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Post by jisp on Apr 8, 2019 8:00:23 GMT -5
I still sometimes check this site just to see if any old-internet friends have posted updates or are around.
I recently had a reason to go back to old emails when we were having a battle with the school district to educate our son. I wanted to share segments of them with a mom who is struggling with her daughter right now. My son is doing amazingly well these days. He is 28 with a PhD and is currently a post-doctoral fellow. This summer he is heading off to two institutes to do work. He has a girlfriend/partner who we all love. But just opening those emails made my heart race and pound. Emails where the school accused us of not knowing how troubled our son was or where they said our expectations for him were too high. UGH. It was awful.
My other kids are also doing well and I have a 7 month old granddaughter who is a Happiness generator. She is so smiley and fun. Her mama (my daughter) works part time as an NP and I get to babysit when she does. My youngest is living the artist life in NYC. He teaches part time at a private high school so he at least has some steady income and does not have to take every gig that comes his way. Last summer he attended a residency in Banff. This spring/summer he will attend another prestigious residency in DC. Life as a musician is not easy but for now he is making it work.
Hope everyone else is doing well.
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Post by bros on Apr 9, 2019 11:10:52 GMT -5
Hi.
I still have cancer, we discontinued treatment June 2017 due to severe side effects, and now I am getting blood draws every month to see when I need to start up chemo again.My counts have been drifting downward, so I am thinking it will be sooner, rather than later.
I am still unemployed - can't work with a super weak immune system
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Post by jisp on Apr 10, 2019 19:30:23 GMT -5
So sorry to hear that Bros. I hope the Chemo helps. Stay strong. I hope you have a lot of loving carers around you to support you through this.
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Post by healthy11 on Apr 11, 2019 23:07:15 GMT -5
Bros, you were in my thoughts even before Jisp's post, because I've got several friends dealing with cancer diagnoses, and one of them has been on "maintenance" chemo doses for the past few years. He seems to be doing okay, but his wife was just diagnosed with liver/lung cancer, and is having a tougher time. ((Hugs)) and prayers to all of you.
My son is still working for the same engineering company that he's been with since he graduated from college...he's engaged to a nurse he's been dating for several years.
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Post by jisp on Apr 16, 2019 15:39:41 GMT -5
Congrats on the engagement Healthy....when is the wedding? So exciting.
One thing I love about having young adult children is the way my LOVE and ability to LOVE has doubled with them having partners.
Enjoy every minute.
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Post by healthy11 on Apr 18, 2019 9:40:11 GMT -5
The wedding is this fall. His fiance has been urging him to make the commitment for awhile. Her grandmother told me that she's been "planning her wedding since she was four." (I hope she's in love with him, and not just the idea of being in love.) She's not the kind of person I expected he would settle down with; ironically, she loves sitting and reading (her mother and grandmother are librarians) whereas my son, with his dyslexia and ADHD, is always "doing things." They've been living together for over two years, so my husband feels that they should know each other well enough by now. I hope so.
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Post by jisp on Apr 24, 2019 6:45:43 GMT -5
Healthy best of luck to the new couple. Marriage is challenging no matter how you look at it. And then if they have kids it is a whole other strain on the relationship. My daughter has a friend who has some ADD and other issues who had a bad break up with a man who was her fiancee. At 31 she is eager to marry and she has started moving forward with her wedding plans with her current boyfriend who she has only been with for less than a year. Obviously we are all concerned. The only thing is the guy seems to be very nice (although I liked her other boyfriend until he dumped her).
Love is a strange thing. I have some friends from cultures where the parents arrange marriages and they insist these arranged marriages are actually better than "Love" marriages and the couple grows to love each other in time.
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Post by healthy11 on Apr 24, 2019 17:30:22 GMT -5
You "hit the nail on the head" about marriage being a challenge no matter what, but much more stressful if they have kids. That IS my main concern. She'll be 28 when they marry, and has already said that she wants to be "very pregnant" by the time she's 30. Her family has lots of mental and physical health issues, and given how my son isn't "neurotypical" either, there's a greater likelihood of their child(ren) having issues. I hope they don't rush into it...
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Post by shawbridge on May 9, 2019 12:01:44 GMT -5
No weddings on our horizon. Kids are both doing well. ShawSon and his partner were given what I'd guess is a national honor for their startup, which is raising what is called its Series A funding. Living with his GF for 4 years, but it is not clear to me that she is a keeper. ShawD and BF are moving out to the Bay Area. BF seems like a keeper, but that is up to ShawD. ShawWife just completed a one-person show at a chi-chi London gallery. I applied for Medicare today. Not retiring and indeed have co-founded a new company in Palo Alto recently.
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Post by healthy11 on May 11, 2019 23:09:21 GMT -5
My boss just turned 65, and I learned a person can apply for Medicare 3 months beforehand. With that in mind, Happy Birthday in advance, Shawbridge!  |
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Post by shawbridge on May 14, 2019 23:05:23 GMT -5
Thanks, healthy11. Today, I scheduled my knee replacement, which will be covered by Medicare.
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Post by michellea on May 19, 2019 21:33:49 GMT -5
Great to hear from everyone. DS graduated last weekend and will be living in Boston and working as an arborist. DD is still in Boston and planning to move in with her boyfriend in Septemeber when their leases are up. They've been together for six years - we will see where this next move takes them.
Like Jisp, I love having adult children and enjoying time with them and their mates.
Shawbridge - good luck with the knee replacement "ouch"!
Healthy!! So exciting about the upcoming wedding. It sounds like your son and his fiance complement each other. Sometimes it helps to have different personality types to bring a bit of balance! I hope the wedding plans go smoothly and you have a lovely day celebrating with them.
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Post by majorv on May 22, 2019 9:24:01 GMT -5
Hey everyone! It's been awhile since I've been on. Just a quick update on us. Not a whole lot has changed. DS had quit his welding job to work for a guy building fences (cedar and ornamental) but the guy got lazy after a few months and expected my son and his friend to find fencing jobs for them to do. After 8 months my son quit. Since he left his old employer on a good note he was able to get his welding job back. He's still living with us, and because he has a dirt bike, 14' kayak and a lifted truck I think he'll have to find a house to rent in order to move out!
DD is still in vet school in the Caribbean. She's made it through 4 semesters with a 4.0 average....I am so proud of her! She has 3 semesters to go on the island and this time next year will be back in the States to do her last year of clinicals. I think when she returns she and her fiancé will finally get married.
I retired last September and am just finding things to do to keep busy. Hubby loves his job and plans to work for another 1-2 years. I hated my job so I was glad to get out of there!
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Post by healthy11 on May 24, 2019 22:24:50 GMT -5
Majorv, have you had an opportunity to visit your daughter in the Caribbean yet? (Was it the Dominican Republic?) My nephew recently graduated from vet school at U. of FL, and has accepted a position near Tampa...he doesn't want to come back to the Midwest and have to deal with snow and cold anymore!
Michellea, congrats on your son's graduation, and it's good to hear your daughter is also doing well.
Shawbridge, best wishes for a speedy recovery from your upcoming surgery!
Bros, we hope you're doing okay, and feeling stronger every day.
Jisp, may you continue to enjoy being a grandparent, and keep us posted on your family!
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Post by bros on May 25, 2019 11:21:38 GMT -5
Majorv, have you had an opportunity to visit your daughter in the Caribbean yet? (Was it the Dominican Republic?) My nephew recently graduated from vet school at U. of FL, and has accepted a position near Tampa...he doesn't want to come back to the Midwest and have to deal with snow and cold anymore! Michellea, congrats on your son's graduation, and it's good to hear your daughter is also doing well. Shawbridge, best wishes for a speedy recovery from your upcoming surgery! Bros, we hope you're doing okay, and feeling stronger every day. Jisp, may you continue to enjoy being a grandparent, and keep us posted on your family! Counts have been trending lower for the last few months, so if they keep going lower, it'll be time for chemo again |
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Post by majorv on May 26, 2019 10:36:02 GMT -5
Yes, I’ve been to the island twice. Parents were allowed to stay during the new student orientation week (I stayed in the dorm room with her) and then the whole family went for a week last August. She’s on the island of St. Kitts. Most of their tourism is from the cruise ships, but they also have an airport.
I’m glad to hear everyone’s kids are doing pretty well. Healthy, congrats on your son’s engagement! I’m hoping to have grandkids one day before I get too old to enjoy them!
Bros, I truly hope you beat this cancer and can go back to teaching.
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Post by shawbridge on Jun 13, 2019 8:12:02 GMT -5
Officially covered by Medicare now. I have three cards instead of one (Part A, medicare supplement and drugs supplement). We like to keep things simple for the old folks. Somehow I don't feel that old. ShawWife and I just had a wonderful 2 week vacation in Northern Italy. Arrived home on Friday night. Started teaching Monday AM at Harvard for a week, except I flew to NY Tuesday night and worked with clients Wednesday and flew back to Boston last (Wednesday) night to teach today and tomorrow. ShawSon just arrived from San Francisco for a friend's wedding this weekend, plus a birthday/Father's Day celebration for me. Then he and I will be flying out Monday AM to SF so he can go back to his company and I can spend a few hours with one of the tech giants and then work for a couple of days with the new company I co-founded. It looks like I will have a couple of weeks at home, though travel will likely come up. In mid-July, we are taking the kids and SO to hike in the Canadian Rockies. Then, immediately after I return, knee replacement. Not exactly slowing down.
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Post by healthy11 on Jun 16, 2019 13:34:33 GMT -5
Shawbridge, since I already wished you Happy Birthday in advance, I'll wish you Happy Father's Day now! I, too, believe that staying active and learning new things is a wonderful way to "stay young," or at the very least, to keep one's mind from dwelling on a particular chronological age.
Unfortunately, our son is currently on another work assignment in Phoenix, so he isn't able to help my husband celebrate Father's Day or his birthday, but we expect to see him next weekend, instead. Hopefully, the rainy weather we've been experiencing will pass, and local river levels will drop below flood stage, so that our son can take us out on his boat. (He bought it last year for a fantastic price, made a few repairs and got it running, but hasn't been able to use it much due to unfavorable weather conditions.)
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Post by shawbridge on Jun 16, 2019 22:22:06 GMT -5
Thanks healthy. Best wishes to your husband and all fathers here. It was nice to have both kids here this weekend. I hope you do enjoy the boating with your son.
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Post by hsmom on Jun 17, 2019 16:27:19 GMT -5
Since Healthy asked in a post on another thread, I think I'll reply here. My son is going into his junior year in the fall majoring in Communication in the School of Humanities and Sciences and minoring in Healthcare Management. He lived in a dorm on campus for two years, but is moving just off campus into a studio in a complex just of studio apartments. The complex is family-owned and operated, and the apartments are all occupied by students, both graduate and undergraduate.
He's home this summer and has become an Uber driver to earn money.
I, too, am delighted to hear all of your great news - grown children, a gradchild, a wedding, finishing school and starting to work, successful lauch of a company and career. Many, many congratulations!!
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Post by healthy11 on Jun 17, 2019 22:34:05 GMT -5
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Post by majorv on Dec 27, 2020 13:59:34 GMT -5
Hey guys...I didn't realize it had been so long since I was on! DS is still same old thing but steadily working at welding. He has taken up golf again. When he was 12 he did well enough to go to the state long drive competition. Not sure what it is about ADHD kids, but he's always been good at just about any sport he has been in, whether it was baseball, soccer, golf or bowling. He tried basketball but hadn't hit that growth spurt yet so even though he was fast, he wasn't tall enough.
DD is back in the States and we just found out she passed the NAVLE (board exam to practice veterinary medicine). She graduates in May!! Not sure if marrying her fiancé is still in the plans. After 2 1/2 years on her own on a remote island she learned to be self sufficient and independent. She is finding that she isn't willing to go back to the 'way things were' with him...so it depends on whether he is willing to change, I guess.
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Post by bros on Dec 28, 2020 12:16:05 GMT -5
Welcome back majorv!
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Post by healthy11 on Jan 9, 2021 9:27:42 GMT -5
Majorv, Congrats to your daughter, and it's good to hear that your son is also "holding his own." My son has taken up welding as a hobby (because he still enjoys working on car repairs and modifications) but I have a feeling he won't have much time for that in the future, because he informed us that his wife (a hospital nurse) is pregnant. It goes without saying that I'm very concerned, especially their "timing" during this pandemic.  |
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Post by jisp on Feb 27, 2021 7:50:25 GMT -5
Healthy I just checked in here to see you are going to become a GRANDMA!!! Congratulations. My daughter has a 2.5 year old and is due any day now with her second. My middle son just had a baby girl. Grandparent-hood is the best. I promise. And watching your son become a loving partner/father is really special. I have been day-care for the 2.5 year old since the pandemic started and watching her grow and develop into this little human has been so much fun. I think you can enjoy it a lot more as a grandparent because you are not so nervous about every little thing.
On that note the same week our son became a dad he also accepted a position to be a tenure-track professor of mathematics at a major university. I am so happy for him. It has been his dream since I first joined these boards years ago and a dream he never imagined would become a reality. He and his family will be moving away this summer. But they will only be 2 hours from us. And there is a regular bus that goes from South Station to the University's campus. I think our son and his partner/wife will enjoy living near this University as they like the outdoors and hiking and skiing.
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Post by sgk on Mar 18, 2021 23:08:39 GMT -5
So I come on here every now and then to see if this board is still alive. I was just a school psych student when I started here, and it was a good learning experience to be here at that time. I got to hear parent complaints and concerns, learned some things about law/etc., that I didn’t know before, and got good ideas on how to work through the system when needed. And I used A LOT of what I learned here in my job. I’ve been a School Psych for a decade now, happily working in a small rural community. I sometimes find myself on the other side of the table, advocating for my nieces/nephews, or for friend’s kids, but I mostly sit at the district side. Of course, that doesn’t mean I am always siding with the district, and there are times that I have stuck my neck out for what I believe is right (at times, upsetting a whole school of teachers), but I think, over the years, I have at least gotten teachers and admin to look at everything through a different lens... even when it’s hard, even when that student is pushing every one of your buttons, all at the same time. They’re kids. They need help. It’s our job to help them.
When I first started at my current job, I was mostly in elementary. I only work MS/HS now, and those elementary kids have been making their way through HS and graduating. That’s probably been my biggest joy, watching those kids grow up and move on. And all the time I spent in elementary fostering those relationships (both kids and parents) still bear fruit in HS when things go awry. I don’t know how much longer I’ll still be doing this, I started as a teacher, moved to psych, and now long for something different, but I’ve definitely enjoyed my time as a psych. Or, who knows, I may end up doing it for another 10 years.
I am glad to see how many of your adult kids are thriving. In the end, that’s what we were fighting for. That’s all we were ever fighting for.
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Post by hope4all on Mar 5, 2022 20:09:09 GMT -5
Just want to say hello, The Catholic School DS went to turned out to be a little over his head. Also mot enough support and e-learning was a disaster for him. (Still Is). He is now has an IEP. Thanks to the catholic for giving him an 504 plan. Getting an IEP in public school was easy. He is doing ok.
I have been having a lot of health problems. I tire easily which is why this post lacks details.
Good to see updates on other older members.
Some days I have more energy than others. Hope to fill you in with details soon.
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Post by hope4all on Mar 8, 2022 0:11:29 GMT -5
So sorry to hear that Bros. I hope the Chemo helps. Stay strong. I hope you have a lot of loving carers around you to support you through this. Bros so sorry, Praying for you. |
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Post by bros on Mar 19, 2022 8:15:33 GMT -5
So sorry to hear that Bros. I hope the Chemo helps. Stay strong. I hope you have a lot of loving carers around you to support you through this. Bros so sorry, Praying for you. It's okay. so since 2019, I failed two treatments - and now I am in a clinical trial. My oncologists are pleased with my respond to the trial. |
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Post by hope4all on Mar 23, 2022 12:34:58 GMT -5
Well that is good news. I will keep praying.
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All the best!
