Ravi, you are remembered

Dear Ravi,

Happy June and happy Pride. Is heaven full of rainbows? As you know, your Daddy and I signed up to walk the Brave Like Gabe 5km sometime this summer after my surgery. I reached out to Alissa Hawkins who directs this race to tell her how much it meant to me to run it last year, and how we were going to walk the 5km for you and for Gabe this year. She immediately wrote back and said that this made her very happy. Furthermore, she kept the Brave like Ravi sign I made last year and hung it on the wall in her office! She asked if I wanted it back, but I figured you were probably happier hanging out with her and other runners of good will.

It is 5 days until my spinal fusion. I am starting to get nervous. A month ago, it seemed like June 8 would never come, but right now it is coming at a very rapid rate. I just want to get the surgery over with and begin my recovery. Between various dog walks and a walk on my own yesterday I got in over 6 miles. I am slow, I am in pain, but anything beats sitting on the couch! Neither of us were ever very good at sitting still. Like us, the dogs also prefer to be in constant motion. I assume I will be moving rather slowly for a few weeks, but then I hope I am back to exploring the neighborhood and taking to dogs on jaunty adventures.

I have not seen any male cardinals lately, but I did see a female cardinal out doing bird things this morning. If you see a female cardinal, just know that mom is checking in with you. Your Alissa and Alan get into town in 4 days and we are greatly looking forward to seeing them. I am trying to plan fun things into my calendar this summer to distract me from post-surgical pain. Your Uncle Bob is out of the hospital and rehab center and doing well. He and his oncologist are hoping to start a clinical trial, maybe using CAR T cells this October. Please continue to pray for him. No word from Mercury. I dream of them often. Maybe someday they will come home. Maybe someday they will not think that their parents are the axis of evil. Someday…. I love you to the moon and back. Mom.