January had a rough start. You already read that. I mean, everyone else was fine, but I was a disaster. Two weeks in, it took a turn for the better, as I got on antibiotics for the lingering food poisoning/bacteria situation in my belly. Matt traveled to Egypt and Senegal. We survived. I worked a lot, trying to meet a deadline for recording videos for the last module of our course (currently working on a course for Harvard on Teaming for Healthcare Professionals, and this module is on leadership - it's actually super cool content).
We also took care of some heath pieces - some that are probably TMI, and also eczema on Elie's arm and I got steroids injected into my back. A bit more info on this below.
Kids are doing really well. Sam went to a dance thing at school a few weeks ago and had the time of their life dancing and taking pics with friends. Today, Sam asked if we can stay here for High School. (Last week they wanted to go back to Newton IMMEDIATELY). It's all up and down. Hard to get adjusted and fall in love with life and people here when we're committed to leaving. It's a bit of a mindfuck.
I got to go with Elie's class on a field trip to the edge of the Thames to go mudlarking. I signed up before I knew what it was, but it turned out it was AWESOME! We took the tube about six stops and got off at London Bridge. We walked through Borough Market (brutal to not be able to stop and eat) and took the Millenium foot bridge across the Thames. Then we walked down these super steep stairs to the sand/mud at the edge of the river Thames, as the tide was out. We had a guide who explained what we were doing, but essentially we found LOADS of tiny little pieces of pottery! Most was from Victorian times, about 200 years ago, but others were from Medieval times (1,000 years ago!) and everywhere in between. We found a GIANT animal jaw (likely a horse) with teeth, and we found a smoking bowl from the 1700s in addition to tons of pottery. I didn't take pictures, because you're not really allowed to have your phone out as a chaperone, but it was AWESOME! I was wondering if everyone in the past just threw all their pottery and dead animals into the Thames? They said every low tide, each day, brings a new load of treasures.
Elie's obsessed with football. Wants to play all the time. Koby is also doing great. Loves riding his bike to school and back. Loves his cookie club (Tuesdays after school), and they're both on the last Percy Jackson and loving that. Sam is in the musical, which also happens to be Percy Jackson. Performance starts 9 March.
A couple of weeks ago when the boys had no school, I took them to the Royal Airforce Museum, where there were LOADS of old planes from all different eras including lots of wars and the start of flying. It was SUPER neat.
We also had a wonderful visit from Naomi Herman from our Singapore days.
When Matt left for his trip, I took the kids to Covent Garden area and we walked around a few markets.
We have been trying to go out to dinner a bit more - checking out a few pubs in our neighborhood. I love pubs. Kids love pubs. There's a great one two minutes walk from our house.
Last week the kids had a half day, and I took the boys and Elie's friend to the Natural History Museum. (Sam painted pottery with another friend). That was a highlight. They really haven't been to museums because of Covid, so they were like, "whoa! we can go and see all of this!?! and TOUCH it and play with it??" Koby got a book out of the library the next day that was about earthquakes and volcanos, which was one of the exhibits, so it made them interested too. Boom. Super fun to hang with them and do cool stuff that they enjoy too. New era.
Sam also started regular lessons for their b'nai mitzvah (Oct 28, 2023 Lech Lecha), and we have been trying to figure out what to do with the celebration. Seems unlikely anyone other than grandparents will come from the States (maybe an uncle?), so we may just have about 30 kids and 8-10 adults, which is not exactly what I would have expected if you ask me a year ago, but we'll figure it out. Looking now at finding a space, like in a pub, that we can have dancing and food and celebrate Sam and call it a day. We will also have an open house celebration in Sylvan Lake, Michigan the Friday after Thanksgiving in the afternoon, so save the date if you're in Michigan and you want to join us!
We have been playing endless games. LOTS of Splendor and still lots of Catan. So fun.
Elie's eczema: I did a search for eczema on a Hampstead Mums group I'm a part of, and I saw "go to Dr Cox - she heals all eczema." Done. Made an appointment, and she basically laughed at us. She said she runs a clinic for incredibly complicated eczema that nothing else heals, and Elie had the most beautiful skin she had seen in years. She kept touching his arms and hands. She said it was the most mild case she has ever seen. Did an allergy test just in case (no allergies), and gave us some creams to get rid of it. Another healthcare rookie mistake, but I think there are no bad consequences for this one.
My back: My back has hurt a lot for years - probably at least since Koby was born. Sometimes it is related to endometriosis, other times it's not. Mostly I just live with it, because who has time to figure it out. Then when I tore my calf in June, it took a turn and starting in July it has become SO incredibly painful to lean forward at all or really move. Sleeping is bad. Standing is bad. Sitting is bad. Lying is bad. I can't run. REALLY hurts to play pickleball, but I do it and I just don't really go for much. Not ideal. I started to work with a trainer to try to build back up some strength, once I graduated from physio for my calf, but nearly everything she had me do SUPER hurt my back. So I tried an osteopath, and he said he couldn't help me and sent me to the Gyn to make sure it wasn't related to endometriosis. It wasn't, so he sent me to his friend who is a back doctor but not surgeon. MRI showed that I have a bulging disc that is putting pressure on nerves, so he suggested injecting steroids with 4 needles into my back. He didn't explain much, so I didn't have much expectation, but it was truly unpleasant and painful and just gross. Also I like control, and he wasn't a great communicator, so I got the poor nurse to sit by my head, hold my hand and tell me about her last holiday (Kissimmee Florida - she didn't love it). I got out of there and was in a LOT of pain and pissed about the whole experience. I went home and relaxed all afternoon, and when I got up to go get the kids, I didn't have the same kind of pain I usually did. It's not GONE, but it's different and better. Let's see how it goes.
Pics below!
Then Sam took a better one, but Koby was pissed
1 comment:
SO fun to read about your lives (not fun to read about your back, but glad you're finding some relief). Be sure to go to Victoria and Albert Museum and look at exhibit of old toys (many even older than you and Matt!!). Love to all!
Post a Comment