Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Catching up on the past two weeks - Part Two

Monday August 17th to Sunday August 23rd:

The week started Monday August 17th with the unexpected return of Justin with Nanci. As USC classes were not starting for a week and all the pre-school apartment set-up and move in was concluded on a timely basis, it was nice for all of us, including Tesfaye, to have Justin back until the 24th.

On Wednesday August 19th I took Tesfaye to the hospital for a brief checkup with Dr. Dvorak and Tiffany Akins of VGH communications had arranged with Global TV news to have Linda Aylesworth do a follow up to her June 10th news segment on Tesfaye to show how the surgery went. I asked Melaku to come along in case any Amharic translating may be called for. The filming of the footage seemed to go well; Dr. Dvorak really presents well and has a great ability to answer the medical questions in a clear and succinct manner, and the difference in Tesfaye's body after the surgery is very dramatic. I was confident that Linda would do her usual marvelous job of putting the story together, but we were not sure as to when it would air. It eventually aired on August 27th (see post from that day and the posted video clip in the top right corner of this blog).

The week was relatively quiet with Jerus getting used to work and also having an opportunity to get to know our family, including our pet cockatoo Mango and dog Ziggy, and for us to get to know her. It amazed me how quickly our pets adapted to Tesfaye when he first came and the same thing happened with Jerus. While for some of our family and friends it has taken years for Mango to get close to them, with Jerus it took a day. On Friday August 21st we had Ben and Nancy Goldbeg and Erez (the other Israeli Ethiopian law student that came with Jerus for a one month internship with a Vancouver law firm) over for Shabbat dinner. We all had a relaxing time before dinner with Tesfaye and Erez kicking a ball back and forth for a while, and then had a nice dinner of barbequed salmon. Saturday Ben took Jerus and Erez for the day up to Whistler and back. I took the opportunity to fit in a joint workout with Justin at my trainer Terry's studio gym downtown, and Tesfaye came downtown with us and walked around on his own and then observed some of our workout and my penchant for whining during the torture. Saturday night the 22nd Nanci, Justin and I attended the wonderful 60th birthday party celebration at the Four Season's Hotel for my sister Sandra. Justin had a great time and was quite a hit at the party.

Sunday August 23rd I had plans to do something with Jerus and Erez, so I first went for brunch at Richmond Golf and Country Club together with the two of them, Nanci, and Tesfaye, joining up as well with Nanci's sister Julie, her husband Sheldon, and two children Matthew and Jenna. After the lovely brunch I went down to the practice putting green with Jerus, Erez and Tesfaye and had fun helping them get the hang of putting (not that my putting prowess is anything to emulate). It was the first time for Jerus and Erez but actually the second time for Tesfaye, as I had Tesfaye try it after a brunch out there before his
surgery. Though putting is likely not a skill that Tesfaye will have much need for in the foreseeable future, it did serve to show how his newly straightened posture will favourably impact all aspects of his life.

After that I took Jerus, Erez and Tesafye with me to Steveston to wander around that fishing village. We really had a nice time strolling along the water's edge,discussing all kinds of topics looking at boats and people, watching a little Irish dancing display, and relaxing over a much needed drink after all the walking in the warm sunshine. Tesfaye feels very comfortable with Jerus and Erez and began filling them in on his life
story in Amharic language. On the way back I dropped Jerus and Erez back at Ben's house, and Tesfaye and I stopped in at my sister Tracey's penthouse condominium in South Granville for an informal gathering of family and friend's to see my nephew Rob Schonfeld and his wife Aimee and two children. I had not yet seen my new great niece Alysha. It was a beautiful day for a visit and another opportunity for some people to see Tesfaye again for the first time post surgery. Tesfaye also enjoyed the chance when my brother-in-law Mark took him upstairs to take in a different panoramic view of Vancouver from their penthouse rooftop balcony.

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