Lin Update

We thank each of you so much for your concern, prayers and signs of support this past week. Lin (mom) improves a little each day and is up and moving under her own power. Speech therapy continues to be the primary focus and, as frustrating as it is, we recognize it will take time for her to recover her gift of words!

The plan now is for her to continue at least another week of in-patient rehabilitation at Miller-Dwan. Mom wants to be back home at Rockwood as soon as possible, and Dad would second that, but everyone acknowledges that the best thing for her now is as much therapy as possible. When it is time to get back home, there will be numerous return trips to Duluth for therapy and follow-ups. Those of you closest to Rockwood and are able can be a huge help at that time. Looking a few more weeks down the road, we are all upbeat about the prognosis and recovery associated with a corrective surgery to widen her carotid artery to prevent this from recurring again.

Please continue to keep Mom and Dad in your prayers. It is truly felt and appreciated!

Mark Sherfy

Guest Blogger

Some of you may have heard that Lin experienced a mild stroke last week. After spending the weekend and recovering well at St. Mary’s Hospital in Duluth, she moved to the Miller-Dwan Rehabilitation Center on Monday. Miller-Dwan is a wonderful facility and an excellent place to get her back to Rockwood Lodge as soon as possible. We do not have any idea yet how long this rehabilitation stay will be.

Lin’s biggest challenge will be managing the gradual return of speech. Her memory and ability to understand were not significantly impacted; but, it is frustrating right now to know what you want to say and not have many words. Miller-Dwan will be scheduling her days this week with little time for breaks and have informed us she will be exhausted. For these reasons we ask that phone calls please be reserved only for family.

Mike and Rockwood Lodge are being swarmed with support and it has been appreciated. A huge thanks for all who pitched in the past week to keep Rockwood as wonderful as ever. Rockwood’s neighbors and the Gunflint Trail community have also come up strong. We are truly grateful for the wonderful patience of our patrons last week, and in the weeks to come.

We gladly accept prayers for healing and rest. Lin told me herself that, “This too will pass.” Mike has been getting some rest and we all know Rockwood is such a peaceful place for that. It is my intent to post periodic updates here as things improve. Thank you for your concern, thoughts and help.

Mark (Mike and Lin’s son)

Cards or flowers may be sent this week too:

Linda Sherfy, c/o Miller-Dwan Rehabilitation Center, Room 220 - Bed 2, 502 E. Second Street, Duluth, MN 55805

June

Carl and Mike have been and gone... and we miss them! All sorts of wonderful things got done... and there are, as usual, a few things left for next time - but thanks, guys! Carl took this incredible photo of the canoe outfitting building one morning - perfect, no?

Our first student helper - Nurick - arrived Thursday evening and is working hard. It's a little hard to be the first student arrival at mid-trail - it's lonely, for one thing! - but he'll also be the one who can help out all the new arrivals next week. Our second student arrives on the 13th.

The lilacs are trying to bloom! Some years - especially ones that have been as chilly as this one - they don't bloom till 4th of July - so maybe we simply missed spring and are proceeding directly to summer this year?