She’s doing much better. Not at home yet, but getting stronger by the day.
I wrote a letter in my journal to Emma having to do with making sure you always share what you mean to share with your loved ones – or something as innocuous as lettuce may keep you from doing so some day!
Last Thursday morning we got the news that Richelle’s Aunt Elsie had passed away in her sleep. I’ve known Aunt Elsie for 16 years. The following picture is of Emma and Aunt Elsie, taken this Christmas. She loved her visits with Emma and would call her my ‘little schatzi”.
Thursday, while the family was dealing with the news, Emma started to walk. I mean really walk. Across the living room. Back across the living room. Down the hallway. Anywhere she had a path to go.
Today is her funeral and memorial. We’re going to miss her.
At around 6:30 tonight they removed the tube and mom was breathing regularly under her own strength. It was scary along the way, with fears growing that it wouldn’t be possible.
I’ve been at the hospital the past few days, leaving Richelle alone to take care of Emma, who has a cold (snot everywhere!) which I’ve caught. So none of us have been sleeping well.
It was great to hear my mom’s gravely voice say to me, “see you tomorrow”, with a smile and a happy tear in her eye, when it was time for me to head home.
Last few days have been rough, but last night we had a real scare – my mom aspirated some lettuce and ended up almost dieing. Along the way she was intubated. This morning she’s in good spirits. No complications and tomorrow they should be weaning her from the breathing tube. A scary night.
Emma had a huge New Year’s day. On four separate occasions at her grandparent’s she let go of the furniture she was holding onto and took a few steps! Three times to waiting arms. One time on her own 🙂
I’m back to work today and I got a suspicion she’ll be walking any day now. We gotta get plusher carpeting!
Happy New Years everyone!
Looks like Emma’s lower two front teeth are saying hello 🙂
Not as difficult as you think Dave 🙂 I understand that this is a trick question, but it looks like others beat me to the punch.
Right off the top of my head:
1. I don’t know how or when I’m going to die. Could be tomorrow. Could be when I’m 100.
2. I don’t know what I’ll be doing for work in ten years. Let alone, what I will be when I grow up. Then again, I might be dead.
3. I don’t know what I’ll be wearing next year. Next week is pretty iffy. Shoot, tomorrow morning is as well. Then again, well.. see number one.
4. I don’t know if I’ve been a good friend, a good brother, a good son, or a good husband. Now a good father. We never really know what others think of us. And if I was sure of what I thought of myself – I’d probably be an asshole.
5. I don’t know if the net/net contribution of my life is good or bad. I’m hoping good.
6. I don’t know if I’m spending my time as thoroughly as I can.
7. I don’t know how big my heart can get, because it just grows and grows every day I have with Emma.
(I can go on and on… couldn’t do just five… it’s a great, thought provoking question)
Reposted from Philly Future:
I wanted to take a moment, at this early hour, to wish you all, the Philadelphia community, a Merry Christmas.
This Christmas will be the most special in my life, the first Christmas for my daughter Emma. And I can’t help but share with you my love and excitement.
And I can’t help but share how blessed I feel to be part of the great team of volunteers that run this service, or to be a fellow member of our online community.
But I feel hesitant. Because in the presence of so much personal joy, outside my window, there are countless families struggling with loss. From Star’s family to the the 400 souls who have been murdered this year, to the 1,100 children who are homeless and on the streets, times are hard for all too many.
So let me take this moment, and join Carol Towarnicky at the Daily News and share my liberal Christian faith and ask you all for a prayer.
That we may all be instruments of peace, love, faith, hope, joy and understanding in this coming year. No matter what religion we may follow. No matter what label we divide ourselves by.
Merry Christmas.
Sarah McLachlan via Susie Madrak
Scott tagged me 🙂 Okay, this is pretty hard considering all I’ve shared here over the years.
Lets see…
1. I spent a night in a county jail because a friend of mine lied when he told me he had permission to borrow his parent’s car. He drove us up to Connecticut to meet a girlfriend of his. Turns out he was helping her run away and that he lied to me about the whole thing. The police stopped us in a park we were hanging out in, across state lines. Me, not knowing why, was umm… more than a little stunned. I found out overnight while chatting with him in our cell. How nice. Anyway, his parents came up to pick us up. Charges were dropped. Along the way, his parents told me how much they blamed me, having the long hair, ripped jeans, and broken home, I was, well ya know, the kid from the wrong side of the tracks. Obviously to blame. They dropped me off on the side of the highway (I-95) at the Philadelphia city limit.
2. I like Bon Jovi. And I like Metallica. And I like Poison. And I like Dio. And I like The Ramones. And I like Twisted Sister. And I like KISS. And I like Marvin Gaye. And I like Johnny Cash. And I like Pat Benatar. And I’m not afraid to say all that in the same breath. You know, Duran Duran had their moments too.
3. As a teenager with his own apartment, I tended to drink… a lot. I used to take hard liquor bottles (Jack Daniel’s, Southern Comfort, etc) and use them as decoration. Sad huh?
4. I thought I was going to die by the time I was 30. Glad I didn’t. In fact, you know all those folks who look back wistfully on their teenage years? Maybe you’re one of them? Not me. My teenage years and my early twenties were hell on Earth. I’m happier now then I’ve ever been.
5. Know that scene in Return of the Jedi with Luke looking at his gloved robotic hand after severing Darth Vader’s? That’s Luke realizing he’s on a path that mirrors his father’s. The father he never knew. It shocks him just enough to come out of his rage and throw his saber to the ground. I carry a fear that life works that way. And since I don’t know my father – I don’t have that knowledge as a clue to what I am evolving into. Hopefully it’s good.
Okay, time for me to tag some folks and break the rules (only supposed to tag five I think…)… Howard, Albert, Garret, Bill, Shelley, Katey, Ron, Antonella, Jessica, pesky, Matt, Frank, Rafe, Seth, Dave, and Jessica.
The following comic says a lot, doesn’t it?
