Today Diane, Gabe and I had to go to the hospital to get immunizations for our trip to India. 

Gabe helps me remember where we parked

It was the first time I’d been in the new FAHC building. In fact  it was the first time I’d been in a hospital since Sam’s passing. It was hard being there  for me.. really hard.  We had planned an hour for this meeting, but it took twice that, We met with a cool doctor that told us more than we would ever want to know about types of bugs, germs, fungi and parasites that we’re going to be traveling with us on this trip.   It’s a wonder anyone goes anywhere give what we heard.  We were offered a menu of  immunizations . The doc was not allowed to tell us what to do.. only lay out the options. It felt like a combination of game show and some sort of twisted restaurant.  I ordered ala cart.. I chose the Hepatitis A and the DPT injection.. I ordered it intramuscular.. just the way I like it. I had oral Typhus for desert. Gabe and Diane ordered light.. they both opted just for the Hepatitis A.

 Gabe tries to hide

In the consulting room

Dinae is brave

Gabe is brave

John’s a chicken

other arm

all done

and here’s dessert

You know the whole thing had two   parallels  for me.  OK.. first the hard one.  I had been walking around for 4 days knowing that I was going to get at least one shot today..  I woke up for  the last few days knowing that I was going to have something unpleasant and painful today.. Just like now.. I wake every morning knowing that I am going to go around missing Sam.. feeling that pain.   Sometimes really bad..  It’s a very hard way to live.. On the other hand.. the event itself, the shot.. did not hurt like I had imagined. The anticipation of it hurting was so much worse than the actual event. Again another parallel.. my anticipation of how bad I think I’m going to feel in the future.. especially on certain days like birthdays… never seems to be as bad as I expect…OK.. not too deep.. but it’s  the kind of analysis I can’t seem to help doing every moment of every day.

 

One cool thing that happened through the day is I kept getting notes from folks who were in the audience at the talk I gave in Cambridge yesterday. Folks were writing to thank me for being honest about the work life balance question when I talked about Sam’s death Several of them told me about their own  stories which were cool to hear.

 

Speaking of stories… We got some word from our friends Mason, Rusty, Tyler and Alex  traveling in Europe.. Here’s a note we got from Tyler‘s mom Gretchen..

 

 

> HI Diane,

>

> The boys are in London at a State Radio concert as I write.  I also just

> met the new neighbors who moved in across the street.  The young woman I

> met is a friend of Chad‘s from ….State Radio.  (Another coincidence in

> life.) This woman grew up with Chad, they played together alot as little

> kdis.

>

> Tyler called yesterday. They are all doing well.  They seem to be having a

> grand time.  I guess Alex walker (Mowalka)  and Tyler took a walk around

> London at 10pm on sunday night.  He said they walked around for 2 hours.

> I don’t know if it was during his night walk or during the day, but they

> went by Big Ben and the parliament.  Tyler did mention things are expensive

> over there.  They were getting ready to have their first “real meal” since

> landing in Dublin.  I guess bread and cheese have been sustaining them.

> They went to the market and bought food to cook AND wine to drink.  It is

> my understanding it doesn’t cost much more than the bottled water.

>

> Tomorrow at 5 am they have to be at the train station to board for the

> trip to Amsterdam.  They take a train to Harwich, then a 6 hour ferry

> ride, then another train up to Amsterdam where Marshall‘s niece lives.

> Lisa said they’ve already stocked the frig for the boys.  Lisa is the one

> getting married in a month in Italy.  We will meet the boys there.

>

> Namaste,.  Gretchen

>

>

 

 

It’s fun to track their travels.. My travels are now taking me to bed.. More tomorrow !

Nite all.. nite Sam

 

-me