When Quiet Is O.K.

I rarely visit my own blog, let alone write an entry these days. And when I do make the infrequent presence to my blog it is usually to see if any comments need moderating/accepting and to read up on some of my friends' blogs. Often the case, my motivation to write comes from seeing some of my friends write -- so I encourage you all to keep up with your blogs, lest my own come to a screeching halt for good.

Well, the past few weeks have been hugely trying. Nothing that blog etiquette/management would allow me to divulge however. Sufficeth to say, life's many dramas are over-rated. And the once dreaded silence of normalcy and isolation I now invite with eager appreciation any day.

Yes, we were hoping dear friends of ours would be visiting this past weekend. In fact, it had been a trip planned for well over one year believe it or not. And still, it was not meant to be, for last minute decisions prevented such from finally taking place, and we must now be content with a hopeful reunion in the spring.

If it happens, it happens. Yes, our disappointments we wore on our sleeves. And, yes, the thought of being with our lonesomes was worrying. But unsuspecting to me, this weekend was rather above average and quite satisfying.

We spent most of our time this weekend at home. No surprise there. It was cloudy and gloomy and wet outside, with the temperature hovering in the low 40s for the daytime and below freezing overnight. It is definitely wintery, making the indoor environment all the more inviting.

Kelly cooked this pork roll dish that she learned (how to make) from her mom not long ago. We did laundry. Ethan is doing fantastic with potty training now. He knows all his ABC's and is in fact "advancing" to the older class come December 5th! (not our insistance, but the preschool's director's suggestion to move Ethan up). All this means is that Ethan will be with 3 and 4 and 5-year-olds, instead of 2 and 3 year olds only. He is currently 2 years and 2 months old.

Kelly has never had an easy time with pregnancy. It was the same when she was carrying Ethan. Still, the past 3 or 4 days have been surprisingly uneventful. Could this be the end of nauseous feelings? Kelly is nearly 31 weeks, and so it is long "overdue" if this is the case. But I am not counting on it. I have always said that Kelly would have pregnancy-related sickness for the entire duration of her pregnancy. We are just thankful we get few-day-stretches like these where everything is just quiet.

Elmo White Eyes

Ethan is slowly starting to put together three word sentences. This morning, he pointed to his plush Elmo's (nearly the same size as he is) eyes and said, "Elmo, white, eyes".

My little Noomsie is growing up. He still blabbers his own speach most of the time that no one understands. But every now and then, you get the feeling he is answering you with real words.

Ethan is getting better at counting from one to ten. He still hesitates to say "seven" and skips to eight, but I think more to tease me than anything. Right, Ethan? "seh-VEEN"

My little angel Noomsie.

Exam Time Again

Kelly should be a few hours away from completing her Internal Medicine boards exam which started this morning. Good luck, Honey. I hope you packed enough for lunch and snacks. I am praying and thinking of you.

Running With Research

River Birch Research is picking up the pace!

So far in 2008, we have 5 active studies - already equal more than half the total (n = 8) of 2007 - and we are only a week into February. We have a COPD study, as well as a rheumatoid arthritis, anemia, stroke/atrial fibrillation and osteoarthritis of the knee. Due to confidentiality agreements we've signed, this is all I will say for that. But I am getting very excited about where we are going.

I have interviewed an applicant (Deb) for a study coordinator position, who we hope to hire very soon. With another full-time coordinator, and several other studies in the pipeline, and a stylish and clean new look to our website (www.riverbirchresearch.com) things are slowly coming together.

We have brought in a few providers and staff members to our research team. In just this past week, Dr. Leski (sport's medicine), Dr. Sabreen (nephrology and hypertension), Dr. Issa (internal medicine and pulmonology) and Cami (women's and perinatal nurse practitioner) have joined our team at River Birch!

Next week, I am meeting with Dr. Mannino (cardiology), Dr. Whaley (oncology) and Deb (coordinator applicant).

Unlike basic science research, I can actually see immediate results to things I implement. And I realized something about myself -- that I need this steady supply of rather "instant gratification" to keep motivated (something that happens all too infrequently in academic research).

I truly enjoy directing our whole program. Far from knowing for sure if the changes I am introducing will translate to financial gains, I am still hopeful we can meet and exceed "2003" - our last respectable fiscal year revenue-wise.

Another goal and personal challenge: a satellite branch for RBRA in Atlanta, GA.

The Learning Depot

This past week has been filled with many new and exciting things.

One thing that has transpired over the past few days that both Kelly and I feel very excited about, is the discovery of this place in Blue Ridge called The Learning Depot.

Both Kelly and I are working parents, and like many, we too experience the rollercoaster of emotions that come with parenthood. This ride or journey takes us through guilty valleys, and deserving peaks, and loop-to-loops of toddlerhood. In particular, when the topic of Ethan's care and early education comes about, this dynamic coaster is in full gear.

With much investigation and heartache, we were pleased to find a nice home and very loving caregivers for Ethan. Linda and Jimmie Gray, better known as mi-maw (grandma) and pa-paw (grandad) have taken very good care of Ethan the past couple of months, and Noomsie really enjoys Lukie and the other infants currently also cared for by the Grays.

But with toddlerhood comes new challenges, and finding a solution for Ethan that would keep up with his increasingly curious mind and mobility was a very real issue Kelly and I now had to face. As wonderful as Linda has been in providing the best "care" for Ethan, what is needed now is someone who can provide more hands-on activities, and the exploration of many new learning opportunities.

Enter, The Learning Depot.

Back when we were looking for childcare for Ethan, we visited one particular center (name not mentioned) and en-route, drove by The Learning Depot. At the time of course, we were merely intersted in getting to this foreign address and just last week, Kelly thought to contact TLD and see what they have to offer.

By the act of God, TLD was exactly what we have always been looking for, and that we thought would not be available here in Blue Ridge. TLD is a learning center, a preschool based on the philosophy or approach of Reggio Emilia - Italian early childhood educator. (similar to Montessori)

The Reggio Emilia approach to education is committed to the creation of a learning environment that will enhance and facilitate children's construction of his or her own powers of thinking through the combination of all the expressive, communicative and cognitive languages.

As God would have it, TLD accepts children no younger than 16 months (preferably 18 months old). Ethan is 15 1/2 months old. And a 2 1/2 year old boy is leaving town by the month's end, making available one spot in February (when Ethan just turns 16 months old). Class sizes are small (5 children per age grouping per one instructor). Ethan's class will have 5 children, but 2 are part-time/morning, leaving only 3 children to one instructor in the afternoon.



The children do "social play", music activities, hands-on art activities in an art studio that includes pottery instructed by a local clay artist (!!), outside play, gross motor play (bouncy room), "science", and many others. The children have nap times and also snack times, and with each and everything they do, the children are involved: set up cots to sleep in, put away, wash hands and set up table setting to eat, clean up, and so with each learning responsibility and a sense of self, others and sharing.

This Wednesday, I will go with Ethan for his "first day" but only to see how a day's activity is carried out, and the afternoon, Kelly will go back with Ethan. Once we get a sense of TLD in action, we will make our official registration.

www.learningdepotpreschool.com

Board Certified

Nervous and trembling, Kelly opens her email which would tell her whether or not she passed her Pediatrics board exam she sat in October. Everyone that knows Kelly probably had no worry at all that she would pass. Easy to be on that side of the fence, isn't it? Well, y'all are right! Kelly passed and is now a "board certified" pediatrician!

What a long road. Already with her Georgia medical license she can practice both her specialties in Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, but board exams make it all the more official (and are they required, Honey?).

In any case, one down, one to go. Kelly is already registered to sit the Internal Medicine board exam in August. Luckily for her, the medicine boards is a one day exam, compared to the pediatrics one which is covered over two exhausting days.

www.riverbirchresearch.com

Several weeks in the working and our company's website is now much more polished and more or less complete. Thanks to my friend Frank Lam, we now have a professional presence on the internet to reflect the quality of work we do in clinical research.

Frank has put up with my many "requests" for changes or ideas, many of which are still ongoing as we strive to put together the best website for our company's current needs. But this is not merely my own vision. Oh no. Frank has inputted many of his own ideas and design elements, many of which I initially would "gently" disagree with, but later find Frank's eye for webpages and his ideas more appropriate and aesthetic than my own. And for this, your own critical decisions for our site, I thank you immensely.

So as we strive to bring more clinical trials studies to Northern Georgia, I welcome you all to view our new look at www.riverbirchresearch.com.

Last Call

Yay, Kelly is almost through with all of her call nights! Tuesday/Wednesday will be Kelly's final call night of her residency - a four year Internal Medicine and Pediatrics combined program. Of course, this does not mean she is not without other types of "call". There's Jeopardy call, short call, this-and-that call :-) (ok, so I made up that last one)...

I am soooo proud of you, Honey!! The light at the end of the (4-year) tunnel is surely brighter now.

Looking back at when Kelly and I were first dating, I remember her as an intern (first year resident). Those were not easy days. There were many nights filled with self-doubt, tears, and hardship. And I was not particularly fond of any of her colleagues then. This was because I had always thought Kelly deserved better (respect) from her friends, and I was just not sure she was getting this from the folks in her program.

Fast forward four years, and Kelly is a senior resident, and soon to be Internist and Pediatrician. That is, a doctor-doctor. Yes. Kelly and her class will be specializing in both Internal Medicine and Pediatrics. And I have grown to understand and respect her colleagues which are very dear friends of ours, who have witnessed Kelly and my early days as friends, through dating, engagement, wedding, and the birth of our son. In between all those significant life milestones have been numerous movie nights, dinners, devotional programs, birthday celebrations, nights of reflection and support for one another.

Indeed, with both Kelly and my family all over the world, Kelly's colleagues, as well as the Baha'i community here in Durham, have been our surrogate families and have seen our family grow.

I will write a separate blog entry specifically on Duke's med/peds residency class of '07 in a few months time, but would like to congratulate them all now, and to look forward to the final 4 months of their training!!!

I have no doubt this group of fine professionals will serve humanity well.

6-Month Checkup

Ethan had his 6-month doctor's appointment today. Yeah, he's REALLY already half a year old! (well not for another two days actually...). And his progress just keeps improving at a steady rate. Noomie weighed in at 15 pounds 3.6 ounces (or 6905 grams), was measured at 26 inches in length (tall) and 43 cm head circumference.

I remember when he had his newborn well-child visit and even his 1-month visit his stats were not even on the chart for boys in the U.S. And then 2-months when he was 15%/10%/15%, 4-months 25%/15%/25%, and now those stats for 6-months put him at 50%/25%/30%. So his weight is increasing very well, and his height, well, it's increasing at least. We're not expecting a tall boy with mommy and daddy's genes anyways. And his head is getting bigger too yay :-)

Ethan is showing so much signs of development that even in just ANTICIPATING his immunizations/shots, while the nurse was still sorting out her paperwork and getting her supplies ready, Ethan was crying and squirming on the bed/table, almost tearing away the paper liner that covers the surface.

But he did very well and I am so proud of him, he only cried briefly after receiving his shots and was quickly tired and fell asleep on the ride back home.

Next visit: June 18, 2007 (9-months)

4-Months Old

Ethan had his 4-month doctor's appointment today. He had several immunizations (as with his 2-month visit) so he is a bit sore right now, but doing well. He weighed in at 13 pounds 9 ounces or 6140 grams. He is 2 feet tall (24 inches). He has changed so much (don't you agree?) since he first arrived home after weighing less than 5 pounds and measuring just 18 inches in length.

Some of his developmental milestones at this age include: better head and trunk control, babbling and cooing and making lots of baby noises, recognizing (and staring) at his hands (fists), bringing his hands together at midline, and even laughing and responding to "peek-a-boo" :-D

Next appointment: 6-month visit on March 19, 2007 at 1pm.