Author: Easin' Along

Readers know that we returned home from California in early March and went into a period of non-stop activity. When the dust finally settled, we had a course of action planned for Helen’s treatments and began pursuing the plan one step at a time. With the plan in place, I felt a need to “re-ground” myself, and the place I always return to for grounding is in the mountains of the Cherokee National Forest, near Tellico Plains, Tennessee. I have posted articles about the area I refer to as “Tranquility Base” several times before, so if some of the following seems repetitious, I apologize…this serene spot is part of my DNA.

On Tuesday of the past week, I skipped my exercise class because the day was gorgeous and too good to waste on inside activity. Tellico Plains is about 65 miles south of Knoxville, and I loaded Freddie with a cooler filled with drinks and a sandwich for the one-hour drive. John Denver accompanied me on the CD player.

The area’s beauty is significantly enhanced because there are no crowds like we find in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. In the last decade or so, the highway to Tellico Plains was improved and widened in hopes to attract visitors and take some of the pressure from the National Park. The road was built, but the crowds remained sparse, and those who cherish the region remain grateful.

The pictures below give an illustration of the light activity.  “Downtown” Tellico Plains is not much more than a tiny village, established in the days before the National Forest as a center for timber processing. Today, there are a few shops, but that’s about all. I love its unique quaintness.

From Tellico Plains, visitors to the National Forest drive along the Tellico River for several miles before reaching Bald River Falls.  This part of the journey is what has inspired me since my first visit on the weekend of my 30^th birthday. I love the drive along this scenic river and stop many times to watch the clear water flow over the smooth river rocks.  I was completely refreshed and closer to the “re-grounding” I sought by the second stop.

Several miles into the drive, I entered an area where the Forest Service conducted a controlled underbrush burn. Although windy conditions prevailed, the Rangers had everything contained.  I drove slowly through a curtain of smoke to the parking area at Bald River Falls. It is too early for wildflowers. Violets were all I could find.

The recent rains added a large water volume to the 100-foot waterfall, and spray from the Bald River sent water droplets in my direction. I didn’t care.  Watching water cascade over Bald River Falls is always a joy, and I lingered long.

I had two more destinations for this day trip.  First, I wanted to visit McNabb Creek Campground, a group camp, where the Appalachian Anglers Society gathers every year for an outing we call Camp II. The campground was deserted, but our group of around fifty men reverting to “boy status” will fill it at the end of April.  I have written a few posts about Camp II containing most of the weekend activities I can remember.

The Tellico Fish Hatchery is the remaining destination on my schedule.  I always visit because a trip to the hatchery brings back memories of the times Helen and I would take our boys there and let them “ooh and ahh” over the thousands of Rainbow Trout swimming in the hatchery runs. Most of the runs were closed off during this visit, but I did get close enough to the run containing huge Golden Rainbow Trout.  The golden color and bright red stripe on these fish are fascinating displays of Mother Nature’s artwork.

The Hatchery is at the end of River Road and about two miles from the North Carolina border. It is also at the end of my journey for this day.  Driving away from the Hatchery, I paused once more at a spot where I spent about three harrowing hours during a windstorm.  Fallen trees trapped me on the River Road in both directions, and a downpour sent river water levels ever higher.  I have a link to the post describing that event here.

Did I mention that there are no crowds in Tellico? Rolling along the river on my way out, I passed a couple quietly fishing from the riverbank in the last mile. They were about the only people I saw all day.  Yep, tranquil indeed…I’m Easin’ Along.

Note: Helen and I are overwhelmed with the love and support from many who have reached out after her diagnosis. We’re sharing some details to stress the importance of regular checkups and testing.  Her doctors conducted a genetic test during Helen’s series of tests and discovered that she carries the Brca-2 gene, which increases the risk for recurring cancer. Helen will have a double mastectomy on April 7 with chemotherapy and targeted treatment for a year. We’re comfortable that, because the tumor is contained at this point, the chance for a full recovery is solid. This week, we had lunch with Dr. Steve Eason, who served as an interim minister at our church for about two years.  Always a delight to be around, Steve confirmed that everything is in God’s hands. We have no doubt.

The past week has been whirlwind-ish.  I’ve hardly seen Helen she has been so busy.  My strongly extroverted wife runs with about four groups of gal-pals (not counting pottery class and pickleball). The outpouring of love and support from them has been both overwhelming and endearing. She has been out to dinner or lunch almost every day since we returned home, and that’s a good thing.

Nevertheless, we’ve tried hard to resume our regular Knoxville routine and activities as much as possible. We attended church services last Sunday, which is a blessing any time of the year.  We love our church as well as the staff and our friends there. Helen returned to her seat in the choir, which she enjoys immensely.

I prodded our neighborhood poker group to get back together for a session in our clubhouse. The fellows I play with are good card players, and we always enjoy each other’s company.  The games are simple, and the stakes are low…I went in with ten dollars and left with precisely the same amount two hours later.  All had a good time!

We resumed our membership in the YMCA to attend much-needed exercise classes three days a week.  The forty-five-minute workout is a great stress-reliever, not to mention what it does for this well-worn body. I was sore after the first class but recovered by the end of the week.

East Tennessee saw the first signs of spring in recent days. Helen’s Hot Pink Camelia put on quite a show for everyone. The blooms are large and in great quantity on the bush.  She had enough for cutting and gave out several thank you gifts to friends and neighbors.

Many of the early flowering trees have sent out buds and enough green shade to make us think that the season is about to burst forward any day.  I “borrowed” the picture below from a friend who has a home in our mountains and gives an illustration of the hint of spring we are getting excited about.

That excitement will have to wait, however.  We have had gorgeous weather for the entire week with clear skies and temperatures in the 70s. Friday was a perfect day weather-wise.  We woke up to six inches of snow on the ground and predictions for the overnight temperature to plunge to 14 degrees on Saturday. I have some pictures that will give readers an idea of what our Saturday morning resembled. There’s nothing ordinary about that!

Now for the big news.  On Friday, Helen and I met with her oncologist, Dr. Feng, a delightful man with a calming demeanor.  Helen met with him previously when she flew home from San Diego for the initial consultation. During this session, Dr. Feng (pron. Fung) summarized a course of treatment for Helen’s breast cancer dictated by one significant finding.  Her CT scan revealed no indication that cancer had spread to any other parts of her body. Her post-surgery chemotherapy could be kept at a very low level of intensity. When Helen learned the scan results, she couldn’t hold back the tears of joy…nor could I.  Dr. Feng held her hand. The cancer was detected early.  Helen’s adherence to annual mammograms had paid off.

Our new normal will include surgery, weekly chemotherapy for three months, and targeted therapy every three weeks in the coming year. The schedule should permit some RV trips closer to home, which we will plan once we have a date for surgery.  Our trip to Maine will have to wait, but we intend to take it at some point. 

Thanks so much to everyone for the thoughtful well-wishes, words of encouragement, and prayers for Helen. The experience has been very heartwarming.

For now, we’re settling into the routine and still Easin’ Along! 

We’re home now.  The original itinerary for our trip to the west coast called for us to be in Seal Beach, California for three weeks after spending time in San Diego and Temecula, California with our grandchildren, then another week north of Malibu, again with our family. We would then embark on a slow drive home. Those plans went awry early in the journey. I’ll have more about that later.

Helen and I had a wonderful time in San Diego.  Fiddler’s Cove Campground at Coronado Beach is about as good as it gets, and the weather was perfect. I would love to report that we saw everything and did everything there was to do in and around San Diego, but that didn’t happen.  Instead, we enjoyed the area around Coronado, sat beside the beautiful bay, and relaxed. We cooked a few meals and spent some time with friends and family.  Again, it was wonderful.

When we checked out of Fiddler’s Cove, we drove the short distance to Temecula to meet up with our son and grandchildren for four more days of family togetherness. We stopped in Escondido, California to patronize Peterson’s Donut Corner en route to Temecula. While in San Diego, we saw a news item on local television about the famous shop that specializes in raised and glazed donuts, apple fritters, bacon maple bars, and Butterlogs, a bear claw glazed doughnut filled with butter and cinnamon. Helen located the store on Google Maps and we loaded up.

Our family arrived at the Temecula KOA a few minutes before us and waved us down as we circled the campground.  Our site was next to theirs.  I’m so glad we made it or else Helen would explode she was so excited.

We spent the next few days doing family things.  Carter, our only grandson spent time showing everyone the intricacies of Hold ‘Em Poker.  I’m not sure where he learned it, but he would play with anyone at any time.

Abby, our granddaughter brought along Honey, her beautiful Golden Retriever, and spent a lot of time walking her through the campground. I insisted that Abby take a picture with me during the weekend because I have a picture of her sitting on my lap taken almost every year since she was born. I posted this year’s image with one of the first from thirteen years ago.

We cooked, played games, and cherished the moments, but the weekend came to an end all too quickly. We watched them roll out of the campsite to return home…sadly, we had to do the same.

Helen and I left Knoxville on January 12^th.  As with any extended travel, we both had a lot to accomplish before we hit the road.  Helen had her annual mammogram scheduled for the 11^th, but she was busy and planned to reschedule after our return.  Her sister, Cammy, insisted that she go ahead with the scan.  “Your health comes first,” she said emphatically. Helen went ahead with it.

We were on the road about two hours the first day of the trip when Helen received a call from the Breast Center with the news that the radiologist noticed a difference in this year’s scan from one the previous year. They wanted her to have a second, more detailed examination as soon as possible.

Helen insisted that we continue through Gulfport and New Orleans while she attempted to schedule an exam in San Antonio.  I won’t elaborate on the extensive effort required to accomplish this, but, with the help of our insurance provider and a friend in San Antonio she managed to obtain another scan, an ultrasound, and a biopsy from some remarkable, caring, professionals on the one day we had in that town. The results were sent to our doctor in Knoxville, who had also been involved in the process. We were somewhere in New Mexico when Dr. Adams called with the news—breast cancer, stage two.

Dr. Adams recommended strongly that Helen return to Knoxville as swiftly as possible to meet with an oncologist and discuss a plan of treatment. After trying mightily to meet by Zoom, her only option was to fly from San Diego to Knoxville to meet with the specialist.  She returned to San Diego three days later.

Helen is a remarkable person, blessed with a gift that God doesn’t give to many people. Helen doesn’t worry. Also, she genuinely lives in the moment.  To her, the past is forgotten, the future will be here soon enough so, let’s enjoy today.  That gift and deep and abiding faith in God will sustain her through this process. She returned from Knoxville, not at all panicked or in fear—she was just mad that four more weeks around her grandchildren would have to wait for another day.

We left Temecula and began a grueling eight-day trek across the country. We left Phoenix with a bad tire on the only rainy day there in months.  A blinding dust storm in New Mexico almost derailed us it was so thick.  We did enjoy a lovely campground in Little Rock where I continued to work on my night photography.  We spent our last night on the road in Parker’s Crossroads, Tennessee, at the sight of a major battle during the Civil War. Helen finished another puzzle.

We’re home now and working out the details of the next step.  There will be surgery but we’re comfortable that Helen is in great hands. We’re sharing this information for one reason—we want your prayers.

I’m not sure when we will travel again and Easin’ Along may take a break for a short period.  To my blogging friends, please know that I will continue to stay in touch and may take part in a few blog challenges to keep my fingers occupied. Would love to hear from all of you when you have time.

We’re Easin’ Along in uncharted territory for us, but, gratefully, we know we’re never alone.