I need a break from all this. Or large amounts of alcohol.

[MoonCat]

OMG. I will be praying for you and the kids and keeping you all in my thoughts. Hope it all goes well!

[DGoddessChardonnay]

Sending get well soon thoughts and plenty of hugs your way from down South.

[mathnerd]

Thank you for the good wishes. Things are calm at the moment, which is a good thing. Now we're just waiting for October 16th.

There's actually some good news with my middle son, who's not one of the two affected by the bone disease. DS2 is a huge kid. He's only just turned 14 but he's already 5'10" and growing noticeably by the month! He's trim, but very broad shouldered and very muscular. He also started high school a few weeks ago. His size and build did not escape the notice of the athletic coaches, particularly the football coach. I was approached by the VP who told me that the various coaches were coming into the office asking who the "giant redheaded freshman" was, and did he play any sports? I talked to the football coach and informed him that ds2 did not play any sports formally, as my finances wouldn't allow it. Turns out they have a fund just for this sort of stuff, and even though the season is almost over, they equipped the kid and are having him go to practices with the freshman team (the school has Varsity, JV and Freshman teams). If he turns out to be any good, he can try out for the JV team next year and play all season. Then the counselor called me and all ds2's teachers (except math, which was already honors) were recommending him to take the honors/AP versions of his classes. And the orchestra teacher is stoked to finally have a viola player, as they haven't been able to do much as they had plenty of everything else, but no violas. This was the kid that was hospitalized 3 times in 14 months for suicidal ideation and expelled from his regular middle school a year and a half ago and sent to a special program school for kids who have been expelled but not considered bad enough for the court/prison schools. This is quite the turn around for him. It's very nice to see him getting all this positive attention. He's worked hard to overcome the monsters in his past, and he still has a ways to go, but it's really nice for him to see such obvious results in how far he's already come.

[greek_jester]

He's worked hard to overcome the monsters in his past, and he still has a ways to go, but it's really nice for him to see such obvious results in how far he's already come.

Well done to DS2! He could so easily have just given up and let his past dictate his future, but instead he's fought for a better life. I hope things turn out ok for him in sports, if that's the way he wants to go.

[Gizmo]

Good on DS2 and I hope that he is as proud of himself as you are!

[MoonCat]

Please tell your son WAY TO GO, KID! YOU ROCK! from me

[morgana]

And from me!

[mathnerd]

I will! Thanks. He's actually being given play time tonight, after about a week of practice. The school even bought him brand new, varsity quality equipment because, as the coach said, they think he will be using it for the next four years. They apparently think he's got some talent. I'm very excited. Even BF, who hates sports is planning on going to tonight's game.

[Elspeth]

wooohoo!!! Congrats! That is great

[mathnerd]

Holy Cow! He was a starter! They lost, but the team is 0-5, so that wasn't unexpected. It was the least bad loss of the season, as the only lost by three points. They were actually ahead until the last minute of the game when the opposing team pulled off a spectacular 70 yard break away touchdown run. All in all, he's extremely happy.

ETA: I looked through the pictures I took and got a decent action shot. You have to zoom in, but the kid with the bright white legs (he is a ginger, after all) blocking the defensive line is my kid. Their team is in black.

[mathnerd]

Update: Surgery went really well. They were anticipating 4 hours, but it only took three. The complications with the vascular and nervous structures they were worried about didn't happen. DS3 still has all four limbs, and his wrist is in much better shape (or will be once he recovers). He might go home as early as tonight, but almost definitely by tomorrow.

[MoonCat]

That is excellent news!!