you, especially during a banner ski year!
I did, however, have the luxury of experiencing The Spa at Madeline Hotel & Residences, an Auberge Resort, here in Telluride. And I swear that the half day spent there was like the equivalent of several PT sessions and Epsom Salts baths combined. It was so healing and restorative!
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by maribeth
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Keeping that Holiday Spirit Going
Still Festive at The Peaks Resort
Gondola Cuteness
Frosty Cold Telluride
I say pooh to the people that throw out their Christmas tree by New Year’s. I keep most of my decorations up throughout January. I put away the santas, elves and baby Jesus by mid January but most–including Christmas ornaments and stockings–remain up through the end of the month. And as for anything festive in red and green, I typically keep that up until the end of the ski season–or just before Easter depending on what comes first. That’s what they do in the Alps. That’s what they do in many mountain locales, Telluride included. Hey, when you have a snowy scene outside, twinkling lights and garlands add extra sparkle to many winter wonderland settings.
And boy have we had snow! After a stellar holiday season with primo ski conditions, the cold and the snow have just kept on coming. With over fifteen feet of the fluffy white stuff so far this year, the skiing in Telluride–in all of Colorado, in fact–has been fantastic. To say we have been well served by the snow gods, is an understatement.
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by maribeth
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Telluride is Tops
Applauding Our Ski School Training, Clapping for Telluride
Ski School Trainer John Balmain
Iconic Mt. Wilson
Well, we did it again. For the sixth time out of seven years, the readers of Condé Nast Traveler voted Telluride as the #1 ski resort in North America. Since Telluride has been lauded so much, this year Condé Nast Traveler even wrote a story about it at Why Telluride Keeps Being Named the Best Ski Town in the U.S.
A Great Day for Skiing
John and Me
For those that live here or have visited here, it comes as no surprise. Telluride Ski Resort has it all: great terrain, spectacular scenery, charm, friendliness, topnotch amenities, an historic town at one base and a modern village at another, a wonderful mix of sun and snow and I must shamelessly broadcast, one of the best ski schools in the country. (I’m starting my sixteenth season as a Telluride Ski & Snowboard School instructor and I’m delighted to be a part of this distinguished group of snowsports enthusiasts.)
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by maribeth
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Happening Telluride Hotels
Party Scene at Mountain Lodge Telluride
Whoa, it’s been one heck of a summer season in Telluride with fun times that animated our beloved historic town as well as Telluride Mountain Village.
Whether it’s a festival in Telluride Town Park or a get together with friends in a more dialed down setting, music often ranks as an integral part of the scene in our beautiful mountain town.
Some of the best times may be found at two of Telluride’s top hotels: the New Sheridan and Mountain Lodge. And it’s thanks to two guys–two hotel general managers (GMs)–in particular that you can enjoy an authentic night out even if you’re here during the height of the season. Ray Farnsworth has stood steady at the helm of the New Sheridan Hotel and the Chop House Restaurant & Bar for over twenty years, an eternity in the hospitality industry where GMs typically change it up every 2.5 years. Steve Togni, the #1 at Mountain Lodge Telluride, has been in charge for fourteen. Both locals, through and true, they’ve created happening scenes with a strong local’s vibe by lining up entertainment and organizing events practically year-round at their gorgeous properties. (And that’s in addition to offering great food and drink to their hotel guests, visitors and locals at their restaurants and bars.)
Electric Luau at Mountain Lodge
The Gold Kings at The Phoenix Bean at the New Sheridan
The Back Courtyard: A Nice Place to Gather at The Phoenix Bean
Mountain Lodge has held a number of big parties that have become the talk of the town during shoulder season. OK, let’s just say they know how to put on a bash. They’ve featured Joint Point, a jammy rock-and-roll band and a T-ride favorite, numerous times at their Electric Luau parties, typically held in June and September. “The Electric Luau was initially created as a simple thank you to visitors and locals alike for a great summer season at the Mountain Lodge,” says Steve. “It was such a success and we enjoyed doing it so much that it became a twice annual event. Joint Point was the obvious choice as they have evolved into a top local act over the years. Since the inception of these events, we’ve broadened the scope of having “fun” and talented bands to include others, such as the Durango Funk Allstars who will be firing up the Disco Party this weekend.”
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by maribeth
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A Cancer Journey of Heartbreak, Love, Resilience and Hope
Dave and Me During the Last Week of Our Packing Up of the Family’s Summer Home
On Wednesday January 3rd, just as I was rolling off the couch from having been exhausted up to my teeth from the big Christmas rush on the mountain, I learned some news from my brother, David, that has forever changed our lives.
I knew he was feeling sick since December 12th but I was so busy working as a ski instructor in Telluride at our peak time, that I couldn’t make any solid offers of assistance until the big holiday push had passed. I then suggested to drive up to Aspen and take care of him, do some cooking and shopping and provide whatever assistance I could to help him get back on his feet. Little did I know how serious it was. Little did I know what was brewing inside of him would be the dreaded “big C.”
Pay attention: This is how quickly cancer can take hold and how important it is to mobilize yourself to figure it out. It is happening to so many people that we all have to have some measure of preparation and most of all, a keen awareness that doctors can’t always get it right. I hope that my story will provide that for you. This is also a tale of how people respond to a cancer diagnosis: some show up big time to help while others use it as an opportunity to further their own agendas.
Here’s my texting exchange with my brother from that day.
Dave:
B …that is a very generous offer, but I think I will continue to be able to manage. If I was really in need, I would gracious ly accept. Take advantage of your time off to get rested and take care of your own accumulated work load😊
Me:
OK, keep it in mind. Maybe we should find out if you’re contagious first. But know that aside from a 5-hour drive, I could easily drop in to provide some assistance. Please let me know how it goes at the doctor’s today!
Dave:
Will do
B…still at the throat Dr…not good news…he thinks I have cancer and wants to do a biopsy Friday…so if your offer still holds to come up, I will graciously accept…fill mom in so I can save a step
Of course I left for Aspen the next day. I stayed ten days that first trip, came back to Telluride to work and regroup twice for a few days, then headed out again, first on a one-week and then on a two-week trip, crisscrossing our vast state of Colorado to see doctors and accompany David to medical procedures in Glenwood Springs, Grand Junction and Denver. For over a month, I assumed the role of my brother’s health advocate. The fact that he wasn’t able to talk very well underscored my role; I became his voice both literally and figuratively. I became a velvet pit bull of sorts sweet-talking our way into hard-to-obtain doctor’s appointments, asking question after question about the diagnosis, treatments and cure rates as I gathered information from every imaginable source including the many pamphlets handed out to us at the hospitals, my note taking and recordings of every doctor’s appointment, the internet, friends in and out of the medical profession, total strangers that had been through similar experiences–it all was important in attempting to make sense of my brother David’s Stage 4A diagnosis of laryngeal cancer.
