At Home

Josh came home from the hospital in Saturday with the help if my parents, who arrived late Friday night/early Saturday morning. They were at the hospital by 11:30, and we got home around 4. We watched a movie and waited for Ethan to get home from play practice. Josh was a bit better today, and we are looking toward each day as being better than the day before!

Spinal fusion

Josh's back surgery went well and he is now recovering in the hospital. The medical system in singapore is wonderful, but there is a reluctance to dispense pain medication. We are figuring out how to navigate the system, and Josh is relatively comfortable considering what he has just been through. Our friend Alex from the states was here on a layover and joined us at the hospital for the afternoon. So nice to have someone you know well enough to ask to help out. So nice of her to spend that time with us-and she brought gum!!! Shaving cream too! The support here from SAS has been overwhelming; we have a fully stocked fridge at home and a room full of visitors at the hospital. It is a little humbling.
Cultural observation-please humor me: Everyone likes to prepare food for those who are sick-meal rotations are set-up and care packages made and delivered. The difference is that here, helpers do the cooking! It is so funny-when i emphatically thank people, they scoff, saying they aren't cooking, their helper is. We are totally leaning toward that lifestyle- our place is too small to have a live-in, but we will have our cleaner come daily after CNY (Chinese new year). This part time help is actually more expensive than full time / live-in help. Next house will just need to be a bit bigger! After that-a car???

Friday Morning

Callie woke me on Friday morning at 5:45 am for a walk-when I opened our front door to get the elevator, the new family across the hall was conducting the most amazing "house blessing ceremony", for lack of a better term. Many, many people were there with the women dressed in gorgeous saris. A watermelon had been smashed on a banana leaf on the door step. After getting back from the walk, bells and chanting began, and by the time we left for school, a full fire was going. Josh said the smoke got so intense that he had to put a towel at the foot of our door! Great way to start the day-just beautiful-truly magical. Made me remember why we moved here, and how lucky we are to be here.

Back to School

We returned to school this past Monday, January 14th-nice three-week break! Lots of folks went back to North America-don't wan to offend my Canadian friends by referring to home as "the states"-maybe we will make it back one year! The cool weather would be so nice! We stayed in Singapore, waiting to see if the procedure for Josh's back worked. We got to explore a place called Sentosa-resorts and lots of fun activities like Universal Studios and zip lining . Sadly, Josh will have to get back surgery on Tuesday,1/22, but hopefully it will alleviate the pain. Recovery will be 4-6 weeks. SAS has been wonderful to us -very supportive - and the medical care has been superb. Not quite what we expected to have to deal with when choosing to move here, but all is well! My parents decided to come a week early, arriving on 1/26. Their help, along with the great outpouring of support from family and friends in the states, makes us feel prepared. Sorry-no pics from the hospital!