Time

August 10 11 pm

Time is a funny thing. It is a constant, never changing dynamic that every single person in the world experiences and lives with in the exact same scientific matter no matter the culture or continent. It has been called the fourth dimension. A second is a second....an hour an hour....and a day a day. No matter how much we try to squeeze just a little more out of each measurement we all live with the gift / constraint of time. It is how we treat time, how we perceive it, that often times distinguishes cultural differences. As Americans, we find our culture demanding that we make the most of every single measurable moment. We, as a culture, have mastered multi-tasking ( hell we probably invented the term just to justify what it is that we are trying to accomplish). From ages 7 - 10 I lived in San Diego. I didn't notice it then, but it became obviously apparent to me when I visited a buddy who lived there a few years ago. Time is different is San Diego.....or at least it was in La Jolla......everything moved slower, life seemed more relaxed......there wasn't the frenetic buzz that exists in my world normally. It was weird. I find myself a product of my environment/culture......well to be honest, I actually foster that culture in my own world. I often find myself multi-tasking and moving through life very very quickly. My students make fun of me for walking so quickly......."Thompson, why you walking so fast!!!!" "I've got things to do!!! If you want to talk with me you gotta keep up" the response is almost always "I'll talk with you later....". I find myself a victim of the MTV generation. Everything moving very quickly, constantly changing and needing to be constantly stimulated to keep my interest. All that being said, I found myself utterly shocked at my response today. Heather and I were talking with the twins doctor. She was explaining to us that they have come up with somewhat of a long term strategy for Parker. The last few days have seen very subtle changes in his vent settings. A little tweak followed by a 24 hour period of observation to assess his adjustments to the change. Given the success of this strategy, they have opted to adopt it for another week. They will make minute changes to his vent for the next six days and allow him to make extremely small advancements on his vent. Here was my surprise. My normal life....for that matter, my existence, has been predicated on breakneck speed with very little patience. I had a long term goal with college and career etc. but for the most part I thrive on the need for immediate gratification.....just like every other sick, red-blooded American male ( I'm not completely excluding females.....it just seems they have their head screwed on better than their male counterparts). So there I was, not only saying the words but also finding myself genuinely pleased to fully believe in them. I whole heartedly supported this strategy of baby steps (pun in tended). Parker's life will, at least for the next several days, exist of little, tiny, teensy, weensy, adjustments rather than grand ones. The results will be the same.....very small, subtle and minute victories each day that are barely noticeable......and Heather and I both love that:) Although there wasn't really any grand explanation of a strategy for Tyler that mimics that of Parker's, we found Ty to be pretty much in the same boat. He is cruising along on the same O2 settings and finds himself looking for the same subtle advancements as well. So all in all both boys are in somewhat of a holding pattern. We won't be seeing any grand triumphs in the near future.....but the plan is, that we also shouldn't be seeing any grand setbacks either.......and Heather and I wouldn't have it any other way!!! All calm on the NICU front........let's hope it stays that way:):)