We Cannot Thank You Enough

We have been learning so many lessons on this path; we hope to keep growing in wisdom wherever this journey takes us.

Our relationship has never been stronger, or better, or more rewarding.

This person shown below, having walked 1000 miles since this all began, is now aiming, for her next goal , at 2000 km. Do not bet against her.

You can join us if you wish this coming Wednesday, November 20 at 10:15 am to walk from our home to the hospital for Ellen’s next round of chemotherapy.  Please come if your schedule permits.

It is of course with very mixed emotions that Ellen thinks back on her last fifteen years at work, where as a dedicated member of the staff at Gunnison County Health and Human Services she worked very hard to ensure that services were available to those who did not speak English, or who were new to our country. It is hard to let go of that focus and dedication, but the County has now decided it will  be looking for someone else to do this work; the work cannot wait, and the needs of the clients must come first. I hope you can understand that this is not easy, as much as Ellen understands the need for this move.

The demands on us are considerable. We had no idea. Demands of daily living. Endless appointments. Trips to Denver. Enormous piles of correspondence and forms to be filled out from health care providers, doctors, hospitals, insurance companies, employers. The medical professionals have been wonderful. The paperwork stressful and time consuming.

One of the most important things we are learning is the overwhelming kindness and generosity of people. All kinds of people. We cannot name all the people; by naming anyone we are leaving out others. But this community is rich in the quality and caring of its people. How many times we have been too tired to cook, ready to eat something quickly and go to bed, when someone has showed up with an incredible meal.

We were hungry and you gave us food; we were thirsty and you gave us drink;  we were sick and you visited us.

Hard to imagine anyone more loving and giving than Orquidea Blanco, who has helped us in so many ways, since the very day Ellen came home from the hospital after surgery. Or a new friend, who we just met, Ryan Bernhardt, of Crystal Clear Window Cleaners, who showed up unannounced and cleaned every window in our house, inside and out. Or our neighbors, Jose and Rosanna Alarcon and their family and friends who showed up yesterday and raked every leaf on our lawn. See below. We  thank them, and thank all of you who have been so kind to us.

This is in so much of the world a time of pain, division, polarization and anger.  Our journey is the greatest challenge we have ever faced, but we move forward with confidence, buoyed by the love and kindness with which you have surrounded us.