Sunday, April 28, 2019

Pitt Jam

The team went 1-2 over the weekend but took the last game to double overtime before losing by 2. Sam had some good games with double digit point totals in all three contests.

New Sweatshirt

He's getting around pretty well on the crutches. He rode for 15 minutes today and will not need them soon.

Saturday, April 27, 2019

First Ride

The boy got on the bike for the first time since surgery and got things going really well for 11 minutes. He was aiming for 5 minutes but felt good and kept going. He stopped at 11 because we didn't want to over do it. The new rugby season starts in 6 months. Let's go.

Snug

It took momma and Sam about 5 hours to get to Pittsburgh yesterday but a little down time was in order before Sam abandoned Nicole to hit the town with his basketball buddies. They won this mornings game by 46. They play again at 5:30.

Friday, April 26, 2019

Four days

Dylan was back in school this morning and had a great day showing everyone his new knee brace and crutching skills. He had some but not a ton of pain over the last four days and was able to visit his teammates at practice last night. He has a long rehab process in front of him, but has an extremely positive attitude towards the whole thing. I think I'm going to get him on the bike tomorrow for a short time. One step at a time.

We are hanging out together at home this weekend while Nicole and Sam head to Pittsburgh for the Pitt Jam basketball tournament. They will be back as soon as the team loses or wins the whole thing.

Monday, April 22, 2019

Pre Op

Surgery went well today with the ACL being replaced with a piece of his hamstring and the torn meniscus being removed. The doctor determined the meniscus was too badly torn to save but he won't notice it's missing until he's much older. My left knee was miniscusless since 1981, now I have a new left knee.

He had a hard start with the epidural part of the procedure but was all hugs when he woke up. He must have hugged the nurse a dozen times in recovery. We got him home by about 1pm and he slept most of the day. We still seem to be in front of the pain but we will see how the night goes. He can start putting weight on it as soon as he feels ready.

Vacation End



Sam and I got back from LA late Saturday night and all four of us were all together again. Everyone had a fun spring break and Sam is back in school this morning while Nicole and I wait for Dylan to emerge from Knee surgery. He was a little weepy during the prep but I'm sure he will be all dopey when he wakes up.

Friday, April 19, 2019

Day on the beach

Yesterday was a great beach day. Today, not so much.

Thursday, April 18, 2019

Dodgers

I was trying to get the field in the shot but the camera didn't like the light differential. The picture turned out pretty well anyway and the Dodgers won.

Wednesday, April 17, 2019

Last night in Ireland

A wee beer in a Dublin pub.

Wide Open

The west coast of Ireland kinda looks like Scotland.

Whiskey

Dylan is scoping out the best whiskey bars in Kilkenny for my next trip to Ireland.

Hurling

One of the fun things Dylan was able to participate in while being an injured rugby player on the team trip to Ireland was hurling. It's an ancient Gaelic sport that looks like fun. Dylan protected his knee and played goalie (wearing yellow and black jersey) and Nicole ran the field (light blue top, five Peale from the left). They were instructed by someone from the local Kilkenny hurling club.

Scooter

Sam hit three straight shots at the basketball carnival game and won a stuff animal. He had to put it under his shirt to be able to Uber scooter home from the Santa Monica pier. He's posing for me in front of the outside wall of a rock club near our apartment.

The Pier

We ran into the Woods family from home on the Santa Monica Pier last night. While we knew they were in LA, it was totally random to find them at the basketball carnival game.

Hollywood

At the Griffin Observatory after an early flight west.

Sunday, April 14, 2019

Spooky Nook

Team Pro Look won 2 and lost 1 before we had to head home. Spooky Nook sports complex is a huge space with 30 basketball courts and other spaces like indoor football and baseball fields. We are packing for LA now.

Connemara

Rugby brothers visiting the wind swept western coast of Ireland.

Chaperones behaving badly

Nicole and her roommate making sure the kids stay out of trouble at a rugby match in Galway.

Friday, April 12, 2019

Dinner in Galway

Dinner with Dylan's rugby mentor in Galway to start the tour. Nathaniel has been great and taught Dylan much about this sport. He will be missed when he goes off to college next year.

Thursday, April 11, 2019

Away



Sent from my iPhoneWe all realized that the boys had never been apart for more than 4 days since the beginning of life when Sam escaped the hospital a few weeks before Dylan. Dylan left for Ireland this morning with Nicole and while they will be back in 7 days, Sam and I will be in LA until a week from Saturday. That's about 10 days apart. They will miss each other.

Friday, April 05, 2019

Knee

Based on this MRI image, Dylan officially has a torn ACL. It was a rough day and a half coming to grips with the whole thing but we are on track to begin the process of returning to the sport he loves on April 25th. It will be a tough journey but Dylan feels up to the task and ready to get better than ever. I remember my own battle with the knee when I was a teenager and I know that if he wants it, he will come back stronger. Nicole, Sam and I are going to help him with each step and get him back on the field.

Wednesday, April 03, 2019

Dreaded Door



Sent from my iPhoneDylan is getting an MRI done of his right knee. We are hoping it will show an intact ACL. My metal knee needs to stay out of that room.

Monday, April 01, 2019

Loaders

Sam and some of his basketball comrades spent the day schlepping bags of mulch and delivering them to yards all over town on Saturday. It was the annual All Night Grad Party mulch sale. Nicole is the treasurer and she and Sam spent eight a half hours volunteering. Dylan was home nursing his knee but he did the same thing last year. I'm in Florida at a meeting and missed out. Darn.