Deb Patterson

@RickSteves Wishing you well and a smooth journey of healing, Steve. 🙏🏽

Thanks for all the support since I first told you about my prostate cancer diagnosis. I promised you an update when I shared this news back in August — and I’m happy to say that I’m home now after successful surgery and a night in the hospital. (Packing light for my homecoming, I left my prostate there.) Since I was first diagnosed, I’ve thought of cancer as the latest adventure in a lifetime of travels — and like always, I’m excited to share a trip report with you. My journey began with a blood draw to screen for prostate cancer. I was told that, at my age, a PSA score of 4 or greater would be considered “abnormal.” So, when I got the shocking news that I had a PSA score of 55, it was like I’d been thrown into a new land fraught with mystery and uncertainty. Suddenly swept away from my general practitioner and into the world of oncology, I needed to make important decisions about things I knew nothing of… and I barely spoke the language. In my case, I had options (basically non-surgical treatments or just cut it out). Caring people with strong opinions and lessons from experience weighed in as if in a debate tournament, competing in the interest of my health. Psychologically, I was inclined to embrace the “ectomy” route — cut it out. And in my case (where the cancer is, how it’s acting, and my willingness to deal with — or live with — the side effects), it seemed surgery was my best option. After talking with my doctor and carefully considering each treatment strategy, I chose to undergo a robotic radical prostatectomy. On the big morning, my alarm rings at 4:30 a.m.… and the day for surgery is finally here — certainly a high point on this journey’s itinerary: Drive through a sleepy world, check in, strip down… gown up. A moment of prayer with my surgeon and Shelley (my angel caregiver through the physical and emotional white water of this ride). Then, careen gracefully down the hallway on a gurney (feeling kind of melodramatic to actually live the POV of so many movie scenes) and enter the operating room — which is reassuringly filled with an awe-inspiring mix of masked-up experts, technology, sterility, and humanity. I give myself over to the crew that now holds my very future in their hands. The ventilation mask lowers… take three… deep… breaths… and… I wake up feeling great, chatty, and making jokes I think are clever… clearly on some serious medicine. Thankfully, my doctor has a good report: Surgery went well, there was no sign of any spread, and the cancer seems to have been embedded deep in my prostate, which is now at the lab. Before the surgery, I had two visions of my cancerous prostate: a small apple with an invisible rot at its core and an old dandelion with missing spores. My wish was the apple, and that’s what I got. But we won’t really know how “it went” until the lab reports are in. And that’s when I hope to hear the words “cancer-free.” But for now, I’m still in the next stage of this trip: “the road to recovery.” Buckling myself gingerly into the passenger seat, I was overcome with thankfulness: that I live in a corner of the world where hospitals aren’t being bombed or flooded... that I have access to a brilliant @UWMedicine surgeon and the best tech anywhere at Seattle’s @FredHutch Cancer Center... that I am surrounded by the love and support of so many…and receiving quality care in a major medical crisis with no concerns about crippling costs (which for a citizen of any great nation should be a civil liberty). Yes, I am thankful. On my first day back home (when not napping), I read through cards and social media comments from caring people sharing experiences and cheering me on. All those good vibes, warm thoughts, and fervent prayers — while intangible — took on a kind of tangibility as they collectively worked to fill my sails with hope and strength to finish this journey successfully. Thank you. It wasn’t so long ago that people called cancer “the C word,” or if they called it by name, they did so in a whisper. As anyone who gets cancer learns, it permeates all corners of our society, and it’s nothing to be ashamed of or to hide — and when it comes to older men, it seems being tested for prostate cancer (a simple blood test you can request from your GP) is a smart idea. As for me, the next step is to get my catheter taken out — after which I’ll be steep on the incontinence learning curve. Then, I’ll get the lab reports. (I’ll be sure to keep you posted.) In the meantime, I’m making a point to celebrate the vibrancy that fills my world... to give thanks for everything that works well in my body... and to meditate on how communities, technologies, and livable environments that we enjoy are not accidental — they happen when good people care and do good things. I’m looking forward to many more years of happy travels — and, of course, I’ll be sure to bring you along! —Rick

Please join @RepAndersen and me for our upcoming legislative town hall on Saturday, September 7. We will be in Loucks Auditorium at Salem Public Library from 2:00 - 4:00pm and hope to hear from you about the issues that matter to people in our community.

@andrewselsky How cool! You don’t see many of those butterflies anymore. Beautiful place there!

Here is a great photo by my wife, Zoe. It looks like I am wearing a shirt with a butterfly logo, but she actually captured it in midflight crossing us, and we didn’t even notice it because it was flying so fast. That’s Summit Lake below us, and Mt. Rainier beyond.

Thank you for your leadership and service, President Biden.

The political violence aimed at former President Trump today was a travesty, which could have cost his life and did cost other lives. We must work together for civil discourse across our land. We have much more in common than that which divides us.

@WesternOregonU @WOUPresident @Dr_Coll1 Many congratulations to all!

We celebrated our 2024 Pastega Award recipients today! Congratulations again to LouAnn Vickers, Dr. Brooke Dolenc Nott, Patricia Goldsworthy-Bishop, and Dr. Earlene Camarillo. @WOUPresident @Dr_Coll1

givingday.wou.edu/pages/home-251… (3/3)

You can find out more using the link below. The Fund for WOU is the greatest need. It enables the Foundation to place money and resources where they are most needed, ensuring the flexibility to respond to needs as they arise. (2/3) #WOUGivingDay #howlfromtheheart

Today is @WesternOregonU 's Giving Day, and they are encouraging Wolves and Wolves supporters to Howl from the Heart! Every dollar given today goes to support the amazing students, organizations, faculty, and staff that make WOU such a special place! (1/3)

Es genial dar la bienvenida a los visitantes de Chemeketa, incluida la @preschemeketa Jessica Howard! (izquierda). Fue genial conocer a algunos estudiantes de Chemeketa y escuchar las oportunidades que nuestro colegio comunitario ha abierto para ellos. (2/2)

Great to welcome Chemeketa visitors, including @preschemeketa Jessica Howard! (Left). It was great to meet some Chemeketa students and hear what opportunities our community college has opened for them. (1/2)

Fue un honor brindar la invocación en la semana de la sesión del Senado. A medida que los legisladores consideran los desafíos compartidos por los habitantes de Oregón en esta sesión, me comprometo a trabajar junto con mis colegas por las personas cuyas voces representamos. (2/2)

It was an honor to provide the invocation on the Senate Floor last week. As legislators consider Oregonians’ shared challenges this session, I am committed to working together with my colleagues for the people whose voices we represent. (1/2)

Life saving medications must be affordable. People with disabilities and chronic illnesses should have equal access to needed treatment. Glad to see this bill pass in the Senate this week.

No one should suffer because they can't afford basic, life-saving medication. Today, the Oregon Senate passed SB 1508 to help Oregonians get the care they need, regardless of their health or disability status. #orpol #orleg oregonlegislature.gov/patterson/Docu…

Para obtener más información sobre cómo reclamar el crédito y encontrar asistencia tributaria gratuita, visite ocpp.org/okc (3/3)

Gracias al nuevo Crédito para Niños de Oregon, las familias de bajos ingresos de Oregon que tienen niños pequeños ahora pueden recibir hasta $1,000 por niño elegible con solo presentar sus impuestos. (2/3)

Thanks to the new Oregon Kids’ Credit, lower income Oregon families who have young kids can now receive up to $1,000 per eligible child just by filing their taxes. To learn more about how to claim the credit and find free tax assistance visit ocpp.org/okc (1/3) #orpol

I hope you will join me and @RepAndersen at our Town Hall next Thursday, January 25 from 5:00 - 6:00pm at Loucks Auditorium at the Salem Public Library. We will share our goals for the 2024 Legislative Session and hope to hear from you as well.

On Tuesday, September 19, I will be hosting a community town hall at 6:00pm, located at Indy Commons in Independence. Please join me to learn about the issues I am working on and share your feedback about issues that are important to you. I hope to see you there!