I spent all weekend in a Wilderness First Aid class – a requirement for me to be an “adult” on the Scout Sea Base spring break trip next year. Jeremy & Vince went together a few years ago and next year Vince and I will go. It’ll be Vince’s first trip where he is going as an adult with adult responsibilities. Vince was WFA certified (with Jeremy) for Philmont so he didn’t have to go to this training again. So we went over things like: cardiac arrest, drowning, pneumothorax, hemorrhaging, fractures, carries, poisonous snakes, ticks, lightning strikes, hypothermia, heat stroke, burns, etc. After I take a class like this, I’m nervous about being responsible for other people’s children. I’m actually extra nervous because now I’m some sort of medical professional. I mean, I am a medical professional, but I almost never, ever take care of emergent situations. I’ve never called a code – I’ve come running to other people’s codes, but never my own. And I have a lot of knowledgeable coworkers and generally endless supplies/medication. I’m actually the most worried about being on a plane and then someone is having a heart attack and I’m the only medical professional on board. Jeremy’s like – you can’t not help. You have to help. And, of course, I’ll help. But I’m not going to like it.
We played victim sometimes: Doris with a head wound:
Jeremy is on his way to Seattle right now. Gone for a week for a business trip. I really have to hand it to him, he’s clicking through the college applications with Vince. Not that it doesn’t have hiccups and/or tension and/or terrible days, but it’s going. Rutgers went in this weekend. UC essays have a first draft. UBC essays are started. Since I was gone most of the weekend, I just got small updates from Jeremy. Vince was struggling with a separate essay from Rutgers which asked that if you had any difficulties or struggles that you wanted to tell the admission committee about – a few colleges have this question on their application. Vince said, Ok this is the spot that I should write about Edda, right? (This is why Vince didn’t hand in Rutgers earlier in the week, he was thinking about this question.) Jeremy was counseling Vince to leave it blank. He said to me – in semi-confidence (Vince does read this blog) – if you have a life of privilege, you should own it, you shouldn’t make up struggles that are not there. Rett Syndrome is Edda’s struggle, not Vince’s. To Vince he said – Did having Edda as your sister, in any way, prevent you from performing at your best in high school? Of course, it impacts us everyday as a family and had molded us into the people that we are, but think hard about what you think is a struggle. Vince got very angry at UC’s essay about – tell us your best talent? or what are you good at? Jeremy said there was door slamming and various drafts, but by the end of the day there was something. Writing is very difficult for Vince, he’s not a natural at it. Jeremy says the essays are not clever, flashy or writerly. He says they are in his voice as ernest, sincere and matter-of-fact which, as Jeremy says, is really who he is.
Edda went to a Friendsgiving party today with Jeremy and Eliana hosted by one of Edda’s classmates. Eliana worked this afternoon to cover Jeremy’s departure for the airport (4pm) and my arrival back at home from the Wilderness First Aid training (7pm).
Jeremy took his bike to Seattle with him. After his accident in Chicago a few weeks ago, he still hasn’t gone for a ride outside. He’s done all indoor training and the occasional bike to the Metro station 1.5 miles away from the house. I’m a little nervous that his first outdoor bike ride will be so far away from me. He was actually not going to bring his bike, but then he started calling around all the hotels making sure they had stationary bikes in their gyms and then the ones with the bikes were already fully booked, so then he’s just like – what the heck, I’ll just bring my bike.
Vince and I shook each other’s hands and promised that we would try to make it through the week without being mad at each other.