Feb. 29,

I talked with dad this afternoon and I am pleased to report that he doing well. He went for a short trip to the store, more to just get out of the house than to buy anything important and he sounds great. The "high noon" portable pump medication swap is becoming less stressful as Joanna and Utah continue to fine tune their daily routine.

After nearly a month in San Francisco and the long hours sitting in dads hospital room being home again is a little strange. Although there are many things I need to do I find myself sitting around doing nothing. There are many extraordinarily difficult things we do in life, some we are forced into still others we force ourselves into but leaving dads house, something I do every spring, was the most difficult that thing I've had to do. We say good bye to people every day but when you say good bye to somebody that you might never see again the words good carry with them a heavier feeling. I remember sitting in his living and asking him if there is anything he needed to talk about his reply "no" mine was the same, we had both cashed in our markers long ago. But I am lucky, I'm lucky, not only because I had the chance to spend the last month with dad and Joanna during this difficult time but that I have - after being apart for long expanses of time - had the good fortune to spend the last several winters on the road with Bruce? Utah?......no Dad. It made saying good bye as simple as saying I'll see you later. I'll see you later, four such simple words yet words because of our recent past say so much and carried with them so much significance. It was beautiful moment.
I am truly lucky and ever time we do see each other in the future will just be mustard on the hot dog...... I don't like cake.
Duncan

Poem From Christine

UTAH in the Hospital

There was flapping in the hallway
screeching in the lab
plastic cock-a-roach a’ crawling
amongst the food so drab.
Utah was a’ wailing
strummin’ on the lines
of IV tubes and catheters
in hospital ragtime.
He’s carrying his rubber nose,
a bit like Doctor Patch,
organizing patients
with laughter and dispatch.
He isn’t wasting any time
he’s using every second
to learn and live and glorify
because he’s always reckoned:
Whatever mystery unfolds
be it hell or heaven
roll the dice and shout aloud,
“Seven Come Eleven!”

UP COMING CONCERT

The Seattle Labor Chorus, Seattle Folklore Society, KBCS Community Radio, RiseUp! Productions present: A Benefit Concert for Utah Phillips Sunday, March 9, 2008 at 7:00 p.m. University Unitarian Church 6556 35th Avenue NE - Donation $20

For over 40 years Utah Phillips has traveled this country using songs and stories about working people, their struggles, and their triumphs, to remind us of how deep and how strong our collective history runs.

On March 9, the Seattle folk music community will come together to support Utah and his wife and help raise money for his medical expenses. Performers include Fast Rattler, featuring Utah Phillips’ son Brendan, Citizens Band, Rebel Voices, David Rovics and the Seattle Labor Chorus.

The "Golden Voice of the Great Southwest" has been described as a raconteur extraordinaire, a radical historian well-versed in the sorrowful details of the bloodiest social justice struggles of the last century, a hobo, and one hell of a musician whose songs can break your heart and bring your blood to a boil.

Sadly, Utah Phillips has recently been forced to quit performing due to a respiratory condition that causes severe disturbances in breathing and debilitating heart irregularities.

Fans and friends have begun a grassroots fundraising campaign. Benefit concerts are popping up across North America as the folk music community comes together to help one of their own, one who has done a lot for his community over the years. Concerts have already been held in Minneapolis, Cincinnati, Toronto and Winnipeg.

The University Unitarian Church, 6556 35^th Ave. NE will host this concert, starting at 7:00 PM. Tickets $20. All proceeds from this event will go to Utah to help off set medical expenses and pay bills. Come and help us to celebrate a new beginning for our old friend. For more information contact the Seattle Labor Chorus at 206-524-7753 or online: www.Seattlelaborchorus.org

Feb. 28 Homeward Bound

The noon time med swap went without a hitch. Nicholas my step brother is going to drive me to Reno so I can take the train home. If the train runs on time it's an eleven hour trip back to Utah.
It may seem like a long time when I could fly home in an hour or so but to be honest I need some down time to decompress. Dad is doing well, everyone has been very considerate in giving him some space so we could figure things out over the last few days. I wouldn't consider things normal, but this new stage of dads life is definitely manageable. I get the feeling in talking to the doctors that not many people have this kind of pump setup for long term injection. These pumps are mostly used to administer antibiotics continuously for a few months so there is not a lot of data on long term use. We are not worried, forging new territory is nothing new for Utah.
I'll write tomorrow from home .
Thanks
Duncan

Feb. 27, ? Late

It's been a long month and I am preparing myself to go home tomorrow, today? It's late and I am re reading through the comments over the last few days, there is one constant, Molly Fisk. When we started this journey several weeks ago it was Molly that suggested some one start a blog, so I did.
Thank you Molly! thank yo all and goodnight.
Duncan

Feb. 27, Lunch Time

The IV bags of Melrinone administered by the the pump on dad waist should last 24 hrs. so at noon every day Joanna must hook up a new bag to the pump and swap out the pumps batteries. The first few times can nerve racking to say the least. So at five minutes of noon when the pumps alarm went off everybody jumped. Turns out the bag was just empty and we went ahead and did the bag swap a few minutes early.......... no worries all is well. The company that supplies the drug will adjust the future bags accordingly. After a few days of going through new procedures and nailing down a solid routine we should achieve even keel.
For dad being home again is a huge relief. I vividly remember driving to San Francisco nearly a month ago and our conversation along the way. I could tell by the tone of dads voice he was fearful of not seeing his home again. We are all relieved to put that chapter behind us and look forward to writing many more. We are happy , delighted and comforted that all you have flipped a ride on this slow rolling train with us even though none of us know where it's headed.
I do plan to keep this blog current as we travel down the road and far into the future. In addition to keeping you updated on Utah's ongoing health condition I think it's a great way to share stories and ideas and help folks plug into the events communities and organizations around the country are planing to benefit Utah.
If any of you have info on such things please post it or send me an e-mail.
Thanks
Duncan

Feb. 27

Good morning, dad slept well and is up enjoying the day.
A quick note, I know dad is home and he has many, many dear friends that want to talk to him and wish him well but at the moment I think he needs a few days to figure out his new routine. He will be taking 13 different medications two and three time a day in addition to the pump Joanna will have to replace the iv bag everyday. This needs to be the primary focus for the next few days. To be blunt if dads pump stops working so does he. Utah also wants to see and talk with everyone, Joanna and I have to tell him the same thing, one thing at a time. Normally the nurses come in very couple of hours to administer the meds, Joanna does this now, the times are very specific because of the number of meds he needs throughout the day. I hope everyone understands.