A Whirlwind of a Week

It has been a very busy week.  We had a great time in the Adirondacks.  It snowed twice and I think the lowest temperature Michael clocked was 8◦F.  This was Michael’s first visit to upstate NY, Thierry’s second (but first during winter).  We toured Paradox Lake where Lauren and I vacationed for many years, and walked on Schroon Lake which was frozen solid.  It was very cold and blustery that day and when the wind whipped across the lake it felt like the temperature was around -10◦F.  Needless to say we didn’t hang outside too long.

On Sunday the sun was bright and the wind was down.  We went to the Lake Placid area and visited the remains of the Olympic village.  Michael took a bobsled ride and then we went onto the ski jump area.  To get to the top we had to take a chair lift.  I am not really afraid of heights until you put me into a lift or tram that runs on a pulley!  I managed to keep my breakfast down, and we enjoyed the view of the high peaks region.

We stayed at the Friend’s Lake Inn, one of my favorite places for many years.  We had a fireplace in our room which Thierry dutifully kept lit.  Our room was pretty large with great seating so Lauren and Michael spent a lot of time with us before and after dinner, reading and playing cards. I was very sad when we had to leave; I so enjoyed spending time with Lauren (and Thierry and Michael).

On Wednesday I got a call from Dad who told me he was calling 911.  He said Mom was very dizzy and light-headed and felt faint.  In actuality, it was time for what has become Mom’s semi-annual hospital visit.  They kept her overnight and we learned the next day that she had a stroke.  Fortunately it is a relatively mild one that took place at the bottom of the cerebellum.  Other than dizziness and a feeling of being off-balance, she has no other side effects.  She will need a couple of weeks in rehab, then we hope to have her back home.It’s funny, just two weeks ago I talked to my parents about getting a medical alert system in their home.  Mom looked at me and said, “I don’t think we need that yet.”  Dad just growled!  I told them both the other day that they are getting one – and they WILL wear the damn things!  Thank goodness my Dad was there with my mother when this happened.  Had he been out, my mother never would have been able to get to the phone. 

We had a great weekend, which included dinner with friends on Friday. I even managed to stay out until 11:00 (a big wow)!  Yesterday I vegged, and watched 13 episodes of Nurse Jackie.  Today TD and I heard a wonderful concert of French Baroque salon music at a local church.  Afterward we had a drink at a bar we used to drink at after work during the “good old days”.  We used to drink there until one of our gang got tossed (I won’t mention names).  I think TD felt very old, especially when he noticed that the bar tenders probably weren’t even born when we were there last.

I heard from Penn the other day.  They do have my tissue samples after all.  I had called Jefferson twice who said they had no record of receiving a request.  When I finally got through to the right person at Penn they said they had made the request to Jeff on the 8^th of February (the day after my appointment at Penn) and still had not received them.  A day later they appeared. I have no idea how they suddenly fell into someone’s lap, but they are there.  It will be about four weeks before I hear any results.  Now I have to keep myself from getting my hopes up.  Focus, focus, focus.

The week coming up is going to be another busy and exciting one.  Mom will go off to rehab.  My dear friend Barbara arrives on Wednesday from San Francisco.  We go to Lauren’s doctor appointment on Thursday when I will get to see the ultra-sound.  Friday we all go to the Barnes museum. Saturday is the Flower Show preview day when I’ll get to see other dear old friends, Judy and Margaret (Judy treats Lauren and me to the Flower Show). Saturday we find out what the sex of the baby is – we hope!  So, don’t be surprised if I am late in posting, again!