Most of the New Orleans branch of the Maier clan is evacuating only as far as Judy and Marty's house, which is on high ground north of I-12 (a real demarcation line for Katrina's damage).
Jerry, Cori, and Molly are going a bit farther north and inland to Picayune, Mississippi.
Lori and Brian are going to or with his folks.
We're not sure where Bob and Anita are going, but he spent a good while yesterday making Gort as secure as possible. I'm probably more worried about Gort than the humans, because they are all getting to minimum safe distance while the Oak Harbor marina where Gort is was hit really hard during Katrina.
We'll keep you posted as much as possible as the storm moves ashore.
Showing posts with label marty. Show all posts
Showing posts with label marty. Show all posts
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Marty goes home tomorrow
Marty passed his swallow test and, while he's still coughing some, his white cell count is down, so they know they've addressed the infection. His replaced valve is still semi-functioning, and I suppose there isn't a lot they could do even if it weren't, so they are sending him home tomorrow.
Phew!
Phew!
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Medical updates
Frank's doc suspects meniscus or MCL tear. He's having an MRI this afternoon.
Marty is pretty miserable. He is still coughing a lot and running a fever. Also, he is having trouble swallowing and has no gag reflex, so they aren't letting him eat and have him on IV fluids. He had a mini-swallow test yesterday that didn't reveal much and is having a full swallow test today. And as if all that isn't bad enough, his aortic valve (the pig valve he had put in years and years ago) is stenotic. They can't replace it, because he's too frail. I'll post updates as we learn more.
Marty is pretty miserable. He is still coughing a lot and running a fever. Also, he is having trouble swallowing and has no gag reflex, so they aren't letting him eat and have him on IV fluids. He had a mini-swallow test yesterday that didn't reveal much and is having a full swallow test today. And as if all that isn't bad enough, his aortic valve (the pig valve he had put in years and years ago) is stenotic. They can't replace it, because he's too frail. I'll post updates as we learn more.
Sunday, August 17, 2008
Homeport
Frank is home!
We picked him up about 2, then went out for Thai food, 'cause he's been craving it for three weeks. Now we're just lounging about the house and helping Chloe get ready for NBTSC.
MJ got packed early so she could spend the day with the Mad-woman (as Frank calls Madelyn) at Hemp Fest. Now they and Mercedes (Mads' mom) are headed to see the Apple War, Madelyn's brother's up-and-coming rock band.
Chuck called with the news that Marty is in the hospital again with another case of pneumonia. Frank was surprised to hear this, because Marty seemed okay yesterday. These lungs things really sneak up on him, I guess. His planned and overdue oral surgery, which was scheduled for tomorrow, is postponed yet again. Too bad, he's got a couple of teeth that are really bothering him.
I'll post updates as we get them.
In the meantime, we're together again and very happy about it. Frank is tanned and trim. He looks like he's the one who spent the last three weeks going to the gym. Sailboats are great for isometric exercise.
But his knee is in pretty bad shape. He hurt it the first time he was at Judy's, but it seemed like a little tweak at the time. It's gradually gotten worse and now, since they got off the boat, it's really sore. He's wearing a knee brace and has an appointment with his doctor on Tuesday.
Tomorrow is our first of two and a half runs to Eugene for camp. I took the day off so I can help with the driving on this run, but the other one and a half will probably be Frank's to do (with MJ's help on the last half run). The first couple of years, going down on the train was fun for the girls, but this year they didn't want to face it. We're taking Madelyn down, too, so we've got a little NBTSC carpool going. Pretty fun.
Chloe and Madelyn come home on the 25th. Harper is joining MJ at the Golds for a couple of days before he heads to Session 2, then Mary is going to bring MJ halfway home on the 29th. Then it's a trip to the Evergreen State Fair, and then it's time for our big trip.
And that's how summer is going, going, gone around here...
We picked him up about 2, then went out for Thai food, 'cause he's been craving it for three weeks. Now we're just lounging about the house and helping Chloe get ready for NBTSC.
MJ got packed early so she could spend the day with the Mad-woman (as Frank calls Madelyn) at Hemp Fest. Now they and Mercedes (Mads' mom) are headed to see the Apple War, Madelyn's brother's up-and-coming rock band.
Chuck called with the news that Marty is in the hospital again with another case of pneumonia. Frank was surprised to hear this, because Marty seemed okay yesterday. These lungs things really sneak up on him, I guess. His planned and overdue oral surgery, which was scheduled for tomorrow, is postponed yet again. Too bad, he's got a couple of teeth that are really bothering him.
I'll post updates as we get them.
In the meantime, we're together again and very happy about it. Frank is tanned and trim. He looks like he's the one who spent the last three weeks going to the gym. Sailboats are great for isometric exercise.
But his knee is in pretty bad shape. He hurt it the first time he was at Judy's, but it seemed like a little tweak at the time. It's gradually gotten worse and now, since they got off the boat, it's really sore. He's wearing a knee brace and has an appointment with his doctor on Tuesday.
Tomorrow is our first of two and a half runs to Eugene for camp. I took the day off so I can help with the driving on this run, but the other one and a half will probably be Frank's to do (with MJ's help on the last half run). The first couple of years, going down on the train was fun for the girls, but this year they didn't want to face it. We're taking Madelyn down, too, so we've got a little NBTSC carpool going. Pretty fun.
Chloe and Madelyn come home on the 25th. Harper is joining MJ at the Golds for a couple of days before he heads to Session 2, then Mary is going to bring MJ halfway home on the 29th. Then it's a trip to the Evergreen State Fair, and then it's time for our big trip.
And that's how summer is going, going, gone around here...
Monday, March 17, 2008
The Doings Report
We've had a pretty quiet week and weekend. On Tuesday, we had a quiet celebration at home, just the four of us, for Chloe's actual birthday. I got off early from work, Frank made Cornish game hens, and Chloe opened her gifts from us. It was a collection of little things—some clothes, some books (including the aforementioned massage book which has paid off so nicely for moi), and a snazzy little purse—but she seemed well pleased with them, and she's well stocked for Europe now.
On Wednesday, I had a deadline, so I had to miss out on our monthly STUN game day. Frank filled in for me, and it sounds like they had a pretty good time. They ate leftover birthday cake (a towering chocolate concoction), and they played Makin' Groceries (a humorous New Orleans version of Go Fish) and Guillotine.
With the help of some birthday money, Chloe and MJ have been continuing their Buffy marathon. This means their schedule has been erratic and we haven't seen much of them, aside from their sudden, laughing appearances between episodes. But it is an incredible bonding experience for the two of them, giving them a whole new language, it seems, for speaking to each other. Joss Whedon has scored another hit with my daughters.
At some point during the week, I got caught up with Cherie. She and Steve and Pat are home from Puerto Vallarta, and Cherie and Steve have taken possession of their new RV. They'll leave soon for a "shakedown cruise" to Texas.
And Frank spoke to Judy. She and Marty are settled into the new place and getting accustomed to their new routine. Now Jerry and Cori are taking a turn househunting. They are looking for a place in Metairie, closer to their jobs, due to some unsurprising but still frustrating developments with MawMaw Jerce (as Frank calls her) and the house in Chalmette. It sounds like Jerry has adopted a healthy attitude, figuring the money he's put into the house is not much more than they would have paid in rent for these months. But they are still losing out on all that sweat equity, not to mention the discomfort they put up with living in a hurricane-ravaged home, and it can't be easy for him to face yet another betrayal from that quarter.
Sunday, we and the girls went in separate directions. The girls attended an all-day private Dungeons and Dragons tournament. I haven't heard the full report yet, but the early word is that they had mega fun and Chloe thwarted the Dungeon Master at one point by figuring out a riddle he'd been sure would stump them for a while.
Meanwhile, Frank and I went out to the beach for Erin's birthday. It was a small group with four of the girls missing (Chelsea and Megan are sick), but the ones who were there had a fine time indeed. And my mom made her incredible fried chicken. Yum!
Tom's appointment with the surgeon is tomorrow. Please send outpatient good vibes his and our way!
Coming up this week: more work for me but a nice, sane amount; some minor plumbing repairs for Frank to the Super Toilet which is leaking (thankfully) from the clean-water side; and I assume some more Buffy for the girls. On Saturday, we're hopefully having our Seahawks buddies (and my coworkers) Lori and Brian over for some dinner and a creative session of Easter egg dyeing. I predict some eggs in blue and green. :-)
On Wednesday, I had a deadline, so I had to miss out on our monthly STUN game day. Frank filled in for me, and it sounds like they had a pretty good time. They ate leftover birthday cake (a towering chocolate concoction), and they played Makin' Groceries (a humorous New Orleans version of Go Fish) and Guillotine.
With the help of some birthday money, Chloe and MJ have been continuing their Buffy marathon. This means their schedule has been erratic and we haven't seen much of them, aside from their sudden, laughing appearances between episodes. But it is an incredible bonding experience for the two of them, giving them a whole new language, it seems, for speaking to each other. Joss Whedon has scored another hit with my daughters.
At some point during the week, I got caught up with Cherie. She and Steve and Pat are home from Puerto Vallarta, and Cherie and Steve have taken possession of their new RV. They'll leave soon for a "shakedown cruise" to Texas.
And Frank spoke to Judy. She and Marty are settled into the new place and getting accustomed to their new routine. Now Jerry and Cori are taking a turn househunting. They are looking for a place in Metairie, closer to their jobs, due to some unsurprising but still frustrating developments with MawMaw Jerce (as Frank calls her) and the house in Chalmette. It sounds like Jerry has adopted a healthy attitude, figuring the money he's put into the house is not much more than they would have paid in rent for these months. But they are still losing out on all that sweat equity, not to mention the discomfort they put up with living in a hurricane-ravaged home, and it can't be easy for him to face yet another betrayal from that quarter.
Sunday, we and the girls went in separate directions. The girls attended an all-day private Dungeons and Dragons tournament. I haven't heard the full report yet, but the early word is that they had mega fun and Chloe thwarted the Dungeon Master at one point by figuring out a riddle he'd been sure would stump them for a while.
Meanwhile, Frank and I went out to the beach for Erin's birthday. It was a small group with four of the girls missing (Chelsea and Megan are sick), but the ones who were there had a fine time indeed. And my mom made her incredible fried chicken. Yum!
Tom's appointment with the surgeon is tomorrow. Please send outpatient good vibes his and our way!
Coming up this week: more work for me but a nice, sane amount; some minor plumbing repairs for Frank to the Super Toilet which is leaking (thankfully) from the clean-water side; and I assume some more Buffy for the girls. On Saturday, we're hopefully having our Seahawks buddies (and my coworkers) Lori and Brian over for some dinner and a creative session of Easter egg dyeing. I predict some eggs in blue and green. :-)
Monday, March 03, 2008
The Doings Report
Well, we had a lovely weekend with the Golds. We talked and hung out and laughed and ate and relaxed. On Saturday, we drove down to Seattle for the Kimya Dawson concert at the Fusion Café.
For those who don't know, Kimya is featured on the Juno soundtrack. Her songs are quirky and sweet, often political, and unapologetically organic. And also for those who don't know (we didn't before now), the Fusion Café is actually a room in the downtown YMCA where they hold all-ages events from time to time. "All ages" turned out to mean "teenagers," so those of us over 40 were ever so slightly out of place until the show started, and then we were all just fans, sitting on the floor together, blowing bubbles and enjoying varying amounts of (dis)comfort.
Not knowing what to expect and fearful of the Golds driving all the way up here only to be turned away at the door, we got downtown a couple hours early. We found a parking space right in front of the building (!) and were wandering around a bit, trying to figure out the setup, when who should pull up in front but Kimya herself. Mary got a hug and the rest of us just grinned at her.
Highlight: At one point, Kimya announced that she would play a few kid songs. My heart sank a little—"Oh, do we have to?"—but they were SO good, cute and funny and offbeat. I highly recommend her upcoming kids' album, due out this summer. "F is for fart, G is for gorilla fart, H is for huge gorilla fart..."
This show was hosted by Hollow Earth Radio, an underground radio station in Seattle. I've never had any exposure to the underground radio scene, so that was pretty fascinating. A couple of people asked how to listen. The founders got cagey smiles on their faces, then referred us to http://www.hollowearthradio.com/. I suspect there's more to the story. :-)
After the show, we decided to run to Fremont and see if Jai Thai happened to still be open. They were! What a treat! Frank and Chloe and I discovered this place a few months ago and have been itching to go back. Yummy stuff, although we were worried at first that we wouldn't have enough food to fill our suddenly bottomless stomachs. We topped off with a last-minute order of fried rice, and then returned home.
Yesterday, we said our good-byes to Mary and Conor, but Qacei has stayed behind to play and help Chloe celebrate her upcoming 14th birthday.
Meanwhile, I'm trying to get STUN going again. We took a bit of a hiatus while all our February goings-on were going on, but it's time to get rockin' again. Or rollin'. We're starting with some bowling. Always fun to laugh at ourselves at the bowling alley.
In other news, my stepdad, Tom, is facing some excitement: an aortic aneurism. It seems scary stuff to him and to those of who love him, but the doctors are relaxed; his appointment with the surgeon just got moved back from the 7th to the 17th.
And Frank's sister Judy was supposed to and hopefully did close on her new house last week. I'll check and make sure. If people need Marty's new address, drop me a line and let me know.
For those who don't know, Kimya is featured on the Juno soundtrack. Her songs are quirky and sweet, often political, and unapologetically organic. And also for those who don't know (we didn't before now), the Fusion Café is actually a room in the downtown YMCA where they hold all-ages events from time to time. "All ages" turned out to mean "teenagers," so those of us over 40 were ever so slightly out of place until the show started, and then we were all just fans, sitting on the floor together, blowing bubbles and enjoying varying amounts of (dis)comfort.
Not knowing what to expect and fearful of the Golds driving all the way up here only to be turned away at the door, we got downtown a couple hours early. We found a parking space right in front of the building (!) and were wandering around a bit, trying to figure out the setup, when who should pull up in front but Kimya herself. Mary got a hug and the rest of us just grinned at her.
Highlight: At one point, Kimya announced that she would play a few kid songs. My heart sank a little—"Oh, do we have to?"—but they were SO good, cute and funny and offbeat. I highly recommend her upcoming kids' album, due out this summer. "F is for fart, G is for gorilla fart, H is for huge gorilla fart..."
This show was hosted by Hollow Earth Radio, an underground radio station in Seattle. I've never had any exposure to the underground radio scene, so that was pretty fascinating. A couple of people asked how to listen. The founders got cagey smiles on their faces, then referred us to http://www.hollowearthradio.com/. I suspect there's more to the story. :-)
After the show, we decided to run to Fremont and see if Jai Thai happened to still be open. They were! What a treat! Frank and Chloe and I discovered this place a few months ago and have been itching to go back. Yummy stuff, although we were worried at first that we wouldn't have enough food to fill our suddenly bottomless stomachs. We topped off with a last-minute order of fried rice, and then returned home.
Yesterday, we said our good-byes to Mary and Conor, but Qacei has stayed behind to play and help Chloe celebrate her upcoming 14th birthday.
Meanwhile, I'm trying to get STUN going again. We took a bit of a hiatus while all our February goings-on were going on, but it's time to get rockin' again. Or rollin'. We're starting with some bowling. Always fun to laugh at ourselves at the bowling alley.
In other news, my stepdad, Tom, is facing some excitement: an aortic aneurism. It seems scary stuff to him and to those of who love him, but the doctors are relaxed; his appointment with the surgeon just got moved back from the 7th to the 17th.
And Frank's sister Judy was supposed to and hopefully did close on her new house last week. I'll check and make sure. If people need Marty's new address, drop me a line and let me know.
Monday, December 24, 2007
Marty's greats
From a little Christmas message in our e-mail this morning, Molly (11 mos.) and Brian (14).
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Scrabble, Mollypop, Paul Jr., and the Blues
Frank and MJ returned Wednesday from their dad-and-daughter trip to New Orleans. Here are a few highlights from their visit:
- Dad Marty is doing okay. He has lost a little more right-side mobility due to a second "circulatory problem of the head" (that's a quote from a movie, not his doctors) last summer, but he gets by pretty well with his left hand. Mentally, he is as sharp as ever in some ways—he very much enjoys playing Scrabble and pulls off some sophisticated multiple-word turns—but he has to be strapped into his chair because forgets that he can't walk, and he doesn't consistently remember Gary, whom he has lived with for a year now.
- I'm almost too envious of this one to write about it, but Frank and MJ got to meet Jerry and Cori's too adorable daughter, Molly, who is (umm) 9 months old (I think) and whom everyone calls "Mollypop." She loved MJ's jewelry especially. I'm sure MJ protected her nosering carefully from those clever little fingers.
- Chrissy's son, Paul, and his significant other are expecting! Baby is due May-ish, Frank says.
- MJ wanted to see a couple of bands that were playing at the House of Blues, so Frank took her down there one night. I think he went only reluctantly, but it sounds like he was pleasantly surprised by the experience. She loved it, of course!
.....
There is more to tell, but my time is limited. Maybe Frank and MJ will fill in the blanks in the comments.
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Care update for Marty
We received a note from Judy:
"Dad's been getting weaker & also a little more 'testy'. After 8 months, Gary's throwing in the towel. New game plan: I am taking FMLA (family medical leave act), the same thing you use for maternity or paternity. This will give me 3 months off. They have to keep my job & I keep my benefits while I'm out. During that time, I will be finding a sitter, so I can return to work...
"Lori is still going to come 1 day a week , but not necessarily Wed. We'll iron out the specifics later. My paper work goes in tomorrow. I've requested to start September 10. I'll call my supervisor tomorrow to let her know what's coming. I have to get the official OK from Team Member Health. I'm kind of looking forward to being home, but have mixed emotions about it. I plan to be optimistic & figure everything will work out like it's supposed to."
Frank and I appreciate very much the sacrifices that Judy and Gary continue to make to see that Dad gets the care he deserves. We are in their debt.
"Dad's been getting weaker & also a little more 'testy'. After 8 months, Gary's throwing in the towel. New game plan: I am taking FMLA (family medical leave act), the same thing you use for maternity or paternity. This will give me 3 months off. They have to keep my job & I keep my benefits while I'm out. During that time, I will be finding a sitter, so I can return to work...
"Lori is still going to come 1 day a week , but not necessarily Wed. We'll iron out the specifics later. My paper work goes in tomorrow. I've requested to start September 10. I'll call my supervisor tomorrow to let her know what's coming. I have to get the official OK from Team Member Health. I'm kind of looking forward to being home, but have mixed emotions about it. I plan to be optimistic & figure everything will work out like it's supposed to."
Frank and I appreciate very much the sacrifices that Judy and Gary continue to make to see that Dad gets the care he deserves. We are in their debt.
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Family news from New Orleans
Judy and Gary have found some Wednesday help with Marty: Lori! She wanted some extra work, and J&G are thrilled to have someone they know will take excellent care of Marty. Now J&G can more easily get some weekly errands done, schedule appointments for themselves, and maybe even have the occasional date. Hurray!
Lots of weekend news from here, too, but I have to run. More later!
Lots of weekend news from here, too, but I have to run. More later!
Thursday, July 05, 2007
Sunday, May 13, 2007
Marty is doing well
Frank spoke to Judy today. All is well there. Marty had a doctor's appointment recently and checked out great. They are trying a new type of insulin to see if they can level out his blood sugar, but that's about all that's happening.
In other news, our nephew Eric (Chuck's son) was in town for Jazz Fest. He and Paul hung out together. Paul's big news is that he and his girlfriend and her son have bought a house together. Frank thinks it's in Covington. This change means Chrissy has her place to herself again—a mixed blessing, I'm sure.
In other news, our nephew Eric (Chuck's son) was in town for Jazz Fest. He and Paul hung out together. Paul's big news is that he and his girlfriend and her son have bought a house together. Frank thinks it's in Covington. This change means Chrissy has her place to herself again—a mixed blessing, I'm sure.
Tuesday, May 01, 2007
Doings
We had a pretty big weekend. Aeron, Mera, and Jaime (my buddies from the unschooling conference) came over to spend the night Saturday night. Late that night, we were joined by MJ, Madelyn (16), Marty (18), and Conor (17), who had been hanging with each other since the conference, with time spent both in Corvallis and on Whidbey Island. They crashed at our place after spending a long evening in Seattle. We didn't get to see much of them, unfortunately, because Madelyn and Marty got up about 8 to head back to the island, and I dropped Conor at the train station so he could ride back to Oregon.
Sunday morning, Frank left very early to help some people move their new boat from Blaine to Bellingham. It was a rather ill-fated trip, involving low wind (despite there being big wind seemingly everywhere else in the region), engine trouble, a long and expensive tow, and a certain lack of provisions for what turned out to be more than 12 hours on the water. He didn't make it home until nearly midnight, tired and sunburned but fairly philosophical about it all.
Their misadventure put something of a kink in our plans to host a party for a group of sailing/cruising families. I ended up hosting alone, and all but one of the families ended up bailing (no pun intended). So, it was a much smaller party than we expected; we'll be eating spaghetti until the end of time. But it was still a nice enough gathering.
The kids, their parents, and I drove down to the waterfront to watch the kiteboarders playing off Jetty Island. Did you know that Everett is one of the premier destinations in the world for kiteboarders? It is always really fun and sort of fishtank-soothing to watch them, with their colorful kites doing sky ballet. It seems miraculous that they never have collisions, or at least not often enough that I've ever witnessed one.
Last night, we got to visit briefly with my mom and Tom who are, at long last, back from their latest southwest tour. We've missed them, and the girls are really looking forward to a renewal of our regular beach visits. And Angelo the dog is thrilled to be home; he ran around like a crazy thing when he realized where he was.
Today has been a quiet one. Frank worked, then he and MJ went to volleyball practice. Chloe did Chloe things and, to my not-so-secret relief, put off our planned session of amateur hair dyeing. (She's going to try cinnamon-red this time.) I did some party cleanup and checked my email regularly, because I'm waiting for word on my return to work. I'm hoping to set things up so I can take May off, too, with a nice, cushy job with my old team ready for me in June. Keep your fingers crossed for me!
We've finished off the day with a Heroes mini-marathon. MJ had to get caught up because she missed last week, then we watched tonight's very exciting episode. Only three episodes left in the season! Ack! I predict a cliffhanger...
Sunday morning, Frank left very early to help some people move their new boat from Blaine to Bellingham. It was a rather ill-fated trip, involving low wind (despite there being big wind seemingly everywhere else in the region), engine trouble, a long and expensive tow, and a certain lack of provisions for what turned out to be more than 12 hours on the water. He didn't make it home until nearly midnight, tired and sunburned but fairly philosophical about it all.
Their misadventure put something of a kink in our plans to host a party for a group of sailing/cruising families. I ended up hosting alone, and all but one of the families ended up bailing (no pun intended). So, it was a much smaller party than we expected; we'll be eating spaghetti until the end of time. But it was still a nice enough gathering.
The kids, their parents, and I drove down to the waterfront to watch the kiteboarders playing off Jetty Island. Did you know that Everett is one of the premier destinations in the world for kiteboarders? It is always really fun and sort of fishtank-soothing to watch them, with their colorful kites doing sky ballet. It seems miraculous that they never have collisions, or at least not often enough that I've ever witnessed one.
Last night, we got to visit briefly with my mom and Tom who are, at long last, back from their latest southwest tour. We've missed them, and the girls are really looking forward to a renewal of our regular beach visits. And Angelo the dog is thrilled to be home; he ran around like a crazy thing when he realized where he was.
Today has been a quiet one. Frank worked, then he and MJ went to volleyball practice. Chloe did Chloe things and, to my not-so-secret relief, put off our planned session of amateur hair dyeing. (She's going to try cinnamon-red this time.) I did some party cleanup and checked my email regularly, because I'm waiting for word on my return to work. I'm hoping to set things up so I can take May off, too, with a nice, cushy job with my old team ready for me in June. Keep your fingers crossed for me!
We've finished off the day with a Heroes mini-marathon. MJ had to get caught up because she missed last week, then we watched tonight's very exciting episode. Only three episodes left in the season! Ack! I predict a cliffhanger...
Saturday, March 31, 2007
Various
News from New Orleans: Jerry, Cori, and Molly are getting settled in. J&C are both working as temps while they look for career positions. And Marty is doing pretty well. He is still having memory problems--he doesn't remember Gary's name, for instance--and Judy says he sleeps a lot, but Chuck and Eric were happy to find him alert and chipper when they visited there a week or two ago.
There's a new foal on the way at Hope for Horses! The foster parents of Honey, a rescued mare, bred her in violation of their contract with HFH, so she's back at the main barn now, with the baby due soon. MJ wants to spend some nights in the barn on foal watch. I sure hope she gets to watch the birth this time!
With the hype for Harry Potter 7 building, Chloe has been digging back into her mile-high stack of HP books. She decided it would be fun to do some of the assignments the Hogwarts kids get in the books, so she's been spending quite a lot of time writing essays on cool stuff like moonstones, self-fertilizing bushes, Neptune, and kneazles. Her essays are quite good, plus it's been fun to watch her discovering all those school tricks for essays, such as WRITING LARGER TO FILL THE REQUIRED PAGES.
After two weeks with overtime, Frank has had a quiet week workwise, with even the weekly Friday meeting dedicated to a going-away party for one of the editors. So, we've been having a little at-home vacation. We're having a lot of fun with our Netflix subscription these days--each member of the family has his/her own queue now, which keeps all of us watching the mail for movies--and we have more library books out than we can possibly read before they're due.
Speaking of, I want to recommend "Women's Bodies, Women's Wisdom" to all my female readers (and interested males, too, of course). Dr. Christiane Northrup shares patients' stories and a lot of medical advice that combines the best of medical science with sensible tenets of spiritual/psychological healing. My favorite part about it is that she begins with the assumption that our bodies are naturally healthy and will remain so, instead of the assumption that we're going to fall apart as we get older. (Did you know that the Tarahumara Indians of Mexico believed that the best runners were people in their sixties, and that researchers who tested the members of the tribe found that the 60-somethings did indeed have the best lung capacity, cardiovascular fitness, and endurance? It illustrates how much our attitudes toward health and aging can affect us!)
Both girls are signed up for next summer's Not Back to School Camp. They are very excited, especially MJ.
MJ has a new haircut! She had about a foot of hair cut off. Cute, huh?
There's a new foal on the way at Hope for Horses! The foster parents of Honey, a rescued mare, bred her in violation of their contract with HFH, so she's back at the main barn now, with the baby due soon. MJ wants to spend some nights in the barn on foal watch. I sure hope she gets to watch the birth this time!
With the hype for Harry Potter 7 building, Chloe has been digging back into her mile-high stack of HP books. She decided it would be fun to do some of the assignments the Hogwarts kids get in the books, so she's been spending quite a lot of time writing essays on cool stuff like moonstones, self-fertilizing bushes, Neptune, and kneazles. Her essays are quite good, plus it's been fun to watch her discovering all those school tricks for essays, such as WRITING LARGER TO FILL THE REQUIRED PAGES.
After two weeks with overtime, Frank has had a quiet week workwise, with even the weekly Friday meeting dedicated to a going-away party for one of the editors. So, we've been having a little at-home vacation. We're having a lot of fun with our Netflix subscription these days--each member of the family has his/her own queue now, which keeps all of us watching the mail for movies--and we have more library books out than we can possibly read before they're due.
Speaking of, I want to recommend "Women's Bodies, Women's Wisdom" to all my female readers (and interested males, too, of course). Dr. Christiane Northrup shares patients' stories and a lot of medical advice that combines the best of medical science with sensible tenets of spiritual/psychological healing. My favorite part about it is that she begins with the assumption that our bodies are naturally healthy and will remain so, instead of the assumption that we're going to fall apart as we get older. (Did you know that the Tarahumara Indians of Mexico believed that the best runners were people in their sixties, and that researchers who tested the members of the tribe found that the 60-somethings did indeed have the best lung capacity, cardiovascular fitness, and endurance? It illustrates how much our attitudes toward health and aging can affect us!)
Both girls are signed up for next summer's Not Back to School Camp. They are very excited, especially MJ.
MJ has a new haircut! She had about a foot of hair cut off. Cute, huh?
Monday, October 23, 2006
Marty on the move
Marty's physical and occupational therapy is coming along really well. He can walk a little bit now, using his walker (which he was using even before the stroke), and is able to get his shirt off and do other tasks like that. This morning, he confounded Frank (and probably himself) by maneuvering himself to the side of the bed, lowering the rail, and climbing on out of bed. He ended up on his knees and needed help, but it was some impressive feats of strength and dexterity up til then.
They had a family gathering yesterday with the whole gang out at Judy's. I'm sure the company and food were just fine. Sorry I missed it!
They had a family gathering yesterday with the whole gang out at Judy's. I'm sure the company and food were just fine. Sorry I missed it!
Tuesday, October 17, 2006
Improvements all around
Marty is doing really well. He had a doctor's appointment Monday. Doc says, whatever they're doing, they should keep doing! The difference in Marty between last Tuesday at the nursing home and this Tuesday at Judy's is HUGE. The doctor said he doesn't need to see him again until December. Yay!
Sooo... Frank is coming home. Another yay! We miss him a lot. He'll be back a week from tomorrow. Cheaper fares then, and he'd like some time with his dad knowing it's just a visit and not a good-bye.
I made major handoffs today for the two major (ridiculously scheduled) projects I was working on. I feel light as a feather now! I'm down to one full-time job instead of three! Yet another yay! After nearly 5 months of being buried, this feels really good.
Sooo... Frank is coming home. Another yay! We miss him a lot. He'll be back a week from tomorrow. Cheaper fares then, and he'd like some time with his dad knowing it's just a visit and not a good-bye.
I made major handoffs today for the two major (ridiculously scheduled) projects I was working on. I feel light as a feather now! I'm down to one full-time job instead of three! Yet another yay! After nearly 5 months of being buried, this feels really good.
Friday, October 13, 2006
Good news from New Orleans
Marty moved home to Judy's Tuesday (the same day Frank arrived), and he is doing SO much better there. He had pretty significant all-over swelling that is way down now, and he's off the pain medications they had him on. The result is that he feels better and is much more alert.
The alertness is probably the biggest, happiest improvement. He had been sleeping virtually all day and had to be shaken awake at mealtimes and so on. But last night he seemed to shrug off the last effects of the pain meds. Judy was out, so Marty, Frank, and Gary had boys' night and stayed up until midnight eating and shooting the breeze. For the first time in months, Marty asked about his money situation (something he checked in on regularly before the stroke), cracked jokes, and seemed to really tune into life. And today, he took only a couple of small naps and showed signs that his so-called incontinence was more a factor of the inattentiveness of the nursing home staff than a real condition.
Frank is very pleased with the physical/occupational therapy Marty is getting. The therapists actually get him on his feet, despite the weakness/immobility of his right side. This contributes greatly to his feeling of self-reliance and dignity.
The news is not all good, unfortunately. His short-term memory is definitely impaired: he has to be told daily where he is and why, and he didn't remember much of last night's conversation today. Also, we don't know the status of his kidneys; he has a doctor's appointment on Monday that we hope will tell us more.
Keep a good thought!
The alertness is probably the biggest, happiest improvement. He had been sleeping virtually all day and had to be shaken awake at mealtimes and so on. But last night he seemed to shrug off the last effects of the pain meds. Judy was out, so Marty, Frank, and Gary had boys' night and stayed up until midnight eating and shooting the breeze. For the first time in months, Marty asked about his money situation (something he checked in on regularly before the stroke), cracked jokes, and seemed to really tune into life. And today, he took only a couple of small naps and showed signs that his so-called incontinence was more a factor of the inattentiveness of the nursing home staff than a real condition.
Frank is very pleased with the physical/occupational therapy Marty is getting. The therapists actually get him on his feet, despite the weakness/immobility of his right side. This contributes greatly to his feeling of self-reliance and dignity.
The news is not all good, unfortunately. His short-term memory is definitely impaired: he has to be told daily where he is and why, and he didn't remember much of last night's conversation today. Also, we don't know the status of his kidneys; he has a doctor's appointment on Monday that we hope will tell us more.
Keep a good thought!
Wednesday, October 11, 2006
Frank's report on Marty
Marty's kidneys seem to be failing, so Frank has flown down to New Orleans to have a visit and help out. Here's a snippet from the e-mail he sent to us this morning:
"Got Dad to Judy’s yesterday afternoon. He slept well and had breakfast and is now in the shower. Nurse/assistant seems nice and is taking good care of him. He seems pretty alert to me. In the wheelchair but mobile in that context. Physically he’s shaky and has right-side pain but does have some mobility of his right arm. Mentally he seems just about as 'there' as he used to be. Sleeping frequently. We watched some Law&Order after he got home and he followed it as far as I could tell."
The girls and I are bach'ing it, which is going to take some juggling since I've got 5 due dates in the next couple of weeks. MJ leaves for her San Diego trip with unschooling pal Kyla in a week, so she at least will be well entertained then.
"Got Dad to Judy’s yesterday afternoon. He slept well and had breakfast and is now in the shower. Nurse/assistant seems nice and is taking good care of him. He seems pretty alert to me. In the wheelchair but mobile in that context. Physically he’s shaky and has right-side pain but does have some mobility of his right arm. Mentally he seems just about as 'there' as he used to be. Sleeping frequently. We watched some Law&Order after he got home and he followed it as far as I could tell."
The girls and I are bach'ing it, which is going to take some juggling since I've got 5 due dates in the next couple of weeks. MJ leaves for her San Diego trip with unschooling pal Kyla in a week, so she at least will be well entertained then.
Friday, September 15, 2006
The latest on Marty
Judy says:
"We're not real happy with the nursing home. It seems that another nursing home wouldn't be any better. We're VERY seriously considering taking him home once he's done with therapy. I need a little more info on what Medicare will cover and we need to see if we need to make some modifications to the house... I'm just not comfortable with him there & Gary has been very unhappy with their performance even with us going every day & keeping on them about stuff."
We'll keep you posted.
"We're not real happy with the nursing home. It seems that another nursing home wouldn't be any better. We're VERY seriously considering taking him home once he's done with therapy. I need a little more info on what Medicare will cover and we need to see if we need to make some modifications to the house... I'm just not comfortable with him there & Gary has been very unhappy with their performance even with us going every day & keeping on them about stuff."
We'll keep you posted.
Wednesday, August 02, 2006
Filling in the blanks
Well, my blog posting has been somewhat sporadic recently, so I've got some blanks to fill in.
Marty
Marty moved to his new home at Heritage Manor on Monday. Here's Judy's report, sent Tuesday:
"We got dad moved in yesterday. Right now he's sharing a room but he's on the list for a private room as soon as one comes available. We got there just in time for lunch & he chowed down. He wanted to hang out in the hall with the rest of the gang afterwards until bingo. Gary & I went back this afternoon to do the paper work. It was worse than buying a house!
"He's using one of their wheelchairs but we're going to get him his own. I need to speak with one of the therapists to be sure I get all the right amenities... I hope to get his phone transferred this week. We still need to move his stuff over... We'll be getting a report from the therapists after they've had time to make an assessment...probably at the end of the week."
The foal
The foal's name is Hero. He's healthy and sassy and will no doubt feature prominently in an all-day fundraising event this coming Saturday. MJ is volunteering at their booth there. She's going to spend Friday night out at Hope for Horses so she can ride down to south Seattle with the owners.
Oh, there are a couple of photos of MJ, and even one of me, on the Hope for Horses Web site here: http://67.59.174.44/index.php?page=home She's right there on the home page, wearing the ballcap. Then click Our Volunteers to see the one of the two of us visiting with Faith's older baby and her corral-mate. It was taken at the volunteer appreciation BBQ 7/15.
Chloe's first week at home
Last Wednesday, Grandma hosted a welcome home party for Chloe out at the beach. It was a sunny day, although a bit cooler than the 90's we had been having. Still, all the kids got in the water. I stuck to wading, although Angelo (my mom's dog) and Bentley (the dog next door) did their best to share the water with me. I remember swimming in Puget Sound as a kid, but it's hard to imagine being willing to do so now. That water is COLD!
Chloe's friend-since-Kindergarten Gabrielle joined us for the party. It's been a while since we've seen her (at least 3 months!), so that was really nice. She's at North Middle School now, I'm sorry to say, but she seems to have adjusted well. And she's quite the soccer star, playing for a local league for soccer prodigies.
Other than partying, Chloe has been settling back into life in America. She's discovered things she likes better at Summerhill -- no chores there, and she says she is generally treated with more respect (we're working on that) -- but she's clearly happy to be with us again. We've been eating all that good food she requested, getting her caught up on the House episodes she missed, and just hanging out together.
Social weekend
Friday night, the girls and I attended a bridal shower for Tom's grandniece, Ryan. It was held up in Mt. Vernon in a lovely log building with adjacent Zen garden, and it was a nice gathering. Randi, our hostess, was amazingly calm. Must have been the Zen influence. :-) The wedding will take place in Grand Coulee in early September.
Saturday, Frank's cousin Mary and her fiancé Steve hosted their annual backyard BBQ. It was great to see so many Maiers in one place (even if it was only a small fraction of the clan). Sonya and Robert were there with new baby Anja and adorable 3yo Heide, so we got a nice infant-and-toddler fix. It kind of bummed me out to see the smart, talented, and very good looking teen generation of Maier males, though: My daughters don't get to marry one of them! (Hmm. I just checked the Revised Code of Washington and, legally speaking, second cousins can marry. I still think it would be too weird, though!)
The parade of pirates
Nearly a month ago, my brother asked me to explain about the parade we participate in on the 4th of July, and I don't seem to have done it. So, Nick, sorry for the delay, and here's your answer: Every year, one of my mom's neighbors organizes a kiddie parade down the road. Kids of all ages turn out for it, and the decorations and riding-mower-drawn floats have gotten steadily more elaborate. Three or four years back (hmm, after the 2000 elections maybe?), our crowd abandoned red-white-and-blue and began dressing up as pirates. Nowadays, a pirate-ship float and candy throwing have become part of the routine, and our supply of pirate clothing and accessories and weapons has grown to impressive proportions. I don't have a picture here at work, but I'll try to dig one out and post it later.
Snowball and the boys
Snowball is doing very well. She had to have her verrrrry long teeth trimmed, and she didn't care for the procedure one bit, but she's bright-eyed and eating well now. And the boys are settling in nicely. They aren't (much) afraid of our hands any more, and Snowball has taught them how to lick treats off of human fingers. They still get confused and nip now and then, but their teeth aren't lethal yet, fortunately.
They are still in separate-but-adjacent cages and will probably remain so. Snowball has *probably* reached menopause, but rats can produce as many as 20 babies in one litter, so we'd rather not take any chances. They socialize through the bars a bit, and they get daily supervised nonconjugal visitation.
Work
Frank's weird project continues. He regularly has days where they're paying him to be on call, with no work ever turning up. And he occasionally has days where he's working well into the night. Either way, it's money in the bank. (Kind of a bummer that it's all going to end up in Summerhill's bank, but Chloe is clearly having a unique and fulfilling experience, so we try not to think about it.)
My work is going well, too. After 2-1/2 years with this team, I definitely know more about the products than is good for me -- I am solely responsible for two huge projects that are due at essentially the same time!! -- but it's a good team to work for. My boss is a dream manager: a personable, creative, flexible realist. This Friday, we're moving to new offices. It's a classic Microsoft move: our new space is two hallways away, and we'll be even more crowded there. Too silly.
I hope you are all doing well. Drop us a line!
Marty
Marty moved to his new home at Heritage Manor on Monday. Here's Judy's report, sent Tuesday:
"We got dad moved in yesterday. Right now he's sharing a room but he's on the list for a private room as soon as one comes available. We got there just in time for lunch & he chowed down. He wanted to hang out in the hall with the rest of the gang afterwards until bingo. Gary & I went back this afternoon to do the paper work. It was worse than buying a house!
"He's using one of their wheelchairs but we're going to get him his own. I need to speak with one of the therapists to be sure I get all the right amenities... I hope to get his phone transferred this week. We still need to move his stuff over... We'll be getting a report from the therapists after they've had time to make an assessment...probably at the end of the week."
The foal
The foal's name is Hero. He's healthy and sassy and will no doubt feature prominently in an all-day fundraising event this coming Saturday. MJ is volunteering at their booth there. She's going to spend Friday night out at Hope for Horses so she can ride down to south Seattle with the owners.
Oh, there are a couple of photos of MJ, and even one of me, on the Hope for Horses Web site here: http://67.59.174.44/index.php?page=home She's right there on the home page, wearing the ballcap. Then click Our Volunteers to see the one of the two of us visiting with Faith's older baby and her corral-mate. It was taken at the volunteer appreciation BBQ 7/15.
Chloe's first week at home
Last Wednesday, Grandma hosted a welcome home party for Chloe out at the beach. It was a sunny day, although a bit cooler than the 90's we had been having. Still, all the kids got in the water. I stuck to wading, although Angelo (my mom's dog) and Bentley (the dog next door) did their best to share the water with me. I remember swimming in Puget Sound as a kid, but it's hard to imagine being willing to do so now. That water is COLD!
Chloe's friend-since-Kindergarten Gabrielle joined us for the party. It's been a while since we've seen her (at least 3 months!), so that was really nice. She's at North Middle School now, I'm sorry to say, but she seems to have adjusted well. And she's quite the soccer star, playing for a local league for soccer prodigies.
Other than partying, Chloe has been settling back into life in America. She's discovered things she likes better at Summerhill -- no chores there, and she says she is generally treated with more respect (we're working on that) -- but she's clearly happy to be with us again. We've been eating all that good food she requested, getting her caught up on the House episodes she missed, and just hanging out together.
Social weekend
Friday night, the girls and I attended a bridal shower for Tom's grandniece, Ryan. It was held up in Mt. Vernon in a lovely log building with adjacent Zen garden, and it was a nice gathering. Randi, our hostess, was amazingly calm. Must have been the Zen influence. :-) The wedding will take place in Grand Coulee in early September.
Saturday, Frank's cousin Mary and her fiancé Steve hosted their annual backyard BBQ. It was great to see so many Maiers in one place (even if it was only a small fraction of the clan). Sonya and Robert were there with new baby Anja and adorable 3yo Heide, so we got a nice infant-and-toddler fix. It kind of bummed me out to see the smart, talented, and very good looking teen generation of Maier males, though: My daughters don't get to marry one of them! (Hmm. I just checked the Revised Code of Washington and, legally speaking, second cousins can marry. I still think it would be too weird, though!)
The parade of pirates
Nearly a month ago, my brother asked me to explain about the parade we participate in on the 4th of July, and I don't seem to have done it. So, Nick, sorry for the delay, and here's your answer: Every year, one of my mom's neighbors organizes a kiddie parade down the road. Kids of all ages turn out for it, and the decorations and riding-mower-drawn floats have gotten steadily more elaborate. Three or four years back (hmm, after the 2000 elections maybe?), our crowd abandoned red-white-and-blue and began dressing up as pirates. Nowadays, a pirate-ship float and candy throwing have become part of the routine, and our supply of pirate clothing and accessories and weapons has grown to impressive proportions. I don't have a picture here at work, but I'll try to dig one out and post it later.
Snowball and the boys
Snowball is doing very well. She had to have her verrrrry long teeth trimmed, and she didn't care for the procedure one bit, but she's bright-eyed and eating well now. And the boys are settling in nicely. They aren't (much) afraid of our hands any more, and Snowball has taught them how to lick treats off of human fingers. They still get confused and nip now and then, but their teeth aren't lethal yet, fortunately.
They are still in separate-but-adjacent cages and will probably remain so. Snowball has *probably* reached menopause, but rats can produce as many as 20 babies in one litter, so we'd rather not take any chances. They socialize through the bars a bit, and they get daily supervised nonconjugal visitation.
Work
Frank's weird project continues. He regularly has days where they're paying him to be on call, with no work ever turning up. And he occasionally has days where he's working well into the night. Either way, it's money in the bank. (Kind of a bummer that it's all going to end up in Summerhill's bank, but Chloe is clearly having a unique and fulfilling experience, so we try not to think about it.)
My work is going well, too. After 2-1/2 years with this team, I definitely know more about the products than is good for me -- I am solely responsible for two huge projects that are due at essentially the same time!! -- but it's a good team to work for. My boss is a dream manager: a personable, creative, flexible realist. This Friday, we're moving to new offices. It's a classic Microsoft move: our new space is two hallways away, and we'll be even more crowded there. Too silly.
I hope you are all doing well. Drop us a line!
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