We had an interesting conversation with Vincent’s counselor late Monday. Of course, she couldn’t tell us the details of their conversations. She had a somewhat more positive spin on things, saying they were making progress. She said they hadn’t talked so much about our family recently (since the family seemed OK, she implied – moving on to other things). (Of course, during the house arrest, Vincent and we were getting along pretty well, and so that may be one of the reasons (rather than them simply having exhausted that subject).) She said they were working on him valuing himself and making decisions accordingly. She seemed a little surprised when I said he seemed to be mainly watching TV and then over at Samantha’s house (plus eating) during the day, with maybe two or three hours of school work per week. I said it seems possible that his current school would eventually exit him, since he’s not enrolled in the number of classes he’s supposed to be enrolled in (only two, instead of three, classes) and – at six months per class – he’s eventually going to start getting timed out of these classes. She seemed to think that Vincent should – in principle – be able to graduate from high school. She clearly liked Vincent and said working with him was a break from working with the more disturbed kids – often victims of child abuse – who she also works with – work that helped get Vincent off in court, since that’s probably why the prosecutors had heard of her (she’s testified for them/her clients – in child abuse hearings/trials). She was tougher on Vincent’s girlfriend, whom she met last week when they both went to counseling with her late Monday a week ago. Samantha seemed to the counselor to be more disturbed than Vincent and the counselor said she’s not convinced this is the right person for Vincent. The counselor said that June – when Samantha is slated to go to Denmark where Vincent’s host from last summer – with whom she spent a lot of time last fall – awaits her (a potential love triangle). We remain perplexed how it would work out that Samantha could go with us to Ohio in a week and a half, but it remains to be seen how tough it will be to get Vincent to go without her.
After counseling, Stephanie, Vincent, Samantha, and I went to see the “Star Trek” movie, though it appears that in the end Samantha’s parents weren’t thrilled that she went out to a movie on a school night.
I talked with Mom this morning also and learned that her doctor’s appointment turned out to be with our family doctor, instead of with the nurse practitioner. They’re still awaiting some test results. Dr. Kepper was concerned about Mom’s back problems. With the apparent curvature of the spine – which Mom has self-diagnosed as Dowager’s hump, due to osteoporosis and tiny bone fractures – Mom has dropped over the past few years from over 5;5: to a little over 5 feet tall. It’s no wonder that she spends so much time shortening – and re-shortening – her pants. I talked recently to an acquaintance who had surgery when she was in her 20s for a version of this problem. She’s been in car accidents since and her back still bothers her. But she said the surgery was successful on the whole. But she did say general prognosis for the surgery is better for younger people than for older people. Dr. Kepper is sending Mom to an orthopedist and probably to physical therapy for her back problems. Mom may wind up working with a colleague of Dr. Fahey – the orthopedist who surgically repaired one of her knees two years ago – but not Dr. Fahey himself (same practice but different doctor). I know Mother is afraid she won’t be able to do something like physical therapy without retiring from her job (but she may not be able to do her job forever without some rehab). Mother, they also found, is borderline anemic and has low protein. So she’ll go back to taking iron – as she did for a while after her surgery two years ago – and is supposed to eat more meat (or other kinds of proteins, I suppose). So, in general, Mom is somewhat weak. I hope Mom will be able to boost her energy level a little and mix her job, physical therapy, and tai chi. We’ll see.
Mom had also talked with Penny, cousin Diana, and Aunt Sandy about our Ohio trip in a week and a half. I had tried to extend the trip so we could see more people at a slightly more relaxed pace. But Stephanie has to work Friday and so Stephanie and Vincent (and Frisco?) won’t arrive until late Friday evening (or maybe Vincent and Frisco could come with us?). Penny, Serge, and Jacob will leave Friday morning and take the scenic route all the way from near Charlottesville, Virginia, and so they also won’t arrive until late Friday evening. Mom has talked with others about seeing Aunt June, who has throat cancer and is losing weight rapidly, Saturday. We may see June at cousin Diana’s and perhaps also Aunt Barb, who lives at June’s. Then she’s talked about going out to Aunt Sandy’s in Marysville on Sunday, partly to see Grandpa Beck. Mom also wants to stop by Pioneer Cemetery in Westerville (Memorial Day weekend), where Grandma Beck and other relatives are buried.
We also hope to visit with some of our relatives on Stephanie’s side of the family – including Stephanie’s mother, stepfather, and grandmother – and perhaps her father and stepbrother. We also hope to go to church and perhaps to Concord Cemetery. It’s possible that Vincent will spend some time with his father. It’s very remotely possible we’ll have Samantha with us. And, of course, we hope to visit with Grandma Martha and with Penny, Serge, and Jacob. I’m not sure how it’s all going to work. We may have to split up some – Mom and Penny et al. vs. Stephanie (with me going back and forth between). Vincent doesn’t always do well with all of this relative visiting. It’s possible with visit with more of Stephanie’s relatives on Monday. Penny et al. will leave for Virginia Monday morning, whereas in the abstract Stephanie and Vincent can wait to leave until late Monday afternoon. Mom isn’t flying out of Ohio until Tuesday morning and I’m tentatively slated to stay on in Ohio until then to drop her off at the airport. I’m taking most or all of Tuesday off at work. Between the 2 ½ families, we’re slated to have three cars.
One other consideration: Although we missed a Mother’s Day event at Stephanie’s grandmother’s last weekend, we’re planning to go to a wedding anniversary event in Mt Vernon during the first weekend of June, which will allow us to see folks in Stephanie’s mother’s extended family.
Another exciting event is scheduled for this evening (Tuesday): Stephanie has been growing out her hair for months so that she can have the hair cut off and donated to go into a wig for someone who has lost their hair due to cancer treatment. Her appointment to have her locks shorn is at 6:30 p.m. tonight. Good job, Stephanie! We’ll see if she takes before and after pictures.
-- Perry
After counseling, Stephanie, Vincent, Samantha, and I went to see the “Star Trek” movie, though it appears that in the end Samantha’s parents weren’t thrilled that she went out to a movie on a school night.
I talked with Mom this morning also and learned that her doctor’s appointment turned out to be with our family doctor, instead of with the nurse practitioner. They’re still awaiting some test results. Dr. Kepper was concerned about Mom’s back problems. With the apparent curvature of the spine – which Mom has self-diagnosed as Dowager’s hump, due to osteoporosis and tiny bone fractures – Mom has dropped over the past few years from over 5;5: to a little over 5 feet tall. It’s no wonder that she spends so much time shortening – and re-shortening – her pants. I talked recently to an acquaintance who had surgery when she was in her 20s for a version of this problem. She’s been in car accidents since and her back still bothers her. But she said the surgery was successful on the whole. But she did say general prognosis for the surgery is better for younger people than for older people. Dr. Kepper is sending Mom to an orthopedist and probably to physical therapy for her back problems. Mom may wind up working with a colleague of Dr. Fahey – the orthopedist who surgically repaired one of her knees two years ago – but not Dr. Fahey himself (same practice but different doctor). I know Mother is afraid she won’t be able to do something like physical therapy without retiring from her job (but she may not be able to do her job forever without some rehab). Mother, they also found, is borderline anemic and has low protein. So she’ll go back to taking iron – as she did for a while after her surgery two years ago – and is supposed to eat more meat (or other kinds of proteins, I suppose). So, in general, Mom is somewhat weak. I hope Mom will be able to boost her energy level a little and mix her job, physical therapy, and tai chi. We’ll see.
Mom had also talked with Penny, cousin Diana, and Aunt Sandy about our Ohio trip in a week and a half. I had tried to extend the trip so we could see more people at a slightly more relaxed pace. But Stephanie has to work Friday and so Stephanie and Vincent (and Frisco?) won’t arrive until late Friday evening (or maybe Vincent and Frisco could come with us?). Penny, Serge, and Jacob will leave Friday morning and take the scenic route all the way from near Charlottesville, Virginia, and so they also won’t arrive until late Friday evening. Mom has talked with others about seeing Aunt June, who has throat cancer and is losing weight rapidly, Saturday. We may see June at cousin Diana’s and perhaps also Aunt Barb, who lives at June’s. Then she’s talked about going out to Aunt Sandy’s in Marysville on Sunday, partly to see Grandpa Beck. Mom also wants to stop by Pioneer Cemetery in Westerville (Memorial Day weekend), where Grandma Beck and other relatives are buried.
We also hope to visit with some of our relatives on Stephanie’s side of the family – including Stephanie’s mother, stepfather, and grandmother – and perhaps her father and stepbrother. We also hope to go to church and perhaps to Concord Cemetery. It’s possible that Vincent will spend some time with his father. It’s very remotely possible we’ll have Samantha with us. And, of course, we hope to visit with Grandma Martha and with Penny, Serge, and Jacob. I’m not sure how it’s all going to work. We may have to split up some – Mom and Penny et al. vs. Stephanie (with me going back and forth between). Vincent doesn’t always do well with all of this relative visiting. It’s possible with visit with more of Stephanie’s relatives on Monday. Penny et al. will leave for Virginia Monday morning, whereas in the abstract Stephanie and Vincent can wait to leave until late Monday afternoon. Mom isn’t flying out of Ohio until Tuesday morning and I’m tentatively slated to stay on in Ohio until then to drop her off at the airport. I’m taking most or all of Tuesday off at work. Between the 2 ½ families, we’re slated to have three cars.
One other consideration: Although we missed a Mother’s Day event at Stephanie’s grandmother’s last weekend, we’re planning to go to a wedding anniversary event in Mt Vernon during the first weekend of June, which will allow us to see folks in Stephanie’s mother’s extended family.
Another exciting event is scheduled for this evening (Tuesday): Stephanie has been growing out her hair for months so that she can have the hair cut off and donated to go into a wig for someone who has lost their hair due to cancer treatment. Her appointment to have her locks shorn is at 6:30 p.m. tonight. Good job, Stephanie! We’ll see if she takes before and after pictures.
-- Perry
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