RSS Feed

2005

  1. Remembering Uncle David

    December 21, 2005 by Gail

    Anyone who knew David knew that he loved kids. I have four nieces and a nephew who adored him, too, and couldn’t wait for us to have kids so they could have cousins. Michael, being the only boy with four sisters, put in a special order for a boy cousin or two… or maybe three.

    Allan, Cheryl, and the Ms: Remembering Uncle David

    I took this photo a year ago — David was lying on the floor, letting the twins crawl all over him.

    Megan inspecting David

    David flew into Seattle on Christmas Eve and I picked him up at the airport, along with a big suitcase of presents for the five Ms (Melissa, Michael, Madeleine, Megan, and Maribeth). It was chaos at the House of Ms, but David loved every minute of it.

    The kids helped David celebrate his 38th birthday in May, which also happens to be my brother’s birthday.

    David’s Weekend in Vancouver: Joint Birthday Bash

    The fact that David and I weren’t able to have children of our own leaves me with an immeasurable sadness. I hope the kids remember how much fun they had with him, and how fond he was of them.

    Share this:
    Pin It
    Share

    Posted in David, The Ms | 7 Comments

  2. Celebrating David’s Life

    December 20, 2005 by Gail

    A memorial service is planned for Wednesday evening, December 28, at Tripp House in Scranton, Pennsylvania, where David and I had originally planned to marry on October 1. Friends will have the opportunity to share stories and memories during the program.

    The details are as follows:

    Tripp House
    Wednesday, December 28
    Program: 7-9 pm
    (light fare will be served 9-10 pm)

    Tripp House
    1011 N Main Ave
    Scranton, Pennsylvania
    570-961-3317

    Google map and directions
    More photos

    On Tuesday, May 30, 2006, I will be taking David’s ashes to Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome in upstate New York. It’s David’s favourite place in the world, a working museum of antique airplanes. I’ve made arrangements to scatter his ashes from the 1929 New Standard biplane over the Aerodrome and Hudson River on what would’ve been his 39th birthday. All who wish to gather at Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome for this occasion are welcome. More details will be announced closer to the date.

    I’m thankful I was able to visit Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome with David on September 4 and fly with him in the biplane. I told him we would do it again, and this way, we can. David spoke of the sky as his “happy place”; I will release him to a joyful firmament.

    The videoclip I recorded of our biplane ride in September:

    Share this:
    Pin It
    Share

    Posted in David | 13 Comments

  3. Flight

    December 18, 2005 by Gail

    David Lee Fielding

    May 30, 1967 – December 18, 2005

    David in his dress uniform
    (Photo: November 2001)

    Lieutenant Colonel David Fielding
    Squadron Commander
    Mount Pocono Composite Squadron 207, Civil Air Patrol

    High Flight

    Oh, I have slipped the surly bonds of earth
    And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;
    Sunward I’ve climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth
    Of sun-split clouds–and done a hundred things
    You have not dreamed of–wheeled and soared and swung
    High in the sunlit silence. Hov’ring there,
    I’ve chased the shouting wind along, and flung
    My eager craft through footless halls of air.
    Up, up the long, delirious, burning blue
    I’ve topped the windswept heights with easy grace
    Where never lark, or even eagle flew.
    And, while with silent, lifting mind I’ve trod
    The high untrespassed sanctity of space
    Put out my hand, and touched the face of God.

    –RCAF Flight Lt. John Gillespie Magee Jr.


    David on a happy day

    David, looking cheerful

    Another World

    How glorious, these blazing heights
    Above the weather’s fickle sway–

    Where I, with metal wings outspread,
    Surpassed the reckless dragonfly:
    As morning fringed the clouds in red,
    I chased the dawn across the sky.
    I traced the southward gusts that blow
    The birds of summer on their way,
    A conflagration, there below,
    Of autumn colours on display.

    With such delight as quite exceeds
    The clumsy scratchings of my pen,
    In mad pursuit of daring deeds,
    I burst above the clouds, and then,
    With boyish mischief on my mind,
    I dove and spun and banked and whirled;
    And there, in smoky letters, signed
    My name upon another world.

    –for David

    Share this:
    Pin It
    Share

    Posted in David, Flying | 55 Comments

  4. All who have loved shall be forever young

    December 17, 2005 by Gail

    Allan posting again. It has been a very long night and day. I called Gail this evening and we spoke briefly. We are now nearing the end and she wanted some time alone with David.

    The sheer speed and inexhorable spread of the disease are horrifying. Gail said that we are likely to lose David tonight and that he would be unrecognizable to you now if you were there.

    David’s favourite poem was read out at the wedding by his best man, Chris. Gail has asked that it be posted here again for David.

    Autumn
    by Garrison Keillor

    Here on an autumn night in the sweet orchard smell,
    Sitting in a pile of leaves under the starry sky,
    Oh what stories we could tell
    With this starlight to tell them by.

    October night, and you, and paradise,
    So lovely and so full of grace,
    Above your head, the universe has hung its lights,
    And I reach out my hand to touch your face.

    I believe in impulse, in all that is green,
    Believe in the foolish vision that comes true,
    Believe that all that is essential is unseen,
    And for this lifetime I believe in you.

    All of the lovers and the love they made:
    Nothing that was between them was a mistake.
    All that we did for love’s sake,
    Is not wasted and will never fade.

    All who have loved shall be forever young
    And walk in grandeur on a cool fall night
    Along the avenue,
    They live in every song that is ever sung,
    In every painting of pure light,
    In every pas de deux.

    Oh love that shines in every star
    And love reflected off the silver sea.
    Love, a gift to all who would try,
    And yet, now held by you and me.

    Share this:
    Pin It
    Share

    Posted in Living with Cancer | 8 Comments

  5. Friday Update

    December 17, 2005 by Gail

    Allan & Cheryl again. We just got off the phone with Gail, who updated us with the following to pass on to you.

    First of all Gail wants to thank everyone for their care, support, and comments here and on Flickr.

    David and Gail are still in Mercy Hospital in Scranton, but they have been moved from the 8th floor, so please do not use the previously posted phone number as they aren’t in that room anymore. They are now in the in-patient hospice care on the 3rd floor. They can get calls 24 hours a day there. Call the hospital main line (570) 348-7100 and ask for the hospice. The switchboard there will transfer you to the Fieldings in room 386.

    Gail asked that we clarify that David is not in a coma. He has been moving between unresponsiveness and rare lucid moments. It’s been tough because, in his semi-conscious state, David has been trying to remove his bracelets, IV, etc.

    Some of you have already contacted Gail and are planning to go out there this weekend and in the coming week. Please do what you can to contact her first, or contact us – syntaxerror [at] gmail.com, to help co-ordinate your visit.

    Share this:
    Share

    Posted in Living with Cancer | 1 Comment

  6. David’s in the Hospital

    December 15, 2005 by Gail

    This is Cheryl – Gail just called and asked me to post here. Gail has been up all night monitoring David. Checking on him once an hour. He’s been getting less responsive – she had to call 911 this morning and David was taken to hospital by ambulance. She’s at the hospital with David now, no computer access. They are only reachable by phone you can call David’s cell number. Gail doesn’t know how long they will be there – she will know more as the day goes by.

    Share this:
    Share

    Posted in Living with Cancer | 11 Comments

  7. Work in Progress

    December 15, 2005 by Gail

    So I finally left Blogger and taught myself enough PHP, CSS, and other web gobbledy gook in two days to patch together a site. It wasn’t a painless procedure — many times I wanted to give up trying to import posts from Blogger (1, 089!) and comments from Haloscan (1,519!), but I persevered and here we are. I’m still working on it, though, so expect some changes as you’re reading. As you can see, I still have more than 1,000 posts to file. And who likes filing, anyway?

    TechnoratiTechnorati tags: , ,

    Share this:
    Pin It
    Share

    Posted in gailatlarge.com, Unabashed Geekiness | 4 Comments

  8. Month Four

    December 13, 2005 by Gail

    I realised after reviewing my post on Month Three, I started counting from the 16th, when we met with the oncologist and David started treatment. The diagnosis was actually Friday, August 12, otherwise known to me as Black Friday.

    Month Four was another turning point in David’s health; chronically low blood counts weren’t a problem before. David had his first blood transfusion in the hospital after the wedding, but in the past two weeks he’s had multiple transfusions of blood and platelets. It’s because the cancer has worked its way into his bones and has been affecting his ability to produce healthy blood.

    We have a better idea of what the doctors were trying to spare David from when they backed off on the treatment. They did warn us that efforts toward extending his quantity of life would reduce his quality of life, and right now that quality is at an all-time low. (more…)

    Share this:
    Share

    Posted in Living with Cancer | 12 Comments

  9. handiwork

    December 12, 2005 by Gail

    handiwork

    I’ve discovered it simply isn’t possible to take care of David properly, get him to his appointments and therapies, look after the house and cat, communicate with everyone I’d like, take photos or write, make up cards and packages, and hold on to my sense of humour or sanity at the same time. Something had to slide down the priority ladder, and that would be this site… and other things, like returning phone calls and replying to e-mail. It’s not what I want, but something has to give and it takes a huge mental effort sometimes to do something as normal as making a phone call.

    But I’m working on a new website, too, which will be revealed once I get all my Christmas stuff to the post office. That’s been my priority, after David, Hugh, and the house. I’m still sticking to my guns about writing everything out by hand, which is grossly inefficient but I’m not taking any shortcuts on this one. The cards haven’t been as elaborate as some, but they are all handmade.

    David had a massive dose of radiation last Thursday, the largest dose to date. In fact, they had to take him off the table to give him a break, in part because there were multiple fields (his hip/back and leg/knee) and it was painful for him to lie on the table.

    Thursday’s radiation has turned David into a semi-zombie. I managed to get a photo of him here, on Friday night, while he was feeling up to working on his trains. But much of the time he slumps over in delirium after a few minutes and even mid-sentence. It’s bordering on narcolepsy, and I try and be near him to make sure he doesn’t endanger himself while he’s physically unstable.

    Both of his ankles are still swollen and we try to elevate them to give him some relief. David’s hands shake, but he’s doggedly determined to work on his trains when he’s not too lethargic. We went to Lowe’s (home hardware store) last week to buy wood for his train platform, so it’s coming together. For both of us, working with our hands gives us something to concentrate on.

    Share this:
    Pin It
    Share

    Posted in David, Living with Cancer | 4 Comments

  10. Hugh’s (Almost) Big Snow Adventure

    December 9, 2005 by Gail

    Definitely an indoor cat, Hugh makes two attempts at venturing out into the first big snowfall of December ’05, then decides snow is overrated.

    Music: “It’s a Marshmallow World” – Dean Martin

    Share this:
    Share

    Posted in Critters + Creatures, Hugh, Videoclips | 9 Comments

Older Entries
Newer Entries