Zebras, etc.

A bit of as belated update.

Since the weekend Liam is not in good shape.  She's in discomfort/pain/nausea/who-knows.  She complains a lot, not sleeping enough - under stress, in short.

Yesterday, Monday, 3/8/10, Liam had yet another surgery, in which they installed a port for dialysis, plus corrected something with the shunt from the last-week surgery.  It was quite upsetting to hear that Liam needs this port.  Well, we sort of knew that it was coming soon, but when Rachel asked the Drs to install it in last week's surgery, they said it's not time yet.  Only 2.5 days past since when they said "now".  ARRRRRRGGGG!!!!   You see, a surgery is a trauma to the body, no matter how minor it might be.  For a sick body like Liam's it's exponential.  Anaesthesia is really hard on her, not to mention the new scars etc.  So the fact that the nephrologists didn't get their act together on the expense of Liam's well being, is more than just annoying.  But oh well, it's behind us now.

Today Liam had her first dialysis.  More to come, of course.  3 times a week from now on.

At the Safari
On Sunday, after a 3-hours sleep at night and combined with the fact I was a bit under the weather, I was completely exhausted.  But I could not ignore the first signs of spring.  So I hopped on my bike and strolled to Piedmont Park.  The entire city was there, mind you.  People of all colors and all sexes and all sex orientations (you know, when Rachel and I are at the park together, she's eying the gay men, while they're staring at me....but that's just a side note...), kids, dogs, families.

I strolled on the main path, looking in amazement at the people grazing on the lawn.  Playing ball, lounging, picninc'ing, etc.  Doing what normal people should do on a sunny Sunday afternoon.  The people, just like zebras and water buffalo in the safari, raised their heads, looked at me with my strange bike, and returned to their activities.  This was UNBELIEVABLE!!  Who knew that there's such a world out there and that life goes on as usual in the world while we're buried in the hospital?

I thought about the route I was to take on my way home and didn't feel like leaving the park.  It was soooo good there, to be among "normal" people.  One thing was very noticeable:  they all either smiled or just looked very calm.  There were no signs of stress, there were no sounds of heart rate and blood pressure monitors.a