Friday, March 23, 2007

Migraine

I was just boasting about how I never get sick. I've had about 2 headaches in my life while all around me I hear of family and friends who suffer routinely from them. I think it started last evening when I had too much liquid vitamins. After that I noticed a nagging headache, went to bed and woke up with it. Nothing a little coffee wouldn't fix and off I went to sub for a class of 2nd graders. I began to let my kids know that I was holding my head for a reason and to settle down while I got some kites together for 2pm kite time. Outside with everyone I am sitting and now I am holding my head and my stomach. I can not believe I am in the grip of a "sick headache." I can not believe my children and friends go through this horrible thing regularly. I have no tolerance for this-none. I get home, get some sympathy from Damien and think about throwing up and then my wonderful , wonderful friend John comes over. I can't miss that. I try to focus on him for awhile. We're thinking maybe I am dehydrated so I down 4 glasses of cold water slowly. Just before he leaves I am really ready to throw up and slip off to the bathroom. Relief comes and feeling terrible actually begins to fade with the help of a very cold cloth on my forehead. I would rather die than live with those and then I think of Damien who has been sick or nauseous for the better part of 17 months and never complains. No more boasting from me for awhile.

Wednesday, March 21, 2007

Edge

Okay, you women with a man, don't lose your edge! Damien mentioned this article (featured this morning on Yahoo!) from the magazine Men's Health: 'What Makes Men Fall in Love'
1) Passion Besides Them - You have to have interests outside the relationship.
2) You Don't Mind Guy Time - Don't cut off his time with the boys.
3) Keep Your Strut - I guess that means some sass and confidence.
4) Good Taste in Ties - Women need a strong sense of fashion to make up for the total lack of this in most men. They really need help.

Damien and I had fun with this.

Tuesday, March 20, 2007

FORT!

For about a month, Pax had been more antsy than usual. He kept saying, "I want to build something." I took him to a hardware store but the salesman said what he had in mind was probably more than he could handle (not a very good salesman!). Pax was frustrated when I said, "let's leave and think about this a bit more and wait 'til your friends get back from their trips." So he kept thinking about it, his friends returned and back to the store we went. This time Pax insisted on getting started and darn if he and Mason didn't make a spectacular fort in Lisa's backyard last Sunday afternoon. They had just enough know-how with some power tools, just enough muscle (and duct tape) and a ton of creativity. For five hours or so, in the cold, they went at it and practically built a house the size of a BIG shed out of cardboard boxes and particle board! Lisa and I could not believe our eyes. It also has a lookout tower ( a ladder inside of a tall refridgerator box), a bathroom (not what they call it), and electricity inside. He is there now so who knows what else they've added. He loves to tell me every detail of the building process when he finally comes in for the night. Kids are amazing that way.

Friday, March 16, 2007

Half Nelson

Damien and I just watched Half Nelson. I think Matt recommended it. A pretty miserable movie, dontchathink? Everyone's life was a mess and getting worse. If any of you saw it, what did you think of it? The main guy reminded me a little of Lowen but ONLY in looks--handsome and cool and he also reminded me of Uncle Dave in his charm.

Tuesday, March 13, 2007

Dr. Julie Jaffe

Dr. Jaffe is all of 25 is my guess. Five foot eight, slim, and big brown sparkly eyes that linger lovingly over her patient, Damien, of almost two years. She's daughterly (a really SMART one), she drops things, scribbles all over pads of paper, is pausing ("excuse me") to check the pager hooked to her body and always juggling the laptop as well. Her long deep brown hair flops across her face which is always fresh looking and free of makeup. She looks like a lamb but is a self-professed "lion" when it comes to tackling life-threatening cancers in her patients at Johns Hopkins. The head doctor, Steven Gore, has a lot of confidence in her. In October of 2005 Drs. Gore and Jaffe took a long look at Damien and said, "It's gonna take awhile and you're going to get a lot of chemo. We'll look for a donor among your siblings, you get a bone marrow transplant and we give you your life back." And that's exactly what they did.

Saturday, March 10, 2007

2 Tributes

I read about 2 different women this morning who are both doing pretty amazing things for others. One woman went to a yard sale and for 5 bucks bought a huge supply of needleart supplies: fabric, ribbon, hooks, hoops, thread, you name it- she got it. Then she started thinking about her treasure and of the person who had owned all of it, started gathering information about the woman (who had died ) from friends and relatives who knew her and slowly but surely started making a quilted wall hanging type thing to honor her and her passion for sewing, quilting, etc. It was really beautiful and I wish I had a picture of it to show you. Isn't that cool that a total stranger comes along and does that for another human being. It is so.."pure!"
I'll get back to you on the second woman.

Tuesday, March 6, 2007

At a stand-still

Why aren't I blogging? Damien reminds me, Marianna coaxes me....I could blog about my brother-in-law's graduation from a 2 month long rehab and how he honored his sons by what he said in front of everyone that evening...I could blog about my big sister, first born of 9 of us who after 30+ years in Scarsdale, N.Y. moved with her husband to Annapolis, Md. to be with our healthy 85 year old mother, our sister Dawn and of course her daughter and grandchildren. Dawn and I are very excited about this. Sentences are just not coming. I don't know why because there is so much going on that is newsworthy. Brae moved to Philly, Kyrie is in Peru, Lowen has a little dog....I will try again soon.