Mike Glassow Updates

 David Stone, violin, coordinated a visit, and Lynn Gamble invited John Wilcox, guitar.  This made for an amazing jam session where Mike and all of us enjoyed songs shared between David and John, who had only just met in our living room, yet presented a splendid occasion for us all.  We head acoustic versions of Reggae, Rolling Stones, and traditional folk music that we all knew.   David, Mike, Lynn, Glenn, and John -- the musicians are tuning up David brought some empanadas from  Buena Onda , and Glenn brought wine that livened up the evening. John is a professional and has traveled widely with his voice and instruments, usually as part of Marley's Ghost , which can be experienced in Santa Barbara from time to time. Watch the Independent for news! David is a local presence at scenes around town, at events, and at the Sta Barbara Farmers Market on some Saturdays.  A virtuoso part-time with his fiddle, he is an archaeologist and was a student of Mike's! ...

  The first of December is still sunny, and Mike was able to enjoy the patio and outdoors at our home.  He is finding that walking is taking more energy than it had in the last weeks.  There is still much he is able to do, and our home is a nurturing place.  

Life has had ups and downs.  Mike has little energy but still has his interest for life. Collecting the mail Walks are more attenuated: he makes an effort to get down to the mail box, which is a good walk and involves that elevation gain on the way home.  We had a plan and we wanted to take a trip .... We did the trek to our cabin in Wrightwood for Thanksgiving, arriving on Wednesday the 26 th  and going back on the 30 th .    Our Wrightwood Cabin We were able to take one of my students, Lingbi Zhong, with us, and Ceci, my sister, and Donna, her partner, joined us for the 27 and 28 th .  We had a welcome Thanksgiving. Gwyn brought supports for Mike and we were able to visit and share time with other local friends. Enjoying Dinner when we Arrived Friday, we took a tour through Wrightwood and down Lone Pine to Mormon Rocks and then up Highway 2 to Vincent Gap with a stop at Inspiration Point at the crossroads of the Blue Ridge and the Pacific ...

  Lisa and Al are with us at the Santa Barbara Museum of Art for the great Impressionist show   Mike is very present and enjoys your visits -- There is still much to talk about and to appreciate.  We want to see more visitors to bring out Mike's wonderful spirit that we know and celebrate. Lynn and Glenn visiting Yet last week, after a long hospital stay with CT and PET scans; the targets observed in the PET scan  identified   " Innumerable avidly hypermetabolic mediastinal lymph nodes which are concerning for metastatic process." A biopsy  was taken, and the conclusion was " metastatic disease."   It  was determined that the bladder cancer had spread throughout the lymph nodes on the left side and into some of the vertebral bones as well. Talking with the oncologist about options and knowing that Mike did not react well to the aggressive therapy from last year, Mike told her he preferred to be comfortable. Yeste...

 Sandy Thompson was visiting and about to say godby to  Mike when I called !~ It has been nice to have visitors who bring news and ideas ~!   I have been at El Pilar in Belize and Guatemala.  We were working with our Soil Scientist team, looking at 2 areas for validation. Field team checking soil profile! I have been in Belize and Guatemala and now in Mexico on the way to Campeche and ECOSUR where the soil team is affiliated.  Jorge Mendoza, the lead, and his assistant Victor Ku will be sharing traditional Maya house construction with a visit to Victor's village.  Very exciting! I fly home on the 21st.... Roozbeh visited and found Kitty in attention! Curious as she is, she greets visitors and is watchful of Mike as he does his exercises! We hope her watchfulness does not distract Mike!!

Mike enjoys the Santa Barbara Independent , so for his Friday walk, he goes by the Victoria Market . This week I called on WhatsApp and caught him as he was collecting the Independent. I am in the field and will be joined by soil scientist   Jorge Mendoza of ECOSUR this weekend to validate our soil map we are developing for El Pilar. I have been in the area for a week. I went to El Pilar, been to Belmopan for our permit from Forestry, and visited master forest gardeners in San Antonio who are collaborating with the Maya house construction project.  Here I am at El Pilar at the control point that linked our first transect survey in 1984. My foot is on the marker. A lot of history for me at that site! Meanwhile, Mike has his daily walks, fetches the mail, does his exercises, checks Emails and reads the Irish Times,  and has visitors! With Brian to update on the Museum With Karen to Reminisce! Roozbeh visits to share Iranian stew!  

Typically, Mike will take a walk in the AM and one in the PM.  In the afternoon, he always checks the mail.  We have been surprised as the mail used to come very late, and now he always finds it by the afternoon.   He even thinks it may be delivered in the morning! His long walks take him up Alta vists to Michelterrena  ... Once home in the afternoon, he will check his email and read the Irish Times .  This gives him an alternative view on the world's events, and he is able to keep up with the local issues.  This has given him conversational topics when we have visited friends and relatives in Ireland!