36 Things

A year ago at this time, Hayden was in the hospital for 36 days ( feel read to read the older posts from that time period). So, here are 36 things we are thankful for.
1. Dr. Duke Cameron. While Rob admires your hands, literally ( he claims they are incedibly soft, but we can discuss Rob's issues later),I admire the work you do with those hands. As a pediatric cardiac surgeon you are simply amazing.Saving lives, working gracefully under pressure and always offering calm sand reassurig words.
2. Dr. Luca Vricella. Simply awesome. Thank you for placing your black voodoo box on Hayden's bed. You believed in Hayden and you valued and respected our opinion, even on the hard decisions.Always took the time to let me look at a film or results and throw out my take on things.
3. Dr. Joel Brenner. Our sounding board, guide, advisor and dear friend. You have been through it all with us and always stand by us. You are willing to have the tough conversations and truly hear our side. Our opionion is always part of your equation. Hayden adores you. Plus, you get my sarcasm and never judge me for it... I think. You may never, ever retire ;-)
4.PICU Nurses. OK, you are the most amazing people, EVER. The things you see, do,deal with each day...unthinkable. You guys not only took care of Hayden but Rob and I as well. Some of you even came out of it as our friends:-) So, I am gonna be specific here. Thanks to the following nurses who took care of Hayden ( yes, I kept track in my little notebook): Keri, Adrienne, DVP, Vanessa, Serenity, Jacqui, Candace, Katie, Chris, Maureen, Erin, Mary, Melisa, Consuela, Julie, Michael, Dana, Cynthia, Laceter, Jenn, Megan Sha., Christina, Nikki, Amy, Dawn, the other Megan, Michelle,Missy, Pam.
5.PICU Attendings and Fellows. You guys were with us round the clock dealing with every little hiccup. You work tirelessly.
6. PICU RT Team. Thank you. Intubated vs. extubated is the least fun game to play. Throw in BiPap and respiratory distress and it becomes and even less fun game. You worked with us and to keep Hayden safe, but also to get him breathing on his own.
7.Pediatrc Cardiology Team. There are so many of you who are so important to us. We trust you, your intuition and knowledge. You guided us and shared with us. We would recommend you to anyone.
8. Dr. Holmes. Yep, a shout out just for you. For me,ersonally, you were an amazing sounding board. You listened to me and my instincts, spent time explaining specific medical issues and shared a very human side of yourself. You shared tears with me and a good deal of laughter. You fought for my kid ( and rammed the bed of a girk who has just returned from a SPINAL FUSION!!!!) and I am forever grateful.
9.Child Life. Making the hospital normal. What an oxymoron! But, you guys do it. Child Life Liz, you are amazing. You job is incredibke hard. The PICU is not normal...at all. You work tirelessly to make the kids content, even happy. You have compassion for famiies and their adverse situations.
10. Grammy and Pop, aka.Mom and Dad. You took us in, fed us, did laundry, cared for our fish and pretty much did anything we needed. You made an Easter basket for Rob so that he would have an Easter. You drove to our house to pick up my checkbook. You sat with us, everyday, at Hayden's bedside. You made Hayden laugh. You fielded phone calls, supported us, listen to us. You are simply amazing .We love you.
11. Betsy. Words cannot express how much your friendship means to me. You listened and shared in our chalenges and successes. You knew everything and I know that was a burden, but you kept it together when you talked to me and reminded me that we were making good decisions for the right reasons.You are a constant reminder that family has nothing to do with blood. ( I guess that is why Hayden says you are like his Aunt and John is like his Uncle...but Maggie is his sister? Hmmm)Big, wet kisses.
12.Amazing Friends who visited us,cared for us, loved us. Robyn, Kelly, Bush's, Jon. It is not easy to visit a child in the PICU but you have no idea how much your visits meant to us. Having someone to sit and eat lunch with or chat in a waitingroom with was so important.
13.Kevin and Jenn. You guys rock. You visted, fed and spent time with us. You brought Rob Easter Dinner. You checked in on Hayden constantly. He is so fortunate to have such an amazing Aunt and Uncle.WE love you guys!
14.Grandma and Pop-Pop. That drive isn't a short one, is it? Thank you for coming down to see us and for supporting us.
15. Grammie and Papou. You are amazing. Talking to you is always grounding. Your visits were a respite for both Hayden and I. You were among the few that he would stay with. He LOVED listening to Papou read to him. He loved spending time with both of you. How lucky are we to have you as grandparent set #3!
16. Canal Run Bunco/Drunko. The best friends and neighbors we coukd ever ask for. Mowing, moving our furniture ( in and out) and giving us wine juice boxes...awesome. Thank you for always checking on us and sharing our story with so many others. A BIG thanks for the welcome home girl's night. It was much needed and so fun. I love a boa:-)
17. All of you who checked in via e-mail/phone on a regular basis. Teresa, Jamie, Cathy, Karen, Mel,Debbie, Lynn,Kim, Chrisse, Cass,Dayna,The Durkins, Leener. It is so hard to be away from the real world for so long. It is nice to know that the outside worlds still exists. It is awkward to reach out to those in an adverse situation and you did just that. Hugs!
18. Rob's support system. Ken, Chris Ma, Chris Mu,Dave, Bush. You guys have no idea what your phone calls and conversations meant to Rob. You gave him someone to talk to ( besides me!) and provided great distraction.
19. FHS friends. You are always so loving and supportive. I work with some amazing people. I cannot name all of you, but your generosity, prayers and love have meant so much to us.
20. Cathy and Kelly. Who else would grade essays for me? Love you both.
21.Beth Sholom. Teachers, friends, families. Hayden receiveed so much love, prayers, support from so many of you. Great video clips sent to cheer him up. A Miss Beth visit once we came home. Check in e-mails from Margie. You are all wonderful.
22. Timber Grove Elem. You guys have always done so much for us. Thank you for feeding us. Thank you for thinking of us. Thank you for taking care of my mom.
23. Isabella. For being Hayden's " girlfriend", sending him art work ( that he had us hang up)and being the first person he wanted to call once he got to a room.
24.Debbie. That you for always checkiing in and sending prayers,. Your goodie bags are always appreciated. You have been there and you get it.
25. Aunt Iris and Uncle Leon. Thank you for providing us with so much support and giving my parents support as well.
26.Aunt Mrya and Uncle Harv. You are always there to chat and to feed us. Just what we needed.
27. Doovie. Thank you for always thinking of us and calling. Thank you for the AMAZING support for the tournament and our fundraising efforts.
28.Rob. I am thankful for you, everyday. You are an amazing man. As a husband, you support me, love me and put up with my " quirks". We have been through so much more than we wanted to go through, but have always come out stronger. Your devotion to me and our family of three is evident in all of your actions. As a father, you are the best. You are incredible with Hayden. You took the night shift; that says it all. He adores you and every minute that you spend together. I love you more than my fingers can type.
30. Hayden. Hayd, Dad and I love you more than anything. More than the moon, the stars and the light? You are the toughest, bravest, strongest, most resilient boy I know. Your laugh makes me smile. Your smile makes me smile. Your silly, ridiculous personality, makes me smile. I never imagined that I;d fall in love this way. Everyday with you is a gift that we cherish.
31.Laughter. It cures what ails you. If it weren't for laughing, I'd have to cry and that is way less fun.
32. A deeper appreciation for life and what is important. Most importantly,time spent together. Playing Candyland. Watching a movie. Dancing. Gardening. Cooking.Snuggling.Vacationing. Arguing. Reading. Vacuming. Thankful for all of it. Each moment is more precious than the next .I am thankful that I have been given the opportunity to appreciate people, moments and time.
33.Wine, Vodka, Beer, Moonshine, etc. I know, it doesn't seem appropriate, but, well, it sure helps:-)
34.The kindness of strangers. Thank you. So many people reached out to us and many of them were complete strangers. It reminded me that the world is not a bad plavce and that people are good. I challenge you do to something kind for someone you do not know, they will appreciate it.
35.Thoughts and prayers. They are might powerful.
36. All of you. If you are reading this, you are important to us, You have shared in our story, shared our story with other and become an important part of our lives.
And one for good luck... Research, funding and medical advancements .

Liar,Liar Pants on Fire

I have come to realize that people lie constantly. I can't figure out why. Some are small lies and some are wild tales, but in the end they are all lies. I try to be an honest person, sometimes brutally honest, which some perceive as just plain bitchy. I am Ok with that. Bitch vs. Liar? I'll take bitch. BUT, if I were to take up the fun-filled sport of lying, here are some things I'd lie about:
1. My job. Why would I say that I am a highschool English teacher when I can be something far more exotic or erotic? Spy. Beekeeper. Ninja. Psychic. Professional bowler. All far more interesting.
2. My family. Oh, you didn't know about my father, The Count. Yes, Count Silverman. He is such a modest man...keeps it all hush, hush. And my brother? Well, we can't all invent Snugi, can we?
3. My age. Ok, I am fairly well-preserved for a woman of my generation( flapjacks aside), but I could stretch the truth about my age just a bit. I mean, having just turned 29, I am starting the feel 30 staring right back at me.
4. My eating habits. I don't eat red meat or pork and haven't for 21 years ( oh, so according to #3 I gave that up when I was 8;-) But I could profess that I would never fathom suggesting that my family institute cereal night once a week ( what? I love cereal) or that I never, ever feel the need to eat a sleeve of thin mints straight from the freezer. Or that the idea of eating cheese fries is simply repulsive to me. MMMM cheese fries.
5. My drinking habits. No, I have never been able to drink a twelve pack and then write a paper. Never, not ever, did I have to decide if it was a " 2 or 3 Boones Night". ( I know, that is gross...I did go to Frostburg) No, I don't get on the wagon every fall because the thought of a new school year makes want to binge drink like a smalltown girl set free on a college campus. I just like to have a clear mind when the school year begins.
6.My love of babies. ( yes, I understand tht my dislike of babies makes some of you find me dislikeable) OH, he/she is precious! I SO miss those baby-days. Don't ya just wih they could stay that way forever? They smell so sweet? ( Like poo? Spit up? UGH)
6. Your Cat. No, your cat doesn't bother me. I love cats, they are so friendly. Oh, I always hold my inhaler in my hand and breathe this way. Do you find it odd?
7.My affinity for train-wteck television. Who would ever watch something like that? Dr. Who?Drew? Never heard of him. Who is this Baby Lisa you are referring to? Get out of town; Steven Segall is a Lawman?
8.My adversity to showering on Sunday. My family and I are water conservationists. We each abstain from bathing one day a week. Oh, I showered this morning, I just felt like wearing my hair in a ponytail and going sans makeup. It must be something in the trash? No, I don't smell anything. ( I really wouldn't allow myself to stink)
9.My parenting. My child always does what I ask, never any arguments. No, I have never told him to get of the room because I didn't want to hear him. I would never sit back and allow my husband to feed my child breakfast with a side of chocolate covered pretzels...that is terrible.
10.My lies.

Hello , Old Friend

I have no excuses. I haven't traveled the world, saved lives, remodeled a home, rebuilt an engine. I have just been a slacker. I haven't blogged in so long. Let's see if I still know how to type?
Here goes...All is well here in Lazorchakland. I am busy educating the youth of America; changing lives and all that jazz. Rob is now working outside of our home and he is thrilled. He loves leaving the house each day and we are happy, too( oops, I mean, we miss him). Hayden LOVES school and is learning to read. He is still obsessed with sports of any kind. He and Rob are enjoying ski season and I am enjoying snow days.
That is all I have as far as updates go. If you have missed my witty humor...read the next post.

Kicked to the Curb

More and more lately, I am being kicked to the curb. Hayden wants to be with Rob. He looks forward to " Fellas' Night". He wants to have Rob do the countdown to get out of the tub race. Rob should read to him at night.
Just last night, they were playing football while watching football and the ball was passed to me. Hayden quickly turned and said, " Mom, we are trying to play a game here." ( Well, excuuuuuuse me.) I am just in the way.
They do just fine without me. I spent the weekend at the beach with the Canal Run girls and didn't hear a peep from them unless I called to check in.
It got me thinking about new and exciting ways to get some " me time". ( Leaving the country?) The more I thought about a whirlwind excursion, the more I also thought about my house and all of he things that would go "wrong" ( yes, wrong is in the eye of the beholder) if I were not there.
I have complied a short list:
1. No food would be purchased from the grocery store.
2. Strange noodle/ hot sauce/ranch dressing pastas would be cooked and consumed.
3. Meds would go undrawn.
4. Beds would never be made.
5. Laundry piles would rival Mt. Everest.
6. The washer would have laundry left in it causing mold to grow and a foul stench to overtake the basement.
7. Cheese would be an acceptable vegetable ( YES, I am calling you out. Plus, what kid likes reduced fat cheddar sticks???).
8. The shower curtain would remain open ( UGH).
9. Bills would go unpaid resulting in no electricity, gas, cable and evetually foreclosure and and a vist from the repo man.
10. All doctor/dental appts. would be missed. If not missed, arrival at such appts. would be so late that the appt. time would have passed and no one will be seen. ( Can we say gingivitis?)
11. Pots would remain on the dish rack, out in the open for all to see.
12. People would eat, food, in the family room ( a HUGE no no).
13. Balls would be thrown in the house.
14. Navy and black would be paired together.
15. Rock Band and Punch Out would take the place of reading and counting.
Basically, they'd turn my home into a Frat house. They'd probably even wear togas ( mostly because the laundry would go undone and sheets would be the only clean item in the house).
Guess I can't plan my getaway any time soon. And they will just have to get used to me being in the way .

Back to the grind

It has been quite a while since I have blogged. Funny thing happened; Summer. I was optimistic that I'd blog more often, but I didn't .I got caught up in being gainfully unemployed. I lounged at the pool, went on dates with Hayden, went to the Lake, hung out with friends, drank a bit, went on vacation and generally lead a life of leisure while still getting paid ( I pay myself for the summer- don't start judging the teachers). It was fabulous. I didn't want to go back to school. I wanted to keep doing laundry in the morning and grocery shopping in the middle of the week, etc.
On a date with Hayden, a few weeks ago, I mentioned that I didn't want to go back and that I'd miss him. He turned to me and said, " Mom, I want to go back to school. ( now patting my shoulder) It'll be OK, we will still see each other at night." So, I was consoled by my 5 year old and realized that I was being hypocritical. Whenever Hayden gets sad because something fun is ending, I am forever reminding him that all good things come to a end. If they didn't, we wouldn't realize that they were good things. I could hear my own voice in my head reminding me that my " good thing" was ending. It was sad, but it was over.
So, we are all back to the grind. I am back at school " teaching the kids to read and write", Hayden is back at school, Rob and Hayden started guitar lessons and we are all doing well.
I do have to say that I miss Hayden. Hayden, however, does not miss me. ( I can't imagine wy. I am un, right?)He told me so just last night. He is having far too much fun in school to even think about me. That is a good thing...I guess.
Rob cheered me up by going car shopping the day before school started. I am lovin' my new ride. AND, after my latop died, Rob went out and bought me a Netbook. Also, lovin' it:-) He is a good man. I am thinking abot keeping him around.

Rob is doing the Annapolis ten miler on Sunday-GO Bertie!!! ( He LOVES when I include him in the blog, just ask him;-)!!!

I'll keep cranking out posts...I have much to say:-)

The Rules are Working Against Me

Rules are good. I like them. They help things go my way, most of the time. No shoes or food in the family room. I have no crumbs or stains. Vacum after a snack. Again, no crumbs. ( What? I like things neat.) Use your manners. I have a pretty polite kid- ask his PICU nurses, he said no thank you or thank you pretty often. Wipe pee off the seat if you drip ( This rule was created for Rob;-). I have a clean toilet every time. Clean up after you use/play with something. Works great, no mess in this house. Ask to be excused from the table. No one gets up and wanders like a nomad during dinner. We eat together, listen to music and have stimulating dinner conversations about "toots" being Butt Gas. Don't get out of bed at night. Hayden stays in his bed and will not get out unless he yells for one of us. Most of the time this is great. No wandering. No mid- slumber visitors. No falling down the steps. BUT, last night it backfired. In your face rules. ( insert sinister laugh here).
Hayden woke up at 4:15 am ( AM!!!!!!) and needed to use the bathroom. No problem. Go to the bathrom and go back to bed. The back to bed part didn't happen. The boy had a case of wicked insomnia. I laid with him. Still awake. We went to my room. Still awake. He snuggled with Rob. Still awake. At 6:30, we all gave up and announced that we were awake. As if we needed to proclaim it was morning.
I have now been up for almost 7.5 hours and it isn't even lunch time. In fact, I am typing this with my eyes closed. They are ready for a nap. My brain left the building hours ago. I think I just consented to buying Hayden a case of beer. He has never even tasted soda. Beer would be wrong. I think. It might make him sleep;-)Ahhh, sleep. ZZZZZZ's. Slumber. Nighty Nights. Nappy. Resting my eyes. Dozing o..

Sights and Sounds of the Pool

The pool is a fascinating place. I see and hear all sorts of things. It is like a sociological experiment. The sights are far more fabulous ( or disturbing, depending on your opinion) than the sounds. Some of the favorite regulars never fail to entertain..
There is Old Bannana- Hammock Swimmer Guy. He comes to the pool for a good work out. A traditional lap swimmer, if you will. But, he wears a Bannana Hammock and a Polo shirt. And looks like he is just wearing a shirt. Did I mention that he also wears running shoes with this ensemble? Thus, he looks like a dirty old flasher as opposed to an excercise enthusiast.
We also have Hairy-Bear Woman. She apparently doesn't know that there are grooming options out there for the overly hairy woman. Waxing? Nair? A razor? All good solid options to remove what she has going on. I'll just say that it starts inside her bathing suit and creeps ALL the way down the back of her legs,causing her to resemble a bear. ( Yes, the hair is brown and well... coming from her nether region.)
Next in our line up, Loud Ill-Mannered Boy. He spends his day referring to his hearing impaired mom as Four Eyes. She doesn't even wear glasses. Ok, she does. But, who talks like that to their mom?
Funky Narcotic Chick has not appeared this summer ( hope she is not dead), but left such an impression last summer that I must include her. You may have guessed, this pill-popping gal pops pills at the pool. She simply shakes them into her mouth, oh 20 or 30 at a time, straight out of the mystery bottle,and takes a sip of water, swishes and swallows. Then the show begins. She can't sit still for more than five seconds and pops up and down on her chair, rolls over, rolls back, plays with hair, twitches, picks her suit out from between her cheeks. Endless entertainment. Come back Funky Narcotic Chick.
There is also a group that I will refer to as the Young, Hormonal, Ready to Mate Crew or YHRMC. The YHRMC just can't help themselves. It isn't their fault. The inate desire to mate is natural, right? They are constantly flirting, flaunting and giggling. The flirting and gigglimg are tolerable. The flaunting is ridiculous. Here are a few tips YHRMC; no one wants to see the rug burn on your hip bones from last night's escapades, your bikini top should cover your breasts and why by the cow if you are giving away the milk for free?
There is also a woman known as Moonpie. I don't want to be too graphic, but she is older, a bit flabby and wears ill-fitting suits. Her top happens to be a bit see through. Underneath is the problem. She has giant " mooonpies" ( no, this is not the correct name for this body part)that stare at you. They ae huge. Unlike anthing I have seen before. And dark. Not a good sight. Ms. Moonpie, you need a new suit .
Then there is Little Boy Who Shakes is Booty. ( aka Hayden) This child listens to the music on his lovely mother's ( that's me) phone and dances. He prefers the Bee Gee's and enjoys jirating and strutting his stuff. He performs my the lounge chairs, both singing and dancing. He must be doing something right, he did pick up a girl yesterday. But is not ready to become a member of the YHRMC:-)
Happy Summer!