the trip to florida has not been anything like i expected–and instead of fulfilling my mission of meeting all the facebook friends i know in florida, i spent the week with my father justin. my father is undergoing a new cancer treatment called provenge. it is the first time this treatment has been made available in tallahassee. justin’s wife barbara was on a business trip and not available to go with him for the first phase–when the technician extracts blood over the course of three hours, harvesting white blood cells to be shipped to a laboratory in georgia.
justin’s white blood cells, the fighter leukocytes, will be enhanced in the lab and are being shipped back to tallahassee to be injected back into his body.
later this morning, justin and i will go to the clinic to complete the provenge treatment. the lab wants him to have a chaperone and in general it’s always a good idea to have an advocate, a helper, someone to make sure you get home safely. justin’s wife is back from her business trip but she is a professor at florida state university, in charge of a department of three hundred people, and must take a conference call. otherwise, she would be there for justin.
one of the treats, and it really is a treat, of the florida trip is getting to know my father better. he and my mother put me up for adoption when i was three years old and i didn’t meet them until i was twenty five. it is always interesting to spend time with either of them.
but a treat i missed was finally meeting facebook friend jennifer brand clair with whom i have been corresponding. she and i were going to bake a cake together in her home in tampa. she bakes cakes for all occasions and could bake one for you too! but this is what she baked for me–
this cake is a book that i will write about my year and a half of meeting facebook friends. on the left hand page are two computers–mine and jennifer’s–joined by facebook. on the right hand page is a plane traveling to florida, where i will meet her. not this trip, maybe, but next one!
it’s a beautiful story and i have had a beautiful time in florida and i must look at it this way–i have one delicious reason to come back! thank you jennifer!
arlynnpresser 
September 14th, 2012 at 1:52 pm
Beverly Center thanks and gratitude for your nice note; she received it yesterday.
I told Beverly this story last night.
You are a saint. You have taken forgiveness to an entirely new level.
Todd S. Parkhurst | Partner
t. 312-604-2626 | f. 312-604-2627 | tparkhurst@hsplegal.com
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September 14th, 2012 at 5:46 pm
I can’t help but wonder if while you are getting to know your birth father you ask why they gave you up for adoption. I’m sure it would be an awkward question to ask while one is having his blood removed, but I might have a hard time letting it rest. Maybe that’s just me . . .
September 14th, 2012 at 8:59 pm
I must have been stressed waiting for your visit. After you had to cancel, I slept from noon until seven the next morning. Seriously. But next time we will meet. My prayers for your father and please keep us posted in your blog as to how he is doing. Edward Summers
September 16th, 2012 at 2:17 pm
For some reason this post brought up a lot of personal baggage. I don’t know if I could have been as kind and caring as you. You are a great person.