My Week that Was - November 20

Lambeau Field. 10/3/2021 (dwm)

Green Bay's 17 - 10 victory over Seattle was convincing and hopefully a referendum on the true potential of this team.

Aaron Rodgers was on the field, a day after reinstatement after missing 10 days, and one game, during that time, but he wasn't the story.

The story was the Packer defense.  In shutting out the Seahawks, the team displayed a tenacity that made me think if they had to, they could have made Mason Crosby's first-half field goal stand as the winning margin.

It's the kind of win that should do them well over the last seven games on their schedule and give a boost of confidence going into the post-season.

Several top players are expected to rejoin the team soon if their recovery progresses.  Rashan Gary, Aaron Jones, and Whitney Mercilus all left the game with injuries, hopefully the injuries aren't season-ending.

Green Bay has won 8 of their first 10.  Next up is Minnesota, their division rival to the west.  Before they can think about seeding in the play-offs, the Packers need to win their division.  The next step to become NFC North champions is a victory over the Vikings tomorrow.

It was a productive week at work.  All the writing projects we started a couple weeks ago are at the print shop.  Two donor visits went fantastically well.  

My friend and
colleague, Heidi.
(2019 photo booth)

 Then my phone rang.  I recognized the caller's name as a good friend of my friend and former co-worker.  It wasn't good news.  She told me that my friend and co-worker, Heidi, died Tuesday evening of a heart attack, gone at 56.

 I was stunned, shocked, and silent.  Tuesday morning we had texted about meeting for lunch in two weeks... now she is gone?  It didn't seem possible.  I thought about my friend's husband and daughter mourning for the second time in a year.

 There are no words.

 Heidi was a wonderful colleague and a better friend.  We were a good team the five years we worked together.  She encouraged me.  We laughed together.  We shared ups and downs at work, supported each other.  While we came from different backgrounds we had a lot in common.

Heidi is the first close friend I've lost.  I'm better for knowing her and that she was part of my life.  I'm going to miss her.

This week at Oakwood we held a virtual ground-breaking.  The Hebron Oaks Skilled Care and Rehabilitation Center will be on the University Woods (west Madison) campus in the southeast corner of campus.  The building will feature the latest in technology and equipment to offer the best care possible to recovering individuals and a palliative care wing.  

It's the first construction on the University Woods campus in 15 years, and there is a sense of excitement to see the work get underway.

Friday several of us from Oakwood attended Heidi's funeral.  While it was sad, there was also laughter as her husband recounted the story of how they met and their life together the past 37 years.  His story painted a picture by filling in the blanks on how she became the woman and friend we loved.

Goodbye and Godspeed, my friend.