Day 25 11/9/08
November 9th, 2008
Another day of slothfulness. Woke up about 4 AM, my back had gotten a lot worse. Showered, dressed, had the mandatory pop tart (I used to like those) and around 8 got my Aleve from Dr. Tonny. My friends had given me 2 prescription painkillers, they didn’t work as well as the Aleve. ”All day long, all day strong”.
After I talked to my wife and kids, I once again slept all day. Funny thing about the kids; with the exception of Jacob, the oldest, they don’t really miss me. They say a quick hello, and go back to playing. Well, sometimes Jenny (the youngest, by an hour) seems more attached. I think being able to see me has made it easier for them, which is great. Or maybe they just don’t give a damn.
Anyway, I slept until 1, when the phone rang. It was my Uncle’s fiancee, Tina, who just completed the Qingdao violin competition by winning the whole shebang. As a former opera singer, I know how hard it is to win those competitions. The best doesn’t always win, althouh in this case, the best did, I’ve heard her play. Then she told my uncle (he and his brother are also superb violinists) that she came in 6th and let him rant and rave for 20 minutes about how unfair it was until she finally told him she was the winner. Watch out, Uncle, she’s a handfull and a half.
Tina arrived with her folks, very nice people, and I took them to the Holiday Inn I had been to before. Or I should say I tried to take them. Tina had the check in hand right after we ordered, a very deft manuever. Tina and I ordered a la carte, and her folks had the buffet, so we got the best of both wolds, sharing mounds of food from the buffet and then having steaks. Between Tina shelling snails and shrimp for me (she has a neat way of shellng the shrimp, eyes and all in one piece,when I do it, it looks like the shrimp hit a land mine) and her father bringing me plate after plate of sashimi, then fruit, I thought I would pop. And the Chinese have a secret; their desserts are better than the French, Germans, and Italians rolled into one.
All in all, a wonderful evening. Back to the grind tomorow; spinal at 2. 5 down, 2 to go.
Entry Filed under: Uncategorized, ataxia
4 Comments Add your own
1. Christine | November 10th, 2008 at 7:34 am
Hi Mike,
Just think, almost time to go home. Sounds like you’ve had a lot of rest (not necessarily wanted). How are you doing ability -wise? Hard to believe people wearing sandals, and no gloves or masks in the O.R. Very different from my experience…I tried to get in touch with Costa Rica people just to gather info., but they wanted a LOT of initial information from me so I gave up- I believe there are some others placing doing work with autologous stem cells-Bangkok? I believe Beike is beginning to work with them there. Some very good bits of info on the Facebook, Stem Cell group site-something to look at after you get home and “back on your feet” so to speak. Have a good and safe trip back home…keep i n touch…
Christine
2. sylvia | November 10th, 2008 at 9:41 am
Well, I see you took my advice and have been sleeping. Way to sleep! Good thing you did too, since you ended up partying all night…sheesh. It sounds like you had a delightful evening with Tina peeling your grapes and stuff…ha!
I know you are counting the days till you get home. I hope the kids will pay attention to you once you are no longer encased inside an electronic device!
I think Melissa is going to give us all vocabulary tests for Christmas. And Geoff will be going into court ordered mediation with his kids….ha! He better start saving up now for their college. Law school ain’t cheap!
I MUST know more about these Chinese desserts! They don’t exist here in the states. I am still wondering if you are being sarcastic about how great they are….hmm…
xoxox…sylvia
3. Al Vergona | November 11th, 2008 at 12:44 am
Hi mike,
Hope to meet in a couple of days. Enjoyed your blog.
4. melissa tantillo | November 11th, 2008 at 11:11 am
Hey Mike~
Wow, sounds like quite a night!! Don’t get too used to the hand-maiden thing w/the peeled shrimp~ I have to do that for my kids!!! And I agree w/Aunt Sylvia, I am dying to know what the Chinese desserts are like!!! Are they doughy, fried, crunchy, mushy, gooey, overly sweet, nuts, fruity, chocolatey…. I am making myself hungry here!!! I wish that you could take pictures and show us when you get home! Yum.
You are SO in the final stretch!!! One last spinal and you are outta there!!! I wish that I had a dollar for everyone who has asked me about you and said that they are sending truckloads of positive energy your way. Needless to say, you have unbelievable suport. Betcha never knew how much!!
Kids are off tomorrow, don’t know what to do w/them. Wish you were here, we could meet for lunch!!! Soon enough!
I hate to say ‘keep up the good work’ because it is so trite, but it really does say it all!!
GOOOOOOOOOO STEM CELLS!!!!!!
Love~ your favorite cheerleader
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