10 months

Sometimes the days seem to drag along. Other times, the months fly by. It’s hard to process that it’s been 10 months now since my mom went into cardiac arrest. 10 months now that she’s been in a persistent vegetative state. Man, whoever coined the term really wasn’t kidding with the “persistent” part … Anyway,… Read More 10 months

Hope is a Steak Knife

It’s now been over three weeks since my mom went into cardiac arrest. Physically, she is stable, and it doesn’t seem like she’s going to crash now. At least, not anytime soon.

Yet, she still hasn’t shown any overt signs of consciousness. And so, the waiting continues. At this point, we have to plan for the long haul, because it’s clear my mom’s situation isn’t going to be resolved any time soon.… Read More Hope is a Steak Knife

‘Til Jail Do Us Part

We had such a grand ole’ time that she puked in the Uber on the way home, and then pretty much passed out on the curb outside our house.

Okay, not a big deal … yet.

Well, okay. It’s a slightly big deal. Like specifically, 150 dollar-sized deals. But whatever. I also once puked in an Uber that Melissa had called and ended up getting fined for, so now we were even.

No, the big deal arrived after I finally got her back into the house, into the bathroom, and draped over the toilet …… Read More ‘Til Jail Do Us Part

Do animals grieve?

In the weeks since Marley’s death, Biscuit has been acting differently. Before, he would spend most of the day huddled quietly somewhere, but now, he paces around the house, meowing and meowing incessantly (oddly enough, just like Marley used to do). He’s much needier now, too, and actively seeks out affection from Melissa. He even rolls over on his back and lets her scratch him. This is something he never used to do.

Biscuit’s change in behavior has made us wonder if he’s sad or freaked out about Marley. Does he know what happened to him? Is that why he was howling when Marley died? When he wanders around the house now, is he looking for his brother?… Read More Do animals grieve?

Old Friends

Kerri and I were classmates in grad school at UCSD. She was the brilliant immunologist who aced every class and earned her PhD in molecular biology in less time than it takes most people to get a bachelor’s. I was … well, let’s just say I was the exact opposite of that. (Hey, someone has to occupy the bottom end of that bell curve.)

Kerri and I became good friends, but after she graduated, she moved across the country, and we lost touch. It wasn’t until 2009 that I found out she had moved back to San Diego years before. Over the next six years, we messaged each other sporadically, and while we both talked about meeting up for a drink sometime to catch up, neither of us really made much of an effort to follow through.… Read More Old Friends