We spent a long weekend on a trip to New York City with Karl and Nancy. It's become a tradition to go on St. Patrick's Day weekend since all four of us went that weekend 3 years ago for Southern Beauty Magazine's launch party. The trip was planned before trauma took over our lives, but we decided to go anyway as a pre-anniversary trip so we could have some down time together before facing the long surgery and recovery road with Parrish.
This picture was taken right after we went to see The Million Dollar Quartet on Broadway. It was very good-those guys can sing! We loved that the theatre was small and that there was no intermission. It was only about 1.5 hours long, so we were able to beat the post-theatre rush to dinner.
Cannon and I spent $30 on a cab ride trying to catch the last ferry of the day to the Statue of Liberty only to find out when we got there that I had looked up the summer hours and in the spring they close at 3:30, not 4:30. Oops! We took this token picture with Lady Liberty in the background so it wasn't a total bust and then hopped on the subway back uptown to do the Union Square Market and go to ABC Home. Earlier that day I dragged the whole crew to several flea markets looking for smalls for my Olivia Charles booth. I found a few things at the Hell's Kitchen Flea Market, but struck out majorly at the other two stops. Let's just say it was more BAD junk than GOOD. Nancy, Karl and Cannon were super good sports, but they did laugh about my wild goose chase the rest of the trip.
Nanc and I in Times Square. We got both got the cute sweatshirt jacket Nancy's wearing at Billy Reid earlier that day-it was on MAJOR sale. Brit told me about BR bc Gentry likes to shop there and I was so impressed to find out that it was started in Florence, AL! The men's shirts are so cool-contrast stitching, nice light weight fabric, details, etc. with a unique Southern flair. Cannon got two shirts on sale for the price of one regular priced shirt, so be prepared for some sticker shock, but in my opinion it is well worth it considering Cannon only buys clothes once or twice a year! I am seriously considering bribing him to drive to Florence to shop there every time he needs something.
Every year we go to Da Nico Restaurant in Little Italy. Cannon and I ate there the first year we were married and loved it and then happened upon it with Karl and Nancy 3 years ago only to find out that they had eaten there before, too. I dare say the potato gnocchi may be worth the price of a roundtrip plane ticket in and of itself.
The heaping plate of free beignettes for dessert doesn't hurt either. They were all making fun of me because while everyone else has one or two I ate about 10. Seriously-I'm not exaggerating! Also while there we caught the St Patrick's Day parade and hit two of my favorite spots for all things sugary-Magnolia Bakery and Bisous Ciao Macaroons. The caramel salt flavor is the best. I have emailed and begged them to start an online store and ship throughout the country because I would probably place an order weekly, but so far no luck.
Now that we're back in town I've hit the ground running preparing for Parrish's surgery next week. I've set up Parrish's little bed in our room (complete with batman sheets and a mattress treated and protected from bed bugs) and Cannon has rearranged the furniture so P can watch DVD's while recovering. Sometime this week I am going to attempt to cut the side seams of the left leg of some of Parrish's athletic shorts and sew in velcro so I can get them over his cast easily without inflicting any additional pain. I am hoping he will agree to go sans shorts after the surgery but I am not counting on it.
Tomorrow (Tuesday) is our pre-op appointment for Parrish's surgery. In the morning we'll go to Dr. Killian's office to have Parrish's foot casted then take him to Children's for an MRI. He will have to be sedated for this part, so please pray that all goes smoothly with that. I am a little worried that this pre-cast will make him dread the 10 weeks of a cast after the surgery, so I pray also that he will love the casting process and think it is cool and not scary. I've promised him he can play the rock em sock em robot game we bought him for entertainment after his surgery early if he is brave and well behaved. We'll see how that works. Other prayer requests:
-Wisdom for Cannon and I as we need to ask the right questions of the doctors
-The doctors and nurses he will be interacting with tomorrow-may both their skill and bedside manor be just what we all need
-Patience, calmness and happiness for Parrish as we take this first step toward his surgery
-Peaceful rest for us as we prepare for the surgery
-An anxiety-free appointment
-That they will agree to do an EKG test on Parrish as a precaution
-That no one will refer to Parrish being "put to sleep" for the surgery since he now associates that with death
-That the hospital will agree to let us be there in recovery when Parrish wakes up
-That Parrish would view the MRI as an adventure and that he won't be scared
-An extra measure of patience for Cannon and I as we take care of Parrish amidst our own grief and longing for our baby girl
Answered prayers:
-Peace about anesthesiologist working with Parrish
-A good hospital tour with Parrish last week. He loved Roxanna and picking out his skittles flavor for his oxygen mask and we are so thankful she agreed to sit with Parrish during surgery so he has a familiar face.
I will update everyone on the appointment when I can. Thank you for your prayers.
Love, Kristin
Kristin, you're entire family, especially Parrish, will be continually in my prayers in the upcoming weeks. I know things will go smoothly, and am praying for a speedy, pain-free recovery. Much love.
ReplyDeleteJennifer Simpson