Come on, Irene!

Looking back over my blog, it seems like I have written about I don't know how many hurricanes, nor'easters and other natural phenomenons. Yes, I grew up and now live on the western shore of the Chesapeake Bay in Virginia, so these storms happen from time to time. And yes, I spent 4 years in New Orleans for college where I basically was on hurricane alert at the beginning of every fall semester. As a result of these experiences, I do not have a cavalier attitude towards any of these storms. I always prepare the same way. I gas up the car, get cash, make sure the pantry has non-perishable food items, etc.

I'm not one to worry about what ifs. I just deal with the storms as they come. But this one is different. It is the first time I have a child to think of. Currently, according to NOAA, we are in the pink zone which indicates we are in a hurricane watch area. We probably won't get a direct hit like the Outer Banks of North Carolina, but I can predict we are gonna lose power maybe for days and have lots of storm damage. This means Hunter will be at work from sun up until sun down until everyone has electricity and I will have to learn to manage with the baby on my own.

Storm preparation has been a little different this time. We have a generator, so we are ok for big people food and the Co-Op feeds its employees breakfast, lunch and dinner during these crises. So today I stocked up on formula, cereal and baby food since RJ just started eating these things last weekend. I get a crash course Friday night on operating the generator and then we wait and see. Oh, please let Irene be easy on us.

Hurricane + Earthquake = One big headache

It's August and time to watch out for hurricanes. Which is precisely what I have been doing for a good part of the day. The 11am advisory by NOAA put us directly in the path of Hurricane Irene come this Sunday. So there was that to worry about today. Hunter hates this time of year for that reason and has expressed a wish to move to the desert. In past years a hurricane warning means a mad dash to either get our boat out of the water or at least make sure it is secure. Then there is the generator. Hunter has to make sure it is in working order, because if we lose power in this area he is basically working from sun up to sun down for the power company. But at least we have time to prepare. It may be for nothing, but at least you can see a hurricane coming and make a choice.

I remember having a conversation with a co-worker after the Northridge earthquake in California in the 1990's. She wanted to know if I would rather experience a hurricane or an earthquake. I didn't hesitate and told her definitely a hurricane. She argued for the earthquake because it was over so quickly. I said yeah, but there's no warning. Mind you I had never experienced an earthquake at that time. So lord knows how on earth I knew that the rumble at our office today was an earthquake. But I did. And now I definitely know the answer to my co-worker's question. I'll take a hurricane any day, just not the same week as my first ever earthquake. It's gonna be a long week...

On the road again...

Another week and another road trip to Richmond. This time for a less stressful purpose. Yesterday, Hunter, Richard and I were due at Children's Home Society of Virginia (CHSVA) for our third and final supervisory visit with these nice ladies.

It will probably be the last time we meet with the staff of the agency in any official capacity. Our next step in our adoption of Richard will be in the hands of our adoption attorney. But that won't be until at least October.

It's amazing to me, this journey of ours. We started out as two bewildered people who didn't know where to turn for help with our wish to adopt. We finally found CHSVA. They have done an amazing job as far as we are concerned. Sure, we went through some tough times with some of the staff as in this episode. We also encountered adoption professionals from other agencies with varied results such as these folks.

But I am glad we stuck with CHSVA. The social workers were always there for us. I don't know how they deal with hopeful adoptive parents and not get burned out. Hunter and I are pretty easy to get along with. But I understand the desperation of some couples and I imagine it's not easy being in the hot seat when an adoption is taking longer than a couple thinks it should. So my hat is off to these ladies and their colleagues. Thank you for a job well done from our family of three!

And now for something completely different...

Four months ago, Hunter and I left VCU Medical Center in Richmond as happy, but tired parents at last. Being in downtown Richmond for three consecutive days was stressful. I used to live in Richmond, but don't have the stomach for the traffic, etc. anymore. So when we finally left the hospital I vowed not to ever go back. Until today.

But I have to back up to begin this story. In January, just 4 days after we had been informed by the birth mother in Alabama that she would not be placing her baby, I was talking to my Mom. I was still in my self-pity stage and then she threw what little sanity I had left into a tailspin. She had a lump in her breast and had just found out that day that it was probably cancer.

"What?" you say. Why didn't I mention any of this before? Well, because that's what my Mom wanted. She is an ER nurse and she doesn't like a lot of fuss. So I had to live with this knowledge and not tell a soul.

So today, after weeks of chemo and learning to love wigs, my Mom had a mastectomy at VCU Medical Center. She is doing fine. She was in her room by 1pm and demanding a Diet Coke. So, there, proof that she's fine. She still has radiation to go through. But the tumor was barely visible during her last round of scans. Fingers crossed. So this is not a sad post. It's one to celebrate my mother surviving cancer.

My Mom and I have the greatest relationship. We have the same sense of humor, and it has really helped us get through these last few months. One of the things we love the most is people watching and the color commentary that goes along with it. You know, like on a cruise ship and you see what some of the  ladies are wearing to dinner, and one turns to the other and says, "Did she look in the mirror before coming out here?" I know, we are both going to hell for it, but at least we can keep each other company.

Today, at the hospital, it was an environment rife with people watching and other dark humor. She would have loved it, but alas, she was the one in the operating room. So I have an itch to scratch and here goes.

First there was the old guy on his laptop who had some kind of electronic gadget first beep then strart buzzing. I kept looking over at him thinking he would hear it. And then he had the nerve to look at me reading my Kindle and rudely demanding I turn it on mute. Oh, he picked the wrong morning to try me. I informed him the noise was not coming from me and then he got called by a nurse. As soon as he walked away, the buzzing noise stopped. Imagine that!

Then there was misery guts lady. I heard her not once but twice tell anyone who would listen about every ache and pain she had-and she wasn't even the patient. She was waiting for her husband's surgery to be done. I wisely avoided eye contact lest having to hear her recite her list of afflictions for a third time.

Then there was witnessing the amazing job the surgical department must do everyday. They really have it down to a science. It was pure pandemonium when we arrived at 5:30am. They were calling patients names. Everybody sat down on one long wall with their families. There had to have been 30 or more people there. Nurses would take patients back and return later to summon the family. Dad and I went back to sit with Mom before surgery. All the team players came in and gave their little talks and then it was go time. There were at least 10 pre-op rooms on the corridor we were on. When we left, each door had a full surgical team ready to spring into action. We were dodging gurneys trying to get back to the waiting room. I told Dad it looked like pit row at Daytona. Dad said, "Gentlemen start your engines!" Good one, Dad.

And then there were these things.

The waiting area was so big, they have to give people these pagers. It would go off when they needed you to come to the reception desk. I was describing them to Mom and I told her, yeah, just like your favorite restaurant, Outback Steakhouse (wink, wink). But that's a story for another time.

Oh, and I almost forgot. I got to speak to Mom's doctor after the operation. His name is, wait for it, Dr. Bear. Dr. Harry Bear. LOL!