Lookin' Good!

Jim and I are back in Boston and arrived to find a much improved Mary last night! We hadn't seen her since the day after her surgery, so to walk in and see her alert, watching tv, and chatting away was just amazing. The swelling in her eye has subsided significantly. She still can't quite open it but its much less bruised and is no longer weeping. She was very excited to see us and was talking like she normally would while we were in there. It was very very exciting. After we visited, Jim, Mike and I went out to dinner. When we came back, Mike went over to say goodnight and learned that they had got her up and walking a little bit! It was very exciting, and he came back to the hotel all smiles and whistling.

So for now it looks like we are on an upswing. We are looking forward to spending the day with her and hopefully helping her move around a bit. As always I will keep everyone updated.

Ups and Downs

We've learned over the past 24 hours that the next few days, if not weeks will be a lot of ups and downs. Mary has had some really great moments, and we've learned some really scary things. On the up side, yesterday she was awake and eating, which is really great news. Something that kind of made us all giggle was when she told the doctors and family that she had a headache and that it was probably because she hadn't had any coffee in the past few days. It definitely couldn't have been because she had just had brain surgery..haha. We had to laugh.

On the serious side of things, it looks as though a stroke, while not imminent, is very possible over the next few days. The bleeding in the brain is quite serious. The stroke would not be your "typical" stroke, where there is a clot which blocks oxygen to the brain, rather this would be caused by spasms in the brain which would cause the passageways to close up, blocking the oxygen that way. The good news is that she is already in the hospital, and they know it might be coming. The severe damage of a stroke happens when the brain is lacking oxygen for a period of time. With Mary being watched very closely 24/7, they can jump on her the second it happens.

She is also experiencing issues with her right eye. The other day I posted about how it is swollen and bruised from the blood dripping down from the brain. I also posted about how she was leaking fluid from her eye. Two days ago they tested the fluid to see if it was just saline or cerebral fluid (fluid from the brain). We haven't heard back yet, but the doctor does feel that it is cerebral fluid. This is not great news, as it means there is an opening somewhere in there for infection to get into the brain. Like I said, we don't know for sure yet, so I will of course, keep you all updated.

Jim and I are heading back to Boston tomorrow afternoon, and will stay through the weekend. The both of us, along with Mike, Maggie, and Mary too, cannot stress enough our sincere appreciation to everyone who has reached out. We are so fortunate to have such amazing people in our lives who truly care. Keep praying, keep up those positive thoughts, and I'll check back in here as soon as I know anything new.

Day 4 Update

Its Monday morning, and Jim and I are home for just a few days. Last night Maggie arrived, and a bunch of Jim's aunts and uncles are coming to Boston today so we decided to come home and take care of the kitties. Luckily we are on vacation this week so we can go back whenever we need to.

Yesterday was a better day but still very tough. We were able to see Mary awake once, and she was very coherent and knew who we were and what was going on. She has a very black right eye where some of the bleeding from her brain has seeped down. Her eye is swollen shut, and the blood is seeping out of her actual eye. Its kind of scary to see, she looks as though she's crying blood, but the doctors don't seem overly concerned about it. If anything its a good thing because it is releasing some of the pressure from her brain. She did have a CT scan yesterday but we don't know the results of it quite yet. Jim talked to his dad this morning and he said her eye is looking better, so that is good news. He also said she was eating this morning which the nurses were anxious for her to do. Hopefully with each passing day she'll be more alert and feeling better.

She will remain in the ICU for probably two weeks and then we don't know how long she might be in the hospital. We do know it will be a long road to recovery no matter what.

Again, keep checking the blog for updates1

Oh, one more thing, today is Mary's birthday. Happy Birthday..we love you!

Post-Surgery Update

The surgery went really really well, and we are all feeling some relief. The doctors went in through her skull and removed one of the aneurysms. There was significant bleeding from when it ruptured so she will remain in the ICU for the next 8-10 days to make sure there is no more break through bleeding or clotting. I haven't gotten in to see her, but Jim and Mike have and I guess she woke up and knew who was in the room, which is a very good sign. She is heavily medicated so she probably won't remember much if any of today, but that's probably a good thing. We are hoping she will be a little more coherent tomorrow.

Its been a very very long 24 hours. The three of us (me, Jim, and Mike) were able to cat-nap for about three hours this afternoon, but that's all we've had since we woke up yesterday morning. Mike's sister Maureen joined us at 3am last night and stayed until around noon today and then some of Mike's other siblings and their spouses have been in during the day as well. Maggie unfortunately is stranded in Western Mass without a car, but is hoping to be able to get here tomorrow or Monday and I know she must be very anxious to join the family. We are so fortunate that Mike and Mary each have 7 brothers and sisters, most of whom live in the area, so we have had lots of support the past day and will continue to as the next few weeks go on.

So, the immediate threat is over. Sorry if these posts are a little scattered, but so is my brain right now. I'll post another update tomorrow after we spend some time with Mary. Many many many thanks to all of our friends and family who have expressed their love and support!

Thoughts and Prayers Please

As I type this entry, I am sitting in the waiting room of the Neurology ICU at Massachusetts General Hospital. This was not an expected visit. Yesterday afternoon my father-in-law Mike went out to run a few errands and came home to find a very delirious mother-in-law, Mary, out back by the pool. She was complaining of a severe headache, and when she could not tell Mike the year or where she lived, he called 911. They took her to Eastern Maine Med where she was diagnosed with two brain aneurysms. One had burst, and one more was discovered in her scans. At about 10pm, about 20 minutes after I had arrived at camp in NY, I got a call from Jim telling me that Mary was being airlifted to Boston. I hopped in the car, as did Jim from Portland, and Mike from Hampden and we all headed down to the city, not sure what would await us.

Jim arrived here at around 12:30am and was able to see his mom for a few minutes, which calmed him down quite a bit. She was Mary being Mary, and seemed to be doing ok. I arrived at 2am, followed by Mike and his sister Maureen at 3am. We started being able to see her around 4am, and the doctor came in to tell us that surgery was going to be necessary. She is currently in one of two possible surgeries. Right now they are removing part of her skull to take out the aneurysm that burst, and then replacing the skull. They may have to go through the leg to remove the second, but we are unsure at this point.

We're all on edge, not knowing what possible side effects could come from the surgery or the aneurysms. Her memory was off and on this morning, so we'll see how she is after she gets out of recovery. I will try to update the blog as to how she is doing. Jim and I will be in Boston for at least a few days, but there is talk she will be in the ICU for two weeks so we may be here for a little longer. For now, please keep her in your thoughts and prayers.

Exciting Happenings

If you know me at all, you know that I have various groups of best girlfriends. I feel so blessed to have such wonderful women in my life, and this weekend I was lucky enough to hang out with my two Megs and Ryan. These girls have been some of my best friends since college when we all played rugby together and enjoyed many a night of intense partying. I love them so much and I feel so fortunate that we are all still friends. The three of them live in the Boston area, and each of them have something really exciting going on in their lives right now!!

Big Meg is my athletic friend. She's the sportiest person I know, and has been playing rugby since college, and continues to play with the Boston Women's team. In September she is leaving us, which we are so sad about, but we are so excited for her because she will be heading to Colorado for a year of wilderness training. I wish I understood it more than that, but it is Meg to a T, and sadly for us, I don't think she'll come back east. But she is beyond excited for it, and rightfully so. I think she'll find her place out there, and now we have a cool place to go vacation :)

Little Meg and I met my freshman year in college and roomed together for two years. She was always the wild one in our group. She didn't care what people thought, and made us laugh more than anyone. Her junior year she went off to Australia for a semester and came home with her boyfriend, Ned, who is now her husband, and they just had their first baby and bought their first home (all within a month)!! Saturday I got to meet baby Eddie and I am one proud auntie! He is adorable, and at the age where he can start trying to communicate to whoever is talking to him. Here's my favorite picture of the little guy!

And then there's Ryan..or Ray as I call her. Ray has been dating Shawn for 5 years now, and has been very patient as she was a bridesmaid and never the bride in both Little Meg's and my weddings. Well Shawn finally proposed last fall and Ray's getting married! She is the epitome of a blushing bride. This weekend was her shower, and it was probably the nicest shower I've ever been to. It was in this gorgeous colonial home in Massachusetts. Meg and I treated ourselves to a tour and took some pictures..we couldn't resist!! The decorations were beautiful and Ryan got some really really nice gifts. She is a lucky girl and is going to be such a beautiful bride. I can't wait for her wedding in September!


Here are some pictures of the girls...if you guys are reading, I love you and I'm so lucky to get to share all of your exciting happenings with you!!

Big Meg, Little Meg, Eddie, and Me

Me, Ray, Little Meg, and Eddie

Two New Yummy Recipes

This has been a good food week!! On Monday I scoured the internet for some heart healthy recipes, and made two this week. Here are the recipes, both come highly recommended by both of us!

Pasta Primavera

Ingredients

(You can use any veggie really, I chose to go with the recommendations but will play around with it next time!)

1/2 cup broccoli florets
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup sliced zucchini or squash
1/2 cup sliced red or green peppers
1/2 cup fresh or frozen peas
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon butter
1 cup evaporated fat-free milk
3/4 cup Parmesan cheese
16 ounces thin pasta (spaghetti or angel hair)
1/3 cup finely chopped fresh parsley

Directions

1. In a large pot fitted with a steamer basket, bring about an inch of water to a boil. Add the broccoli, mushrooms, zucchini, peppers, and peas. Cover and steam until tender-crisp, about 10 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, start water for pasta, and add pasta when ready.

3. When the veggies are done, remove from pot. In a large saucepan, heat olive oil and garlic over medium-high heat. Add the steamed veggies and stir or shake to coat the veggies with the garlic and oil. Remove from the heat, but keep warm.

4. In another large saucepan, heat the butter, evaporated milk, and Parmesan cheese. Stir over moderate heat until somewhat thickened and heated through. Stir continuously and don't scald. Remove from heat, and keep warm.

5. When the pasta is ready, divide evenly among plates. Top with veggies and pour the sauce over the veggies and pasta. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve immediately!

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Sun-Dried Tomato, Thyme, and Basil Pizza

Ingredients

1 12-inch prepared pizza crust, frozen or made from a mix
4 garlic cloves, chopped or minced
1/2 cup fat-free ricotta cheese
1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes
2 teaspoons dried basil
1 teaspoon thyme

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Lightly coat a 12-inch round baking pan with cooking spray. (I used our pizza stone..just lightly coat with flour so it doesn't stick)

2. Roll out the dough and press into the baking pan. Arrange the garlic, then the cheese, then the tomatoes on top of the pizza crust. Sprinkle the basil and thyme evenly over the pizza.

3. Bake on the lowest rack of the oven until the crust turns brown and the toppings are hot, about 20 minutes.

4. Cut the pizza and serve immediately!

The Katahdin Adventure

We survived! Sometimes I think it was survival by sheer luck, but we survived. Last night we got home around 5:30, exhausted, sore, dirty, and more of a team than we've ever been. Our trip was so fun and so hard all at the same time. Where to begin?

Thursday we took off in the morning after Eric and Kerri arrived from Boston to our house. After a yummy lunch at Dysart's and some grocery shopping, we ventured up to our campsite at Roaring Brook Campground. The campground is about 8 miles into the park, and our sites were walk-in sites, about one-tenth of a mile in the woods. Thursday night we just chilled out in front of the fire, and enjoyed a yummy breakfast of eggs and sausages on Friday morning, made by our grillmaster, Eric.

Josh and Kim joined us around 10, and after they got their campsite all set up the six of us headed on a walk to Sandy Stream Pond to hopefully see some moose! The walk in was pretty easy, and when we got to the stream there were two moose in the pond! We hit a few different viewpoints and at one point we got pretty close to one of the moose. It was exciting! Attached to the Sandy Stream Trail is a trail that goes up a small mountain called South Turner Mountain. We decided to hike a little ways up, but when it got really steep, the girls decided to call it quits so that we wouldn't be sore the next day. The boys on the other hand had to be rock stars, and decided to hike the whole thing. They showed up at the campsite about 3 hours later. They claim they weren't sore, but us girls have a hunch that they may have regretted that decision just a bit the next day.

Saturday was Katahdin day! I was a little nervous but mostly excited. The hike starts with a 3.3 mile hike to Chimney Pond, at the base of the mountain. Let me tell you this....the Chimney Pond hike was about 10 million times easier when I was 10 years old. It was tough! I have to admit, that my fear of realizing I'm not the athletic chick I once was came true on this trip. But I pushed on, and I was not turning back! At Chimney we had decided to climb up Cathedral trail. I had heard Cathedral was steep and tough, but I had no clue what I was in for. The other four in our group were pretty fast climbers, so they sped up ahead of us, and Jim and I spent the next 5 hours rock climbing up an almost vertical path to the top. It was the single hardest thing I have ever done in my life, both physically and emotionally. Every time we hit a peak, we'd see three more. It was exhausting, but very exhilarating at times too. The view was incredible. The hardest part was feeling stuck, and at times hopeless. The trail was so difficult, that it would have been near impossible to go back down, so you just had to keep climbing. When we finally reached the top of the trail we were greeted by Eric and Kerri, and we were about 0.2 of a mile from Baxter Peak. I wish more than anything that I could have done it, but my legs were waaay past their breaking point, so Jim and Eric took a quick trip up and I hung out with Kerry. I only wish I could have shared the moment with Jim, but I don't feel like I failed or anything like that. It took everything I had to get up that mountain, and I did it. I have to give major major credit to Jim. He was amazing. Every time I thought I couldn't go on, he pushed me and pushed me and was so supportive. And I hope I did the same for him (although he stayed much stronger than I did)! I'm so glad I got to do this with my best friend and my teammate.

We headed down the mountain on a trail called Saddle Slide. We were originally going to go across the Knife's Edge, but at that point we were so exhausted that we headed down Saddle. Its called a Slide for a reason. The first mile is an almost vertical drop of sliding rock. You have to pass most of it on your butt so you don't go flying down the mountain. It was tricky, but not nearly as hard as climbing Cathedral.

We arrived back at camp around 8pm...9 miles and 13 hours later. It was an exhausting day, but I am so proud of myself and everyone who came with us. I never realized what a feat it really is to hike Katahdin and I have so much respect for those who do. My previous assumption that it was just another hike has been thrown out the window. This was not for the weak of strength or mind. I'm glad I've done it. I'll probably never do it again, but at least I can say I've hiked Mt. Katahdin. :)

Here are some more pictures of our trip!

Jim and I at Sandy Stream

Moose!
Eric and Jim on the top of South Turner Mountain
Jim and I at Chimney Pond
Jim starting up Cathedral
We did it!
Ready to head down Saddle Slide
Breathtaking

Off to the Great Outdoors

So tomorrow we head up to Mt. Katahdin for four days of camping and hiking. I'm pretty excited but a little nervous. Its kind of a rite of passage of sorts for those of us who live in Maine to hike Mt. Katahdin and its something I've always wanted to do, but been a little nervous to do. In high school I was bound and determined, but it just never happened, and of course as I got older my resistance to the idea got larger. When Jim first put this together back in January my initial reaction was to go but not hike. I used my bum knee (which I really do have) as a nice little excuse, but I really was resisting because I'm just plain afraid. I'm not sure what exactly I'm scared of...maybe its that Knife's Edge is only 4 feet across and there is about a mile (or something like that) drop off each side, or maybe I'm nervous that this will be the ultimate proof that I'm not the athletic chick I once was. At any rate, after finding out that with poles my knees will be just fine, I gave in and decided that I need to do this for myself. So, hopefully I don't fall off Knife's Edge, slide down the mountain, or get eaten by a bear. If you haven't seen another entry by Tuesday, you might want to call the park ranger :)