NORINA MILLER

Hello everyone~

For those of you who haven’t been along for the ride with Norina all the way back since 2005/06, I finally found a few minutes to finish writing up the background, to the best of my recollection.  If interested, you may read it on “The (Mostly) Medical Background” page.  Apologies for the length.  I tried to keep it brief. Five and a half years is a long time, and keeping things brief has definitely never been my strong suit.

I asked Norina if she’d like to dictate a post this morning, and she nodded yes. There was a thinking pause, then something came up and the morning routine played itself out, and before we had the chance to get back to it, the moment of opportunity had passed by.  Norina’s napping now.  She and I spent some time reading cards and messages, watching a video of Cole’s new kitten in Portland, and looking at a lovely framed picture of her second grade Peninsula class on a camping trip.  We both really enjoyed looking at the picture for a nice long time, remembering each person in it.

It’s beautiful here today.  Norina had a quiet night and it’s been a good day so far.  I’ll write more soon.  Until then, we all send our love,

Terra

PS  I’m thinking it would be a good idea to adjust the visiting times.  Let’s try 1-4 pm for a while.  Make no mistake, though, we love seeing and hearing from you all, so please don’t feel you need to stay away – we just need a little bit of extra time for catching up with everything else!  xoxo

Hello friends ~

This morning Norina asked me to write the posting.  She’s having a massage at the moment with Natasha Dedrick, who came down with her bike on the train from San Francisco.  Norina and I have both loved having occasional sessions up in San Francisco with Natasha over the past few months, and she’s very sweetly agreed to make the trip down to us when it will fit into her schedule.  Natasha is a very talented body worker, and an intelligent, generous, funny, wise and gentle young woman.  We love it when her bike pulls into the driveway.

It’s been a good weekend so far.  Norina’s energy and strength have been good.  Yesterday morning she joined us in the kitchen and helped prepare a bowl of summer fruits for a rare intimate family breakfast (only the nine of us!).  The petite-sized wheelchair provided by the hospice organization has been very convienient for getting around our tight floor plan, and for visits on the front and back patios.  With assistance, Norina walks to and from the bathroom next to her bedroom, and she uses the chair for longer treks.

We’ve had wonderful visits from dear friends and family, some of whom have travelled long distances to be here.  We’ve also bid farewell to dear ones who have had to head back to their homes and jobs.  It’s hard to say good bye, but so sweet to have had time together that we all feel happy and grateful, overall.

We’ve been reading cards, notes, and messages bit by bit.  It’s a rather slow process, as Norina likes to take some time to think about each one as they’re read aloud.  Please know that all messages, calls and visits are cherished, even if not responded to or reciprocated.  We all feel the love pouring in with every message and visit, and even during those rare moments when the house is still ~ perhaps especially then.  I hope you feel the love from here pouring back to you.

~Terra

We’ve been hearing from and seeing so many wonderful friends from way back, as well as those in Norina’s and our family’s more current circle.  The past reconnections have been such a gift for all of us, and for Norina particularly.  It’s so sweet that people have been reaching across the distances of time and geography.  I’ve noticed that Norina seems to especially love to hear about what’s up in her friends’ lives, particularly all things fun and funny.  She and I want to post the recounting of a very funny story we heard in India a few years back.  I’ll try to get that on here later on today.

Norina just finished a delicious big breakfast sitting at the dining room table (in the wheelchair).  It’s a lovely morning here already.

Thanks so much for all of the very, very sweet messages – the outpouring from all of you has meant the world to all of us.

love to all of you out there,

Terra

This posting was dictated to me (Terra) by Norina this morning over breakfast in bed:

Thank you, Thursday.  Let’s keep it real, nice and cheesy: jsyk (just so you know)

It’s been awesome to have unexpected visitors and get unexpected calls. Something cool happened yesterday. – we had a bluegrass jam.  Ayla made baklava muffins.  Wish you were all here.  Love you!!!

This morning I (Terra) asked Norina if she wanted to dictate a posting for this website, and she liked the idea.  Mike typed up the message below as the two of them overheard Lee & Cole’s conversation over breakfast in the next room.

Livin’ Today

Hi folks, thank you for your responses to this website that Emilly so sweetly put together. I’ve been feeling pretty okay lately. It’s been awesome to hear from old friends, and receive so many surprise visitors. Bonus update: my brothers are thinking about exploding cocktails in the kitchen, come on over!

These days at home have been profoundly important and beautiful. We have cherished every message – the notes in the mail, phone calls and messages, emails, postings on this site, texts, facebook message, and visits to our home. We have received each of these contacts as deeply meaningful gifts and appreciate the love and support from our family and friends more than words can express. We are blessed with a circle made up of people with open hearts, amazing powers of articulation, and stellar culinary chops.

Norina has quietly soaked up all of it – the food, visits, messages, artworks and music. When the house and garden are bubbling with activity we sometimes ask if it’s too much – too many people. She consistently assures us that it’s all good. She has slept very soundly through the nights, and napped well on and off during the days. She has no pain and has told us that she is not afraid. She jokes and plays with us, albeit in a quiet, understated way.

Norina has been receiving Jin Shin Jyutsu treatments as often as possible all throughout her cancer treatments. In recent days, our dear friends, Cynthia and Uzi Broshi, have been coming to the house twice daily for Jin Shin treatments. Norina has always benefited enormously from Jin Shin, and it’s clear that this is particularly true lately.  We are incredibly fortunate; Cynthia and Uzi are among the most talented and generous friends anyone could hope to have.

You most likely already know that in 2006 Norina had two surgeries and a diagnosis of glioblastoma multiforme, a highly aggressive brain tumor.  She responded very well to treatment and has lived her life fully and very happily these past five years while undergoing cancer treatments and caring for her health in myriad ways.  Last fall Norina learned that her tumor had begun to grow again.  She resumed chemotherapy and radiation treatments.

After a brief stay at UCSF hospital last week, Norina is now home with us, her family, in Menlo Park.  She is in hospice care at home.  She’s glad to be home.  She rests and sleeps very well and comfortably, and is also alert and happy eating, talking and visiting with people on and off throughout the day.  Norina and our family welcome visits and contacts of all sorts, and appreciate your love and support.

Norina frequently expresses her love and gratitude for all friends and family who wish her well, near and far.  We share these sentiments as we make our way through this time, which is both challenging and beautiful.  Our faith and the love and support of all of you, our amazing and huge network of wonderful family and friends, is buoying us through.