Diary of a Doc: Dr. JJ -- 1149 Days and Counting

So my son, Max, is home from college in all is glory -- 3 stuffed duffle bags (gotta give him credit...at least he did his laundry before coming home. His clothes were wrinkled, but CLEAN!), 1 backpack, 1 computer case...aching for a haircut and an In N' Out burger. It took almost a whole school year for Bruce and I to get into some sort of established rhythm and routine with the nest being mostly empty, and Max's return has thrown a wrench (quite happily I might add) into daily life. He has taken up temporary squatting rights on the sofa, as his bed is still sandwiched between our office desks and the wall (I am none too happy that my home office is still not ready), a bookcase is serving as his closet in the dining room, and the refrigerator is suddenly much emptier as Max returns to home cooking. I learned yesterday while shopping in the market with him that A1 Steak Sauce is his savior at school -- drowning out all unsavory tastes and rescuing the hopelessly boring food served in the dining hall (at University of Michigan)...ugh! We'll have none of that this summer. Already the energy in the house is different, as a smattering of his local friends are starting to stop by (eyeing him jealously as their school terms aren't over for another month) to eat, visit and reconnect. I give Max credit in that the first day after arrival , after getting a decent haircut , he was on the move looking for a summer job (or two). He wants to get his feet wet in law or entertainment, and also wants to make a little $$, whether babysitting, working in the mall, tutoring or whatever...
He is pretty motivated without a kickstart from us! Some things haven't changed, however -- the smell of the young man pervades the household (those feet! Ugh!), the tabletops now littered with the detritus of a good snack, and the reality that mom gets a few extra bear hugs a day. I am in heaven (when I'm not cooking!).

Diary of a Doc: Dr. JJ -- 1240 Days & Counting

Our intrepid Max, fully outfitted in khaki green Northface expedition parka and LL Bean subzero boots continues to love the freezing cold, ice storms, snow and subzero temperatures that define the heart of winter in Michigan. Spring break for the Wolverines comes the third week of February -- as the kids are likely to be in the depths of seasonal affective disorder, dreading short days and long nights, and tired of the daily slog through snow drifts to get to class, the prospect of a little fun for a week keeps them warm with hope.
Max's first inclination was to return home for some R&R. However, knowing that we would force him out on the trail of identifying employment for summer dashed his dreams of sleeping in, eating trays of food lovingly prepared by mom, and the prospect of doing nothing. Skip to Plan B -- a trip to Mount Rushmore, by bus, enduring 36 hours in a smelly seat with perfect strangers. Good enough? NO! Skip to Plan C -- a quick trip to New York to visit the United Nations, see a Broadway show, take in the Museums before they are impassable in the Spring, a return to Ellis Island to caress the inscribed names of his great grandparents -- you bet! With the kind offer of a friend to stay in her apartment while there, Max will trek to the bigger city to take inn a little culture, a lot of history, and while not really having a chance to defrost, enjoy the vibrancy that is Manhattan.
It will be a little late to see Conan, but no less thrilling.
So what does Mom do? Put away the trays (ready to be laden with home cooked food), forget about fluffing up the pillows, put herself back in the office to work, and mope a bit...all part of the necessary process of emancipation and detachment that both parent and young people experience at this stage of life! So much of the college experience comes from not what is conveyed in the classroom, but rather the coping, resourcefulness and creativity that comes from striking out on one's own, problem solving, living within a budget and surging forward steadily into real adulthood.
Yeah, I'm moping a bit, but inside, I am totally proud!

Diary of a Doc: Dr. JJ

A year and a half ago, I started to blog about my son in my practice newsletter - counting down the 400 days he had at home until his graduation from High School. Was he ready to go forth into the big world of college? Had we given him the right tools?
He successfully completed his journey and started as a freshman at the University of Michigan in September. Yet another countdown started, as I blog about his progress in college, our progress as empty nesters, and reflections of the life he faces currently. Enjoy as we pick up on this week's entry, and check back every Friday as we update our countdown...

1257 Days and Counting...

Brrrrr.....it's cold in Ann Arbor - freezing temps are hitting the entire Midwest and Northeast. From the comfort of our tropical climate, we shudder at the thought of even a 40 degree morning in LA - and yet thousands of our kids trudge bravely through several feet of snow, ice and slush to go to class, grab a hot chocolate, nourish in the dining hall, or just go to work! Max related that the other night, in the midst of an almost-blizzard, the fire alarms went off in his dorm, the kids trudged downward and outside, dreading the cold, and beleagured at the hour. What did they face at the front door - an army of energetic colleagues from the dorm across the way - and a pile of thousands of pre-made snowballs at the ready! The battle was on, the freezing temps didn't matter, as the proud warriors engaged in a contest that none of us could or would survive at our age. This is just one example of how our perspective changes with youth. Seriously, aside from a brief weather report from Max, I have not heard ONE complaint from him about the cold. His daily description is "It's so beautiful mom", and "thanks for the great coat and boots - 'cause I'm not cold."....and here I am this week, dreading a trip to NY, Boston and Providence next Friday - imagining that upon leaving the safe confines of a warm airport terminal, that I will IMMEDIATELY turn into a human popsicle and never recover! Of course the very mention of my anxiety arouses huge guffaws from my son, and a reminder from him that I have a little natural insulation to help me through such ordeals - oy!

The kids are gearing up for a celebration of hope on Tuesday as the inauguration and its' personal significance to Max and his friends is truly huge. I hope that we all stop and pause on Tuesday and realize the signficance of this very day. Think about the millions who will happily stand in the cold, ice, and snow to witness history, to revere freedom, and to support our country and its new president. Take the opportunity to share this event with your children, as it will generate such a variety of discussion points - both from the past and present. Whatever your politics, it is incumbent upon all of us to link together in mutual support in order to survive these tough economic and political times...

Have a great week - and enjoy this historic moment!

Dr. JJ's Diary of a Doc: 8/10/08

It seems as though age is catching up with me – between my daily work in my pediatric practice, getting my son ready for his departure to the University of Michigan next week (Go Blue!), new construction in my office, and of course, serving as President of MD Moms, one would expect a grey-tinged person such as myself to stifle a few yawns………Believe it or not, I get enough sleep to prevent that from happening……………..UNTIL THIS WEEK!

Every four years my husband and family surrender and hand me over to my television set to live, eat and breathe the Olympic spirit. My issue this year is that the major network televising this marvelous event is broadcasting to the West Coast on tape delay – and you lucky folks on the East Coast get to view the games live! Why does that matter to me? Well, my TIVO broke long ago, I don’t have the necessary cable to watch a live feed, and I struggle to stay awake past my midnite bedtime to see history unfold once again.

After lifting my jaw off the floor (and my box of tear stained tissues) after the mind-bending opening ceremonies, I trudged, half asleep to bed with the knowledge that I would miss the torch being lit. I prided myself on my ability to stay awake, but swore under my breath when my neck hurt this morning from the odd yoga position I found myself in as I drifted off to sleep on my sofa.

I resolved to stay awake last night to see the pride of the University of Michigan, Michael Phelps, win his first gold and look to the stands for his mom, his inspiration. There went another box of tissue! However, with the intricacy of the opening ceremonies setting a high benchmark, do you think that the National Anthem could have been played correctly, and not awkwardly cut off at the end? Perhaps you all respond like I do at these medal ceremonies, silently mouthing the words and welling up in tears feeling the magnitude of the moment………and then our collective joy is cut short as the last stanza just drops off! Come on!

More importantly, I wanted to witness a more significant piece of history unfold – the debut of Dara Torres . She is a symbol of courage, talent, determination (OMG that 12 pack)! She is also a friend of the MD Moms, and her young Tessa wears our Baby Silk Babysafe Sunscreen Towelettes daily, while mom works out in Coral Gables. It angers me that the press speculates that her grueling schedule of workouts, and the transformation of her “middle aged” body is the result of doping. She has gone so far as to have her blood stored and frozen for any future analyses, to prove to the world, that greatness can come just with hard work and talent. She has something to prove, and serves as an inspiration to many individuals who feel that age is an impediment to accomplishment – especially in the realm of physical competition.

I never got to see Dara take the podium to win her Silver Medal last night…sleep overtook me and this morning I hope to find a rerun somewhere to recreate that moment….I anticipate that I will be yawning daily at work, quaffing more than my usual 2 coffees daily, and aiming home as soon as patients are out the door, to catch these moments of triumph and persistence, joy and disappointment, pride and pain, as these young (and middle aged) ambassadors of the world make us feel, for just a few days, that the worlds’ people could get along under one roof…..

OK, so enough rambling……….grab a pen, write to NBC, appeal to them to give me some live feed on the West Coast so I can sleep! NOT!

Enjoy the Olympics! ...and GO DARA!

JJ Levenstein, MD, FAAP

President, MD Moms – makers of Baby Silk