Carl came home from his Alaskan cruise with his parents and sister just in time to deal with our broken washing machine! He brought home water from a glacier for us all to sample (it tasted good, like water should) and he brought his delight in researching what new product would best serve our washing machine needs. I strongly dislike doing such research and always want my decision to be made yesterday, but Carl enjoys the learning and comparing. He ordered a new washer and it arrived two days after our 26-year-old machine bit the dust. Unfortunately, the new washer was also broken! Luckily, Carl noticed the leak in the water hose as the installation was happening, so back the washer went. Now we wait for a week while the company replaces the hose and brings the appliance back.
It was really lovely having Carl at home for the week, and I will miss having him around all of the time when he goes back to work tomorrow. We went on many walks to talk about life, the universe, and everything. One day we went to the Frick art museum and had afternoon tea. If you have not already had the pleasure of watching Carl dine, he always leaves one bite of everything until the final round of bites and then decides upon just the right order of consumption. I am more of an all-of-one-thing and then all-of-another eater, so it brings me great joy and delight whenever I see Carl’s plate with a morsel of everything remaining.
Amy started tenth grade with her vibrantly purple hair and her usual sparkle. Every day her face is a work of art. Of course, I think that no matter what she puts on her face, but what I mean is that she uses makeup and face paint to create a new work of art on her face to coordinate with her outfit.
One of Amy’s classes is a comparative literature class for which she is reading Faulkner’s As I Lay Dying. I decided to read it too, since I had previously only read a short story by Faulker. Amy and I agree that an alternate working title for the novel could be What the Hell is Going on Here? If you haven’t read it, it is a story told through many different narrators in a stream-of-consciousness flow that is confusing and hard to follow, and yet somehow we are understanding enough of it to converse.
Sarah’s acting class started Friday night, and she was thrilled to ride through two tunnels each way. The best tunnels are the ones on the way there because we are driving during rush-hour. When Sarah finished her class, I was upset about something totally unrelated, but she immediately could tell that I was stressed. She rubbed my back and assured me things were ok and that Granddad was there. She kept that up for the whole drive home, and it really did help.
Carl and I took Sarah for her follow-up appointment with an adolescent health doctor. In our attempt to help Sarah manage her stress around school and some moments at home, we have many things that she can use to soothe herself. She carries an instant ice-pack because the cold can help her system calm down and it is a good fidget. She has a laminated booklet made by Anna with pictures of people and things that she loves and fun black-and-white patterns. She has pictures of Granddad and Pop-Pop. She can call me. At home, when she is stressed because Amy is using the bathroom, Sarah will grab our vacuum or lawnmower and go to work. So she has many strategies and tools, and… we are also trying the medical route. She has been on progesterone for a few months to see if that evens out her hormonal experience. It might be helping, but we aren’t sure. As we met with the doctor, one of the first questions asked of Sarah was “Who do you have with you today?” She answered, “Dad, Granddad, Pop-Pop.” I added that I was there too! And that Granddad and Pop-Pop were only there in spirit. Since we aren’t sure if the birth control pills are helping sufficiently, Sarah is starting a very very very low dose of Lexapro. This has felt like a tricky decision because Sarah is already on so many meds, and so much of the time she is happy and calm, and she has her various coping strategies, but, when she gets stressed she can go from calm to a massive meltdown in the span of a minute. The massive meltdowns are rare, but are hard for all of us, most especially Sarah. And we really can’t have them happen at school. So, here’s hoping that this helps so that eventually making it though a Monday of classes isn’t something that has us praying, knocking on wood, and crossing our fingers all day.
Sarah loves her school days with jobs and with the practice apartment. For her apartment day this week she made French toast and sausage. Her teacher sent me a pictures of her cooking and holding her plate of food. Last night we had a wonderful dinner with Sarah C, a Sarah-Rise volunteer from the days of yore. Carl and Sarah were in charge of making dinner, and Sarah helped as she usually does. She peeled and cut carrots, and she cooked the rice.
May all of your appliances be functional. Love to all of you.
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