Monday, April 27, 2009

Save the date: Na Gaeil’s fundraiser on June 21 at 4 p.m.

Kelly Doherty announces the confirmation of the date, June 21, 2009, for the Na Gaeil's fundraiser on behalf of Michael McMechan. The sponsor of the Irish language classes is producing the event, including live music, and the venue is the Irish American Heritage Center on the north side, 4626 N Knox Ave Chicago, IL. Kelly promises more details to come.....and please save the date...June 21, 2009, from 4 PM on.

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Latest news about Michael

Hi everyone
Just a quick note: Michael is doing so well right now that he has gone to Chicago to work on shutting down his apartment. Shaunna is coming April 25 to help. Kelly and Jamie are also there for Michael. He insisted on doing this and we think it's wonderful that he can.
Lucy is hosting an event for Michael May 8 in Michigan. She is amazing!
Thanks to EVERYONE who is doing so much --in so many ways-- to help him!
Marian

Saturday, April 18, 2009

Tasting + Benefit on May 8 in Michigan

Join me at a benefit tasting of artisan cheeses and craft beers from Wisconsin - some one-of-a-kind seasonal releases including the New Glarus Brewing Co. Unplugged Apple Ale - with all proceeds to go to Michael's medical expenses.

The benefit tasting will be held at a private home in Beverly Hills, Michigan, near 14 mile and Evergreen, on Friday, May 8, 2009, from 4-7 PM. The menu will include many specialty foods and 7 fantastic samplings.

Donation is $50 per person, and RSVP with a check for the fundraiser is necessary to hold a seat. Space is limited to 30 people, so please send your check, payable to:

The Discretionary Trust for Michael S. McMechan
c/o L. Saunders
4230 N. Oakland Ave. #178
Shorewood, WI 53211

I'll send directions to the tasting with confirmation of your RSVP! Many thanks for all your support on behalf of Michael, and hope to see you there...

Thursday, April 16, 2009

thank you to all at the Newberry Library benefit on April 14


We had a fantastic time at the silent auction and benefit, which raised about $2.4K to help defray Michael's medical expenses. About 40 friends from Michael's classes both at the Newberry and the Irish American Heritage Center, came to enjoy chef Jamie Doherty's creative samplings of specialty foods and artisan cheeses, presented so beautifully on platters with dried fruits, Marcona almonds, lemon and tomato confitures. The cheeses, from the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board, were paired with assorted Irish style ales, with special thanks to Great Lakes Brewing Co. and Josh Sazy, who donated to the silent auction.

Thanks for all the auction item donations, and for all the volunteer help needed to make this possible. Special thanks to our hosts, The Newberry Library, for donating the space, and to Michael's colleagues, Tom Popelka and Rachel Bohlmann, for making that possible and handling the logistics of the silent auction! Many thanks to Ellen Levy for underwriting the insurance.

Special thanks to Kelly and Jamie Doherty, for getting out the word to so many of Michael's students, and for all their care of Michael's cats and apartment over the past 5 months.

Musicians Noah Smulkis, Mike O'Regan and Karen Reshkin performed wonderfully. They are organizing a benefit concert in June, and details will appear soon.

Thank you to all!!

Friday, April 10, 2009

Chicago Event is almost here/amazing grace

Good Friday morning, all.
We went for a family walk of a few blocks, Andrew, Marian, Fiona and the dogs yesterday evening. This may seem like a minor event, but consider the change in Michael's health that allowed him to participate! We attribute that to the chemo, steroids, and also an anti-siezure drug called dylantin. We suspect the dylantin controls his "episodes" of sudden inability to stand (perhaps small siezures?) Michael is able to communicate SO much better these past few days.
Truly a blessing.
THANKS SO MUCH to everyone helping with the Chicago event! It's truly amazing. There are so many wonderful people and good things going on. Well, gotta get cracking on house cleaning; Grandma and Grandpa Nagel are coming for breakfast on Easter morning, and also the easter bunny deserves a decent reception!
Marian

Thursday, April 9, 2009

imerman angels + the Cranbrook connection

Another resource for cancer survivors is the Imerman Angels network, founded by Jonny Imerman who, like Michael, is a graduate of Cranbrook Schools - the network matches survivors with cancer fighters, so people can get support from someone of the same gender who has experienced the same kind of cancer. Learn more about the national network at imermanangels.org. We are posting information about upcoming benefits for Michael on their website....and thanks to Margi Brown at Cranbrook for putting us in touch!

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

enjoy live music at the fundraiser on April 14!

Thanks to McM's friends, Noah Smulkis, Michael O'Regan, and Karen Reshkin, we'll enjoy acoustic Irish music during the benefit on April 14.

Also, thanks to Erik Carlson and Mary Caraway, who work at U of C and who run a live Irish radio program there on Monday nights and on the air at http://www.whpk.org/stream/ for mention of the fundraiser. Much appreciated!

Monday, April 6, 2009

spring snow and getting ready for silent auction

A spring snow (no surprise in Michigan) so we're at home staying warm. Going over the silent auction donations for April 14 - a wonderful Pewabic pottery tile from Karen G., a crystal vase from Sally, signed posters of Marcel Marceau from M's friend WAP John of Grafaktri and more.



Next, we're thinking of a tasting fundraiser in Michigan, for friends of M from Cranbrook and local families, on Friday, May 8, from 4-7 PM. Let us know if you're interested!



Michael is feeling better with every day of chemo, with more energy. Thank you all for your letters and cards - it means so much to have a written note to be read and enjoyed again,

best, Marian and Lucy

Thursday, April 2, 2009

update from marian - mri results

I will plan to post updates every few days so everyone will know what is going on. First of all, tell all your friends about the Newberry Library Event on April 14. People are donating some really nice things for the Silent Auction. Please do whatever you can to GET THE WORD OUT!

Anyone who cannot attend but wants to make a donation to help Michael should write a check to DISCRETIONARY TRUST FUND FOR MICHAEL S. MCMECHAN. Mailing address is: 4230 N Oakland Ave, #178, Shorewood, WI 53211. For Silent auction items, please contact Lucy Saunders, lucy@beercook.com. Blogger software is having trouble with comments so email is best.

We've had some good news lately. The MRI results show that since the surgery, the tumor has grown less than expected. Michael has been approved for Social Security (starting in June) and Medicaid. I found out he has NOT received Short term disability from Aetna--those darned insurance companies! We're not done with them yet! We will also work on Guardianship for Michael which he has agreed is a sensible course. Michael has made the decision to proceed with treatment. He started Chemo last night. There will be steroids to reduce swelling of the brain and stomache medication for expected side effects.

The lease on Michael's Chicago apartment will end this month. Kelly Doherty is rallying friends to help with that project; Michael's brother Andrew (my husband) plans to make the trip from Michigan to work with Kelly and make the tough decisions. Kelly was here yesterday; we got to meet her! She made the trek via Bloomington, Indiana to Michigan. Michael wanted to come along for a drive to show Kelly the house on Pilgrim where Michael grew up, Christ Church Cranbrook, where he was baptized and confirmed, and the Cranbrook Campus, where he studied as a boy. We were out for maybe 15 minutes when Michael became ill and we had to return. It was still good for him to get out, even for a bit, I think. His balance problems continue; he has agreed to use a nice cane more often (good decision!) I told him he's just like HOUSE with the cane so that's cool....He is very, very thin and needs some more clothes. We worry when he goes down the stairs to his nice room and bath that he will fall. We urge him to hold on and use the cane.

The benefit for him is to have some privacy and personal space so we want to continue the arrangement as long as possible.

Thank you to everyone who has sent him cards. Thank you to the people at Christ Church and to Lucy for referrals so we know who to go to when we need help with Michael's care. We've heard from Shaunna McIntosh, Michael's ex-wife, and she has provided some helpful information as well. It's amazing how many people come forth when stuff happens. I can tell you that there's a lot of good people in this world. They aren't as obvious as the rotten ones; God speaks in a whisper, you know.
LOVE AND THANKS TO ALL OF YOU CARING PEOPLE!
Marian