Fw: MARK

Thu Mar 13 13:08:57 UTC 2014

From: BARBARA SALVATORE 
Sent: Thursday, March 13, 2014 12:57 AM
To: Catherine Rudin ; iren.hartmann at gmail.com ; jgoodtracks at gmail.com ; rankin at ku.edu ; rlarson1 at unl.edu 
Cc: linguist at email.arizona.edu ; vstabler at esu1.org ; dvkanth2010 at gmail.com ; jekoontz at msn.com ; greer-j at mssu.edu ; jtmcbri at ostatemail.okstate.edu 
Subject: Re: MARK

PLEASE FIND UPDATES ON MARK, and the Appreciation Dance the Elders and Students have planned for him. ALL DETAILS follow. Thank you very much for your time and consideration.
Barbara
APPRECIATION DANCE FOR MARK WAKUNI-SWETLAND, MARCH 30th , Indian Center, Lincoln

THANK YOU FOR FOLLOWING UP MARGARET! I AM JUST SENDING THIS OUT TO EVERYONE TODAY! your timing is excellent :)
March 13, 2014
Hello to friends and students of WagOnze Uthixide, Professor Mark Awakuni-Swetland.
In February, I visited with him at his home with MiSebe (Arlene Walker) and he was in very good spirits. Of course he spent a lot of time talking about the UmoNhoN language and quizzing us, and correcting us, and telling us how important it was to learn the UmoNhoN alphabet and remember how to spell things so that we could be good teachers and pass it on. He gave us watermelon rind pickles that he and his sister in law had canned the day before. But he could not see our faces or the computer screen, as his vision is very blurry and he gets headaches. Later that weekend we were all at the Gourd dance and Hand-games at the Lincoln Indian Center and this is what he publicly shared:
He stood to tell us: “the leukemia has flared up, and travelled up my spinal fluid into my brain. Which is why when Donna asked me questions and I gave her no answers, or incoherent, really strange ones, she started to suspect something. The doctors here in Lincoln found carotid arteries, but sent me to my doctors in Omaha for the cancer, and they found it there in my spine. I am undergoing treatments.
The Western doctors have told me to get my affairs in order. And my Indian doctor tells me there is NO doom and gloom around me and that I still have work to do on this earth that is undone. So I wanted to say that much.”
He excused himself to go home to rest and take medicines.
Later, when they drew the raffle ticket for the hand-made star quilt, Mark’s sister-in law won it! 
Afterwards, our elder speakers talked together and announced that they want to host an Appreciation Gourd Dance and Hand-Games to honor Mark. They wanted me to get in touch with all the students that I know.

Donna and her sister want to thank everyone for planning this, and they are very grateful.
They are going to be organizing food and meal plans, confirm the hosts etc. The Dance will be held on Sunday, March 30th. 

They would like if anyone who can, to come and help with planning on Sunday. 
PLEASE CONTACT ARLENE WALKER (MiSebe) by phone or text (402)314-6482

To reply to this email, do not hit REPLY ALL 
To reply to me, email  bighorsemail at yahoo.com  (Barbara)
or you can message Arlene Walker or Barbara Salvatore on facebook 
PLEASE Do NOT post this to facebook walls while we are still planning
A flyer will be posted to facebook when it is ready
Please tell / bring any friends or family members that would like to help and show their appreciation.
ATTACHED IS A FULL LIST OF WHAT IS NEEDED. CASH DONATIONS ACCEPTED AS WELL. SEE DETAILS BELOW!
WagOnze Uthixide has been fighting this leukemia a long time. He has also studied, taught and been dedicated to the Siouan languages, the Omaha, and to his students with his heavy load of work and projects. It is our time to give back, and to thank him for his generosity and all that he has shared. 
Indian Center, 1100 Military Road, Lincoln. (402) 438-5231) 
I hope you can join us!
WibthahoN!
Barbara Salvatore
Omaha Language Class/ UNL 2011- 2012   
Ponca Language Educator – Ponca Tribe of Nebraska
bighorsemail at yahoo.com /(607)-287-0327
PO BOX 414, Verdigre,NE 68783

IN LINCOLN - PLEASE CONTACT ARLENE WALKER (MiSebe) by phone 
or text (402)314-6482 (she likes texts )
or
Indian Center, 1100 Military Road, Lincoln 
(402) 438-5231) 

APPRECIATION DANCE FOR MARK WAKUNI-SWETLAND, MARCH 30th , Indian Center, Lincoln

NEEDED:
TO PURCHASE
Coffee – large containers ground coffee (to serve ongoing throughout the event)
5 large jugs Juice
Fried Chicken – 3 boxes
Penny Candy, lollipops, snack size bars – for putting round the drum for kids
PAPER GOODS-
Plates
Soup bowls
Cups
Spoons
Forks
Bull Durham Tobacco

TO MAKE – VOLUNTEERS NEEDED- To make these dishes 
(make at home and bring in your own serving pots, dishes or disposable trays)
LARGE pot Vegetable soup
LARGE pot Chicken soup
Fry Bread
Cakes – at least 6 for Cake Walk
Big Serving Trays of:

Potato Salad – 2 people make
Macaroni Salad – 1 person
Platter Baked Beans- 1 person
Platter Green Salad- 1 person

ALSO NEEDED – ITEMS FOR GIVE-AWAY – Suggestions:
Blankets 
Shawls
Pillows
Gift Baskets- will be assembled from donated goods such as-
Towels
Toiletries (for men or women)
Food gifts
Jewelry
Framed pictures
Toys (for children)
Kitchen ware
Coffee maker
Pots, pans
Food Items (canned, boxed, nonperishables, snacks)
Fruit baskets
Anything that you feel is an appropriate gift

CASH DONATIONS  ALWAYS WELCOME – 
PLEASE contact ARLENE WALKER AT 402-314-6482 in LINCOLN

If Long Distance and mailing CHECKS, please send to me 
(B. SALVATORE, PO BOX 414, VERDIGRE, NE 68783) BY MARCH 25th, 
so purchases can be made by March 29th.

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR SUGGESTIONS -
PLEASE EMAIL me at bighorsemail at yahoo.com 
or CALL me at 607-287-0327

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR GENEROUS SUPPORT 
of WagoNze MARK AWAKUNI-SWETLAND at this time!

On Monday, January 27, 2014 9:46 PM, Catherine Rudin <carudin1 at wsc.edu> wrote:

Thanks, Rory.  
I think you're right that all this detail doesn't need to be on the list, but I am glad to know what is going on.  
I've added the addresses I have for John K and Vida.

I had wondered why I hadn't heard from Mark in a while, but figured he was just busy.  

I would like to help out in any way possible by long distance ... the note below mentions sending gas cards as one thing they could use.  Would just sending cash be out of place?  I'm sure they will have lots of expenses.  Won't try to bring food from Wayne.

The mental confusion must be dreadful.  But as you say, Mark is feisty and has always had an amazing sense of humor -- glad it's still intact.

C

>>> Rory Larson 01/27/14 7:45 PM >>>

Yes, thanks, Jimm.  I wasn’t sure whether it was my place to say anything on the list, so I’m glad you as an elder brought it up.

Mark collapsed in his office in mid-December, and has been in the hospital much of the time since.  The immediate problem was a collapsed aorta, but they seem to have sorted it out to a resurgence of the leukemia that, for the first time, is attacking his nervous system.  I visited him in the hospital a couple of days later.  He was talking with a small crowd of visiters, and was very much his normal, feisty self.  At that time, he still planned on teaching the coming semester.

Our student and illustrator Barbara Salvatore passed on an email from his departments  last week:

Ø  Dear Ethnic Studies Colleagues and friends of Ethnic Studies/Native American Studies,
Ø  This is the latest information regarding Mark Awakuni-Swetland.  This comes to us
Ø  from LuAnn Wandsnider, Chair of Anthropology:  
Ø   
Ø  Mark is now undergoing radiation treatments on a daily basis and, starting later this week, likely as an outpatient.  The
Ø  leukemia is now affecting parts of his brain, causing him to have double vision.  He and Donna are
Ø  pursuing chemotherapy and radiation treatment to help with quality of life; the longer term prognosis
Ø  is not good. 
Ø   
Ø  What you can do:  
Ø  His family could use help with providing meals/food for Micah (vegetarian; high school senior) and Kei'a (high
Ø  school freshman), since Donna is spending most of her time in Omaha.  They have some family help and help from Donna's
Ø  coworkers at LPS, but other help would be welcome.  Mark might be released this Friday, but then they will need to
Ø  travel back and forth to Omaha daily, so gas cards would also be useful. 
Ø   
Ø  You could drop off food for the boys around the back of 1532 No. 24th Street, with a note on the front door.  
Ø  Probably gas cards should come through the mail (zip: 68503).
Ø   
Ø  LuAnn will be e-mailing me again soon regarding whether Mark is able to have visitors or whether
Ø  a phone call is possible or if it might tire him too much.  Because of his double vision, he cannot read
Ø  his e-mails, but Donna is reading his e-mails to him-- so feel free to write him as well.
Ø  Mark's e-mail:  mawakuni-swetland2 at unl.edu
Ø   
Ø  Take good care, everyone,
Ø  Amelia

I was able to see him at his house for a short while on Friday evening.  They were well-stocked with vegetables; I added to their stash.  Mark was upright, seated at the table.  He was still himself, and lucid, but slightly slower than usual in speech and seemed to have a little trouble occasionally finding words.  A couple of times, he lost the initial consonant on his first attempt: e.g. “arrow” for “marrow”.  He suffers from severe headaches, but the most unsettling thing for him is that he has episodes.  These are either periods he can’t remember, like waking up in a completely different room than the one he went to bed in, and nobody else seems to think so, and he can’t remember the difference in enough detail to explain it; or he finds himself not knowing where he is, or who he is, or what his intended destination was.  He also complained of falling into weird and troubling ideation.  Fortunately, he still has a sound overall understanding, and his sense of humor.  He sorted out a long line of pills he must take.  The first is for his lungs, but the dose is too strong.  The second counteracts the overdose of the first, the third moderates the second, and so on down the line.  It seems his condition has pioneered new territory, beyond the bounds of current medical science, and now they are just throwing pills at it to see what works.

I had emailed him a couple of times, and got no answer.  As the message above says, he has double vision now and can’t read it, but I believe Donna will read the message to him if you would like to communicate with him that way.  I’ve been chary of calling him on the phone, but I haven’t heard anything to say we can’t.

Catherine, I’m sorry I didn’t get in touch with you sooner.  I had assumed that you and Vida already knew.  Mark and I didn’t talk about Omaha during the visit.  We might want to put out some feelers on what is going to happen there.

I’m not sure this much detail belongs on the list; I’ll leave that to wiser heads than mine.  I would include John Koontz and Vida Stabler if I could locate their email addresses.  Perhaps one of you could pass it on to them, and to anyone else you think should know.

Best,
Rory

From: Siouan Linguistics [mailto:SIOUAN at listserv.unl.edu] On Behalf Of Bryan James Gordon
Sent: Monday, January 27, 2014 4:31 PM
To: SIOUAN at LISTSERV.UNL.EDU
Subject: Re: MARK

Yes, Jimm, thank you for sharing this news with the list. It broke my heart to hear of it. Wagóⁿze thí shi edi ewathatha-ma wíbthahoⁿi moⁿbthíⁿ.

2014-01-27 Jimm G. GoodTracks <jgoodtracks at gmail.com>
From: Vida Stabbler at Macy, NE:

Hi Jimm, my Nephew Uthixide Mark's leukemia is back and fierce at that. He's been on chemo and on leave from work.  

The leukemia has spread to spine, brain and bone marrow. Needless to say, there is great sadness coming along. He is doing radiation and will start chemo very soon. I sat with him and Donna at UNMC - Omaha yesterday. I will share your thoughts with him....makes him smile to hear from family and friends.

It would be good for the list to acknowledge him and that we stand with him in heart and prayer as he travels this difficult journey, that he has already traveled.

Jimm 

-- 
***********************************************************
Bryan James Gordon, MA
Joint PhD Program in Linguistics and Anthropology
University of Arizona
*********************************************************** 

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