Joy on the Today Show

Posted on July 4, 2005 by djp3

Joy was filmed yesterday for a Today Show segment which is going to air in July. The segment has nothing to do with us, or Joy, but she’s going to be background footage for the story. The story is about a Seattle photographer who takes pictures of terminally ill kids and their families as a way to help the family deal with the eventual loss to their family. Kind of bittersweet story – but who cares! We’re on T.V.!

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

New Job for Lilly

Posted on June 23, 2005 by djp3


lilly.jpg

Lilly writes:

“Hello-

I am writing with good news!!! I was offered a new job today as a recruiter with a company called Talent Retrievers. I am extremely excited about this opportunity, especially because it is located about 10 minutes from our condo (which will reduce my current commute from 3 hours a day to less than 30 minutes). It is a small company – I will be employee #3, but I am impressed with their vision and with the entire management team. I think they are as excited to have me as an employee as I am to join their team.

I also think it is funny how things happen in life – as I now have the same job function as my brother!!!!

I hope you are all doing well and hopefully I will hear from you soon…

Love,

Lilly

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Uncle Larry Chemo Update

Posted on June 6, 2005 by djp3

Earlier in the weekend, Uncle Larry sent this update:

June 3, 2005

Today Zellie, Larry E., Jamie and I met with Oncologist Dr. Michael Goldstein and Surgeon Dr. Charles Vollmer in Boston. The result of the meeting was very encouraging and positive. The pathology report from my May 4, 2005 Whipple Operation showed a complete surgical removal of the Pancreatic Cancer tumor. The margins were clean and 10 Lymph Nodes sampled showed no sign of the cancer spreading. The staging was between stage 2 or stage 3, most likely stage 2A. However, with Pancreatic Cancer you can never be sure that one cell did not escape. In my case, the carcinoma invaded the wall of the duodenum and the ampullary area, which is a risk factor. Therefore, Dr. Goldstein and Dr. Vollmer have recommended prophylaxis against recurrence. I will undergo 4.5 to 6 weeks of mild oral chemotherapy and abdominal radiation. I was given a choice of doing this at the hospitals in Hyannis, Boston, or Fall River. I picked St. Anne’s Hospital in Fall River because it was half way to the boats in Newport. This was an easy decision. The chemotherapy will sensitize the area to radiation. The oral chemotherapeutic will be 5-FU (capecitebine). This means that I will take two pills twice a day concomitant with abdominal radiation 5 days a week for 4.5 to 6 weeks. I will not lose my hair! This therapy is recommended to prevent future recurrence of the pancreatic cancer. Dr. Vollmer (Surgeon) states that I am ready for full physical rehabilitation with no restrictions. Dr. Vollmer further stated that he expects a full recovery from the May 4th operation within 90 days. Dr. Goldstein anticipates a full return to active work upon completion of the radiation therapy.

Zellie and I thank you all for your unselfish love, help, comfort and kindness. Be assured that we will always be here for you as you have been here for us. Thank you. We love all of you.

Love, Uncle Larry

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Uncle Bobby

Posted on June 1, 2005 by djp3

I understand that Uncle Bobby recently passed away. If anyone has a picture or some details, please feel free to add them or email them to me.

-Don

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , | 7 Comments

Andrea in BabyTalk Magazine

Posted on May 29, 2005 by djp3


Magazine cover

Andrea writes:

I just wanted to let you all know that I just got a phone call saying that I will be quoted and used in the August issue of BabyTalk magazine regarding the use of coupons with buying things for my baby. Sign up to receive the magazine, I think it is a free subscription. They hand them out at Babies R Us and places like that.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Photos of Irvine

Posted on May 28, 2005 by djp3

I posted some photos I took of UC Irvine when I went for the interview. Slideshow is here. The housing development is the one where we are going to get a house – eventually.

Photos lost in website transition.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , | Leave a comment

New Address for Mike, Kate and family

Posted on May 27, 2005 by djp3

Kate writes:

“We’ve moved! Please note our new address and phone number.

Mike, Kate, Gabrielle and Jack Fredericks

68 Longview Dr.

Centerville, MA 02632

508-775-3919

We sold our house in RI and are moved into our Centerville house. The house that we bought is the house that Nancy Palmer grew up in and her father built by hand. Mr. Lahteine built a great house. We love the house and feel very fortunate that it is ours now. As my dad said when he came to visit yesterday, “Mr. Lahteine is probably smiling seeing us in it.”

Mike is working 3 miles away at Cape Cod hospital. I am working Sundays at CVS and spend the rest of my week playing with Gabrielle and Jack. I’m loving life! Visitors are welcome!

Kate

Here’s a vCard if you manage this stuff with a computer program.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Grace Turned 1

Posted on May 26, 2005 by djp3

Grace Verwys turned 1 this past weekend.

pictures lost in website transition

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Uncle Larry’s Standing Orders

Posted on May 25, 2005 by djp3

0600 Tuesday May 24, 2005

Hi to everyone in the extended Palmer Family,
I have not posted any new information on my Pancreatic Cancer since I left the hospital because I have been talking to most of you on the phone and I wanted some happy events to be posted on the Family Web Page. I think the news that Andrea and Nate are going to have a baby is just what this Family needs.

I want everyone who reads this to know that I have cancer. I also want you to follow me as I face this adversity. Because the only good thing that can come out of this is the opportunity to show my Family how to face adversity. My orders to you are: KEEP YOUR HEADS UP AND KEEP A SMILE ON YOUR FACE. NO SAD FACES.

Today, I have an appointment with my primary care physician (Dr. Marilyn Brett Gordon). I will get a copy of the pathology report from the Boston Surgeon’s office. We will discuss blood sugar issues and I will ask her permission to get back into my routine at Gold’s Gym. Perhaps with some rehab help for the area of the Whipple Operation that was completed two weeks ago. On June 3, 2005 I will meet with the Surgeon (Dr. Charles M. Vollmer) at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. Two hours after that meeting I will meet with the Oncologist (Dr. Michael Goldstein). Dr. Goldstein will direct my chemotherapy. The June 3rd meeting will be attended by myself, Zellie, LCDR Palmer, and Dr. James Nightingale.

I have been humbled by the amount of cards and phone calls I have received since this new part of my life started on April 16, 2005. I can only thank you from the bottom of my heart!

Love, Uncle Larry

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , | Leave a comment

University of California Irvine

Posted on May 24, 2005 by djp3


CalIrvineAnteaters.gif

So, yesterday, I (Don III) just concluded a lengthy process that began last December of trying to secure a job as a computer science professor. The process is a lot like applying for undergraduate schools: First you put together an application package with essays, and a resume/C.V.. Then the schools pick a subset of those people to interview. Then they pick a subset of those people to make offers to. Then there is a negotiation phase.

Well, I applied to 18 schools. 17 on the east coast and one on the west coast. I got two interviews at the University of Maryland and the University of California at Irvine. (I also interviewed at Microsoft Research but that’s not a school). Then I got an offer at UCI. Then last week I negotiated the salary. Yesterday I accepted a position as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Informatics!

Informatics is a new trend in the world of computer science. It’s a little different than pure computer science in that they describe themselves as “people + computers” rather than just “computers” and it fits perfectly with what I love about computer science. As a result they study things like Human-Computer Interaction, Software Engineering Practices, and Ubiquitous Computing.

Anyway, it was a gut wrenching process where you are publicly evaluated by lots of people and you get your ego run through the wash a number of times. I am extremely happy at how it ended up though and I am very grateful for the way God paved the way for me to get this position. There are lots of great things about living in Irvine, for example, it’s about 10 minutes from DisneyLand (between L.A. and San Diego)! Also the mascot is an anteater – that’s cool.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , | 5 Comments