photo by geri: santa monica senior portraits

Kendall, Jason's littlest sister who might be the tallest of them all, is graduating. Graduating! To celebrate we thought some rad senior portraits might be in order. So when she came for a spring break visit we took pictures all up in Santa Monica Pier's business, and then she whipped out some of her ballet moves on the beach. It was a really, really good day.

View more of this session on Photo by Geri.

Hard and Far and Fast

Alrighty! We've had some scariness over the last little while...

Jas got an infection with a side of productive cough (the one that everybody and all of their children and all of their children's children have had this season).
Then he woke up at 5 o'clock Saturday morning w a fever and nausea.
Then he got another fever at 3 in the afternoon.
Then neither of us slept that night because of his nausea and retching and fever.
Sunday we hurried to the ER.

There we learned that Jas needed to be on 100% oxygen (and even then his O2 sats were low 90's), his blood pressure was scary low and he had almost no white blood cells. His body had lost all ability to fight the infection. He was septic.

Once his blood pressure was under control they moved him to the ICU where they worked on restoring white blood cells.

In a matter of 24 hours Jas fell hard—he fell hard and far and so fast.

On Wednesday he was well enough to move to the respiratory floor—where he was given the very room we called home for a couple months before we moved to NC. So that was a bit disconcerting, but they had painted and changed the curtains while we were gone, so we got over it.

Later we realized that one of his anti-rejection meds had most likely caused the dramatic drop in his white blood cell count, which started this downward spiral. Immunosuppression is over rated. It's another game of balance... and it's tricky, but I think we can figure it out.

This was the nightmare... this was the scary fear looming behind our heads since transplant. Actually we couldn't imagine all of this, it was bigger than any theoretical super infection our minds could think up. It was faster and it crashed him farther and we didn't even have a day. We didn't have ONE day to react before everything got crazy.

There was over a week of quality hospital time, including watching Ellen every weekday and the season premiere of So You Think You Can Dance. Dr. Randhawa and the pulmonologists at Duke teamed up to get Jas back on track. Jason's stats got better and better each day. Last Friday Randhawa did a bronchoscopy where Jas was intubated as Randhawa thoroughly cleaned out his lungs. And then he showered on Monday evening (it'd been a while). After all that he was feeling pretty good.

We were able to break him out of there yesterday, right on his birthday!

He's doing so much better, but not totally back to normal yet. Right before he left yesterday he did a PFT (pulmonary function test) and his lung function had dropped from 84% to 40%. So there is definitely some work and recovering to do... but the point is that he will be alright and he can get back there.

We have been so grateful for everyone continuing to care about us and asking if we're alright, if we need anything, praying for us. Thank you for your goodness and love.

Long Beach Memorial Hospital—sure they've got some pretty palm trees to make it nice and inviting, but truth is it's kind of a little bit in the ghetto. I've got stories about the sketchy Goodwill across the street and the creepster Panda Express a little ways down the road... But Randhawa and the CF team has been awesome and it's a little easier to go to LB than to the heart of LA all the time, so whatev.

photo by geri: beachy engagement

So, don't pass out from shock or anything, but I posted a new session on Photo by Geri. And it might be safe to say you can get used to it because there's going to be lots more posting all up in there (I'm not even fibbin this time)!

This ol girl is back to work peeps.

Plus, you're in luck—it's Laguna Beach and it's these beautiful people!

View more of this session on Photo by Geri.

the one when Jason won the dreamiest giveaway EVER!

Washington DC // SLC // Manhattan // Newport Beach // LA 

I've had a mild obsession with Ashmae's watercolor temples for a very long time. They are light and bright and lovely and everything a painting of a temple should be. Weeeell, a little while ago Ashmae announced a giveaway of 5 (FIVE!!) beautiful temple print downloads. You better believe I entered that baby! To elevate his status from totally awesome dude to Captain Awesomeness, Jason entered said giveaway too. And would you believe it—HE WON!!! Jump back! (a little Footloose ref there for the cool kids on the street)

When I saw the news I died. 

I bounced around the apartment and took part in annoying high-pitched celebratory squealing.

I feel a collage happening in our very near future.

And if you have a birthday or special occasion coming up... hope you have a hankering for some watercolor.

Thank you Ashmae!

Reason 7,545 why I love my husband

He found us a whole new trail for our evening walk adventures—keepin it fresh. It was a steep incline and, aside from two photo opportunities, we made it to the top with no need for stopping. Pictured above is one such photo op, might be my favorite photo of him to date—wiping a smile off his face and his red afro leaning off to the side just so.
He knows what I like.

This trail was sort of hidden and sort of not really a trail; but we got to walk over a bridge, pass some incredible smelling trees, and once we reached the top we were able to see the city around us, the beautiful mountains in the distance, and our little Las Palmas spread out below.

Mmmmm... have I said it's good to be home?

We finished up this evening with an impromptu journey to Esther's Taco House (thank you Kent's for the suggestion), saving me from having any dinner dishes in my sink. This was probably the best part about tonight. Get over here Jason Egbert and give me a kiss!