Dear Life, Arctic air has settled in for a couple of days. But I heard that Vermont gets -25 degrees days so I’m not going to whine about 3 degrees. The “big snow” expected fizzled into a couple of inches. Sun is shining today. I’m visualizing my immune system generating lots of healthy blood and stem cells needed for a powerful frontline defense against lymphoma. I’m blessed with a strong and resilient body that can’t be thanked enough.
Thank you, thank you, thank you beyond measure.
Yours Truly, Pamela Rose

Dear Life, Snow predictions are unpredictable especially in the high desert. There are many predictions on for today: 4″ – 10″ in the city, much more in the mountains. Let it snow. It’s quite Beautiful. My blood work results are also unpredictable but yesterday’s lows changed up my treatment plan for awhile: No chemo but forward with the immunotherapy. We’re thinking the chemo meds are kicking the hell out of my immune system so we will see if this strong body of mine can build up White Blood Cell and Neutrophil counts in the next week. GO Team GO! I’m hoping for high odds with the snow and WBC/Neutrophils!
Yours Truly, Pamela Rose

Dear Life, Round 2 of Immunotherapy is today. Full morning: 10:00 Check-in and appointment with Dr Herbert; 11:00 Chemo Suite for blood draw (8 vials), Immunotherapy infusion, vaccination and observation. Hope to be home by 1:00pm. Chemo medication start today, too, twice a day for 7 days. It’s a load of chemicals. Yesterday’s blood work showed I’m critically anemic so no wonder I’m a sleep monster! But it’s up and out the door early today. Thank you for all the positive thoughts to get me there and through this day.
Yours Truly, Pamela Rose

Dear Life, This mural project was commissioned in 1982 by Lee Papageorge, for Oscar’s Deli, depicting a group of the colorful locals that hung out there on a regular basis. I ate bagels for years as part of my payment. Also became a Papageorge family member. There are so many good memories of living and working in the town of Westport, CT during the 1980’s. Such a vibrant and creative community. Thanks for the good life!
Yours Truly, Pamela Rose

https://westportlocal.com/news/gertetnm0vr9lizsc1pa4k79ffkfmp?fbclid=IwAR1ZxEn2VNyqycSEkx3F7ZpB_-TcAmJCJXrYfESOIh_Fqu7HVhCYwizYeHI

Dear Life, Found this pic while going through photos. We had it taken for our parents. They had a “gallery” of family photos in the living room that was always being added to or subtracted from depending on a birth, a marriage, a divorce, etc. I’m smiling thinking about all the iterations of the “family gallery”. Wished I had taken snap shots of each “display”. I’ve yet to see my mother’s new home and gallery, or her and my siblings, daughter, family members in nearly a year, due to the pandemic.
Hope to travel East in the Spring. Missing everyone.
Yours Truly, Pamela Rose

Dear Life, How patient can I be? As patient as I am called to be. New things take time. A creative idea emerging. A clinical trial treatment working. A body strengthening. A mind learning. A spirit guiding. A soul journeying. A human loving. Looking and listening for these and more. Each day is an opportunity for new experiences.
Yours Truly, Pamela Rose

Dear Life, I read a NYT article today about the pandemic. Slowly morphing into an endemic, still dangerous to high-risk groups: the elderly, children under 5 and immune compromised people. The upshot for me: Be careful, wear a mask in indoor public settings, and no large groups. I’m embracing winter hibernation. Living day-to-day with an openness to my heart, creativity, communicating with loved ones, interest in the immediate world around me. The crows talk and the birds sing as the cathedral bells toll every 15 minutes. Shadows change with the light lengthening each day. It’s cold outside. Warm inside. I am alive and well and reporting to you from the white cloud of bed.
Yours Truly, Pamela Rose

Dear Life, A soft inch of snow alighted upon Santa Fe while I snoozed. I am still under comfy covers enjoying a “snow day”. Ate breakfast in bed: French Toast with blueberries and toasted pecans covered with maple syrup. I made this collage yesterday in anticipation of waking to snow today. It will be comfy clothes all day, loud dance music in the kitchen while cooking, good books in the reading chair sprinkled with double chocolate chip cookies, and line drawings with collages in the studio capped off by binging HBO episodes of “Succession”… the least likable people on TV! Hope you’re having a good day, too!
Yours Truly, Pamela Rose

Dear Life, I’m jumping for joy today knowing I have a full week off from treatments and fewer meds. Stomach feeling solid. Energy good. I’ll get outside for a walk when the mercury moves up to 45 degrees. Laundry, cooking, lunch with a friend, and working in the studio all make for a good day. I’m grateful.
Yours Truly, Pamela Rose