[Dialogue] Thanks to Abe

[Janice & Abe Ulangca]

Hello Dialogue Colleagues,

I thought you might want to know something about what is happening here.  I'll be a bit sneaky and send this now that Abe is hooked up to dialysis for the night, then catch and delete it when it comes through to us.

First, you should know how much Abe has valued this list serve.  He knows you appreciate being connected, as he does as well, and as his health has deteriorated this was one thing he could do at his own pace.  Those who have known him well know that the very essence of life for him is doing useful things.  He loves people, and has rejoiced at hearing news and thinking from so many folks that he remembers with affection and respect.  So the chance to serve via this list serve has been a great gift for him. 

The doctor is telling me that they have exhausted options for really improving things for Abe.  When he had to go to the emergency room at 3 a.m. last Thursday with breathing problems, they found no new heart attack and were able to adjust his oxygen to help a bit.  But the doctor told me that things are moving to the end for him.  He said, "Abe may have a few weeks, or a few months - but his heart is failing."  Those with medical background will know about the ejection fraction, the measure of the strength of the heart muscle, expressed in the percentage of the blood ejected.  I understand that 50% is normal; a person in really great shape might have 70% or more.  Two years ago Abe's echo cardiogram showed 25%; last year it was 18%; March 11 of this year it was 15%. I would guess that it might have fallen some since then.  The doctor expresses to me some wonder that Abe is able to move around and do as much as he does.  

We have been able to share Abe's reflections on his life, and he feels too that it's coming to an end.  Typically he's concerned that I learn everything from him that I need to know -- I've been pretty busy with that.  Most Sundays he still gets to church, and good friends of years are glad to see him as he sits in a big chair in the lounge outside the sanctuary and listens from there.  He loves to go out to lunch and to the library, watch Jeopardy, and always has a book going.  He plays a mean game of Scrabble or Upwards, and gets a gleam in his eye when teasing friends.  Oh, and watch out, when he goes to a store where they have the riding contraptions -- he'll ride all over the place.

I thought this might be a good time to let you know about all this.  If you want him to get any message, it might seem natural for him to hear as the big transfer is taking place.  I guess I'd rather that you did not directly refer to this message.

Thank you, thank you, Tim, for taking over!  He's been so concerned about that.  He just grinned tonight when someone had a question, and you jumped right in and answered it.  It's a big relief to him.

Love to all of you.  I do some grieving, of course, but my local friends and colleagues (peace and justice, mostly) provide support, and I'm doing well.  It is kind of a holy thing, isn't it, to get to accompany someone on the last part of their journey.  We're looking forward to a visit next week from my sister and her husband.  She's my only sibling, and I haven't seen her since we were in Denver for the Millenium Connection.  I'm glad they're coming now.

Janice
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Tim Wegner 
  To: dialogue at wedgeblade.net 
  Sent: Saturday, May 15, 2004 10:58 PM
  Subject: [Dialogue] Thanks to Abe


  If you are getting this, you have been successfully migrated to the 
  new dialogue list, the successor to ica-dialogue.

  Folks, we all owe Abe Ulangca a hearty thanks for his faithful and 
  steady work on this list. He has requested to step more into the 
  background for reasons of health. He remains a co-administrator and 
  will be a valued consultant. At Abe's request, Bob Hawley is also a 
  list administrator, along with myself.
  (snip)
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