Tuesday, March 30, 2021

Tuesday, March 30, 2021 -- Mattie died 600 weeks ago today.

Tonight's picture was taken in April of 2003, at Mattie's first birthday party! Back then, Mattie wasn't into being around a lot of people, and he most definitely did not like noise. So it was a challenging party for him, in which he and I went upstairs for periodic breaks from comotion. In this photo, Peter was carrying Mattie out on our deck for his birthday cake! 

Quote of the day: Today's coronavirus update from Johns Hopkins.

• Number of people diagnosed with the virus: 30,389,852
• Number of people who died from the virus: 550,930

I have lost track of what day number it is for me of dealing with an intense migraine and cluster headache. The cluster headaches are a nightmare. It feels like someone is stabbing you in the eye with a screwdriver. My entire head is sore, it is hard to keep my eyes open, and now the pain is migrating to my jaw. 

I took my parents to Rite Aid today to receive their second dose of the COVID vaccine. My mom was anxious about the side effects and I know my presence here has made it easier for her, because if she gets ill, she won't be able to care for my dad. My dad needs 24/7 support and supervision. I would have to say Rite Aid is wonderful, well run, and the pharmacist remembered them from their first dose. They made it super easy, no lines, no waiting, and no crowds. It was a very positive experience. 

Needless to say, I am giving my parents advil and tylenol, alternating them every two hours. I learned that trick from doctors, and it works. So hopefully they will wake up feeling fine tomorrow. 

Meanwhile, I learned that my friend, Margy, who died on March 28, 2021, chose in lieu of flowers, that donations be made to Mattie Miracle. I am deeply honored and to me this is Margy's last gift to me, and a gift that is meant to send me a personal and heartfelt message! The message being that Margy loved me and admired my commitment to Mattie. Any case, I posted below a snapshot of my communication to Margy's husband, Ken, on Margy's CaringBridge page today. 

Click on the image to enlarge it!