It's been a pretty busy week around here. One of these past few days---- and I honestly can't remember the exact date--- marked 25 years we have been dealing with the epilepsy beast. 25 years. A quarter of a century. The majority of Michael's life. Last night I was with one of the YOUNG Mom's in our Realm of Caring community and she cried and told me she didn't know how I did it because she was such a disaster for the year her beloved Robbie's seizures were out of control. My response was pretty simple. " You just do it--- you would have...." Yeh, you just do it.
Michael turned 30 yesterday. Aside from a couple small gifts and "Happy Birthdays"all around it was a pretty routine day for him. It's the end of the semester and he's writing a 15 page research paper on how the media can influence societal change regarding marijuana. He 's been doing LOTS of research ---watching WEED and other documentaries, reading many articles, purchasing The Pot Book and really putting it all together in his head. Yesterday he talked to me at length about the Scheduling issue--- he got it. He's read about Charlotte and yesterday he read about Zaki Jackson's journey. "Mom, I couldn't stop tearing up." He gets it. The paper gets turned in Thursday. A very stressful semester will be over and we'll celebrate that and the 30th milestone at a restaurant of Michael's choice. We will celebrate his resilience. We will celebrate over 3 months of the absence of the early morning seizure monster. And we will celebrate our great fortune to have one another. But first--- finish that damn paper.
The annual holiday fundraiser Gingerbread City was held this week. It benefits the local epilepsy foundation. We have been going as a family for about fifteen years. It has grown exponentially in that time as have the cost of tables and tickets. It's a beautiful gala and in past years as a foundation board member I have always worked the room--- profusely thanking celebrity chefs and schmoozing big time donors and bidding on auction items to up the price ( yeh, that always worked out well when no one saw fit to bid after me)! Anyhow--- I resigned from the board recently. We decided we would not purchase a table this year. I released all friends of any obligation to attend ( to support us) which so many did for so many years-- for which I am very grateful . After much vacillation re whether to go at all, Meaghan and I ended up donning our little black dresses and stepping out with the glittery crowd. I felt so liberated! No need to kiss up to anyone--- just enjoy. We had a great time, chatting with people we WANTED to talk with, admiring the structures and staying quite far away from the auction tables.
Friday night Barry and I attended an event that honored Ray Mirzabegian of CA Realm of Caring. The organization holding the event is called the Alliance for Responsible Medicinal Access (ARMA). The price tag was modest ( $100) and it included dinner, live music and a couple of drinks. It was in a building called Tango Del Rey in San Diego----- very interesting venue and attendees. It was an honor to be there for Ray and to be with his wife Arsineh and his family, Cindy Mitchell and the wonderful young Moms--- Allison, Alisha, Olivia. I would have paid a lot more than that to see Ray honored. He has influenced our lives in a way that can only be described as in those commercials --- priceless!
Tomorrow Meaghan and I are having a bridal shower for Katharine who is Meaghan's best friend and the daughter of my best friend Anna. We have a couple of surprises in store. I think it's going to be special--- a celebration of a wedding to come but also a warm embrace of the past 33 years our families have intertwined and friends have widened and joined our circle of love. I'm looking forward to it. It should be a happy day.
Tomorrow is also my Dad's birthday. He's been gone now nearly 20 years. I still miss him desperately. I am glad we will be doing something family- centered and loving on his birthday. He'd like that.
Well--- time got away from me. It's now Monday morning. The shower WAS lovely. There was so much history of family, friendship and love that was present. Katharine was genuinely moved and well--- it was all just so happy. It was a wonderful cap off to a hectic week full of celebration and remembrance. My heart is full.
It's so good to "catch up" with you here. Happy birthday to your son, and happy birthing day to you! I can't believe, either, that you've been doing this for 25 years -- what a model you must be to so many. I feel, as each year goes by, that the past is ever distant -- truly distant -- and your story of the crying younger mother makes my heart ache not just for her, but for all of us, when we were HER. Does that make sense?
ReplyDeleteIt makes perfect sense to me Elizabeth. We had another damn seizure yesterday AM but the recovery was amazing. May be a withdrawal one but could be that and end of semester stress. Anyhow, were onward to a new countdown of seizure free days.
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