I can hear the duck squeeking

These two mallards were found in a large puddle

Thats right a puddle not a pond or a lake a puddle

At Tower Grove park after all that rain... and flooding.

Edgar has been complaining about

his pillow since I met him...

Well finnally he bought a

new pillow.

Here is his idea of pillow shopping.

This is So playing with his new

friend Gus. Gus is a great dane

3mo old and So is now almost

a year old. So likes playing with

Gus... but he is about 20 pounds

heavier and Gus is trying to figure

out how to deal with his ever

increasingly long legs.

It has been pretty comical watching them play. Thats a duck they are tugging... and squeeking.

Easter: March 23rd. Just me and Susie (grandma) we spent hours going through old pictures and talking about how the medical field has changed over the years. At almost 92 her mind is sharp and she was able to identify many of the people in the pictures. I learned more geneology in one day with her than I have learned in a lifetime so far. She set me straight on the whose who.

Blues and Boba

Its been a week ago now since my sister came to visit. I think she found out that she likes blues and Boba. I took her to two of my favorite STL landmarks. Blues City Deli and Bubble Tea. I think she had a good time. I know I always love live blues.... nothing says life like telling it how it is. and nothing says FUN and Weird like putting a tapioca type ball in your tea, icy, or juice like Bubble tea. I drove her around the city but it was too cold and she was just getting over a 2 week sickness to get out too much. But all in all it was a good day. I can't wait for next time.

Have a Heart!

Darian got a heart! Less than a week after the big disappointment the real thing came true. He is doing fabulous... He is extubated breathing and beating all on his own!!! He still has a road ahead due to how deconditioned he had become. but now he has a chance... at a real life. I am so excited for him. Thanks for all the prayers.

A dear friend of mine and the mother of a very sick child once said that there is a lot of living that goes on in children's hospitals. That statement is so true. Life doesn't stop for illness or prison time or vacation or anything. Life just keeps on happening. And we live with with... so much we can't change... and really want to but it always seems it is the little things we can affect or change. I can't cure cancer. But I can make the last days of a persons life brighter by simple little things. like help out of bed or attending a fundraiser event or even just a smile and a listening ear. While maybe we have to accept the big things...sometimes even death. Look for the little things that make it meaningful. A lot of living goes on here.

The Mystery....of History Unknown Relatives

These pictures are from the tomb of the unknown relative. They are a few examples of pictures I got out of my grandma's (Susie) box. I spent a good part of the day Sunday uploading old photos to my new Picasa web page. I need to make some time to go up to Hannibal and have Susie ID these old photos to solve the mystery of the unknown relative. I think it would be cool to have a little family history. I am not even sure of the time period of some of these pictures. Feel free to help me guess.

Well.... Darrian did not get the heart it turned out not to be as good a match as first thought. Talk about disappointment.... But next time it will be just a hair easier. He worked really hard with me today.... just thought I should post that since I put up the prior post. I think I bring a lot of my work home emotionally. That makes it hard... but feeling free to post tidbits helps.

A Heart for Darrian

It is a graphic picture but also a wonderful thing. Darrian is a 13 year old boy who has been living with a bad heart his whole life and in heart failure for a year. about 3 months ago darrians heart was in serious trouble and he was put in a drug induced coma so his heart could work enough to keep him alive while he waited for a heart transplant. He was transfered to Children's hospital in this state and underwent surgery to give him a berlin heart which is a device that pumps blood bypassing the heart. he has been on that awaiting a heart for the past 1.5 months and friday I got to be present for a wonderful thing... the transplant coodinator came to darrian and his mom and told them That Darrian was not to eat or drink anything for the rest of the day............because Dr. Gandi has accepted a heart on Darrians behalf, which appears to be a very good match and in very good condition.... needless to say not a dry eye in the house. Darrian was appropriatly scared and there is always a little bittler sweet when an organ becomes available (someone has to die for that to happen) But it gives darrian a chance at a normal life. free of this huge machine he has attached to him at all times, a chance to move around without straining his heart too much.

It feels so good to give a patient story that is so good for a change. So Just keep this young man in your prayers. Because I can't wait to see him up and about after his surgery!