Mary Caruso

It is amazing that I am getting so many emails asking me to keep posting on the blog.  It is such a complement and yet I wonder what the heck I could possibly write about.  BUT THEN I get back from this life changing bike journey and settle back into my mundane life and I realize I am off again with the girls and it all comes to me.  We don’t have a mundane lifestyle at all!  We have a hectic, exciting and fun life and yes there is stuff to write about!  Whether or not anyone chooses to read it? hey! That remains to be seen!

First I think it is important to post a few more heart recipients because that has turned out to be a real thrill!  I have made some great friends from it but even more the reactions I have gotten by giving them out to people are as master card would say…….priceless!  Seriously……..I encourage anyone and everyone to try to give some out.  Even the grouchiest of people can’t help but crack a smile

Jackie and I flew in on a red eye on March 20th getting on on the 21st.  I was somehow lucky enough to finagle myself into first class thinking this would be GREAT!  I will get at least 6 hours of well needed sleep in those huge, soft first class seats.  I have never flown first class so it was a well anticipated treat for me. Except for one thing.  Anyone who is under 5 feet (if there is anyone else) must remember, if your feet don’t comfortably reach the floor you will be sliding right out of the slippery seat constantly.  There is no sleeping if you are a smaller than normal person.  I spent the whole night trying to stay IN my seat!  But it was fun!

Once I got back into town I threw my Portland/Seattle suitcase down and

packed a new Charleston, South Carolina suitcase and was ready to go again!  The girls were all set to go……excited to see me but even more excited to spend some quality time with our friend Jeremy Davidson AND get to visit the set of Army Wives, their all time favorite television show. These are some of the exciting times that I hold onto so dearly. It makes up for life with  Friedreich’s Ataxia………..The girls had a BLAST!!! and I mean a BLAST!  We met or friends Marilyn and Bridget as we all stayed at the same hotel.  It was beautiful and we joked, laughed, enjoyed the sun and ate some really good food! We spent some great time with Jeremy.  It is disappointing when you meet a “celebrity” and find that they have desensitised themselves to others.  That is the case with many of the celeb’s we have met but not this guy! He is the most open and kind human being anyone can have the privilege to meet.  Jeremy as well as his perfectly suited life partner- Mary Stuart Masterson have stepped up to the plate on more occasions than I can count.  they do so much to make a difference in our lives.  I often ask myself why?  They are busy, accomplished, notable and did I say busy?  We really only did one very small favor for Mary Stuart years ago with the movie she directed called The Cake Eaters.  It is out in DVD-buy it, it is a wonderful story.  There are certainly no obligatory connections on their part.  But as I said they are such genuine people.  They really appreciate their lives and on our end we are so appreciative that they have remained in touch with us.  They have done a lot and one of recent is of course arranging our visit to the set of Army Wives.  We met Roxy, Pamela, “hot” drew (as alex says) and HOLY COW the even HOTTER Comander Holden!  sorry al, it’s ture.   How could they all be so nice?  Hmmmmm but they were!  Next season of Army Wives starting in June!  You have to watch it!  Especially the episode where Sam, Alex, Paige and I are sitting in the bar …….  Great show, wonderful people.

After we got back from “vacation” we turned around once again and headed out to our annual visit at CHOP (children’s hospital of philadelphia).  There we see the best doctor in THE WORLD!!!! He is amazing!  David Lynch! You really can’t fit everything good to say about him in one page or even one hundred pages.  He treats everyone with the same respect and dignity.  Medically he is like no other, and human? He is the best Human Being there is!  He actually came to Portland and rode in the bike ride with us.  We fought to ride next to him…….really!  Well, we spent some great time with him at the hospital and as an extra we filmed a news segment with CBS local news about what it was like to be in touch with Mary Stuart Masterson for the film the cake eaters.  It was fun!  It was exhausting!  It was………..well, it was what it was!  

So here is my post ride post!  Hope it isn’t too boring!  Well, probably far from boring but remember.  Everything we have done in the past few weeks has been embraced and enjoyed to the fullest!  One thing we have learned as a family dealing with a progressive disease is to count our blessings and enjoy every minute of our lives……….and that my friends we did!

So remember! Enjoy your life…….be nice to everyone and….. accept all people!

Always

Meir