Better Days Ahead

January 2024

Jack’s Website The WE TALK PHOTO Podcast Galleries eBooks Workshop Schedule & Registration

It’s been a while since my last article here on this Photography Blog. A lot has happened and is still in flux. I have received many emails and phone calls asking “Where are you? What going on?” I’ll bring you up to speed. For those who have been in contact some of this will be redundant, for others this will serve as an update.

2023 was truly a transition year for me. We relocated from the Pacific Northwest to our new home in Eastern Tennessee, in the shadows of the Great Smoky Mountains. We are finally totally settled in. There are always new projects, but the major changes and improvements to our home are completed.

Early last summer, soon after making the final move to Tennessee, I began to physically feel different. I was getting tired easily and developing some muscular situations that just didn’t feel right. I am not one to run to doctors, so I chalked it up to being a year older, stress of moving etc. I kept it to myself as well. I also know I had a full slate of workshops, speaking engagements in the fall and I certainly needed to honor these commitments, so I better get on with things. By late summer things were certainly not right. So, like many of us, I reached out to the internet and searched my symptoms and produced what I thought might be going on. My thinking was that if I could somehow get through Thanksgiving, I’d deal with this mess. It didn’t work.

In early September I drove out from Eastern Tennessee to the Navajo Country, the four corners area of Utah-Arizona to run our sold- out workshop with my co-leader, John Pedersen. One of our attendees who lives north of Atlanta drove with me. We had a great trip, checking out some of the lesser photographed areas along Interstate 40 and RT66. My symptoms, however, were becoming more apparent. I was having some trouble walking, lifting my arms, chewing food as well as speaking, and for those who know me the speaking part was the most frustrating!

I did more research and produced the self-diagnosis that I had a condition called Myasthenia gravis, which produces antibodies that block or destroy the muscle receptor producing extreme weakness. Not good. Your brain is saying “Lift your arm” and your muscle receptors are saying “Sorry… not going to happen.” Not good. Using a long lens was getting difficult.

I managed to get through the workshop fine. We had one of the best groups ever along with some great light and conditions which helped. Driving back home to Tennessee was uneventful but wondering how I’d manage trip #2 just 2 weeks later. I got home, got rest, and headed out again in early October for the Eastern Sierra. Again, I met an attendee in Oklahoma City and drove to Bishop California. Things were getting worse quite quickly. Chewing food was difficult, speaking was getting difficult and my weakness in my neck legs and arms got bad. Our workshop attendees certainly knew I was not myself. One of the things that you need to do with this condition is get a lot of rest. Workshop leaders typically get little rest normally. This was no exception. I went about 5 nights only getting 3 to 4 hours sleep max, and not able to eat properly. I ate a lot of bananas, soft food, and caffeine, but became very weak. Coincidentally, and fortunately one of my previous workshop attendees that I had not seen in a few years was on this trip. He has the same condition and is successful in treating it. I could not even tell he had it. We talked about the ramifications and more. We followed up with some phone calls in which he reassured me, educated me on what’s happening and future expectations. (Thanks Mike!) Having these types of friends is something I cherish. If not for all these years teaching photography workshops and meeting such great folks, I would certainly be less fortunate. It’s not always about photography, it’s about life!

After the 2^nd day of the workshop, I was done. I had planned on driving back with a good friend, workshop attendee and photographing the eclipse in Utah. That was not happening. I could not do day 3 so John took over. An attendee who lives in the SF Bay Area drove me to SFO where I booked a red-eye ticket and flew back to Knoxville, via Chicago. I had to stop and rest 7 times walking from gate to gate in O’Hare Airport at 6am. But eventually, 13 hours later, made it to Knoxville.

Three days later, on my wife Linda’s orders (yes, she was right again), I reluctantly went to the University of Tennessee Medical Center, check in and received treatment, diagnosis( which I already know) and began medication. These folks did every test imageable and after 48hours told me what I already knew. They were great and provided the local, Tennessee down home attitude and care that is quite normal here)

As of this writing, I am 75% better but still have a way to go. I have a great doctor who knows this disease well. We are regulating medicine and treatment. His goal is to get me back to a normal functioning life, which he expects. I still get tired when I don’t sleep well, I feel it. Getting comfortable is sometime challenge. Rest is important. NO comment!

I would like to thank my good friends, Dennis Yarbro, Mike Roberts, Doug Haines, and Mike Levine for all their help. Bill and John were and are always there for support as well. I could not have made it without you all. Without Linda, who knows? I am not the easiest person to deal with in these situations. She got the ball rolling and without her, I knew I’d be in worse shape.

So that’s the story of the recent past. As we all figured out. find there are many people a lot worse off than me. What I am dealing with is treatable. Others are not as fortunate, so I am not going to complain. Gods got a plan, and I’m not overly concerned.

I did cancel a lot of my schedule for 2024 with a few exceptions until we get things back to normalcy. I’m doing some speaking engagements now and I know I’ll be able to get to my planned workshops. I am getting out and exploring the endless backroads here in East Tennessee but getting back on the road for some extended time is important. When you’ve done that for 25 years or so, it’s in your blood.

I have a private trip to Olympic National Park and to Sitka Alaska in early April as well as another private trip to finally experience a total eclipse later that month. Our Spring Smokies workshop (with Bill Fortney) is after that. I’ll be joining John in the Palouse in June, the Eastern Sierra in October, The Pacific Northwest Art School in November and the Tetons’ next December. For now, that’s enough. If all goes well 2025 will be a bit busier. Please click HERE for registration and information.

SPENDING TIME

I keep busy. I think it’s important to stay active, as much as possible. Photographically, John and I record our Podcasts “WE TALK PHOTO” regularly. I am getting caught up processing images from past trips, working on a few new E-Books and another major project (stay tuned). I am going to expand my Jack Graham Photography You tube channel, as long as I can find something meaningful to talk about that hasn’t been talked about already. Any ideas? How many “Tips to be a better photographer” or “Here’s my gear” videos do we really need? As I alluded to, I get out somewhere pretty much every day to clear my head and enjoy the calmness that being out brings me. Some recent images are found below.

Most of you know of my background in music. I have a decent (certainly not a superhigh end) audio system and I listen to a lot of music; I listen to jazz and a lot of classical music. I collect Vinyl recordings (Yes, I do listen to CD’s too and even have a streamer!) I have a YouTube channel dedicated to this called “Straight Talk with Jack“. I’m not in this for the money, just to bring some information to others. I have over 1020 subscribers! You can check this out HERE. Making these videos has been somewhat of a challenge over the past 6 months due to the situation, but things are getting a lot better every day.