I'm back at work full time now. The anatomy course ended, but we still had a graduate level course to teach, a departamental journal club of sorts. We meet with the two graduate students on Friday mornings, and discuss scientific journal articles with them. Last Friday was the last time we meet. These two yuong women have the world ahead of them, and make me think of when I was in the same situation, almost 15 years ago. My, how time passes. In September of 1994 I was packed and ready to go to Rochester, Minnesota, on a new adventure. I had just successfully defended my Ph.D. thesis, and I was on my way to a postdoctorate position at the "World Famous Mayo Clinic" (those four words always came together). Back then all I had to worry about was work... Kendra is almost done with Kindergarten. Graduation is just a month away. Her teachers have been pushing reading skills for the last week or so. They have also been practicing their graduation poem. There is a flurry of activity going on these last few weeks. Last week Kendra's Daisy Scout troop went to a local nursery and planted some flowers for Earth Day. The nursery is at the site of one of the biggest sugar cane plantations in the south of Puerto Rico, Hacienda La Fortuna. The old chimney and some of the concrete colums still stand. 
Next week there is career day ( to which my daughter will go dressed as a police officer). The week after that is a Tea Party for all the moms. Then Field Day, after which they get to go home. Friday off. I can't help but think all this time off for Miss Kendra will translate into less productivity at the office for me. Oh well. She IS #1, after all. Today Kendra had her first swimming lesson with the "big kids". Instead of the usual low-key swimming using floating boards, this was an hour full of jumping from the edge of the pool, and actual swimming instead of doggie paddling. Kendra did extremely well. I'm so proud of her!! She still needs to work on only coming up for air only when she really needs it, and continuing to swim when she does that. But this is the kid that two years ago was terrified of getting her face wet, and barely a year ago was still afraid to swim in the deep part of the pool. Today she was swimming laps. I'm so proud of her!!! 
After the pool we went to mom's. My faithful washer, a 1980's (or earlier) GE, finally said goodbye. I had to take all my laundry to mom's and wash it there. Then we met my friend Carrie. She is moving back to the US (hopefully not permanently), and has entrusted me to care for a very precious package. 
We're back home. Tomorrow I hope I get to sleep late. Kendra shared a cold and I've been coughing for the last two and a half weeks. I'm now on antibiotics (again) and respiratory therapy. Does wonders for the old sleep cycle. Happy week, everyone!
There has been a lot going on this past month. Kendra and I moved back to our house two weeks ago. I finally felt well enough to take care of her and me on my own. Moving back here has done a lot to calm Kendra's anxieties. The psychologist, who had been seeing her every two weeks, told me last wek she didnt; see any need to see her so frequently anymore. Yay for Kendra!! I also went back to work. The first few days were rough. I was tired all the time, and still hurting. Finally last week it felt like I was completely back to normal. I still haev some issues (a possbile burs ovarian cyst still giving me problems), but for the most part I feel strong and healthy. Prayers were answered, and all I can say is I am grateful to all of those who were thinking of me and/or sending healthy vibes. Here's a few pictures of what went on in the past month. Max had to go to the vets. Here he is, recuperating from his vaccinations on my bedspread. 
Kendra went to a birthday party. Here's a close up of the buterfly painting on her face.
Kendra turned 6 last week. We had a joint birthday party in her classroom with her buddy Gustavo, who shares her b-day. 
And finally, lots of pics from her birthday party yesterday. It was helpd at the local bowling alley. We had a great time!!
Get ready for a lot of pics, people:
Birthday girl with her Nemo cake.
Cake table and presents
 
Family shot
Me and the birthday girl
At the arcade with Meagan and Javiel
Last week I wrote a short blog about being sick. I was admitted to the hospital twice in the month of February (which will henceforth be known as Fuckbruary). The first time was for was supposed to be a simple hernia repair. I shoudl have been home the next day; at work the following Monday. Then all hell broke loose. I had pain the likes of which I had never felt before as I woke from surgery. My kidneys decided it was a good time to go on strike. I ended up staying inthe hospital for 9 days. Then I went home, still in pretty severe pain. A week later I went back to the hospital, with fever. I had to receive two units of blood. Two days later an abcess from the surgery broke open. I was on two antibiotics, round the clock. I was stil in pretty serious pain. I was in there for another 9 days. I spent the last week at my parents house, with my mom nursing me back to health, and at the same taking care of Kendra, who was freaking out about not having mom at home. During this last week I have been cleaning an open wound, taking antibiotics, and generally resting. I rested so much my ass is numb. Finally today, I got out of the house. I picked Kendra up from school and went to the pharmacy.
It feels good to be better. I'm grateful to be alive. I'm grateful for my wonderful family who loves me and takes care of me. I'm grateful for all the people who have kept me in their prayers. I'm grateful that Io feel well enough to be bored.
That is all.
Just a short entry to explain my absence for the last month. I had to have hernia repair surgery dn got complicated by other issues, so I spent most of February in the hospital. I'm at my parents' now and feeling marginally better, but still in pain.
I'll write more when I feel stronger.
I thought I'd give everyone fair warning about the tone of this entry. It has been a difficult day, and I am feeling pretty stressed. Here is a lblow-by-blow of what has happened today
My bp medicine ran out about a week ago, and there were no refills
8 am: Took Tabby to vet after dropping goff Kendra at school
8:30 am - Go to hair salon. My roots were prolly an inch and I looked like hell. Rafi fixed it. I love him
11 am- Go to work. Deal with quizzes, and bullshit from registrar's telling us we cannot allow students who have not registred in the classroom. Write an email to students letting them know if they are not registered they can't come to lab or take the quiz. Mad because this puts me in the postion of being bad cop. These kids evaluate me at the end of the year. Grrrr.
3pm - leave for Dr's appt
4pm - Dr's appt was running late. I called the vet's to arrange to pay over the phone and hope mom could pick cat up. Mom informs me she is going to her physical therapist after getting Kendra from school. Kids are not allowed in therapy room so she called dad to pick Kendra up from Dr's office. Called dad to see if he could pick Tabby up. Vet's office closes at 5
4:30- in with the doc, dad calls me to tell me he is not getting Tabby because I forgot to leave the carrier there. Rush doc's visit so I can hopefully get out of there on time. Glad I wrote everything I needed down. Doc gives me prescriptions I need and I am out of there.
4:45 - leave parking lot after brief panic over a lost parking stub. Call mom to see if dad's already picked up Kendra, hoping I can get her on the way. Dad already has her, and mom forgot to give him her bookbag and lunch bag, so I will have to wait at mom's to get it. Call vet tech to beg her not to leave Tabby in. She assures me she will wait for me. Call Don almost in tears, hoping for a friendly voice to calm me while I drive there. No answer.
5:15 pm - get to vet's. Don calls back. I tell him I will have to call him back. Get the bill. An obscene amount of money for the vet to tell me she has no leukemia (good), no tumors showed on x-ray (good), nothing bad showed on blood tests, except for an infection. Oh yeah, she still has fecal matter in her intestine.
5:45 pm- call Don back while waiting for mom. Mood improves after venting.
6pm- mom gets home, get our stuff and leave
6:30 pm - there are 4 cars ahead of me on drive through window at Walgreens. Finally get to the window at 7. Meds won't be ready until 10.
7:15 pm- get home, force feed the cat, give her laxative and antibiotic. Tabby bites my right index finger
7:30 - feed Kendra, give her the antibiotic, give her a shower, read to her, put her to bed by 8:30
I have to get those antibiotics tonight. I will either have to get Kendra out of her bunk and hurt my hernia, or leave her here while I dash there and hope she won't wake up. I cannot wait until morning to start my treatment.
BP today at the ob-gyn's office was 160/90. With meds it is 110-/70
I really hope everybody's day was better than this. Sigh.
Today Kendra and I went to a birthday party for athe daughter of a friend of mine. It was at the Chuck E Cheese in Caguas (about an hour away). Kendra had a GREAT time! She was a bit fearful of the mouse and didn't really want to get close to it for the birthday song, but was OK with standing back a bit. We got some tokens frmo the b-day girl, and I bought her some extra. Most of the time she played the game that is a bit like bowling, where you have to put your ball through some little baskets. She was doing so well in that!! She wasn't interested in the arcade-type games, but very much into the physical ability games. That's my girl! After she spent her tokens, she was all over the tubes and slides in there. I didn't get to talk to my friend Rafael (father of the b-day girl) that much, but I met his wife and we made plans to get the Tulane group together for an adult party. It was great to see him again!
After the party was over we hung in there, I ordered us some food and I called my friend Ivelisse. She and I went to med school together and we had been talking about getting together over Christmas, but it never happened. She lives near Caguas, and as luck would have it, she was in the same mall having lunch, so she came by with her son Alberto, who is 8. Kendra and Alberto knew each other from playing in a tide pool one time, and we went to his birthday party last year. Anyway, those two hung out and played while she and I talked. Then we trooped over to do some shopping for house stuff, and we ended up at her house where the kids played some ping-pong. We left there around 5, then I stopped at mom's to bring her some pillows I bought for her. Kendra had a bath and her story, and I think she fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow.
I love parties. Now you see why? 
I went back to work on Tuesday and Kendra back to school on Thursday. We had a couple of very challenging days until we got back on schedule. I had to take Tabby to the vet. She has been losing weight and seems extra-whiny lately. Vet had been on vacation and got back Tuesday. He diagnosed a bowel obstruction. They gave her an enema and we waited there while she pooped. In a freaky turn of events, Kendra was also constipated and asked me to use the toilet at the vet's. So both my child and my cat were pooping at the same time in the vet's office. Good thing I only got charged for the cat.
Tabby has lost 3 lbs, which worries both the vet and I. He asked me to bring her back for blood tests. He's afraid she might have hyperthyroidism. He also gave me special food and told me to give her vitamins and hairball remedy.
I brought the cat home (to finish pooping) and Kendra and I went to the pediatrician's at 1pm. today. Kendra had impetigo in the back of her right knee. I had been trating with neosporin and bactroban but it looks like it is still spreading. Kendra was freaking out in the waiting room. By the time the pediatrician came in, I had managed to distract her with her Bratz and asking her to brush my hair. The doc was awesome, gave her a thorough exam, and agreed she had impetigo. It actually looked better this morning (the crusties had fallen off). Dra. G also agreed that since this stuff is highly contagious and Kendra is going back to school on Thursday, we should give her oral antibiotics. The doc was such a good sport- let Kendra brush her hair, and even asked her to do a painting for her, to hang in her office.
It was already 5pm when I took the prescription to the pharmacy, and then drove to mom's. I made dinner for them and us, and then we drove to the funeral home. My friend Mayra S' ex-SIL died of a brain aneurysm yesterday. She was 46 years old.  Her children are 26 (in med school) and 12. 
I drove mom to her house, picked up the prescription, drove home, gave medicine to Kendra, gave her a shower, put the medicine on her leg, read her a story, gave her milk and finally put her to bed at 1o pm.
I had been sneezing all day and have a ferocious headache and head congestion. With all this going on, I didn't get any work done. And my water heater finally gave out completely. On Wednesday Efrain came and fixed my water heater. He replaced the heating element and it only cost me $55.68. Love Efrain!! I took Kendra to Ita's house so I could get some work done. It was a busy day, and I had to dissect to prepare for Thursday lab. On Thursday (lab hell day) we had the usual 2 lab sessions. Friday was busy, as Graciela and Maritza were both absent. My boss and I finished grading teh exams and gave out grades. I also spent the day answering the phone.
Today Kendra and I went grocery shopping for the first time in over a month. Holy crap, we were out of everything! I hate grocery shopping.I really really do. There is the driving there. Then getting the stuff. I usually am bad about making a list, and I haven't been in so long that I was out of almost everything. So I had to walk every freaking aisle. Putting it on the conveyor that is a nasty mess (in my head) from other people's meat stuff. Paying. Putting it into the cart. Putting it in the car. Unloading it at home. Putting it away. I HATE IT!!!! On the up side, I made a completely awesome dinner. Steak, three mushroom sauce, parmesan mashed potatoes, and asparagus. Yummy yum yum. Tomorrow we have a birthday party for a friend's daughter. I hope everyone is having an enjoyable wekend!
I finally got my car back. They delership say they replaced the following: tappet valve
2 gaskets
2 gasket valve rocker arm cover
air intake throttle
throttle body and motor asy
wfo
2 front steering links
battery I guess something was seriously fucked up. It is now running beautifully and with no noises, yay!!! Of course, I had to pay almost $200 for air and oil filter, a dead blinker, and labor. 
I also took my mom to the neurosurgeon who operated on her hand. The stitches are still not coming off. He says the hand looks good, but they are tight and he wants to wait.
Then we went to the mall, and after I got tired, my mom asked if I could pick her up later. The woman loves the mall! So Kendra and I went to the vet's for cat food, Walgreen's for supplies, and then went back and picked her up. After we took her home we hung out there for a while and finally made it home around 9pm. Today we stayed in. I let Kendra stay in her jammies all day. She played with her Moon
Sand and watched cartoons and we snuggled all day. I just put her to bed. Tomorrow we may go to the mall in San Juan for an early Three Kings present at teh Build-a-Ber Workshop. I hope everyone is having a fantastic weekend!
 I have some friends who accuse me of going to parties all the time. The truth is, wherever ther eare two or more puertorricans, add some food and music, and it becomes an instant party!  
On Sunday we had a party at my friend Mayra R's house. It was the Christmas party for two of our departments. We had roast pork, arroz con gandules, potato salad, green salad, and desserts. Mayra made a kick-ass white sangria (must ask for this recipe!) and I brought coquito ( a kind of eggnogg made with coconut milk and rum). We also celebrated Mayra's birthday, which had been the previous week. Kendra and I stayed over, and after Kendra fell asleep, Mayra and I watched Dreamgirls while I wrapped presents. We stayed up until 3 am that night. The following morning (Christmas eve) Mayra made us breakfast and we hung out in her terrace until it was time for Kendra and I to go to mom's house. I took a nap while Kendra overdosed on cartoons (I know, bad mommy). My brother Carlos and his wife Zaida came by too, and my brother Felix was there as well. We had a nice dinner, with all three sibs together for the first time since Carlos' wedding in July. I even gave Zaida a pedicure. She is 8 months pregnant and can't even see her feet anymore!  Kendra and I came back home to get ready for Santa. I convinced Kendra Santa needed some diet foods as well, so she didn't leave out cookies and milk. Santa was welcome to eat some yogurt from our refrigerator.  This morning Kendra woke up early and actually went to get me in my room before she checked for presents. Kendra and I spent the morning in the house- I was trying to get a bit more sleep after we did the Christmas presents, but no luck. 
Mom, dad and my brother Felix came by because he wanted to go to the lighthouse in Cabo Rojo, so we all got into my car and made it there. It was a gorgeous day. There are cliffs all the way around the lighthouse, and a great beach on the other side. Then we got lucky and found the restaurant we wanted to go to open, so we had a wonderful meal by the sea.
We just got back about an hour ago.
Tomorrow we are planning on going to El Yunque (rain forest). It will be Felix's last day here. 
Kendra and I had a very busy couple of weeks. After my mom's surgery, we spent about 4 days at my parents house trying to help out. I was driving Kendra to school in the morning, going to work, picking her up from school, cooking at mom's house, doing dishes, and giving Kendra a bath before putting her to bed. Then I had to drive home to feed the cats and fish, and relaxed a bit before driving back. It was fun (not!). Last weekend was the end of year party at Kendra's swimming class. They had an inflatable wet slide and a jumping pirate ship. Kendra had a blast. On Sunday we went to see my grandmother at the nursing home. She is not improving, Her left side is still paralyzed. Her mental faculties are intact. On Sunday the nurnsing home had a party for the residents, and my gramma was on a wheelchair until she got too tired and we had to take her to her room. It was good to see family I had not seen for a while.  Last week was pretty difficult too. Kendra had school until Thursday. I had to pick her up every day, which is something mom still can't do because of her surgery. I was preparing the anatomy exam, and getting ready for the lab practical. Kendra also had her Girl Scouts service project on Wednesday, so after school we went to Santa Marta, a local nurning home and brought the residents a "parranda". They also brought them cookies. It was nice and the residents had so much fun they did not want the girls to leave.
 On Thursday Kendra had her Christmas party at shcool. There was a program and the K class performed "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer". My brother Felix had just gotten in that morning and he went with me. Kendra was so happy to see him!
Thuirsday evening I worked late as we set up the lab practical for Friday. And Friday was just a very stressful day. Kendra had no class, I had to be at work at 9am and ther were two sections each of written and lab exams which could not overlap. I was happy by the time 3pm came by and I could finally leave and pick Kendra up. Today was my first day of vacation until Jan 9. I spent it at home. Kendra snuck into my room at 8 am and we cuddled and she watched cartoons while I slept until 10. I did laundry, and started cleaning out my office of boxes from our move a year and a half ago. My brother Felix installed a computer I had bought 3 months ago but I could not even take out of the box because of my hernia. Now I must get this room cleared out so can really use it! On other news, the old bf is now a more stable fixture in my life. He calls more often, and invited me to go visit (for something like the fifth time). I'll probably be going in March. I like having him back in my life. He puts a smile on my face.
 On Friday I had the school of medicine Christmas party. It was one of those events where everybody brought a treat. There was music, dancing, and a lot of people having a lot of fun. The music was too loud, though, and I had a raspy throat by thte time Maritza, Mayra and I left for an afternoon in San Juan.
Mom kept Kendra, so I could have an afternoon in the company of adults and see a film not created by Disney or Pixar. We picked up Lydia, Mayra's mom, and headed for Old San Juan. There is a new restaurant there Mayra insisted we had to try. It's called Raices (Roots) and it specializes in criollo (puertorrican) dishes. It was amazing!
Then we drove to the Banco Popular Fine Arts Theater and watched "Elsa and Fred". The theater is amazing, the seats very comfortable and we even enjoyed some wine while we watched the film. It is a Spanish Film about two elderly people who fall in love. It was lovely and funny and sad; and overall wonderful! We got home pretty late, I put Kendra to bed and then stayed up until 2:30 IM'ing with my long lost pal Art. That was a long night!
 Saturday was Kendra's awards day at her swimming school. This time she got a silver medal, because she swam about half the pool unassisted. Cheyenne just divided the kids by abilities and had them show what they could do, then he gave medals according to their accomplishments. Next week he has the competition for the more advanced swimmers, and a bouncy house and a water slide. I took Alex with me and they had a chance to swim for a bit before we left.
My mom is having carpal tunnel surgery tomorrow, so if you pray, please say a little prayer for her.
Have a wonderful week, everyone!
When someone tells you you are "the one". That you have always been the one and other people just don't compare to you? That they want to spend the rest of their life with you. That they wish they had married you 20 years ago when the had the chance? And then this same man that you are also falling for doesn't call for two weeks?
Mind you, I know why he didn't call. Fear of commitment is hard to get over, especially when the relationship is complicated by such factors as distance, a possible instant family, and searching for a job and a house.
It's a good thing I really like this man or I would have killed him. For now, we are at least talking about fears. I think this is a good first step.
On Monday I got a nice surprise. An old friend of mine, who I dated briefly while in college, found me using Facebook. He and I have a lot in common: his mother is from Mexico and he lived there when he was little. We both suffer from Catholic guilt. We love music. In fact, Art was the one person who helped me develop a love for classical music. he recorded some music for me one time, which included Mozart and Vivaldi, but also, and more importantly, the Pachelbel Canon. I am still in love with that piece, and every time I hear it I think about Art. The other thing I remember fondly is that at graduation (when we no longer dating) he gave me a card with a poem entitled Sucess: Success
To laugh often and much;
to win the respect of intelligent people
and the affection of children;
to earn the appreciation of honest critics
and endure the betrayal of false friends;
to appreciate beauty; to find the best in others;
to leave the world a bit better,
whether by a healthy child,
a garden patch
or a redeemed social condition;
to know even one life has breathed easier
because you have lived.
This is to have succeeded. The poem was attributed to Ralph Waldo Emerson, but research has shown it was authored by Bessie Anderson. Anyway, he had scribbled below it : "Congratulations on being one of the most successful people I know". I still have that card, and the diaries I wrote while I was in Tulane. Since Monday, Art and I have exchanged a few emails and we spoke on the phone once. He is a good person, has gone through a lot, and is now looking for his own happiness. He is now engaged to a girl from the Philippines he met online. He sounds very happy. There are all sorts of nice pictures of them together from when he went to see her in September. He's gonna go see her again for the holidays.
I'm so glad he called and we had a chance to talk. I am happy to have him back in my life as a friend.
On Saturday I took Kendra to her first swimming class in over a month. She was so anxious to go back she kept counting the days for a whole week! She was so ready to go, that she didn't have time to worry or think about getting scared about jumping from the edge of the pool or even swimming under water. I will try to link the videos to prove it, but it was a sight to behold. I was so proud of my little swimmer, I had tears in my eyes! http://s80.photobucket.com/albums/j164/moobers/Cynthia/?action=view¤t=D... http://s80.photobucket.com/albums/j164/moobers/Cynthia/?action=view¤t=Decemberandswimming016.flv 
After, we went to the mall. We had lunch there, and she had her picture taken with Santa. She also got a balloon snake from the balloon lady there. A snake! I ask, could she not have gotten a "real" balloon animal? I mean, even *I* can make a snake!  We also shopped for mom's Christmas present. I also got Kendra a nice dress to wear at Christmas, and a pair of cute shoes too. We went to the pharmacy and then to dinner. After we got home we just vegged for a while, and then got ready for bed. Today we slept until 9  I am still unpacking and doing laundry. Then we went to Mayra's house for a late lunch and a movie. We sent Kendra to another room with her DVD player and a Barbie movie while we watched "Children of Men". What a movie! I highly recommend it! I hope everyone has a fantastic week. I tried to upload a video an not only did it take almost all night, but it only shows a very short time. Please try the links above and tell me if they work. Thanks!
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