it's official... i suck at fantasy football.
this year, my friends had finally gotten me to participate in their fantasy football league. up until this year, i had vowed against joining their league. for the most part, i was correct in adamantly refusing to partake in the league because i had heard many complaints and whatnot from friends who were in the league. the league was supposed to bring friends together... and from what i had heard, the fantasy football league was not exactly doing a particularly good job of it.
this year, however, has been a pleasant surprise. it has only been one month into the league and i have yet to hear any complaints. everything actually is going well in the fantasy football league. the only problem is... my fantasy football team absolutely sucks. i am second to last in the standings... and i basically scored the lowest point total this week.
granted, i was not really around to draft any players for my team. plus, if you think about it, all expansion teams suck the first year. so maybe it's normal.
i am wondering if my friend (anna) is simply a jinx. i had named my fantasy team in honor of anna for no reason other than her name, mixed with some other words, sounded cool. plus, anna's birthday is on christmas. you would think that someone being born on arguably one of the best days of the year would make her somewhat lucky, right? well... apparently not so much this year.
perhaps i should name my team after someone else... like: hot amy's young'uns... angela's new kids... aimee's cure (although that sounds more like a drug than a team)... kerry's nothing-good-comes-out-of-rhode-island team... i don't know. the possibilities for names are endless. it's a good thing i have a lot of names to go through.
i think i'm just looking for my luck to turn around. for anyone curious, things haven't exactly been the greatest of late... and i'm not just referring to fantasy football. so hopefully, some luck will come my way soon. i can only hope.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Monday, September 29, 2008
I Suck At The New Kids Concert
last night, i am almost embarrassed to say... was fun.
for those who are not aware, the late 80s/early 90s boy band known as the new kids on the block are back together after fifteen years. they had a concert this weekend at the "gahden". it's too bad i suck at the new kids concert.
growing up, i was never a new kids fan. unfortunately, my better half (karen) was. karen remembers seeing them play at a club before they were even famous. so needless to say, when news about the new kids returning for a concert came up months ago, karen wanted to go. she thought it would be fun to get a bunch of friends together and attend the concert... to at least see if these grown men could pull off those high notes now.
anyway, my friends (carlos and hot amy) had worked together to get enough tickets for our group of friends to attend. karen was so excited back then. my favorite sister-in-law (janine), who was also going to attend with us, even came up with an awesome idea to create a t-shirt for karen that said "new kid on the block" with an arrow pointing down to karen's stomach. obviously, that was before my son (braden) was born extremely premature. his original due date was january 2, 2009.
it's too bad braden couldn't have attended the concert because he probably would have liked it. after all, what's not to like at a concert entirely full of screaming women... and me and carlos.
with braden's birth, life, and passing, karen and i had debated on whether we should still attend the new kids concert yesterday. after all, braden's passing is still fairly recent and we weren't sure if we would physically and mentally be okay to attend. truth be told, i actually almost broke down in tears when carlos praised me for being strong with everything that has happened with braden... which would have been amusing for other people i'm sure... to see the only two men at the new kids concert at the concession stand, with one of them sobbing uncontrollably.
anyway, karen and i obviously decided to go to the concert and have some fun... and it was fun. in addition to carlos and janine, my bff (kerry), and my friends (jen and hot amy) went. hot amy's boyfriend also attended, although i'm not so sure he even knew who the new kids were because he was like 5 or something when they first came out... which i suppose doesn't matter because hot amy doesn't really know who the new kids are either... unless of course that was due to the three martinis she had at dinner at the green dragon. (by the way, i finally tried the green dragon brew... not exactly what i imagined it would taste like.)
as it turned out, my friends (aimee and angela) also were in the audience that night too. they had better seats than us (we were in the nosebleeds). it was cool because i got to wave down to aimee and angela below. for anyone curious, aimee waved back. it probably wasn't too hard for her to find me as i was one of the only guys at the concert.
(because i didn't bring my camera to the concert as karen was against it... the video below is a new kids cartoon.)
all in all, it was a fun time and i'm glad karen and i decided to attend the new kids concert and spend the night with friends. and as sad as this is going to sound... with the new kids performance, i might even be a fan now... love that "twisted" song! but yeah, it was good to be with everyone.
for those who are not aware, the late 80s/early 90s boy band known as the new kids on the block are back together after fifteen years. they had a concert this weekend at the "gahden". it's too bad i suck at the new kids concert.
growing up, i was never a new kids fan. unfortunately, my better half (karen) was. karen remembers seeing them play at a club before they were even famous. so needless to say, when news about the new kids returning for a concert came up months ago, karen wanted to go. she thought it would be fun to get a bunch of friends together and attend the concert... to at least see if these grown men could pull off those high notes now.
anyway, my friends (carlos and hot amy) had worked together to get enough tickets for our group of friends to attend. karen was so excited back then. my favorite sister-in-law (janine), who was also going to attend with us, even came up with an awesome idea to create a t-shirt for karen that said "new kid on the block" with an arrow pointing down to karen's stomach. obviously, that was before my son (braden) was born extremely premature. his original due date was january 2, 2009.
it's too bad braden couldn't have attended the concert because he probably would have liked it. after all, what's not to like at a concert entirely full of screaming women... and me and carlos.
with braden's birth, life, and passing, karen and i had debated on whether we should still attend the new kids concert yesterday. after all, braden's passing is still fairly recent and we weren't sure if we would physically and mentally be okay to attend. truth be told, i actually almost broke down in tears when carlos praised me for being strong with everything that has happened with braden... which would have been amusing for other people i'm sure... to see the only two men at the new kids concert at the concession stand, with one of them sobbing uncontrollably.
anyway, karen and i obviously decided to go to the concert and have some fun... and it was fun. in addition to carlos and janine, my bff (kerry), and my friends (jen and hot amy) went. hot amy's boyfriend also attended, although i'm not so sure he even knew who the new kids were because he was like 5 or something when they first came out... which i suppose doesn't matter because hot amy doesn't really know who the new kids are either... unless of course that was due to the three martinis she had at dinner at the green dragon. (by the way, i finally tried the green dragon brew... not exactly what i imagined it would taste like.)
as it turned out, my friends (aimee and angela) also were in the audience that night too. they had better seats than us (we were in the nosebleeds). it was cool because i got to wave down to aimee and angela below. for anyone curious, aimee waved back. it probably wasn't too hard for her to find me as i was one of the only guys at the concert.
(because i didn't bring my camera to the concert as karen was against it... the video below is a new kids cartoon.)
all in all, it was a fun time and i'm glad karen and i decided to attend the new kids concert and spend the night with friends. and as sad as this is going to sound... with the new kids performance, i might even be a fan now... love that "twisted" song! but yeah, it was good to be with everyone.
I Suck At Installing Molding
saturday was a very low key day.
with the dreadful weather outside, karen and i decided to work on the house. it's been quite a while since either karen or i worked on the house. before my son (braden michael) was born, i had cut a bunch of molding to fit our windows on the second floor. i had pre-stained them, stained them, applied polyurethane twice... i just never got around to waxing them because braden was born. yes, i suck at installing molding.
the molding sat unfinished in the garage for quite some time. so saturday, in our quest for normalcy, we attempted to install some molding and add curtains to the windows in the hallway... to at least finish what we started.
(pictured below are the two windows in the hallway that now have molding and curtains on them.)
karen, of course, thinks i'm crazy because i wanted to manually install the molding with a hammer and nail... and not use a nail gun. i have nothing against nail guns. i love nail guns because they make projects easier. i simply felt that things were sturdier back in the day when people used hammers and nails... a true sign that i am getting old because i used the term "back in the day".
plus, because i'm ridiculously anal... the windows in our bedroom were installed with a hammer, so i wanted to make things uniform...
anyway, we still have more windows to finish on the second floor, but at least our house looks more and more like a home...
with the dreadful weather outside, karen and i decided to work on the house. it's been quite a while since either karen or i worked on the house. before my son (braden michael) was born, i had cut a bunch of molding to fit our windows on the second floor. i had pre-stained them, stained them, applied polyurethane twice... i just never got around to waxing them because braden was born. yes, i suck at installing molding.
the molding sat unfinished in the garage for quite some time. so saturday, in our quest for normalcy, we attempted to install some molding and add curtains to the windows in the hallway... to at least finish what we started.
(pictured below are the two windows in the hallway that now have molding and curtains on them.)
karen, of course, thinks i'm crazy because i wanted to manually install the molding with a hammer and nail... and not use a nail gun. i have nothing against nail guns. i love nail guns because they make projects easier. i simply felt that things were sturdier back in the day when people used hammers and nails... a true sign that i am getting old because i used the term "back in the day".
plus, because i'm ridiculously anal... the windows in our bedroom were installed with a hammer, so i wanted to make things uniform...
anyway, we still have more windows to finish on the second floor, but at least our house looks more and more like a home...
I Suck At Hanging Out With My Favorite Sister-In-Law
it was an interesting friday night.
i have been feeling a little under the weather all week. whether it is from the lack of recent sleep (as i have been getting bizarre nightmares since the passing of my son, braden), or perhaps i just happened to catch something viral... my stomach has not been feeling quite right.
after friendly's, i was excited because everything i ate... stayed in my stomach. i was thinking that perhaps my stomach issue had passed... that is, until i was invited to dinner at my favorite sister-in-law's (janine).
now, i suck at hanging out with my favorite sister-in-law. interestingly enough, janine has not been feeling well either. she has been battling similar stomach issues, leading me to think that this stomach issue is something viral as opposed to psycho-somatic. if the stomach issue is viral, then i blame karen's uncle (billy) who came up from georgia for braden's service. never trust southerners... just kidding.
anyway, since janine and i were having similar digestive problems... we decided (for some reason) to have tacos for dinner. you can probably imagine where this is going to lead...
in all fairness, the dinner was very delicious. thinking that i was somewhat on the mends after my friendly's experience, i was eating a soft taco there... a soft taco here. i had some corn... yum corn! and to top it off, i had a drink or two with some coconut rum. (for anyone curious, some people believe coconut is a laxative.)
needless to say, i may have been testing the boundaries of my stomach... i ended up frequenting janine's bathroom. digestive issues aside, the night was actually quite fun.
janine was having internet connectivity issues on her computer. after fixing janine's computer (because... that is apparently my role... computer stuff), all of us just started having a blast by watching youtube videos on the internet. my friends (jen and bill) also stopped by as they were in the neighborhood after doing some shopping at the mall.
all of us were just laughing and dying (me from my digestive issues of course) over the old commercials of toys we had growing up and of the old cartoons we used to watch growing up. i have no idea how people get a hold of those videos to upload to youtube... but you gotta love youtube...
i have been feeling a little under the weather all week. whether it is from the lack of recent sleep (as i have been getting bizarre nightmares since the passing of my son, braden), or perhaps i just happened to catch something viral... my stomach has not been feeling quite right.
after friendly's, i was excited because everything i ate... stayed in my stomach. i was thinking that perhaps my stomach issue had passed... that is, until i was invited to dinner at my favorite sister-in-law's (janine).
now, i suck at hanging out with my favorite sister-in-law. interestingly enough, janine has not been feeling well either. she has been battling similar stomach issues, leading me to think that this stomach issue is something viral as opposed to psycho-somatic. if the stomach issue is viral, then i blame karen's uncle (billy) who came up from georgia for braden's service. never trust southerners... just kidding.
anyway, since janine and i were having similar digestive problems... we decided (for some reason) to have tacos for dinner. you can probably imagine where this is going to lead...
in all fairness, the dinner was very delicious. thinking that i was somewhat on the mends after my friendly's experience, i was eating a soft taco there... a soft taco here. i had some corn... yum corn! and to top it off, i had a drink or two with some coconut rum. (for anyone curious, some people believe coconut is a laxative.)
needless to say, i may have been testing the boundaries of my stomach... i ended up frequenting janine's bathroom. digestive issues aside, the night was actually quite fun.
janine was having internet connectivity issues on her computer. after fixing janine's computer (because... that is apparently my role... computer stuff), all of us just started having a blast by watching youtube videos on the internet. my friends (jen and bill) also stopped by as they were in the neighborhood after doing some shopping at the mall.
all of us were just laughing and dying (me from my digestive issues of course) over the old commercials of toys we had growing up and of the old cartoons we used to watch growing up. i have no idea how people get a hold of those videos to upload to youtube... but you gotta love youtube...
Thursday, September 25, 2008
I Suck At Friendly's
today, karen and i spontaneously went out for dinner.
my friend (jen) contacted us today to see if we would be interested in grabbing a bite to eat. as karen and i have not really had the opportunity to hang out with jen during the birth, life, and death of our son (braden), we figured it would be good for us.
anyway, we decided to go to friendly's. now, i suck at friendly's. the dinner plan, however, was to go for dinner and then indulge... with ice cream. for anyone who does not know me... both karen and i love ice cream. if karen weren't a dietitian, i would say that ice cream should be one of the four major food groups.
(pictured below are bill, karen, jen, and pugsley.)
anyway, karen and i picked up jen and went to friendly's in quincy... which, for anyone who is curious, was a place of employment at one time for my friend (hot amy). i believe that friendly's was also where my other friend (garv) first met hot amy and coined her now infamous moniker "hot".
apparently, friendly's is running a promotion right now where you can get an entree, a drink, and ice cream for $10. what a deal!
in all my years, i don't think i have never gone into that friendly's and seen it packed. the three of us actually had to wait to be seated. the crowds shortly disappeared while we were there, but it was interesting to see the place so full of people... particularly children. it was also a good thing that i had used the bathroom prior to going to friendly's because there was apparently a long waiting line for the bathroom. (speaking of which, i guess it's also a good thing i'm not lactose intolerant either because eating ice cream would be painful.)
needless to say, karen and i had a fun time with jen. the ice cream also made it a good night... i'd normally say cue rachael ray's "yum-o" sound... but i think it goes without saying. ice cream... yum.
my friend (jen) contacted us today to see if we would be interested in grabbing a bite to eat. as karen and i have not really had the opportunity to hang out with jen during the birth, life, and death of our son (braden), we figured it would be good for us.
anyway, we decided to go to friendly's. now, i suck at friendly's. the dinner plan, however, was to go for dinner and then indulge... with ice cream. for anyone who does not know me... both karen and i love ice cream. if karen weren't a dietitian, i would say that ice cream should be one of the four major food groups.
(pictured below are bill, karen, jen, and pugsley.)
anyway, karen and i picked up jen and went to friendly's in quincy... which, for anyone who is curious, was a place of employment at one time for my friend (hot amy). i believe that friendly's was also where my other friend (garv) first met hot amy and coined her now infamous moniker "hot".
apparently, friendly's is running a promotion right now where you can get an entree, a drink, and ice cream for $10. what a deal!
in all my years, i don't think i have never gone into that friendly's and seen it packed. the three of us actually had to wait to be seated. the crowds shortly disappeared while we were there, but it was interesting to see the place so full of people... particularly children. it was also a good thing that i had used the bathroom prior to going to friendly's because there was apparently a long waiting line for the bathroom. (speaking of which, i guess it's also a good thing i'm not lactose intolerant either because eating ice cream would be painful.)
needless to say, karen and i had a fun time with jen. the ice cream also made it a good night... i'd normally say cue rachael ray's "yum-o" sound... but i think it goes without saying. ice cream... yum.
I Suck At Heroes
in the quest for normalcy, karen and i hung out with our friends (marc and kelley) yesterday. not only is wednesday prince spaghetti night... it's marc and kelley night. actually, there is never prince spaghetti, so i guess it's just marc and kelley night.
as i was feeling a little under the weather, whether it was from my lack of recent sleep since braden's passing or simply a stomach virus, we decided to order takeout from the falafel king in quincy. (cue rachael ray's "yum-o" sound.) i have missed the falafel king... so delicious! thinking about the falafel king makes me reminisce about the good ol' days when i worked in town. luckily, there is a falafel king in quincy.
anyway, all of us had a good time. we watched the season premier of heroes. now, i suck at heroes. heroes is one of the other current tv shows that i absolutely love (lost being the other one).
(the video below is a trailer for heroes season 3.)
i think the reason why the show appeals so much to me is that the show reminds me of my childhood. growing up, i read a lot of comic books... a lot. (i watched a lot of tv too.) in fact, my brother and i used to collect comic books. collecting comic books was one of the few things my brother and i did together. and as proof that i was a total geek, my brother and i used to buy those plastic mylar sleeves to put the comic books in. yeah... we were diehard fans. it's unfortunate now that my brother and i have grown so far apart. it was nice, though, knowing that we had shared something in common at one point in time.
needless to say, the season premier of the show was great. plus, hanging out with marc and kelley also made the night enjoyable. i can't wait for the rest of the season.
as i was feeling a little under the weather, whether it was from my lack of recent sleep since braden's passing or simply a stomach virus, we decided to order takeout from the falafel king in quincy. (cue rachael ray's "yum-o" sound.) i have missed the falafel king... so delicious! thinking about the falafel king makes me reminisce about the good ol' days when i worked in town. luckily, there is a falafel king in quincy.
anyway, all of us had a good time. we watched the season premier of heroes. now, i suck at heroes. heroes is one of the other current tv shows that i absolutely love (lost being the other one).
(the video below is a trailer for heroes season 3.)
i think the reason why the show appeals so much to me is that the show reminds me of my childhood. growing up, i read a lot of comic books... a lot. (i watched a lot of tv too.) in fact, my brother and i used to collect comic books. collecting comic books was one of the few things my brother and i did together. and as proof that i was a total geek, my brother and i used to buy those plastic mylar sleeves to put the comic books in. yeah... we were diehard fans. it's unfortunate now that my brother and i have grown so far apart. it was nice, though, knowing that we had shared something in common at one point in time.
needless to say, the season premier of the show was great. plus, hanging out with marc and kelley also made the night enjoyable. i can't wait for the rest of the season.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
I Suck At The Piccadilly Pub
in the quest for normalcy, both karen and i did something we had not done since the birth, life, and passing of our son (braden)... we went out for dinner.
my bff (kerry) had contacted us earlier in the week to see if we would be interested in going out for dinner. even though both karen and i were playing it day by day since braden's passing, we decided to go out for dinner.
after all, how i can refuse my bff... especially since she was going to drive all the way down from salem just to spend time with karen and me. i must say... kerry has been wonderful. i know it can't always be that easy to drive from salem to the south shore as often as she has in the past few weeks to spend time with us. i know i personally get annoyed commuting to and from marblehead.
anyway, as both karen and i were figuring that kerry would be coming via route 128, we decided to choose a place that was somewhere along the highway. so, we decided to go to the piccadilly pub located in randolph.
interesting fact... according to my friend wikipedia:
"Route 128, also known as the Yankee Division Highway (for the 26th Infantry Division), and originally the Circumferential Highway, is a partial beltway around Boston, Massachusetts, United States. The majority of the highway is built to freeway standards, and about 3/5 of it is part of the Interstate Highway System. With the rapid growth of high-technology industry in the suburban areas along Route 128 from the 1960s to the 1980s, Route 128 came to symbolize the Boston high-tech community itself. However, today the industry has expanded significantly onto Interstate 495 as well, the next beltway out.
In local culture, Route 128 is seen as something of a dividing line between the inner municipalities of Greater Boston and the more far-flung suburbs. The road's roughly 10-mile radius, for example, also delimits most of the area accessible by the MBTA rapid transit system. Much of the area within Route 128 was developed before World War II, while the area outside it was developed more recently."
anyway, we had a great time at the piccadilly pub. apparently, the piccadilly pub offers a special where you can get two dinners for $14.99 on mondays and tuesdays. the dinners are from a select list of entrees, of course. when i had mentioned that to karen, karen was dead set against doing the dinner for two because she wanted to try the veggie burger which was not on the list (the veggie burger did actually sound quite delicious).
well, as luck would have it, the piccadilly pub was out of the veggie burger. (thanks braden! i know you're always there to look out for me!) so needless to say, karen begrudgingly chose an entree off the dinner for two list. it was pretty comical.
and also as luck would have it, the three of us got free dessert at the piccadilly pub. i think our waitperson was having a bad day as she seemed quite... frazzled. she forgot to put in our order (particularly my order... the wild salmon dinner... cue rachael ray's "yum-o" sound) and felt absolutely horrible. i really felt bad for her because i think other customers were not as friendly as we were with her.
anyway, dinner with kerry was fun. karen and i both had a good time, which is helpful these days... baby steps...
my bff (kerry) had contacted us earlier in the week to see if we would be interested in going out for dinner. even though both karen and i were playing it day by day since braden's passing, we decided to go out for dinner.
after all, how i can refuse my bff... especially since she was going to drive all the way down from salem just to spend time with karen and me. i must say... kerry has been wonderful. i know it can't always be that easy to drive from salem to the south shore as often as she has in the past few weeks to spend time with us. i know i personally get annoyed commuting to and from marblehead.
anyway, as both karen and i were figuring that kerry would be coming via route 128, we decided to choose a place that was somewhere along the highway. so, we decided to go to the piccadilly pub located in randolph.
interesting fact... according to my friend wikipedia:
"Route 128, also known as the Yankee Division Highway (for the 26th Infantry Division), and originally the Circumferential Highway, is a partial beltway around Boston, Massachusetts, United States. The majority of the highway is built to freeway standards, and about 3/5 of it is part of the Interstate Highway System. With the rapid growth of high-technology industry in the suburban areas along Route 128 from the 1960s to the 1980s, Route 128 came to symbolize the Boston high-tech community itself. However, today the industry has expanded significantly onto Interstate 495 as well, the next beltway out.
In local culture, Route 128 is seen as something of a dividing line between the inner municipalities of Greater Boston and the more far-flung suburbs. The road's roughly 10-mile radius, for example, also delimits most of the area accessible by the MBTA rapid transit system. Much of the area within Route 128 was developed before World War II, while the area outside it was developed more recently."
anyway, we had a great time at the piccadilly pub. apparently, the piccadilly pub offers a special where you can get two dinners for $14.99 on mondays and tuesdays. the dinners are from a select list of entrees, of course. when i had mentioned that to karen, karen was dead set against doing the dinner for two because she wanted to try the veggie burger which was not on the list (the veggie burger did actually sound quite delicious).
well, as luck would have it, the piccadilly pub was out of the veggie burger. (thanks braden! i know you're always there to look out for me!) so needless to say, karen begrudgingly chose an entree off the dinner for two list. it was pretty comical.
and also as luck would have it, the three of us got free dessert at the piccadilly pub. i think our waitperson was having a bad day as she seemed quite... frazzled. she forgot to put in our order (particularly my order... the wild salmon dinner... cue rachael ray's "yum-o" sound) and felt absolutely horrible. i really felt bad for her because i think other customers were not as friendly as we were with her.
anyway, dinner with kerry was fun. karen and i both had a good time, which is helpful these days... baby steps...
Monday, September 22, 2008
I Suck At Going Back To Work
today begins my road back to normalcy. although, depending on who you ask, i was probably never normal to begin with.
in the name of normalcy, however, i went back to work today. too bad i suck at going back to work.
i was dreading going back to work... not that i dislike my job or anything. i actually like my job and the company i work for in marblehead. i dread the commute and this morning's commute did not disappoint. the only good thing about this morning's commute was that i got to wave and say good morning to my son (braden) in the cemetery. i am guessing the cars behind me must have thought i was crazy for waving at braden... but oh well.
surprisingly, work itself went well today. granted, i was in a lot of meetings today. a lot of my coworkers were also quite supportive and offered to help with things, which made my transition back to work a little easier. in fact, a couple of us were even able to laugh and share delivery room stories about the birth of our respective children. my coworker (john) told me that he basically did all he could in the delivery room to not pass out. i got a chuckle out of that.
needless to say, work provided a nice distraction today. the time went by very quickly. so if anything, work has at least forced me to view things with greater focus and concentration.
i'm sure things will return to normal some day. i know it will just take time.
for anyone curious, when i got back from work, karen and i went to visit braden. we decided to walk to the cemetery. after our visit, we headed back and crossed the street to where the church was located. well, as it turned out, the church had its sprinklers showering the sidewalk. both karen and i looked at each other and thought about the inevitable drenching. then at that very moment... the sprinklers fizzled out. karen and i looked at one another and smiled... and then we thanked our little angel, braden.
i think i am going to play the lottery now... i'm hoping angels like to gamble. just kidding.
in the name of normalcy, however, i went back to work today. too bad i suck at going back to work.
i was dreading going back to work... not that i dislike my job or anything. i actually like my job and the company i work for in marblehead. i dread the commute and this morning's commute did not disappoint. the only good thing about this morning's commute was that i got to wave and say good morning to my son (braden) in the cemetery. i am guessing the cars behind me must have thought i was crazy for waving at braden... but oh well.
surprisingly, work itself went well today. granted, i was in a lot of meetings today. a lot of my coworkers were also quite supportive and offered to help with things, which made my transition back to work a little easier. in fact, a couple of us were even able to laugh and share delivery room stories about the birth of our respective children. my coworker (john) told me that he basically did all he could in the delivery room to not pass out. i got a chuckle out of that.
needless to say, work provided a nice distraction today. the time went by very quickly. so if anything, work has at least forced me to view things with greater focus and concentration.
i'm sure things will return to normal some day. i know it will just take time.
for anyone curious, when i got back from work, karen and i went to visit braden. we decided to walk to the cemetery. after our visit, we headed back and crossed the street to where the church was located. well, as it turned out, the church had its sprinklers showering the sidewalk. both karen and i looked at each other and thought about the inevitable drenching. then at that very moment... the sprinklers fizzled out. karen and i looked at one another and smiled... and then we thanked our little angel, braden.
i think i am going to play the lottery now... i'm hoping angels like to gamble. just kidding.
Sunday, September 21, 2008
I Suck At Drinking Soup
there is a tradition in the chinese culture in which a mother is supposed to drink a particular soup following the birth of a child. it's also customary for the mother to be housebound for the month following childbirth too, but that's a different story.
anyway, with the birth of my son (braden), my parents made some soup for karen. my mom, of course, tried to americanize the soup a little so that the appearance and taste of the soup would not scare off the normal american consumer. after all, there are a lot of chinese dishes that do not exactly look appealing.
i have been told by my parents that the particular soup provides medicinal and nutritional value. the soup, consisting of chicken, tree fungus, and vegetables tied in a knot, is supposed to provide protein and rid the body of cold air in the system.
it's too bad i suck at drinking soup. i've never been a soup-type of person. i like my liquids warm to cool, which actually is not good according to chinese tradition. nonetheless, karen and i did partake in drinking the concoction of my parents. like i tell most of my friends... if you can get past the visual of most foods, you would be surprised by the taste. (of course, i usually phrase it in a much more inappropriate way of "just close your eyes and put it in your mouth" and snicker afterwards.)
anyway, after having about eighty people in our tiny house following the funeral service for our son (braden), my favorite sister in law (janine) asked if we wanted to hang out at her place. apparently, our friends (hot amy, jen, carlos) and my bff (kerry) were going to be headed there.
with everything that has happened of late, i thought it would be good for karen to hang out with all of them. after all, she hasn't had the opportunity to experience any sense of normalcy in the past few weeks.
with the passing of braden, both karen and i realize that there is nothing anyone can really say other than "sorry". we understand that. we know that we are blessed to have friends and family willing and wanting to help us (or at least karen).
naturally, with my instigating ways, i started to think about how far people would go when they offer their help when they say something like "if there is anything i/we can do..."
(bing! light bulb!)
the stinker that i am... i happen to know that most of karen's friends have food issues. the mere look of the soup concoction that my parents made would be enough to turn their stomachs. even hearing the word tree fungus would probably make them sick. so naturally, i decided to call their bluff by having them drink the leftover soup to see in fact..."if there is anything i/we can do"...
needless to say, i was pleasantly surprised. whether it was to just prove me wrong or not, everyone at the table had some of the soup. carlos even enjoyed the soup, saying it really did taste like chicken soup. i don't think any of them would ever drink it again, but it truly is a nice feeling to know that you have people who would make sacrifices for you... even if it is something silly like drink a soup they normally would not.
plus, it helped get rid of the soup. unfortunately, i have just learned that my parents have created another soup made from dates for karen and me. i wonder if our friends will help with that soup too...
anyway, with the birth of my son (braden), my parents made some soup for karen. my mom, of course, tried to americanize the soup a little so that the appearance and taste of the soup would not scare off the normal american consumer. after all, there are a lot of chinese dishes that do not exactly look appealing.
i have been told by my parents that the particular soup provides medicinal and nutritional value. the soup, consisting of chicken, tree fungus, and vegetables tied in a knot, is supposed to provide protein and rid the body of cold air in the system.
it's too bad i suck at drinking soup. i've never been a soup-type of person. i like my liquids warm to cool, which actually is not good according to chinese tradition. nonetheless, karen and i did partake in drinking the concoction of my parents. like i tell most of my friends... if you can get past the visual of most foods, you would be surprised by the taste. (of course, i usually phrase it in a much more inappropriate way of "just close your eyes and put it in your mouth" and snicker afterwards.)
anyway, after having about eighty people in our tiny house following the funeral service for our son (braden), my favorite sister in law (janine) asked if we wanted to hang out at her place. apparently, our friends (hot amy, jen, carlos) and my bff (kerry) were going to be headed there.
with everything that has happened of late, i thought it would be good for karen to hang out with all of them. after all, she hasn't had the opportunity to experience any sense of normalcy in the past few weeks.
with the passing of braden, both karen and i realize that there is nothing anyone can really say other than "sorry". we understand that. we know that we are blessed to have friends and family willing and wanting to help us (or at least karen).
naturally, with my instigating ways, i started to think about how far people would go when they offer their help when they say something like "if there is anything i/we can do..."
(bing! light bulb!)
the stinker that i am... i happen to know that most of karen's friends have food issues. the mere look of the soup concoction that my parents made would be enough to turn their stomachs. even hearing the word tree fungus would probably make them sick. so naturally, i decided to call their bluff by having them drink the leftover soup to see in fact..."if there is anything i/we can do"...
needless to say, i was pleasantly surprised. whether it was to just prove me wrong or not, everyone at the table had some of the soup. carlos even enjoyed the soup, saying it really did taste like chicken soup. i don't think any of them would ever drink it again, but it truly is a nice feeling to know that you have people who would make sacrifices for you... even if it is something silly like drink a soup they normally would not.
plus, it helped get rid of the soup. unfortunately, i have just learned that my parents have created another soup made from dates for karen and me. i wonder if our friends will help with that soup too...
I Suck At Funerals
yesterday, my son (braden michael) was finally laid to rest at the cemetery.
i suck at funerals. prior to yesterday, i had been fortunate enough to never attend a funeral. it is almost unfair that the first funeral i attend is for the burial of my son. although, i suppose conversely... having my son be my first at anything... even if it is a funeral... is somewhat comforting. after all, i had so many plans to experience my "firsts" with braden. (i even avoided changing any diapers because i wanted braden to be the one whose diaper i first changed.)
anyway, i could not have asked for a better day to bury my son, braden. mother nature was even kind enough to cooperate and provide sunny weather for the event. i know i have no frame of reference in comparing funeral services as this was my first, but i think the funeral services for braden were well done.
i, personally, was lucky enough to read a poem at the braden's service. it was a poem titled "god, take this child..." by nancy scott and the poem seemed to express how both karen and i felt with the passing of braden. for me, there is one line in the poem that sticks out in my head. the line goes: "we tried so hard to save you; nothing could be done." every time i read that line, i think of the neonatal intensive care unit at the hospital and all of their efforts for little braden.
it's unfortunate braden had to pass. based on the turnout at the service, braden would have met so many people in the world who cared so deeply about him. i know i don't say it enough... but thank you everyone. from the priest at st. ann's church, to the funeral service representative (barbara), to the cemetery committee representative (gertrude), to the neonatal intensive care unit who attended, to past and current coworkers, to all of our friends and family... thank you for making braden's service truly special.
i suck at funerals. prior to yesterday, i had been fortunate enough to never attend a funeral. it is almost unfair that the first funeral i attend is for the burial of my son. although, i suppose conversely... having my son be my first at anything... even if it is a funeral... is somewhat comforting. after all, i had so many plans to experience my "firsts" with braden. (i even avoided changing any diapers because i wanted braden to be the one whose diaper i first changed.)
anyway, i could not have asked for a better day to bury my son, braden. mother nature was even kind enough to cooperate and provide sunny weather for the event. i know i have no frame of reference in comparing funeral services as this was my first, but i think the funeral services for braden were well done.
i, personally, was lucky enough to read a poem at the braden's service. it was a poem titled "god, take this child..." by nancy scott and the poem seemed to express how both karen and i felt with the passing of braden. for me, there is one line in the poem that sticks out in my head. the line goes: "we tried so hard to save you; nothing could be done." every time i read that line, i think of the neonatal intensive care unit at the hospital and all of their efforts for little braden.
it's unfortunate braden had to pass. based on the turnout at the service, braden would have met so many people in the world who cared so deeply about him. i know i don't say it enough... but thank you everyone. from the priest at st. ann's church, to the funeral service representative (barbara), to the cemetery committee representative (gertrude), to the neonatal intensive care unit who attended, to past and current coworkers, to all of our friends and family... thank you for making braden's service truly special.
Thursday, September 18, 2008
I Suck At Donating My Car
it's painful enough to lose my son (braden). today, i lost the woman who has been with me for fourteen memorable years... my purple saturn.
okay, so the loss of my purple saturn is really not that bad in the grand scheme of things. i am just slightly attached to the car because it was the first car i ever purchased.
i was able to save enough money to buy my purple saturn when i was attending northeastern university. northeastern university had what is known as a "co-op" in which a student could get some hands on experience working in the real world in the field of their major. at the time, i was majoring in electrical engineering... yet somehow i managed to land a gig for draper laboratories doing computer programming. (and by computer programming, i mean writing silly episodic stories for my friends to pass the time away.)
needless to say, saturn was a relatively new car company at the time. they had a slogan of "a different kind of car. a different kind of company." naturally, the young impressionable student that i was... i drank their kool-aid from tennessee.
i had saved enough money to purchase a car from them. in retrospect, i probably should have used the funds to actually pay for school since i was paying for school by myself, but that is a different story. and thus, my relationship with my purple saturn began.
i had many memorable times in my purple saturn. i would drive everywhere in my car (back when gasoline was under a dollar). i loved my purple saturn. karen, unfortunately, did not share my enthusiasm for the car. karen used to think that the car did not like her because my purple saturn would occasionally drip rain water onto her from the skylight. it was quite amusing.
and yes... sometimes... i actually did talk to my car... those were good times.
sadly, my purple saturn has become a shell of its former self. the interior has become a mess. the engine hasn't been running well. the final straw came when the brakes finally went. as a result, my purple saturn has been sitting in the driveway... for numerous months... until now.
(pictured below is my purple saturn about to be towed away for good.)
yesterday, i had contacted a company in regards to donating my car. now, i suck at donating my car. i kept meaning to donate my car for awhile. i just never got around to doing so.
my original choice was to donate the car to a place for veterans. after all, they were the only place i knew about because they had advertised in the mail. the only other option i knew of was from my friend (hot amy). hot amy mentioned the elder affairs also accepted automobile donations. well... as much as i like to entertain the thought of old people driving my klunky car like a bat out of hell... i decided on neither of the above options.
instead, i chose to donate my purple saturn to the family care foundation. interestingly enough, the family care foundation is a christian organization. by no means am i religious. (i actually still have original sin depending on who you ask.) the family care foundation, however, is supposed to provide services for developing communities. their slogan is "caring for today... investing in tomorrow."
as i was looking to help families and their children, i thought the idea of the family care foundation was the closest. and yes, i thought about the march of dimes. unfortunately, i did not see anything on the march of dimes website allowing me to specifically donate a car to them. so... the family care foundation it is.
i only wish the family care foundation knew the donation was in braden's memory. unfortunately, it was not one of the options during the donation process. nonetheless, it is comforting for me to know that the donation of my purple saturn in braden's memory will help others who are less fortunate.
yay braden!
UPDATE:
as requested, here is a video of my purple saturn's last day of living in the driveway.
okay, so the loss of my purple saturn is really not that bad in the grand scheme of things. i am just slightly attached to the car because it was the first car i ever purchased.
i was able to save enough money to buy my purple saturn when i was attending northeastern university. northeastern university had what is known as a "co-op" in which a student could get some hands on experience working in the real world in the field of their major. at the time, i was majoring in electrical engineering... yet somehow i managed to land a gig for draper laboratories doing computer programming. (and by computer programming, i mean writing silly episodic stories for my friends to pass the time away.)
needless to say, saturn was a relatively new car company at the time. they had a slogan of "a different kind of car. a different kind of company." naturally, the young impressionable student that i was... i drank their kool-aid from tennessee.
i had saved enough money to purchase a car from them. in retrospect, i probably should have used the funds to actually pay for school since i was paying for school by myself, but that is a different story. and thus, my relationship with my purple saturn began.
i had many memorable times in my purple saturn. i would drive everywhere in my car (back when gasoline was under a dollar). i loved my purple saturn. karen, unfortunately, did not share my enthusiasm for the car. karen used to think that the car did not like her because my purple saturn would occasionally drip rain water onto her from the skylight. it was quite amusing.
and yes... sometimes... i actually did talk to my car... those were good times.
sadly, my purple saturn has become a shell of its former self. the interior has become a mess. the engine hasn't been running well. the final straw came when the brakes finally went. as a result, my purple saturn has been sitting in the driveway... for numerous months... until now.
(pictured below is my purple saturn about to be towed away for good.)
yesterday, i had contacted a company in regards to donating my car. now, i suck at donating my car. i kept meaning to donate my car for awhile. i just never got around to doing so.
my original choice was to donate the car to a place for veterans. after all, they were the only place i knew about because they had advertised in the mail. the only other option i knew of was from my friend (hot amy). hot amy mentioned the elder affairs also accepted automobile donations. well... as much as i like to entertain the thought of old people driving my klunky car like a bat out of hell... i decided on neither of the above options.
instead, i chose to donate my purple saturn to the family care foundation. interestingly enough, the family care foundation is a christian organization. by no means am i religious. (i actually still have original sin depending on who you ask.) the family care foundation, however, is supposed to provide services for developing communities. their slogan is "caring for today... investing in tomorrow."
as i was looking to help families and their children, i thought the idea of the family care foundation was the closest. and yes, i thought about the march of dimes. unfortunately, i did not see anything on the march of dimes website allowing me to specifically donate a car to them. so... the family care foundation it is.
i only wish the family care foundation knew the donation was in braden's memory. unfortunately, it was not one of the options during the donation process. nonetheless, it is comforting for me to know that the donation of my purple saturn in braden's memory will help others who are less fortunate.
yay braden!
UPDATE:
as requested, here is a video of my purple saturn's last day of living in the driveway.
Sunday, September 14, 2008
I Suck At Saying Thank You
the past several days have been a whirlwind... with the birth of my son (braden)... the hope for my son to survive... and then the unfortunate passing of my son.
neither karen nor i would have gotten through it all without the support of all of our family and friends. unfortunately, i suck at saying thank you.
i probably should start by saying happy belated birthday to my friend (marc). it was on his birthday that karen first entered the hospital. as marc was worried the entire day, i feel that we may have ruined his birthday. so i do apologize for that. i'm sure marc would say don't worry about it and that some things are more important. nonetheless, i feel bad that he did not get to enjoy his day.
it's actually comforting to know how many people there are to support you in times of need. you realize how many lives that your own has impacted... and that your relationships with each other are truly a special thing. it almost makes me want to give up my "instigating" ways... almost. (i generally reflect about the bond that friends and family have with me on a lesser scale during the holiday season when i get all sappy... but the gist of it is definitely true... relationships are important.)
needless to say, it is a very good feeling to know that so many people care about you. it almost makes you feel that you are doing something right in the world. of course, it could be karen whom everyone is supporting and i'm just the eye candy that goes along with her... support by association.
anyway, in the event that i forget to mention it in person... i wanted everyone to know that karen and i are very appreciative to have such family and friends who care so deeply for us. so thank you for everything. i understand that in reality there isn't any words to say to karen and i with the passing of braden... other than "sorry" and that is okay. we know that all of you are there to support us.
neither karen nor i would have gotten through it all without the support of all of our family and friends. unfortunately, i suck at saying thank you.
i probably should start by saying happy belated birthday to my friend (marc). it was on his birthday that karen first entered the hospital. as marc was worried the entire day, i feel that we may have ruined his birthday. so i do apologize for that. i'm sure marc would say don't worry about it and that some things are more important. nonetheless, i feel bad that he did not get to enjoy his day.
it's actually comforting to know how many people there are to support you in times of need. you realize how many lives that your own has impacted... and that your relationships with each other are truly a special thing. it almost makes me want to give up my "instigating" ways... almost. (i generally reflect about the bond that friends and family have with me on a lesser scale during the holiday season when i get all sappy... but the gist of it is definitely true... relationships are important.)
needless to say, it is a very good feeling to know that so many people care about you. it almost makes you feel that you are doing something right in the world. of course, it could be karen whom everyone is supporting and i'm just the eye candy that goes along with her... support by association.
anyway, in the event that i forget to mention it in person... i wanted everyone to know that karen and i are very appreciative to have such family and friends who care so deeply for us. so thank you for everything. i understand that in reality there isn't any words to say to karen and i with the passing of braden... other than "sorry" and that is okay. we know that all of you are there to support us.
Saturday, September 13, 2008
I Suck At Saying Goodbye
yesterday, the world lost a special person. that special person was my son... braden michael. it's unfortunate that the world never really got to know braden, because i am sure he would have brought a lot to this world.
after all, a psychic reading done for karen said braden would have been a crystal child. for those who don't know what the term means (like myself up until it was mentioned to me), crystal children "are extremely powerful children, whose main purpose is to take us to the next level in our evolution, and reveal to us our inner power and divinity" according to starchild. they are "angels in human form".
the psychic may have forgotten to mention the fact that braden would be extemely premature and pass in seven days, so take what you will from the psychic.
needless to say, i suck at saying goodbye to my son.
(pictured below is my little braden.)
here is where i turn into a soccer mom and talk incessantly about my child. the hospital staff had all agreed and told me that braden had daddy's looks. he had my nose... and a cute nose it was. (too bad i don't like my nose on my own face.) i love the nose on braden... just not on me. karen also thinks he had my chin. i sometimes wonder if little braden had my personality too because he was so laidback during karen's pregnancy. karen never had any problems with him when she was carrying him.
one of the things that i admire most about braden was his strength. with all the medical procedures and the poking and prodding done to him by the hospital staff, he kept on surviving. he was a fighter till the very end. i only wish his daddy could be as strong.
the medical staff went above and beyond in trying to help braden survive. unfortunately, braden just wasn't meant to come home with his mommy and daddy. as a parent, i keep asking the "why" question and the "what if" question. in my heart, i know these questions can never be answered. trying to find an answer would drive me to insanity.
after all, it's silly to think that i may have accidentally placed a curse on braden by referencing bruce lee. some people believe in "the curse of the dragon" which resulted in the mysterious death of bruce lee and his son. perhaps i unleashed this curse upon my little braden. it sounds ridiculous, but it's these types of thoughts that run through my head as i try to make sense of the reasons for my son's passing.
i will probably never know the reason. as cold as it sounds, i can only say that it simply was not meant to be and that everything happens for a reason. it definitely does not make me any happier.
at least i was lucky enough to hold braden before he finally passed. braden was so light. he grabbed a hold of mommy and daddy's finger with his tiny hand as if to say "be strong, i have to go now"... braden looked so peaceful as he passed. i can still remember the feeling of his soft skin as i kissed him goodbye.
it seems almost fitting that it rained the day my little braden passed. it's as though the angels above were shedding tears of joy that one of their own was coming home. my son... my angel... will now watch over mommy and daddy. as morbid as this will sound, i know i will be at peace when i, myself, some day pass because little braden will be there to hold my hand again.
thank you braden. as tough as these past days have been, i would never trade them in because i was blessed to be able to meet you... if only for seven days. i will forever love you braden... my little dragon.
after all, a psychic reading done for karen said braden would have been a crystal child. for those who don't know what the term means (like myself up until it was mentioned to me), crystal children "are extremely powerful children, whose main purpose is to take us to the next level in our evolution, and reveal to us our inner power and divinity" according to starchild. they are "angels in human form".
the psychic may have forgotten to mention the fact that braden would be extemely premature and pass in seven days, so take what you will from the psychic.
needless to say, i suck at saying goodbye to my son.
(pictured below is my little braden.)
here is where i turn into a soccer mom and talk incessantly about my child. the hospital staff had all agreed and told me that braden had daddy's looks. he had my nose... and a cute nose it was. (too bad i don't like my nose on my own face.) i love the nose on braden... just not on me. karen also thinks he had my chin. i sometimes wonder if little braden had my personality too because he was so laidback during karen's pregnancy. karen never had any problems with him when she was carrying him.
one of the things that i admire most about braden was his strength. with all the medical procedures and the poking and prodding done to him by the hospital staff, he kept on surviving. he was a fighter till the very end. i only wish his daddy could be as strong.
the medical staff went above and beyond in trying to help braden survive. unfortunately, braden just wasn't meant to come home with his mommy and daddy. as a parent, i keep asking the "why" question and the "what if" question. in my heart, i know these questions can never be answered. trying to find an answer would drive me to insanity.
after all, it's silly to think that i may have accidentally placed a curse on braden by referencing bruce lee. some people believe in "the curse of the dragon" which resulted in the mysterious death of bruce lee and his son. perhaps i unleashed this curse upon my little braden. it sounds ridiculous, but it's these types of thoughts that run through my head as i try to make sense of the reasons for my son's passing.
i will probably never know the reason. as cold as it sounds, i can only say that it simply was not meant to be and that everything happens for a reason. it definitely does not make me any happier.
at least i was lucky enough to hold braden before he finally passed. braden was so light. he grabbed a hold of mommy and daddy's finger with his tiny hand as if to say "be strong, i have to go now"... braden looked so peaceful as he passed. i can still remember the feeling of his soft skin as i kissed him goodbye.
it seems almost fitting that it rained the day my little braden passed. it's as though the angels above were shedding tears of joy that one of their own was coming home. my son... my angel... will now watch over mommy and daddy. as morbid as this will sound, i know i will be at peace when i, myself, some day pass because little braden will be there to hold my hand again.
thank you braden. as tough as these past days have been, i would never trade them in because i was blessed to be able to meet you... if only for seven days. i will forever love you braden... my little dragon.
Thursday, September 11, 2008
I Suck At Inserting A Central Line
today is a big day for my little dragon (braden).
braden was born extremely premature at 23 weeks. everything about him is underdeveloped. to help him survive, braden needs a central line inserted into him. unfortunately, i suck at inserting a central line. lucky for me (and braden), i personally don't have to perform the procedure.
for those who are curious... according to my friend, wikipedia:
"In medicine, a central venous catheter (CVC or central venous line or central venous access catheter) is a catheter placed into a large vein in the neck (internal jugular vein), chest (subclavian vein) or groin (femoral vein). It is used to administer medication or fluids, obtain blood tests (specifically the 'mixed venous oxygen saturation'), and directly obtain cardiovascular measurements such as the central venous pressure. Certain medications, such as inotropes and amiodarone, are preferably given through a central line."
yes, i know... it's the same quote i used in my previous post. i'm just too exhausted right now to look for a new quote. the doctors cannot keep infusing little braden through the umbilical chord because of inevitable infection and the risk to his liver. so, i am hoping that the doctors today can successfully insert the central line into braden.
performing the procedure today is a surgeon from children's hospital. he has a very greek sounding name, but goes by "gus". i have no idea why he goes by "gus" because there is no "gus" in his greek name. incidentally, the staff here at the hospital does not know why he goes by "gus" either.
anyway, gus will be doing a cutdown to insert the central line, which according to the american pediatric surgical association is when "an incision is made in the skin and the catheter is placed directly through a hole, or incision, made in the vein. Veins often used for a 'cutdown' include the facial, external jugular, cephalic, or saphenous veins."
i hope the very best for braden... and i must say... it is quite nerve wracking waiting for the procedure to finish.
UPDATE:
unfortunately, gus was not able to insert the central line into braden because braden's veins are simply too small. my little dragon is out of options for a central line. without a central line, he will die.
the current option being discussed now is surgery to which braden will most likely not survive. even if braden does survive, he still has a whole list of other things that need to happen for him to live.
needless to say, karen and i are not doing too well. i keep hoping for that miracle to save my little boy from all of this. as a parent, it pains me to not be able to do anything for my son. i can only sit and watch the events unfold... hoping that all those dreams that had for my little braden can still come true.
it's extremely heartbreaking to even have to think about the possibilities of braden not making it. and as geeky as this sounds... the quote by theoden from the lord of the rings is so true. "no parent should have to bury their child."
i'm not at that stage yet. i still remain hopeful. unfortunately, i fear time is running out.
braden was born extremely premature at 23 weeks. everything about him is underdeveloped. to help him survive, braden needs a central line inserted into him. unfortunately, i suck at inserting a central line. lucky for me (and braden), i personally don't have to perform the procedure.
for those who are curious... according to my friend, wikipedia:
"In medicine, a central venous catheter (CVC or central venous line or central venous access catheter) is a catheter placed into a large vein in the neck (internal jugular vein), chest (subclavian vein) or groin (femoral vein). It is used to administer medication or fluids, obtain blood tests (specifically the 'mixed venous oxygen saturation'), and directly obtain cardiovascular measurements such as the central venous pressure. Certain medications, such as inotropes and amiodarone, are preferably given through a central line."
yes, i know... it's the same quote i used in my previous post. i'm just too exhausted right now to look for a new quote. the doctors cannot keep infusing little braden through the umbilical chord because of inevitable infection and the risk to his liver. so, i am hoping that the doctors today can successfully insert the central line into braden.
performing the procedure today is a surgeon from children's hospital. he has a very greek sounding name, but goes by "gus". i have no idea why he goes by "gus" because there is no "gus" in his greek name. incidentally, the staff here at the hospital does not know why he goes by "gus" either.
anyway, gus will be doing a cutdown to insert the central line, which according to the american pediatric surgical association is when "an incision is made in the skin and the catheter is placed directly through a hole, or incision, made in the vein. Veins often used for a 'cutdown' include the facial, external jugular, cephalic, or saphenous veins."
i hope the very best for braden... and i must say... it is quite nerve wracking waiting for the procedure to finish.
UPDATE:
unfortunately, gus was not able to insert the central line into braden because braden's veins are simply too small. my little dragon is out of options for a central line. without a central line, he will die.
the current option being discussed now is surgery to which braden will most likely not survive. even if braden does survive, he still has a whole list of other things that need to happen for him to live.
needless to say, karen and i are not doing too well. i keep hoping for that miracle to save my little boy from all of this. as a parent, it pains me to not be able to do anything for my son. i can only sit and watch the events unfold... hoping that all those dreams that had for my little braden can still come true.
it's extremely heartbreaking to even have to think about the possibilities of braden not making it. and as geeky as this sounds... the quote by theoden from the lord of the rings is so true. "no parent should have to bury their child."
i'm not at that stage yet. i still remain hopeful. unfortunately, i fear time is running out.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
I Suck At Being There For My Son
it's day 5 of life, as the doctors say.
my son (braden) was born extremely premature at 23 weeks. for those who are not good at math, that's about four months early. he is currently in the neonatal intensive care unit in critical condition trying to survive.
needless to say, karen and i have been a mess lately. we have recently started a routine whereby we visit braden in the early morning and late at night. in between those times, i have been attempting to work at my job. it pains me to leave braden after our early morning visit. it is simply unfortunate that i suck at being there for my son. in reality, i probably could spend all day at the intensive care unit because my boss is understanding and would cover for me. as i had just started at this company, i don't have any vacation time or sick time... or any of that. i also, however, don't want to get my boss in any trouble for covering for me. so, i am attempting to work... however little it is that i have been doing right now because i am constantly distracted by the well being of braden.
anyway, as i am currently composed and not a blubbering puddle of tears yet, i figured i'd write about my son. yes, i fear that i am turning into that soccer mom who only talks about their child... so, i apologize. i never wanted to become a soccer mom. i figured, for those reading this blog, however, that some of you may want to know how things were going with my little dragon (braden).
due to the extreme premature birth, braden has many things that are underdeveloped. again, he is a fighter and has survived the first 24 hours where most extremely premature babies of his gestation period do not. (yay braden!)
currently, the main problems he is facing (and there will be many of them) are the following:
the need for a central line;
the pda needs to close;
and bleeding in his brain;
the central line is the most important problem right now. according to my friend, wikipedia:
"In medicine, a central venous catheter (CVC or central venous line or central venous access catheter) is a catheter placed into a large vein in the neck (internal jugular vein), chest (subclavian vein) or groin (femoral vein). It is used to administer medication or fluids, obtain blood tests (specifically the "mixed venous oxygen saturation"), and directly obtain cardiovascular measurements such as the central venous pressure. Certain medications, such as inotropes and amiodarone, are preferably given through a central line."
basically, the central line is his life. braden needs it in place so that he can be given certain medications and fluids. as of right now, the doctors have been unable to put one into braden because his veins are simply too small. so braden has been... maintaining.
in regards to the pda... according to the national heart lung and blood institute, in patent ductus arteriosus (pda):
"there is an abnormal circulation of blood between two of the major arteries near the heart. Before birth, the two major arteries—the aorta and the pulmonary artery—are normally connected by a blood vessel called the ductus arteriosus, which is an essential part of the fetal circulation. After birth, the vessel is supposed to close within a few days as part of the normal changes occurring in the baby's circulation. In some babies, however, the ductus arteriosus remains open (patent). This opening allows blood to flow directly from the aorta into the pulmonary artery, which can put a strain on the heart and increase the blood pressure in the lung arteries."
as of right now, there is a 2mm hole that is problematic for braden. the doctors are attempting to treat the problem with drugs in hopes that the hole will close. treatment consists of 3 doses (which make up 1 course) of a particular drug that obviously has health risks. braden is currently in dose 2 of the second course (with a maximum of 3 courses).
lastly, the doctors are concerned with bleeding in braden's brain. it probably goes without saying that any hemorrhaging in the brain is never good. braden has had numerous ultrasounds of his head. unfortunately, something abnormal and inconclusive was detected. the doctors are going to likewise monitor that to see if what they discovered spreads or not. the good news is... the abnormality is not where they would expect premature babies to hemorrhage. the bad news is... it could still be a hemorrhage of some type.
the only other thing that is new for my little braden... is that he has a new hat. he is now tres chic with his little blue hat. i am guessing he is the rave among all the neonatal intensive care unit babies.
(pictured below is braden with his stylish blue hat.)
keep up the good work braden! mommy and daddy love you! i wish i could be there with you.
my son (braden) was born extremely premature at 23 weeks. for those who are not good at math, that's about four months early. he is currently in the neonatal intensive care unit in critical condition trying to survive.
needless to say, karen and i have been a mess lately. we have recently started a routine whereby we visit braden in the early morning and late at night. in between those times, i have been attempting to work at my job. it pains me to leave braden after our early morning visit. it is simply unfortunate that i suck at being there for my son. in reality, i probably could spend all day at the intensive care unit because my boss is understanding and would cover for me. as i had just started at this company, i don't have any vacation time or sick time... or any of that. i also, however, don't want to get my boss in any trouble for covering for me. so, i am attempting to work... however little it is that i have been doing right now because i am constantly distracted by the well being of braden.
anyway, as i am currently composed and not a blubbering puddle of tears yet, i figured i'd write about my son. yes, i fear that i am turning into that soccer mom who only talks about their child... so, i apologize. i never wanted to become a soccer mom. i figured, for those reading this blog, however, that some of you may want to know how things were going with my little dragon (braden).
due to the extreme premature birth, braden has many things that are underdeveloped. again, he is a fighter and has survived the first 24 hours where most extremely premature babies of his gestation period do not. (yay braden!)
currently, the main problems he is facing (and there will be many of them) are the following:
the need for a central line;
the pda needs to close;
and bleeding in his brain;
the central line is the most important problem right now. according to my friend, wikipedia:
"In medicine, a central venous catheter (CVC or central venous line or central venous access catheter) is a catheter placed into a large vein in the neck (internal jugular vein), chest (subclavian vein) or groin (femoral vein). It is used to administer medication or fluids, obtain blood tests (specifically the "mixed venous oxygen saturation"), and directly obtain cardiovascular measurements such as the central venous pressure. Certain medications, such as inotropes and amiodarone, are preferably given through a central line."
basically, the central line is his life. braden needs it in place so that he can be given certain medications and fluids. as of right now, the doctors have been unable to put one into braden because his veins are simply too small. so braden has been... maintaining.
in regards to the pda... according to the national heart lung and blood institute, in patent ductus arteriosus (pda):
"there is an abnormal circulation of blood between two of the major arteries near the heart. Before birth, the two major arteries—the aorta and the pulmonary artery—are normally connected by a blood vessel called the ductus arteriosus, which is an essential part of the fetal circulation. After birth, the vessel is supposed to close within a few days as part of the normal changes occurring in the baby's circulation. In some babies, however, the ductus arteriosus remains open (patent). This opening allows blood to flow directly from the aorta into the pulmonary artery, which can put a strain on the heart and increase the blood pressure in the lung arteries."
as of right now, there is a 2mm hole that is problematic for braden. the doctors are attempting to treat the problem with drugs in hopes that the hole will close. treatment consists of 3 doses (which make up 1 course) of a particular drug that obviously has health risks. braden is currently in dose 2 of the second course (with a maximum of 3 courses).
lastly, the doctors are concerned with bleeding in braden's brain. it probably goes without saying that any hemorrhaging in the brain is never good. braden has had numerous ultrasounds of his head. unfortunately, something abnormal and inconclusive was detected. the doctors are going to likewise monitor that to see if what they discovered spreads or not. the good news is... the abnormality is not where they would expect premature babies to hemorrhage. the bad news is... it could still be a hemorrhage of some type.
the only other thing that is new for my little braden... is that he has a new hat. he is now tres chic with his little blue hat. i am guessing he is the rave among all the neonatal intensive care unit babies.
(pictured below is braden with his stylish blue hat.)
keep up the good work braden! mommy and daddy love you! i wish i could be there with you.
Monday, September 8, 2008
I Suck At Crying
it's amazing how things can change in the blink of an eye... much like tom brady's football season (it's the curse of gisele bundchen). last week, i was planning on writing a blog post about buffy the vampire slayer and how awesome the three episodes that i watched with my friends (marc and kelley) were. i was definitely not expecting what would actually happen on that thursday.
i had originally thought about titling this post "i suck at blogging" because i did not post anything for some time. in fact, i actually debated on whether i would write something about what has happened in the past several days. in the end, i thought that it would be more beneficial for me to get my emotions out and write something.
anyway, for those who know me... i am generally stone cold. i have ice in my veins, which comes in very handy when i attempt to "instigate" things or say unfiltered thoughts. i would sometimes look at karen and shake my head when she would be crying during a sappy movie. so needless to say, i suck at crying... until now.
if i were to ever complete another myspace survey asking about the last time i cried... i'd definitely know the answer to that. i don't think i have ever cried more during a 5 day period.
on thursday, karen and i went to the hospital because karen was not feeling quite right with her pregnancy. as it turned out, we were surprised to discover that our baby wanted to arrive early. the problem... our baby was only 22 weeks 6 days old, which would be classified as extremely premature. when the doctors tell you that extremely premature babies hardly survive the first 24 hours, sadness just hits you in the gut. needless to say, you get a little teary eyed.
the doctors did what they could to delay the arrival of our baby. after what had looked promising in their attempts, karen started to get major contractions. when karen looked at me with tears in her eyes saying how scared she was, i simply lost it because i knew deep down... i felt the same way. with tears of my own, i grabbed a hold of her hands and told her that we'd get through it.
and karen did. she was amazingly strong. she gave birth to our son (braden michael).
(the video below is of our little braden in the intensive care unit.)
anyway, since the birth of braden, it has been an up and down rollercoaster ride. there are times when things look good for him. there are times when things look not-so-good for him. the ride definitely takes its toll. whether its the lack of sleep, the situation, whatever... i get all choked up now at the flick of a switch. but, like karen, i am trying to remain strong.
braden... he's a fighter. as of this post, he has defied the odds and survived for 78 hours. i'm so proud of him. i am hoping there will be many more hours because i want to hold my son and tell him everything will be okay.
i had originally thought about titling this post "i suck at blogging" because i did not post anything for some time. in fact, i actually debated on whether i would write something about what has happened in the past several days. in the end, i thought that it would be more beneficial for me to get my emotions out and write something.
anyway, for those who know me... i am generally stone cold. i have ice in my veins, which comes in very handy when i attempt to "instigate" things or say unfiltered thoughts. i would sometimes look at karen and shake my head when she would be crying during a sappy movie. so needless to say, i suck at crying... until now.
if i were to ever complete another myspace survey asking about the last time i cried... i'd definitely know the answer to that. i don't think i have ever cried more during a 5 day period.
on thursday, karen and i went to the hospital because karen was not feeling quite right with her pregnancy. as it turned out, we were surprised to discover that our baby wanted to arrive early. the problem... our baby was only 22 weeks 6 days old, which would be classified as extremely premature. when the doctors tell you that extremely premature babies hardly survive the first 24 hours, sadness just hits you in the gut. needless to say, you get a little teary eyed.
the doctors did what they could to delay the arrival of our baby. after what had looked promising in their attempts, karen started to get major contractions. when karen looked at me with tears in her eyes saying how scared she was, i simply lost it because i knew deep down... i felt the same way. with tears of my own, i grabbed a hold of her hands and told her that we'd get through it.
and karen did. she was amazingly strong. she gave birth to our son (braden michael).
(the video below is of our little braden in the intensive care unit.)
anyway, since the birth of braden, it has been an up and down rollercoaster ride. there are times when things look good for him. there are times when things look not-so-good for him. the ride definitely takes its toll. whether its the lack of sleep, the situation, whatever... i get all choked up now at the flick of a switch. but, like karen, i am trying to remain strong.
braden... he's a fighter. as of this post, he has defied the odds and survived for 78 hours. i'm so proud of him. i am hoping there will be many more hours because i want to hold my son and tell him everything will be okay.
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
I Suck At 90210
tonight was the debut of one of the best shows from the 90s... 90210... the next generation.
now, i suck at 90210. growing up, i used to watch 90210 all the time. i even watched melrose place too, but that's another subject altogether. what can i say? i watched a lot of television growing up.
unfortunately, like most teenage tv shows... the show generally goes downhill after the teens graduate from high school... and 90210 was no different. truth be told, i'm surprised the show lasted as long as it did (10 years).
anyway, tonight was the debut of the next generation of 90210 teens... with some of the stars from the original series. might i add... what happened to kelly taylor?!? she (jennie garth) apparently has put on some weight. what happened with dancing with the stars? dancing the salsa didn't whip her into shape? say it isn't so! (for anyone curious... kelly taylor... was my favorite from the original 90210. it may be due to the fact that she was... hot... and blonde.)
regardless, the 2 hour debut was interesting to say the least. karen and i were quite excited to watch the show. we got all ready... sitting in our comfy chairs... bowl of ice cream in hand... watching the show on the new television. without spoiling things for people who have not watched the show yet, neither karen nor i were too impressed with the show. although, might i ask, where were all of these good looking women when i was growing up and attending high school? so unfair... west beverly high is so lucky. even their parents are good looking!
(the video below is the trailer to the new 90210.)
oh well. i haven't decided yet if i'll continue watching the show or not. this next generation of 90210 is just not the same. although perhaps, the original 90210 could have been just as cheesy with the whole "donna martin graduates!" and i just didn't realize it at the time because i was in high school.
maybe the new 90210 should bring back emily valentine...
now, i suck at 90210. growing up, i used to watch 90210 all the time. i even watched melrose place too, but that's another subject altogether. what can i say? i watched a lot of television growing up.
unfortunately, like most teenage tv shows... the show generally goes downhill after the teens graduate from high school... and 90210 was no different. truth be told, i'm surprised the show lasted as long as it did (10 years).
anyway, tonight was the debut of the next generation of 90210 teens... with some of the stars from the original series. might i add... what happened to kelly taylor?!? she (jennie garth) apparently has put on some weight. what happened with dancing with the stars? dancing the salsa didn't whip her into shape? say it isn't so! (for anyone curious... kelly taylor... was my favorite from the original 90210. it may be due to the fact that she was... hot... and blonde.)
regardless, the 2 hour debut was interesting to say the least. karen and i were quite excited to watch the show. we got all ready... sitting in our comfy chairs... bowl of ice cream in hand... watching the show on the new television. without spoiling things for people who have not watched the show yet, neither karen nor i were too impressed with the show. although, might i ask, where were all of these good looking women when i was growing up and attending high school? so unfair... west beverly high is so lucky. even their parents are good looking!
(the video below is the trailer to the new 90210.)
oh well. i haven't decided yet if i'll continue watching the show or not. this next generation of 90210 is just not the same. although perhaps, the original 90210 could have been just as cheesy with the whole "donna martin graduates!" and i just didn't realize it at the time because i was in high school.
maybe the new 90210 should bring back emily valentine...
I Suck At Lime Rickey's Beach Food
today, my bff (kerry) asked if i wanted to do lunch.
kerry is off this entire week. as she had some free time today (and since because she was in neighboring salem), she thought it would be a good idea to grab a bite to eat together.
we decided to grab lunch at lime rickey's beach food in marblehead. now, i suck at lime rickey's beach food. i have never been to lime rickey's. i had heard of the place from the phantom gourmet one day when i was flipping channels (because i don't normally watch the phantom gourmet). in fact, the only reason the phantom gourmet caught my attention (aside from the food of course) was that it had mentioned the town of marblehead which is where i work.
the phantom gourmet gave lime rickey's a favorable review, so i had suggested it to kerry. i actually drive by lime rickey's whenever i commute to work. i pass by the swampscott location in the morning. there are only two lime rickey's locations and the marblehead location is... well... supposedly the fancier one because it resides on what is referred to as "the neck" in marblehead. "the neck" in marblehead is the fancier side of marblehead with the big huge houses. apparently, i just work in the 'hood of marblehead.
anyway, kerry picked me up at my company. she could probably tell you... getting to my place of employment... very convoluted and difficult. but she was able to find it. so we headed off to devereaux beach, which is where the marblehead location of lime rickey's is.
(pictured below is kerry during our lunch.)
i will agree with the phantom gourmet. the food was pretty good. i had a fried fish sandwich and a raspberry lime rickey. (cue rachael ray's "yum-o" sound.) i had to have the lime rickey... because that's their name... and that's what they are supposed to be good at making. truth be told, i would have preferred if the cup were larger with less ice... but it was good nonetheless. (while i'm at it, i probably would have preferred the tuna melt too, which was my original choice for lunch. unfortunately, they were out of tuna today.) all in all, the food was good. i would even say that the fish sandwich was better than king's in salem.
in addition to the good food, the weather was great... it was a perfect day to spend at the beach. the only problem... devereaux beach... not too clean. kerry was a little horrified, to say the least, at the amount of litter on the beach. apparently, marblehead "neck"ers should spend less time necking... and more time cleaning... although i suppose if i were given the choice, i'd probably choose necking too.
litter aside, i had a great time with my bff. i'd love to do lunch again with kerry.
kerry is off this entire week. as she had some free time today (and since because she was in neighboring salem), she thought it would be a good idea to grab a bite to eat together.
we decided to grab lunch at lime rickey's beach food in marblehead. now, i suck at lime rickey's beach food. i have never been to lime rickey's. i had heard of the place from the phantom gourmet one day when i was flipping channels (because i don't normally watch the phantom gourmet). in fact, the only reason the phantom gourmet caught my attention (aside from the food of course) was that it had mentioned the town of marblehead which is where i work.
the phantom gourmet gave lime rickey's a favorable review, so i had suggested it to kerry. i actually drive by lime rickey's whenever i commute to work. i pass by the swampscott location in the morning. there are only two lime rickey's locations and the marblehead location is... well... supposedly the fancier one because it resides on what is referred to as "the neck" in marblehead. "the neck" in marblehead is the fancier side of marblehead with the big huge houses. apparently, i just work in the 'hood of marblehead.
anyway, kerry picked me up at my company. she could probably tell you... getting to my place of employment... very convoluted and difficult. but she was able to find it. so we headed off to devereaux beach, which is where the marblehead location of lime rickey's is.
(pictured below is kerry during our lunch.)
i will agree with the phantom gourmet. the food was pretty good. i had a fried fish sandwich and a raspberry lime rickey. (cue rachael ray's "yum-o" sound.) i had to have the lime rickey... because that's their name... and that's what they are supposed to be good at making. truth be told, i would have preferred if the cup were larger with less ice... but it was good nonetheless. (while i'm at it, i probably would have preferred the tuna melt too, which was my original choice for lunch. unfortunately, they were out of tuna today.) all in all, the food was good. i would even say that the fish sandwich was better than king's in salem.
in addition to the good food, the weather was great... it was a perfect day to spend at the beach. the only problem... devereaux beach... not too clean. kerry was a little horrified, to say the least, at the amount of litter on the beach. apparently, marblehead "neck"ers should spend less time necking... and more time cleaning... although i suppose if i were given the choice, i'd probably choose necking too.
litter aside, i had a great time with my bff. i'd love to do lunch again with kerry.
I Suck At Registering
as yesterday was labor day, i found it fitting that i should do some... laboring.
so, karen and i (during my little break from working on the house), decided to register for baby stuff at our second store to give our friends options... should they want to get us things for the minion, baby bruce... the little dragon.
now, i suck at registering. karen and i decided to go to target for our second baby registry (registry id: 014217300000034).
as it turns out, target... is more like a winnie the pooh registry. it seemed like everything that we had registered for at target was somehow a winnie the pooh related item. i sure hope the little dragon likes winnie the pooh. if not, i'm sure karen wouldn't mind using the items for our bedroom.
anyway, i am having fun with this registering thing. i always thought it was a little odd asking people to buy stuff for us. i felt the same way for the wedding registry. i do realize that these important life events are quite expensive for a single couple to do on their own... and i do appreciate everyone for all of their help. so before i forget... thank you in advance.
if target or babies 'r us sold cars, i'd scan a toyota prius... baby needs a new car. just kidding. actually, now that my friend (hot amy) drives a prius... i'm afraid i'll have to find a new dream car. i don't want to be a copycat... even though i wanted the prius way before she ever did. but i guess it's a good thing you can't scan a prius... i think i just like playing around with the scanner and shooting bar codes... as lame as that sounds.
needless to say, our baby registry still needs some work. karen and i only managed to scan a few things... there's only so much time in a given day... but at least we now have two registries for everyone.
so, karen and i (during my little break from working on the house), decided to register for baby stuff at our second store to give our friends options... should they want to get us things for the minion, baby bruce... the little dragon.
now, i suck at registering. karen and i decided to go to target for our second baby registry (registry id: 014217300000034).
as it turns out, target... is more like a winnie the pooh registry. it seemed like everything that we had registered for at target was somehow a winnie the pooh related item. i sure hope the little dragon likes winnie the pooh. if not, i'm sure karen wouldn't mind using the items for our bedroom.
anyway, i am having fun with this registering thing. i always thought it was a little odd asking people to buy stuff for us. i felt the same way for the wedding registry. i do realize that these important life events are quite expensive for a single couple to do on their own... and i do appreciate everyone for all of their help. so before i forget... thank you in advance.
if target or babies 'r us sold cars, i'd scan a toyota prius... baby needs a new car. just kidding. actually, now that my friend (hot amy) drives a prius... i'm afraid i'll have to find a new dream car. i don't want to be a copycat... even though i wanted the prius way before she ever did. but i guess it's a good thing you can't scan a prius... i think i just like playing around with the scanner and shooting bar codes... as lame as that sounds.
needless to say, our baby registry still needs some work. karen and i only managed to scan a few things... there's only so much time in a given day... but at least we now have two registries for everyone.
I Suck At The Omelet Factory
as yesterday was a holiday (labor day), karen and i wanted to do something productive. "something productive" generally translates to working on the house. in this particular case, working on the house involved adding trim around the windows on the second floor... we have a lot of windows.
so, we headed off to my favorite home improvement store (lowes) in pembroke for some molding. on the way back home, we passed the omelet factory, which is a restaurant that serves breakfast and lunch items... mainly omelets. now, i suck at the omelet factory. karen and i had heard about the omelet factory through a participant at the ymca a long time ago. the participant recommended the place to us as the restaurant was down our neck of the woods in norwell.
anyway, karen and i have never gone to the omelet factory... until now. in our defense, we generally don't go out for breakfast. i prefer the comfort of my blanket and my comfy bed. it just so happens that yesterday, we were out and about... and we happened to pass by the omelet factory. so, we decided to give it a try.
the omelet factory is located near the intersection of route 53 and schoosett street. (the place is actually on schoosett street.) in the parking lot, there are signs for the "omelet factory", "bon appetit" and some hair salon. there is, however, only one building. naturally, you would think that there are three separate businesses in that one building.
well, karen and i circled around the building. we found "bon appetit" and the nail salon. confused, we circled around back. out back, there was a sign for the omelet factory with its hours posted. the back doors near the signs did not have any handles on them. karen was able to pry them open... only to reveal the kitchen area of the restaurant. oops.
anyway, we then circled back around to the front. it was good to know we weren't the only ones confused by the omelet factory. another couple in the parking lot had also been circling around the building looking for the elusive omelet factory. they were equally stumped.
needless to say, all of us (karen and i, and the random couple) decided to just walk into "bon appetit". lo and behold... it turns out... bon appetit was the omelet factory.
the omelet factory was not what i expected at all. i was expecting to see a diner or something... or some antiquated restaurant look. it was actually very nice inside, even if it did have the old mom and pop restaurant feel to it. the food was quite delicious as well. i had an asparagus and cheese omelet (cue the rachael ray "yum-o" sound) that came with toast and red potatoes. yum yum stinky pee!
all in all, i enjoyed the omelet factory. and it was a good thing that we went when we did because the place started to get busy...
so, we headed off to my favorite home improvement store (lowes) in pembroke for some molding. on the way back home, we passed the omelet factory, which is a restaurant that serves breakfast and lunch items... mainly omelets. now, i suck at the omelet factory. karen and i had heard about the omelet factory through a participant at the ymca a long time ago. the participant recommended the place to us as the restaurant was down our neck of the woods in norwell.
anyway, karen and i have never gone to the omelet factory... until now. in our defense, we generally don't go out for breakfast. i prefer the comfort of my blanket and my comfy bed. it just so happens that yesterday, we were out and about... and we happened to pass by the omelet factory. so, we decided to give it a try.
the omelet factory is located near the intersection of route 53 and schoosett street. (the place is actually on schoosett street.) in the parking lot, there are signs for the "omelet factory", "bon appetit" and some hair salon. there is, however, only one building. naturally, you would think that there are three separate businesses in that one building.
well, karen and i circled around the building. we found "bon appetit" and the nail salon. confused, we circled around back. out back, there was a sign for the omelet factory with its hours posted. the back doors near the signs did not have any handles on them. karen was able to pry them open... only to reveal the kitchen area of the restaurant. oops.
anyway, we then circled back around to the front. it was good to know we weren't the only ones confused by the omelet factory. another couple in the parking lot had also been circling around the building looking for the elusive omelet factory. they were equally stumped.
needless to say, all of us (karen and i, and the random couple) decided to just walk into "bon appetit". lo and behold... it turns out... bon appetit was the omelet factory.
the omelet factory was not what i expected at all. i was expecting to see a diner or something... or some antiquated restaurant look. it was actually very nice inside, even if it did have the old mom and pop restaurant feel to it. the food was quite delicious as well. i had an asparagus and cheese omelet (cue the rachael ray "yum-o" sound) that came with toast and red potatoes. yum yum stinky pee!
all in all, i enjoyed the omelet factory. and it was a good thing that we went when we did because the place started to get busy...
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