Author: snort262

Getting Boo to eat is a fulltime job. He does not like the smell of food and prefers that I bring small amounts of food to him in his bedroom. Keeping him hydrated is relatively easy, but solid food is a bit of a challenge. Today Robert brought him a 12 inch sub from Subway with just about everything on it. For this, Boo mustered enough strength to make it into the dining room and sit at the table. I did not ask him to do this, he just did it. Half the sub vanished in about 5 minutes flat, along with a handful of chips. Then he wandered back into his room. A few minutes later he emerged and ate the other 6 inches. HIs color looked a bit better after that. What I am learning is that each day must start with copious hydration. Then I will offer him Ativan, Tylenol, and his usual other med. This damps the nausea down enough that I can usually get him to eat some meat or some cheese. He has developed a love for string cheese. He is not interested in fruit at all, but happily ate all the veggies on his sub. He has labs drawn every Monday and Thursday. On Thursday I got a call from the lab saying that his white blood cell count was very low. They did not think he needed to come in for a transfusion but wanted me to watch him carefully for a fever. If he spikes a fever, we are supposed to head for the hospital immediately. So far, no sign of a fever, just unrelenting fatigue. His team has given him the okay to go to school, but he barely has the energy to make it from his bedroom to the bathroom. Right now, school is a fantasy. I took him out for a ride in the car and a stop at a drive through yesterday, and that wiped him out for the day. We go into Journey’s Clinic on Monday for labs. I will not at all be surprised if they decide to check him into the hospital. In a sense, I wish they would. The rest of the time it is me watching him, wondering if I am taking care of him the way that he needs. This is the weirdest endurance race that I never signed up for.

On a brighter note, I got outside today and ran 8 or 9 miles. I have not run this far since November. It was slow, but it was such a joy to be out. The path was plowed and packed down. The woodpeckers were raising a happy racket in the trees by the river. There were lots of runners and walkers and tons of dogs. It made my heart happy.

I was about to close out this entry when Boo suddenly got to his feet and headed into the dining room. Mercury, Eliyah and Robert were eating steak. Boo sat down and looked interested. I cut him up a few bites of steak which he slowly ate. He downed this with another glass of Gatorade and headed back into the bedroom. I will keep the steak on the table in case he wanders back in. I have found keeping foods out that he can just graze on at will seems to work fairly well. Too much food offered at once, and strong smells will cause him to flee the scene, but little bites at a time are acceptable.

A huge thank you to my running group, TCRC, for giving Boo a huge supply of technical race t shirts to wear. He seems very comfortable in them and has not been tempted to mess with his port. Thank you also to people who have sent me food, dropped food off for me, or loaned me the charger to their Garmin when i could not find mine. I hope everyone has dug out from the last 3 days of snow. Smile at people and be good humans.

Boo continues to amaze me. I have watched him go through procedures that would bring grown men to their knees, and he is still smiling. He and I are very happy to be home from the hospital for a couple of weeks. The dogs and cat had much to tell me. Food is a bit of a challenge. He feels nauseous a lot of the time. He has drugs that help combat the nausea, but it is hard to get him to even open his mouth. Our best bet is an anti-nausea drug that dissolves on the tongue. If I give him that in the morning, and then follow up with some hydration, he seems to do better.

All his life, Ravi has loved sweet things. This has come to a sudden and complete stop. He is now all about the salty and the savory. Foods that he has happily devoured are garlic fries, burritos, cheese sticks, queso without the dip, and assorted drinks, either sodas or Gatorade. No real interest in popcicles or ice cream. The nurse told me to let him eat whatever he wants to and to try and stay on hop of the nausea and the hydration. We go in to labs tomorrow and just have his team see how he is doing. I am a bit worried as we have a major storm rolling in tonight, but we will drive carefully and take back roads. Fortunately, the hospital is only 4 miles away.

Thank you all so much for your warmth, your prayers, your good vibes, your white light. We can feel them. A dear friend just sent me an amaryllis bulb which I planted and put with my other plants. Green growing things make me happy. The amaryllis is a good sign of new life. I will keep you posted as I am able. Boo reminds you to be good humans. Peace.

Our world has turned upside down in the past three weeks. On December 8, Robert and I noticed a lump on Ravi’s left shoulder. Fast forward a day, we found out it was a tumor. Suddenly, we were in line for a biopsy and PET scan. In short, he has osteosarcoma, which has spread to his spine and his lungs. We started an aggressive chemotherapy regime this last Tuesday. He and I were in the hospital for three days while he got a port, started chemo, and had lots of anti-nausea meds and electrolytes pumped into him. We were released yesterday morning. Both he and I are enjoying sleeping in our own beds without any incessant beeping noises in the background or having vitals checked every few hours. Mostly, he just wants to sleep. He did eat some last night and we got meds into him. This morning has been really hard. I got an anti-nausea pill under his tongue and a few syringes full of Gatorade down his throat. I still need to get the rest of his daily meds and his pain killers into him. I know if we can get on top of the hydration, he will feel better. I am really hoping we do not have to go back into the hospital to rehydrate him.

What does life look like from here? Good question. He had his first round of chemo. Now he has two weeks at home to rest, going in for labs twice a week. On January 16, we check into the hospital for at least 72 hours for his next round of chemo. We will do that for three weeks, then have two more weeks at home. This will continue probably until March, when his surgeon removes the tumor from his humerus. He will be on rounds of chemotherapy for nine to twelve months. His oncology team has said he may go to school whenever he feels up to it, and as soon as his port heals, he can begin taking his beloved baths again. I am trying to retain any sort of normalcy I can for him. I am asking if anyone is to come by the house, please wear a mask, wash your hands, and if you have any cold symptoms, come back another time when you are healthy. We love visitors, but not germs!

Robert has been amazing. While I have been in the hospital with Boo, he has been taking care of things on the home front, running errands, bringing me food, and just being a constant source of reassurance. Mouse and Eliyah are at home and taking care of the animals. Mouse is loving their studies at OSU and had a good first semester. Though I miss them when they are gone, they are having a great time at college. I am curious to see what adventures they get up to this spring.

Through all of this, Boo has been a trooper. He has not cried or complained. I have yet to see him smile today, but he was smiling and cooperating through some hospital procedures that would have brought most adults to their knees. He reminds you to be good humans. We happily solicit and accept all good vibes, prayers, white light, or whatever you have to send our way. Positive energy is always welcome. We wish you the best in the New Year and we will be in touch as we are able.

Boo Bear and I had the best morning. We visited Midwest Special Services, a day program for adults with disabilities. From the start, we both loved it. The vibe, as soon as you walk into the door, is the same vibe we always have gotten from his schools, Bridge View and Focus Beyond. The building is large and airy. There is an art studio, a boxing gym, a place for karate, and lots of breakout rooms for music, work, socializing, etc. All the clients we met were eager to meet Boo and wanted to chat with him. Most of them have been attending MSS for years, if not decades. His tuition would be covered by the CADI waiver. Transportation would be covered by Metro Mobility. Boo used Sam to greet people and to say that he liked it there. He also appropriately said goodbye and that he was ready for lunch.

I am waiting to hear what the wait list is for a place like this. Fortunately, we applied 8 months in advance of when we would like Boo to attend there. Best case scenario, Boo would graduate from Focus Beyond in June, have a couple of weeks off to relax, and then begin at MSS in July, when his new CADI waiver kicks in. Some of the places I have visited were really depressing, they seem more like warehouses for adults with disabilities than a place where they are really cared for and challenged to be the best that they can be. I would never put Boo into such a program. I would keep him home and figure out a program of my own.

Currently, both Boo and Robert are a bit under the weather. Neither one has covid. Robert has a yucky cold and Boo just seems really tired and does not want to eat. Since he is not eating, he is very low energy. So, right now I am just trying to keep him hydrated. He seems happy enough, very smiley, just rather floppy. The dogs are thrilled that they can camp out of his bed. Not a bad choice for a cold November day. If he perks up by tonight, we have an adaptive music class sponsored by parks and recreation. If he does not perk up, we will stay home and relax. November is Epilepsy Awareness Month. Boo celebrated this by being a month seizure free. What a good way to celebrate!

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving. I hope you all stay healthy and warm. Be good humans. Peace.

Boo has had a good few days, though is a bit tired from all the festivities. He did enjoy Thanksgiving a lot. He bopped in and out of his room to sample all the food, make his presence known, and then would retreat to the sanctuary of his little den. The day before break, I got the sweetest note from teacher Rosalind. She wrote, “If Boo is not hungry when he gets home today it is because he had a great big lunch! He was still hungry after his first chicken leg and he went to the cafeteria staff and used his Sam to say ‘I AM HUNGRY’. They gave him two more chicken legs. Then we had a late afternoon feast, and he previewed the best of Thanksgiving. He loved the Children’s Theater performance today. Happy Thanksgiving. Wishing you a wonderful weekend. May you all be well and have a wonderful time together.” I am so happy Rosalind is his teacher and that she shares with us what is going on in his day-to-day life when he is away from me. Rosalind, and all the wonderful teachers at Bridge View School and Focus Beyond are why we need to pay teachers and paraprofessionals a better wage.

Today he was out with Peter and got pizza at Carbone’s. He is now happily tucked up in his room, chatting with Sam and watching Sid the Science Kid on his iPad. Tomorrow, we go to visit Midwest Special Services, to see if this would be a good fit for him next year. In the evening, we are going to a parks and recreation music class and sing along. We are looking forward to both.

Yesterday, he had a Special Olympics pizza party to celebrate the end of the season. When he woke up his eyes were not tracking well and he seemed very, very tired. He enjoyed the pizza party and the bowling after but was not at all interested in food. He was acting like he does after he has a seizure, but neither Robert nor I saw or heard him go into one. Usually, he lets out a loud moan before a seizure begins. Though I have a baby monitor in his room, I did not hear any sounds from him all that night. I suppose it is possible that he had a small seizure in his sleep, and I just did not hear anything. To my relief, he seems perky and back to normal today.

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving. Wishing you a blessed and contemplative Advent. Be good humans. Peace.

Hello, friends. This fall Boo Bear joined the South Region Stars Special Olympics bowling team. Unlike the team he was on in the past, this is a team of all adults, much of them much older than Boo. From the start, he has loved it. The team is inclusive, welcoming, and enthusiastic. They practiced every Saturday morning this fall. Boo has come to love these Saturday events. We pick up his best buddy Alissa, drive to the bowling alley and spend 90 minutes rolling balls. Boo is even more happy that his daddy has joined us in these adventures and turns out to be one mean bowler. Boo uses a ramp as an assist, but has become very adept at picking up his own ball, setting it on the ramp and sending it down the chute. Over the course of three months, he has gained both strength and confidence. Bowling also comes with French Fries, other yummy snacks and lots of encouragement from fellow bowlers and their parents and house mates. After we have bowled two games, we always stop by McDonalds for more yummy treats and friendship.

Last Saturday was the state bowling meet at the local casino. This as an entirely new venue with lots of new sounds, smells, people, a new lane, a new ball, and different bowling shoes. Mr. Boo rose to the challenge. He and I bowled two games, and he earned a third-place medal. At first it did not sink in what he had done. We were standing on the podium with the two other winners and Boo was looking all around. There were lots of light and noise, people trying to get our attention and a million distractions. He was looking everywhere except at the camera or the official presenting the medals. The official hung a bronze medal around his neck and mine and shook our hands. Boo looked down at his medal and I could see a new expression cross his face. Suddenly, he understood that he was standing on this podium and receiving this medal because he had done something really hard and that was worthy of praise. A huge smile crept across his face. I have two pictures from this day that I treasure. The first picture is of Boo realizing the importance of what he had done. The second is both of us beaming at each other. If you want to take a peek at these incredible pictures, check us out on Facebook or Twitter, which many of you have. In short, it was a wonderful day. A day we will never forget.

I think that all the excitement and stimulation wore Mr. Boo out. I know that I was certainly out of spoons. It was a wonderful experience, but a lot to take in all at once. Boo was happy to go to school today, but when he got home this afternoon he crawled into bed and took a three-hour nap. I texted his teacher to see how his day had been. She said he had a good day but was very tired at the end of it. Eventually, he crawled out of bed, had some supper, and then crawled back in and resumed sleeping. I gave him his evening meds and left him to sleep it off. We have a houseful of guests coming for Thanksgiving dinner, his sister is home from college, and he needs all his energy for the upcoming days.

Unlike other seasons, the state tournament does not mark the end of bowling. For these athletes, bowling is a social occasion that they are not willing to give up, so we will continue bowling until Christmas. In the winter, athletes can ski or play floor hockey. I cannot see that Mr. Boo would really enjoy either of these sports, though he would probably like to watch. We are going to try our hands, or our feet, at snowshoeing. Later on in the new year, comes basketball and track. Boo loves to watch basketball and loves to participate in track and field. This will be a great opportunity to gain some more skills and make some more friends.

Happily, it has been over a month since Boo has had a seizure. The Fycompa seems to be doing its job. It is not without side effects, but the side effects are definitely not as harsh as some of the other drugs he has been on. I am quietly hopeful.

Thank you all for your support and following the adventures of Mr. Boo. He has had a great fall season. We hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving with your friends, families, and loved ones. We will be in touch, and until we do, be good humans. Peace.

Welcome back to the house of hedgehogs, dogs, a cat, seizures, and autism. Mr. Boo had an extra-long MEA weekend as he had a series of seizures Tuesday and night and very early Wednesday morning. The first seizure only lasted about a minute, but the one that occurred at 3 am needed rescue meds. It took him a long time to settle down after the seizure(s) at 3am. I am thankful for the wonderful on call nurses at Gillette Children’s Hospital, who can answer my questions at all hours of the day and night.

By Saturday, Boo seemed back to normal. He went to Special Olympics bowling and was totally chuffed to bowl a 96 and beat his daddy. Robert had never bowled using a ramp before, so Boo had the upper hand. Later that afternoon, we went for a walk, and then swung by Davanni’s for a drink and treats. I am thrilled that Boo can now easily walk 3 miles without needing to stop or sit down. The Topomax was good for keeping the seizures at bay, but it kept him from eating and being able to exercise. I am not certain that we have him on the right dose of Fycompa, yet, but the side effects are much less severe. We give it to him in the evening and it seems to make him a little sleepy and dizzy. He is a bit out of it when he wakes up in the morning, but this quickly passes when he sees the bus coming down the street.

He is on three different wait lists for day programs starting July of next year. So far, I have the best vibe from MSS, Midwest Special Services. They have answered all my questions and invite us to tour the facility in early November. Later in November, they have invited Boo’s entire class to come and visit, to see what life is like after graduation. Boo loves the arts, music, and dance and MSS offers this in abundance. They also do lots of trips out into the community and have opportunities for volunteer work. We are excited to go visit them in person.

I have said many times that Autism does not ruffle my feathers, but epilepsy scares the heck out of me. I can prepare for the ins and outs of Autism, but I can rarely tell when a seizure is about to strike. Interestingly, I think Mr. Boo can tell when a seizure is coming. Last Tuesday night I was out for a run. Boo was sitting on the couch with Robert. Suddenly, he got up and brought Robert his backpack. This is where we keep his emergency meds. Then, he sat back down on the couch and seemed to be waiting. About 2 minutes later he had a seizure. I think he knew he was about to seize and made sure he had his meds nearby and was close to his daddy, who could help him. The second seizure happened in his sleep, so there was no preparing for that one. I wonder if he sees an aura, like I do before I have a migraine. Several adult epileptics I have talked to say that they have an aura or a premonition before a seizure hits. I have the feeling this is the case for Mr. Boo.

Enjoy this last day of warmth. The wind has picked up and I can feel a cold front moving in. I have heard that changes in barometric pressure can cause seizure activity. It would not surprise me, but I am really hoping that Boo can have a peaceful week at school with no pesky seizures. Be good humans, and we will be in touch.

Last Thursday was Boo’s final IEP meeting. Bug and I have been attending his IEP meetings for the past18 years. This one was very sweet. I brought in coffee and donuts to say thank you for meeting so early in the morning. Teacher Rosalind had set up a little power point presentation about Boo, his likes, his dislikes and his strengths. While she showed the slides, Boo narrated on his AAC. He was able to tell us his name, how old he was, where he went to school, and much more. He told us he loved his family and wanted to continue living with them. I was very proud of him; this was a lot of work for the big guy. Dismissed from his part of the meeting, he happily dove into the donuts.

The focus of the meeting was two part, what we wanted to work on with Boo in the coming year, and what we hoped to happen next year. His main focus of concern is using his AAC to his best ability and working on life skills. For next year, I have applied at two different adult day training programs. I have a phone interview with one of them, Phoenix Alternative, on Monday afternoon. The other option is Northeast Metro Connection. Both sound really good on paper, but it is hard to suss a place out until you actually see it. Rosalind has agreed to take us all on field trips to visit these places. She is prepping Boo to be able to ask questions and advocate for what he wants at these places.

For a long time, the idea of aging out of the system scared me. Boo has been in public school for over 18 years. He loves it, always has. But I think that good things are coming. I am exciting to see some of the programs out there. Jon Bentley, his case manager, has applied for a 30% increase in his budget to cover the cost of a program. I am hopeful that Boo can attend the program of his choice, and there is still money in the budget for me to be his paid parent PCA. The programs run about 6 hours a day, not enough time for me to get an outside job, so I want to stay committed to Boo. Also, the last few weeks have showed me again and again that I cannot work outside the home. I may be away from Boo 7 hours a day, but I am always on call, if he gets sick, has a seizure, needs me in any way. When this happens, I drop everything I am doing and go pick him up. There are always numerous doctor and therapy appointments we attend, that would make working outside the home completely unreasonable. Someone asked me recently if my working conditions make me feel trapped. The answer is simple, no, not at all. I love Boo like life itself and helping his live his best life is all I want to do.

Right now, I am happy. I have coffee and sunshine. I am in my favorite chair. The dogs are sprawled at my feet. The cat is eating. Boo woke up at 3 am, wanted a drink, and then returned to bed and has yet to make a peep. Thank you to all my readers who have checked in over the past couple of weeks. It has been a wild ride, and it is good to know that we are not alone. Please continue to follow Boo in his last year of public school and the adventure that continue beyond. Peace out and be good humans.

As most of you know, Mr. Boo checked into Gillette Children’s Hospital on Thursday for a 24-hour VEEG. He did not particularly like being hooked up to all those electrodes, but he handled it with grace. Thank heavens for Sam, he told the tech he wanted to leave, and the iPad , for distracting him. He was not really interested in television, and a bed is not exactly a high action place to hang out. He was tethered on a 30-foot cord, so the farthest he could really go was to the bathroom and back. He was very happy when Daddy and Alissa came to visit him and brought Taco Bell. All things considered, the hospital food was not bad, but nothing beats a Freezie from Taco Bell. His visitors left around 9:30 pm and we got Boo ready for bed. He settled down relatively quickly and went to sleep. This lasted until 3:45 am when he was suddenly awake and very lively. He hooted and stimmed, hummed and banged. His bed had padded rails around it, in case of a seizure, so he happily bounced off those for a few hours. Eventually, breakfast came, and he happily devoured bacon and French toast.

After breakfast, the tech came to relieve him of his electrodes. As they had not used actual glue, it was pretty easy to get them out of his hair. I think he rather liked the experience, and then let me attack the chunks of matter in his hair with a comb and some detangler. Shortly after, the nurse practitioner stopped by. She had read the results of his VEEG. She said they showed no actual seizure activity, but some unusual brain waves. Instead of just smooth flowing waves, Boo had some waves that appeared spiky. She said these waves were little pops of electricity. Enough of these “pops” would lead to a seizure. This told the team that Boo needs to stay on anti-epileptic medication. No real surprise there. I had never anticipated that he would go off medication. I have seen what happens when Boo is off meds, and it is not pretty.

A light rain was falling as we dropped him off at Focus Beyond. He was ecstatic to be at school and teacher Rosalind was happy to see him. He bounced down the hall with her and I went home and took a long nap. When Boo got home, he was happy and hungry. He had a snack and watched some videos. I was playing with the hedgehogs and asked Robert to take him to the bathroom. Thirty seconds later I heard a heart stopping groan from Boo as he pitched headfirst off the toilet and had a tonic clonic seizure on the bathroom floor. Bathrooms are the worst places to have seizures, as our bathroom is tiny. I could barely get in the door around his thrashing body. All Robert and I could do was put towels under his head and try to protect him from hurting himself. The seizure lasted at least two minutes, and then looked as if it were about to start up again. We gave rescue meds nasally and waited. Eventually, the two of us were able to lift him off the floor and put him on his bed. I called the triage nurse at Gillette who called the doctor on call. Boo kept shifting around, his breathing labored and not able to get comfortable. The nurse called back. I described his symptoms and coloring. I was surprised that she did not tell us to bring him in to the ER. Perhaps, I do not come across as a hysterical mother. I go stone cold calm in the face of an emergency. I don’t fall apart until much later. Maybe some hysteria was needed. At any event, she told us to call back if he got worse. He eventually fell into a deep sleep. Robert and I brought our devices into his room and hung out while he slept. It was another wild Friday night chez Herndon. At some point we got him into pajamas and gave him his meds. He slept through the entire thing. I went to bed with his door open, my door open, and the monitor turned up loud. He did not make a sound the entire night, and when I got up at 4:45 am, he was still deeply asleep.

My thoughts on this matter. There are three stages to a seizure, prodromal, icthal, and post ictal. The prodromal stage is the precursor to a seizure. When Boo was exhibiting the unusual brain waves on the EEG, I wonder if this was his prodromal stage. The ictal stage occurred when he was in the bathroom. This is a full-blown seizure. It can last seconds or minutes. In anything over 5 minutes, and with rescue meds on board, one needs to call 911. The postdromal stage is the stage he is in now. This is the recovery stage. The person usually falls into a deep sleep. In the case of Boo, he may need anywhere from 8 to 12 hours of sleep just to reset his brain. I usually give him an anti-inflammatory at this stage, as people with epilepsy tell me that their muscles really hurt after a tonic clonic seizure. It is the muscular equivalent of running several marathons back-to-back. As a distance runner I have done this. Let me tell you, it hurts! As a runner, I am used to pain and discomfort, there is a reason for it. My body is sending me messages. Boo does not have this, all he knows is that he is confused and in pain.

I am not certain how to navigate the coming days or weeks. I know neurology will give me a call on Monday to discuss meds. I don’t want him to go back on the Topomax, as he seems so much more alert off it, and is finally gaining some much-needed weight. I don’t know if Fycompa is the right drug for him, if we just need to raise the dose again, or to try something else entirely. Today is bowling day with Special Olympics. Boo loves bowling. I will see how he is doing when he wakes up and then make the decision of whether to attend or to stay home. Starting this Tuesday, his class has the chance to go swimming every week at the JCC. Boo loves to swim, but with his seizures being so unpredictable, I don’t think this is safe. Perhaps, it would be better to have him play in the gym with his friends until we get things under control. I am terrified of the idea of him having a seizure while in the water.

I want to say thank you, thank you, thank you to all of you for your messages and good wishes while Boo was in the hospital and then last night. I know that Boo has a small army of people praying for him, sending him white light and good vives. It really helps to know that we are not alone in the world. I will keep you posted, and we will chat soon. Peace out and be good humans.

To say the least, Mr. Boo had a very good day yesterday. Alissa came and picked us up and took us to Special Olympics bowling. Due to Covid and my spinal fusion in 2019, we have not bowled since Boo was 16. He was clearly happy to be back in the bowling alley and likes his new team, the South Region Stars. This is a team of young adults and their parents, and he fit right in. He and I bowled two games, decided we were a bit rusty, but definitely could feel our skills starting to come back. After we were done, he made it clear that he was hungry, and we swung by McDonalds to get him lunch. At home we ate and hung out. Both Alissa and I needed to get some groceries, so with Robert, we all piled into the car. Once there, to our great joy, we found that the Caroline Cart was back! Though Boo can walk nicely beside me in the store and help select groceries, he loves riding in the cart. It makes him feel like a king. He was ear to ear smiles as we picked out our groceries. On the way home, we passed Taco Bell and stopped by to pick up his beloved Freezie. Once home, we put away groceries and then Robert and I took him for a walk. In short, it was a very good day.

I am hoping that the coming week is also good for Boo, or at least not traumatic. On Monday he has a sedated MRI to look at his scoliosis and possibly tethered spine. On Tuesday, he has yet another Covid swab. On Thursday morning, we check into Gillette Children’s for at least 24 hours for a video EEG. He has never had an EEG lasting more than an hour, and I am a bit nervous. I will stay with him the entire time, and Robert and Alissa will be in and out, providing backup for me, entertainment for him, and non-hospital food. With all of these medical appointments, he only gets to go to school for two days next week.

Thank you all for your prayers and best wishes these past few weeks. Boo has bounced back remarkably from his scary night at the ER. He is happy and busy in his world of school, bowling, walks, friends, and his beloved Sam. I will keep you posted about our medical appointments. Peace out and be good humans. Harriet.