how beautiful is the early evening bird’s call
when a spring rain took nearly a day, but not all
they fly out of their homes like the children below
they flip and they soar; they chuckle and they bow
they relish the slight gift they’re given for now
searching once more for an earthworm in the ground
as the rain starts again, they lift up; sing goodbye
and they, with bravest hearts, head home through grey sky
—Virginia Woolf, from a diary entry dated 11 October 1929 (via proustitute)
(Source: world-shaker, via )
i walked alone one day
looking for a stranger
i knew they’d come my way
i knew, i knew that day
i wondered what we’d do
what we’d speak of and see
sounds, shapes, and smells, anew
colors i wished to be
found her across the way
in a storefront she perched
staring, as if to say,
“i see you across the way.”
cautiously, i neared her
keeping a steady pace
i saw, all of a sudden
mine was the stranger’s face.
*Carolina Wren
“drink your tea” says Eastern Towhee
the Nuthatch asks “to what what what?”
a Warbler informs me “we see”
the Robin calls “tut tut tut”
the Sparrow sings a musical
the Chik-a-dee says “Phoebe”, too
flutelike notes from an Oriole
Gray Catbird’s familiar mew
i blush from the Dipper’s whistle
Tufted Titmouse asks for “peter”
hear a Vireo from the thistle
Its warbles couldn’t be sweeter
I thought my beauty would always be a wonder
A lovely, exotic frame
A beckon, a call no man could rest under
Nor answer and be the same
I would tire from all the unfailing devotion
An expected, daily trend
My time spent only on receiving emotion
That I’d never yield or lend
I’d move about my day with thoughts of yours truly
Just pretty as a picture
I’d think about the world when it pertained to me
A ghastly and vain creature
Just wanted to let you all know that I’m going back to my regularly scheduled programming - my writings, thoughts, inspirations, ideas, things, etc.
This is not because I am not constantly thinking of my child’s well-being and health. It is because I am constantly thinking of my child’s well-being and health, and need to go back to thinking about that and other things, simultaneously, for my sanity’s sake. :)
Love you all. Will interrupt the regularly scheduled programming with any updates and news about Blaise Asher Smith - my superhero son.
xo
Update #4 - 8/10/2011:
Blaise’s appointment yesterday went really well.
We arrived at the hospital just in time for his MRI at 8:30AM and he was finished just in time for his appointment with Jennifer Marshall, Dr. Glazier’s PA, by 10:15AM.
He did such a fantastic job! The MRI was about 30 minutes long, and the radiologist only had to re-do a picture once (Blaise got a sudden urge to itch his right knee). :)
He explained exactly what he’s been feeling in his legs to Ms. Jen:
Ms. Jen said the MRI showed that the sarynx (pockets of fluid) in his spine are actually smaller than they appeared in the MRI before surgery, which is a good thing that is way ahead of schedule. They didn’t expect to see a change for some time, and still don’t expect for them to go away completely for months from now (if they do, in fact, ever go away completely). She explained that the problems occurring with his legs/knees could be from his spine adjusting to the CSF flowing properly (we certainly hope so!). She thinks his legs/knees will work themselves out as his neck gets less and less stiff from surgery and he begins to be his more-active, six-year-old self again.
If he is still having problems after he is fully recovered in his head/neck, physical therapy will be next.
Currently, he is still on Ibuprofen around the clock and is expected to remain on it for a few more weeks. After that time, if he continues to have headaches (like he used to, and like he still does) he will be referred to the MUSC Neurology Dept for headache management. I don’t know if that means medicine or different relaxation techniques to prevent the onset of a headache. Right now, he gets one or two headaches a day - sometimes from getting too hot or laughing a lot or dancing with Posie, but mostly he gets a headache when he is about an hour away from his next dose of medicine.
Ms. Jen thinks the headaches are an effect of the surgery, and as his body gets back to normal and gets used to the CSF flowing properly, he should get less and less headaches. That would be awesome.
He will be scheduled for another MRI in the next few months.
He has such a good attitude about it all. He wants to show everyone his scar and hear their “oooh!!”s. He loves being told he’s so brave and tough. Rightly so, because he is!
