Parker Learns the Racing Dive / Conner Remembers From Last Year!

Parker has now joined the Marlins Swim Team and both boys spent the morning diving off the blocks. This was Parker's first time, and within a couple of tries, he seemed to have mostly figured it out. Conner, on the other hand was ready to go, right out of the chute. Just like riding a bike I guess.

Grandpa's 75th Birthday Party

This week was Grandpa's 75 birthday celebration(s).

The party got off to a good start when Brian and Carm paid a surprise visit to California to join in the festivities.

Thursday night, the true birthday, we headed over to one of our favorite italian restaurants, "Incontro". As always, good food for all.

Saturday was the party day at the house. We invited some of good friends and family over to help enjoy. Mom & Julian, The San Ramon Hecks, The Archers, Brian & Carm, Adam and his latest beau all enjoyed a catered event with lots and lots of good food. Kids had a jumpy house to entertain themselves.

At the cake cutting ceremony we toasted champagne and dug in to the many deserts. Grandpa enjoyed the cutting, Chris enjoyed the eating!

Gerry's Running Status Update

Just got a note from Gerry. We all know that he is between jobs, but did you know that he has had a stealth plan to become a running mega star? With all this new free time, nothing but good things expected. From Gerry's e-mail update:

With all this free time I thought I'd finally get in all the running I could handle. That's sort of true. Unfortunately "all I could handle" has been disappointingly little. I've been trying to tame a sore hamstring that won't get better. Just when I was deciding if I should take some time off - around 3 weeks ago - I went for an easy run and did something to my left foot that made it hard to walk on. I got x-rays to make sure nothing was broken/fractured, but I'm still hobbling around 3 weeks later (a bone scan is next on the agenda if the pain isn't gone post-CA). Yesterday, while doing my physio to help my hamstring, I overdid the weights and hurt my lower back. Youch! So, while fixing myself I'm slowing falling apart. Cursed age! My hamstring makes it hard to sit for long. My foot makes it hard to stand. And my back now makes it hard to lie down. Hmmm. Thank goodness for beer.

Jac Update

Just got finished talking to Linda. Linda asked that I give everyone
an update on Jac's situation.

As everyone probably already knows, Jac and the Heck family have had a
pretty rough week. Last week Jac started having heavy seizures and had
to be admitted to the hospital to try to get relief. Jac came home
from the hospital after a short visit, but then had to be rushed back
when the seizures started up again. She is still in the hospital.
Seizure activity seems to come and go. The doctors and staff at Kaiser
have been great, and are working hard for a fix. Drug cocktails have
been administered both through an IV and orally, trying to find the
right levels and combinations that would do the trick. Still not
there yet.

A couple of days ago they did a brain scan to try and help pin point
problem areas of the brain and help determine treatment options.
Several have been done in the past years and have shown very chaotic
brain activity from her seizure disorder and the same was expected
this go around. Surprisingly the brain activity was very much
improved over last tests and Kent/Linda were told by the neurologist
that this was highly unusual, didn't match her outward appearance, and
if he wasn't involved in the process, would have suspected a file mix
up. Seizures continue.

While at the hospital, Kent reached out to Doctor Kane, the other
doctor they have been working with over the past six months or so.
This doctor is doing a lot of leading edge stuff and her work involves
working with kids on the autistic spectrum and those with seizure
issues. Jac has been going up to Napa weekly for treatment. The
doctor's research has led her to believe that many of these types of
issues are caused by an imbalance of fatty acids in the body. The
ratio of short chain fat to long chain fat is out of whack and
treatment is to increase the long chain fats and normalize the ratio.
A couple of findings have come out of the discussions. First, the
doctor said she would expect the brain scans to show greatly improved
areas with treatment that Jac has been receiving in Napa. More
importantly there are a couple of huge warnings to be aware of.
First, Jac's seizure disorder is very rare, on top of that, being a
soon to be teenager and female with this disorder is even more rare.
Doctor Kane told Linda and Kent that if Jac is on certain drugs, there
is a very specific supplement she should also be taking, which she is
not. Failure to do so, will cause seizures from the seizure
medication. Also, one of the medications in the cocktail is made up
of a fatty acid, and it is a short chain fat, which is counter acting
the treatment that Dr. Kane is using. After using this medicine, Kent
and Linda noticed that Jac was having seizures. The Kaiser Hospital
doctors had put it off to coincidence, but now Linda and Kent have
asked them to investigate further.

Linda and Kent are very excited that there may finally be a solution
to Jac's seizures. There appears to be evidence that the Napa
treatment regime is paying off with much improved brain activity
results. They have begun to get the doctors working together to get
results.

Ben has spent the week hanging with the Danville Glynns and this
afternoon is very excited to be heading up to Sacramento to spend the
weekend with the other cousins. Linda, Kent and Jac will probably be
at the hospital for the next little while, but things appear to be
looking up.

Dressed For School

Parker dressed himself for school today.

Red Star Wars shirt. Check.

Red Thai kick boxing shorts (Thanks Bew!). Check.

Red rain boots. Check.

Red Cars underwear - not shown :)

Red lunchbox. Check!

Conner's New Hair

The latest rage to sweep through the school? Yo-yo's? Nope. Buzz cuts! Didn't get a picture of all the hair on the ground at the barber shop, but there was plenty.

Just in time for summer. Not sure who's hair is shorter, Conner's or mine.

We asked Parker what he thought. Looks like we are off to the barber shop again tomorrow!