Christmas 2016

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A few days before he was due to move into his dormitory at College Park, Graham received a diagnosis that he had a Lyme disease infection. Terrible news, but at least we could now explain the mysterious aches and pains in his joints that had gotten worse over the course of the Winter of 2016. The primary organism causing Lyme’s symptoms, Borrelia burgdorferi, prefers synovial fluid as its home in mammals, which in turn is why it can lead to arthritis like symptoms. Way back in January of 2016 Graham had been the picture of a healthy 18 year old setting a personal best bench press record of 235 lbs. At 150 lbs he was then 10 lbs heavier than me, but half the body fat! This record had come through hard work and determination to stay on a diet and work out regime designed to build muscle. He has now not worked out since roughly May due to the lethargy, aches and pains that accompany the infection.

I also had a bit of a health scare this year. It ended with me waking up in the emergency room seeing a nurse coming up each pant leg with scissors. Yeah! Not an unusual dream, but in this case it was no dream and my pants were soaked in blood. As they tossed the jeans aside I recalled fainting as I was checking myself into the ER. Apparently, I made a bloody mess all over the receptionist’s rug. She also almost fainted! Regardless, I highly recommend this approach to those not wanting to wait endless hours in the ER. A few minutes before passing out as I was walking into the ER Donna, who dropped me off, said “are you, OK” to which I replied “yep”. I was, but only long enough to tell the receptionist my name and that I had had a colonoscopy that morning. 

All had gone well after the routine colonoscopy until a few hours after getting home when I got my first period, so to speak. Ugh. That didn’t happen with my first colonoscopy years before. There was no mistaking the sight of bright red blood where it shouldn’t as a problem that needed solving. A couple of phone calls to the doctor later and it was clear the only thing to do was go to the ER. All’s well that ends well, I reckon. Kudos to the ER staff and intermediate care nurses who treated me like family for the several days I was in hospital. So, much for preventative medicine, but I still encourage you all to have a routine and hopefully uneventful colonoscopy.

On a more positive note, Graham finished high school well enough to receive a President’s Merit award at the University of Maryland which provides $20k over four years of study. Given his interests in hormones, metabolism and the differences in individual outcomes on the same training regime, he has started a degree in the chemistry-biochemistry program. That meant a typical tough first semester with chemistry and calculus, but it seems he has in the end done well and will continue in the program next semester.

Meanwhile at Towson University, and only about 20 minutes from our home, David also had a good semester in their business program. Unlike Graham’s interest in biochemistry, he is not sure if wants to continue in a business curriculum. What is certain is that his health has vastly improved on humira allowing him to also move out into a dormitory and to focus on school in a way he could not before. He is hoping to transfer to College Park in the Fall and next semester’s grades will tell the tale of whether they let him in or not. The University of Maryland is quite competitive being ranked just below the University of Washington, which was the other school Graham was accepted to.

With our nest cleared out, we relaxed a bit and went on our first Empty Nest Tour. This took us in to Croatia in October. First to Zagreb where I spoke at a Lost in Translation event – yes, I’m always working – and where we made it to Mirogoj Cemetery, one of the most beautiful cemeteries in the world and Plitvice Lakes a UNESCO heritage site of stunning beauty with hundreds of waterfalls. From Zagreb we flew south to Cavtat for a couple days, and then Dubrovnik – Lokrum for a few more days, the latter two of which are filming sites for Game of Thrones. 

In Dubrovnik we stayed with a long time acquaintance, Miško Ercegović, at his Sesame Inn and dined at his restaurant that makes no doubt the best beef carpaccio in the world … best in the world! Donna, not one to try anything exotic, went out on a limb and loved it. She even had the octopus carpaccio, which was delightfully light compared to the beef carpaccio.

Lokrum island was not quite the same as in July when I am usually there and when there is a deafening drone of cicadas, which evokes fond memories of my childhood in the South, but the island was still beautiful and still over run with peacocks. Fortunately, it was still warm enough to swim. On our last day in Dubrovnik we had an absolutely terrible meal at one of the side streets restaurants which I knew were hit or miss. A miss for sure, but we had nice company – a retired German teacher - and a bottle of Croatian malvazija, a white wine in the style of sauvignon blanc. Naturally that meal was followed by a nap, and then drinks in the Sesame’s bar with some exotic, local (odorous) cheese and homemade bread before dinner. All of this courtesy of Marina, a Cordon Bleu trained chef. Dinner saw another bottle of wine consumed. This time a Croatian red – a Plavic Mali. And, just as we were finishing along comes Misko, who was done hosting for the night, with a bottle champagne. It would have been rude to say no. So we three finished that too. Fortunately, all the walking we did meant there was never a hangover in sight!

Meanwhile back at the Baltimore brownstone, Donna got a new couch. It was only her third in 30 years, which seems to coincide with her new car every decade. Those new cars though are much too painful – for her body, as each prior one has been totaled in an accident that she walked away bruised and battered from along with my bank account – for me to discuss. Anyway, Trixie, who formerly ruled the old cloth couch, is not happy with the new leather one because she can’t quite get a grip to stay put, but no doubt she’ll adjust. With the empty nest, Donna is also back in the gym being trained by the stout young, handsome Dan who no doubt reminds her of the former much taller and handsomer me. Erh, well maybe.

Anyway, she is in fact glad to be back in the gym, which is good for all of us. We also made it once again to Seattle this year and this time for the wedding of Sonia Ting, a former programmer in my lab at the University of Washington. Was great to eat and drink with many of our old friends from our rainy Seattle child rearing days, many of whom also are now empty nesters. …  and at long last after years of discussion and before leaving Seattle, Donna got a tattoo! You’ll have to come for a visit though to see it. With the boys mostly away at University, we mostly have two vacant rooms with adjoining baths only 10 minutes walk from Baltimore's Penn station from which WA DC, NYC and Philly are a short ride away. So, feel free to come for a visit.

 Merry Christmas from the Baltimore Goodletts!

Dave and Mint at Mint’s 20^th birthday dinner.

Graham and Donna at Mint’s 20^th birthday dinner.

Mint, Mom, Dad, Graham, Donna and Dave at Graham’s high school graduation.

Donna in Seattle.

Dave on the Iron Throne on Lokrum island.

Dave and Donna at Mirogoj cemetery, Zagreb.

C A U T I O N    T R U M P    T R A I L E R
 

P.S. Its inescapable that I would close the letter without a comment on Trump’s victory. One thing for certain is that many of his election promises were idle ones. Spoken simply to win and now having done so he has started walking them back. Among others, why not investigate Clinton? Surely that will eventually bear fruit so that she can be locked up. Sadly, its much more likely that his attacks on the press will reinvigorate the spirit of Watergate resulting in his impeachment rather than her being locked up. But, before that happens I really hope someone takes away his twitter account. Geezus. He can't leave criticism alone, can he? As shown in the Frontline piece, which was possibly the most balanced piece of reporting all season on he and Clinton, rightly or wrongly he was (bigly) trained to double down on any and all criticism. That trait seems like a disaster waiting in the West wing, so to speak. Anyway, he is our President now. So I hope he is successful. As a conservative I know said "I survived Obama. So surely you can survive Trump". Let's hope so.