Update on Roberta

The MRI of Roberta's leg did not show any clot. She has started a wide spectrum anti-biotic to deal with the leg infection whichever -itis it might be.

In memory of a Great Man- one year on

One year ago today we lost a wonderful man. A husband, a father, a brother, a teacher, and a grandpa. I miss you dad.

Roberta Update

I have spent the week in Florida with my mom assiting with the doctor visits and the battery of tests she is under from her hip surgery. For those of you keeping score at home, the original hip has been removed and she has a 'temporary' replacement in there. This one is packed with anti biotics and helping her fight the MRSA infection she is battling. Recently she is dealing with pain in the leg which may be associated with either phlebitis or cellulitis. Regardless we had an MRI today to rule out a clot and this has been the third such test we have done in that area. She is currently walking with a walker and has the option to use a wheelchair but does not. Her walking is improving and she notices she no longer has the pain the drove us down this path in the first place. The pain she has now is assocaited with the surgey and the various layers of tissue and muscle that had to be cut to insert the prosthesis. The prognosis is good. She has weeks of IV anti biotics still to take. We met with the surgeon yesterday who was up beat and optimistic about the weeks to come. Finally, the tempoarary hip that she has is one that can be used for 10-15 years so she may opt to just leave this one in and move on. With David and I based hundreds of miles away, she has been relying on a wonderful network of friends to help her get to and from her various medical appointments. These wonderful people help her everyday and for that we are very grateful.

Name and Shame- Fannie and Freddie

What’s the deal lately with current and former Treasury and SEC officials predicting a bailout out Fannie and Freddie? Could they do anymore to undermine the chances of success at these two quasi- government organizations? Do they have an agenda here? If you are like me you are absolutely astounded by the sound bites coming out of Henry Paulson and Arthur Levitt. Mr. Paulson’s comments are most shocking as the Treasury Secretary and someone who will need to deliberate over these proceedings. Mr. Levitt, now in the private sector and employed by the super-secretive, super-devious Carlyle Group.

Thanks Goldman, we really needed that!

Just when you thought it was safe to buy gas again, the venerable Goldman Sachs goes out of their way to enhance their bottom line at the expense of the ordinary American. They seem to be long a lot of oil futures that became worthless recently so they went out of their way, in the waning days of summer, to reiterate their price target on crude oil at $149 a barrel. What has this country come to? Was it not satisfactory that increased inventories and decreased demand led oil down from its peak to about $112 a barrel? Is there anyone besides me that is feeling a little wronged by this? Shame on them. My sense is that the analyst phoned in this reminder from his summer home in The Hamptons. Americans should be outraged.

Remorse

I attended Alex's funeral on Saturday in Herndon. Jennifer had warned me of the hardship of attending a funeral of a child. Having attended more than her fair share in her career as a critical care nurse she was well versed.
I guess it was everything you'd expect however what does one expect when a 14 year old decides to take his life?
It was standing room only which makes sense because he was popular. There were scores of kids there. In essence the clash occurs at that point. Two foreign worlds collide. A mass of youth... Innocent, pure, bright trying to console each other at this harsh reality. They were kids really. Not old enough to drive, not old enough to vote, not old enough to drink wrestling with a tragedy. For me that was the first hard part of the event although my challenge is trivial compared to others. I spent the event standing next to Bhaskar. His silent solitude and respectful stillness in stark contrast to my own discomfort. The pastor delivers a riveting eulogy about putting meaning to all of this. I am impressed with how coherent it is on a horrible subject... Does he do this often... I mean for 14 year olds? Bhaskar and I exchange reassuring glances choosing to refrain from delivering the responses in prayer as our own faith differs. I am praying for Alex in my own way.
At the reception I embrace Dana. My carefully scripted words of condolence lost in the moment. I fumble with pieces of sentences to say how sorry I am. Ironically it ends in laughter as opposed to tears.
I drive home a virtual zombie thinking what if this were to happen to us. The car arrives home and the abrupt halt in the driveway jolts me from my obscure day dream. I enter the house and hug the kids slightly tighter than before. I feel fortunate. I wish I could change the sequence of events. But I cannot.


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Unexplainable Tragedy

Our office today was devestated with the news that 14 year old son of a member of our IT department chose to take his own life. Trying to formulate a coherent sentence after that is impossible. Parents should never have to endure the grief associated with burying their children. We're left only to guess what went through his enigmatic mind before deciding that was the way forward.
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