Recovery Mode

We have been here in Boston, still in recovery mode. After a couple days inside, we started to feel cabin fever and decided to rent a wheel chair so we can get around without pushing Nicholas's limits. Of course, Nicholas does not like sitting in a wheel chair and I think feels very self conscious when we go out. But there is no doubt that the fresh New England air is good for all of us. Nicholas looks better every day, and if you didn't know he had open heart surgery less than two weeks ago, you'd think we were just regular old tourists with a kid in a wheel chair.

Nicholas is supposed to take a few "walks" each day, so he mostly goes up and down the hallway of the apartment. He has gone up and down the stairs, and is getting stronger every day. I know he lost a few pounds in the hospital, and that will take some time to gain back. His muscles are not as strong as before, either, but I know he will be back to his regular self in no time. 

Our first day out of the apartment on Friday, we mostly walked around Boston. We went to the finish line of the Boston Marathon, which takes place tomorrow. I am so inspired by the runners and hearing the stories of people who've overcome such trials in their lives. This year marks the 5th anniversary of the Boston Marathon bombing in 2013. There will be celebrations of survivors, first responders, and people stepping up to help those in need when this beautiful city was attacked by those low life terrorists. 

As some of you might know, I ran the California International Marathon in December as a way to acknowledge the heart journey Nicholas has been on his entire life. I wanted to have something to focus on while Nicholas's heart was getting ready for his Double Switch and keep myself from going crazy, thinking of all the possibilities of what could be...what was to come. I trained from April until the CIM in December, and it was therapeutic to my heart and soul. Being here for the Boston Marathon makes me want to do it again; and I would like to raise money for the Ethan Lindberg Foundation as thanks and a way to give back for this experience they have given us with this Home Away From Home. 

At the end of our day out on Friday, we ended up at our new favorite restaurant ever, Carlo's Cucina Italiana. We enjoyed their delicious homemade Italian food. We had the same waiter as the time before surgery, and when Nicholas and Lorenzo went to wash hands, I told him that Nicholas had had heart surgery since the week and a half ago when we were there. He could hardly believe it, but told the restaurant owner and she personally came over to us and told him that she thought he was such a strong and inspiring little boy. She told him to pick whatever he wanted for dessert and it would be on the house. Of course we were all stuffed, but we made room for a homemade cannoli and enjoyed it very much. Lorenzo had a seafood pasta plate, and one of the shells looked like a heart, so I couldn't resist taking a picture. 

On Saturday, we checked the price of Redsox tickets and it was totally affordable so we decided that we couldn't be in Boston without seeing a Redsox game. The high was 50 degrees, but with the wind, it felt like 30. We were completely frozen by the end of the game. We should have taken in the clues of the Bostonians, wearing hats, gloves, and heavy jackets with multiple layers. Even though we were under dressed for the weather, it was so much fun and we enjoyed every minute of it. Well, almost every minute. Hahaha...

Today, on Sunday, it was literally freezing outside, even snowing on and off. So we purposely stayed inside. The highlight of the day was officially meeting Jessica and Eric Lindberg and the marathon runners. The four runners are heart parents, a nurse in the cardiac ICU here at BCH, and a physical therapist whose life was touched by a heart child. We shared our stories and made new friends with people who have been on this journey before us. Maybe someday we will be the inspiration for a family in their heart journey.