Saturday, July 26, 2008

Gains and Losses.

I had a great birthday week, gaining a year on paper on Thursday. At thirty-six, I am now closer to forty than thirty yet still feel somewhat closer to, say, twenty-eight. Kelsey surprised me with a stay at the Chevy Chase Beach Cabins on Discovery Bay (outside of Port Townsend) last weekend. We've decided to make this stay an annual family ritual. Cabin #4, the grounds, the staff and owners and the views were delightful. I had two birthday lunch dates early in the week, a combo birthday dinner on Wednesday night and a full day of fun in the city with my hubby on Thursday. If you live in Seattle, or are visiting and want a selection of seasonal foods, woven into dishes that will truly awaken your palate, you must check out Restaurant Zoe. Seriously yum. I don't think I've ever celebrated my birthday seven days in a row, but hey, who's complaining? Last year on my birthday, we received the welcomed news that we'd be able to take Owen home the next day after a LONG, 12 day stay at Tacoma General. We spent my birthday packing up our guest room at the hospital and preparing to take Owen home. Stark difference.





We had to put our cat, Mo, down on Sunday after 14 1/2 years. It was terribly hard to say goodbye after having to do so to her good friend, Siva, just a couple of months prior. Mo had late stage kidney failure and had dwindled to a mere seven pounds.

Owen is on a new seizure med, Keppra, and so far, it is working very well in conjunction with the Vigabatrin. He is sleeping great, smiling all the time and seems quite peaceful. His vision has improved over the course of the last few weeks and he now smiles pretty consistently at two things... his daddy talking "silly" to him and me quietly smiling at him from his preferred right side.

Owen also got his first wheelchair a couple of weeks ago and now has his own, stylish set of supportive wheels.



We leave August 22nd for Stanford to get Owen started on the ketogenic diet. He will be admitted on the 25th and stay through the 27th. We'll be fitting in two quick visits with Grandpa Marshall and Nai Nai in Santa Rosa on the way down and on the way back up, before racing back to Indianola to connect with Aunt Laura who arrives on the 29th.

Not much else to report and perhaps this is good? The garden is doing great - we have a basil forest (in preparation for Kelsey's fall pesto production), our tomatoes are ripening, we finally have cucumbers and squash and are going to have a bumper crop of heirloom sugar pumpkins which we'll distribute throughout Indianola.

Hope that the rest of you are enjoying your summer...

--

We can't change the cards we're dealt, just how to play the hand. ~ Randy Pausch

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4 comments:

Shannon said...

Fresh, homemade pesto sounds divine.

I'm glad to hear of Owen's progress and that you are starting the Ketogenic diet. I'll be interested in hearing more about it, too!

So sorry to hear about your cat. It is so hard.

It sounds like a beautiful birthday. Jeff and I may have to escape up there some day as well. We've been spending all of our vacations out on the boat since he doesn't have much time with his new job.

That Randy Pausch quote is a perfect fit.

Photography by Tiffany said...

Happy Birthday Stac!!
Love ya!
~Tiff

Katy said...

I'm very curious about his new wheels. Will he be able to use them for a long time? How do they differ from more traditional stollers? just curious. . . I know you guys are busy.

Owen is looking wonderful these days--much more at peace.

My little darling prefers to look on the left!

Can't wait to hear all about the diet.

Tim said...

Happy birthday, Stac. And those are some fancy new wheels for Owen!

So sorry to hear the news of Mo. She was a good cat, even though she harbored a deep mistrust of me (I still have scars on my ankles to prove it). Regardless, I do find it virtuous to be protective of one's family.

XO