The Gray Area

I told you 2012 would be big!

2012-01-10T00:07:00.002-05:00

How do I even begin? It was a big weekend. Huge. I could tell you all about it, but why? Remember Cousin Sarah? She was there when Emily was born. She was there when Emily turned one. And she was there to help us welcome Paige Conquest Tredwell to the team Sunday afternoon. Baby Paige weighed in at 8 lbs 2 oz and just a shade under 22 inches. Oh, you don't feel like reading? Fine. She set it to music as well. Go ahead...watch it without tissues. I dare you.

If that was all that happened, that would be more than enough. But right before the weekend hit, our man Dr. Paley took his game to the next level. That won't help Ems this summer, but I'd wager heavy on the fact that her future in West Palm has taken a dramatic turn for the better.

Ordinarily, I'd use the rest of this space to fulfill my regular quota of fart jokes, but I've got a new baby to play with and you've got a handful of links to follow. Have fun. I know I will!

2012 is going to be big.

2011-12-31T12:00:00.003-05:00

It's this time of year when I always think of my friend Joe Smyth and New Year's Day 1997. A number of us had gone to a friend's apartment at Marist College for all the end of year parties and had gotten after it pretty hard. The following morning/afternoon we watched the bowl games while re-hydrating and trying to piece together the events of the previous night. After some extended quiet time, Joe said to no one in particular, "Well...it's 1997...I was supposed to have my shit together by now."

Ahhh, how things change.

Granted, every January 1st, I have that same thought Joey had, but these days it's more about the comic relief. I'm a dad, a husband, a teacher and a coach. I have two dogs, a house in the suburbs and a rider mower. But despite my obvious standing as a pillar in the community (editor's note: HA!), it can be difficult figuring out how, in the blink of an eye, you went from being a 21-year old nursing a wicked hangover to an adult with real world responsibilities.

Nevertheless, spending my days wondering where time went seems somewhat counterproductive. We got things to do, man! My team is taking on the three-time defending state champs on Tuesday. Emily is scheduled for her first lengthening in mid-May but is slightly more concerned with changing the outfits on her many princess dolls right now. My bulldog Moose desperately wants me to play tug-of-war with the new rope Santa brought him. And, unless, Baby Paige busts out early, we'll be inducing Kate a week from today. And what am I doing? Posting on my blog for the first time in two months. Yep. Wasn't I just saying something about counterproductivity? Is that even a word? Shut up.

So...yeah. Camp Sweatpants is just a hub of activity right now. And while I had big plans for this post to be full of witty observations, heartwarming stories and other, general end-of-the-year wisdom, all the stuff going on around me makes me feel like this will quickly spiral into just a stream of curse words. Common decency suggests we can't have that.

But before we wind this down, there are a couple things worth mentioning. Emily's friend Mariel, who is just slightly ahead of us on a similar journey, is down in West Palm Beach right now. Her blog can be found here. Check it out for a taste of what's in our future.

Since this blog is mostly about Emily, we should probably mention that this kid is funny. She's legitimately developing a sense of comedic timing. She'll randomly come up to me and innocently whisper, "Daddy?" before getting a big grin and yelling "GET TO DA CHOPPAH!" It never, ever fails to make me giggle hysterically.

That's a brief glimpse into our little world. Just know that large-type events are afoot. I'll do my very best to keep you up to date with the birth of girl #2, preparations for Emily's first lengthening and all the other things that pop up along the way. In the meantime, have a safe and restful holiday and maybe think about getting your shit together.

Cold weather's coming!

2011-10-26T13:32:00.004-04:00

It's 82 in West Palm Beach today. But this is Connecticut. And this kid is prepared.

My new favorite team.

2011-09-27T13:40:00.003-04:00

My posts today haven't been all that creative, but they have been plentiful and that should count for something considering I'm working at a diminished capacity. Instead of reinventing the wheel, I'm just going to post the letter I sent to the Fairfield University president and athletic director this morning.

As a middle school teacher and high school basketball coach, I’ve become familiar over the years with how quickly any perceived slight can quickly find its way to the desk of an administrator. Occasionally, good news is passed on, making everyone feel good about themselves and the job they’re doing. Having said that, I thought it necessary to write you in regards to your womens’ soccer program and coach Jim O’Brien.

Coach O’Brien and I became friends when he and I shared time in the Southern Connecticut athletic department. As time has passed, I have been fortunate to maintain this friendship.

My three-year old daughter Emily was born with a rare congenital disorder where her right femur did not fully develop in utero. Over the next 10 years, our family will need to take multiple trips to West Palm Beach, Florida where a doctor who specializes in Emily’s condition has built a limb-lengthening institute. While my wife and I are fortunate to have careers that allow us a certain amount of flexibility, the financial concerns do weigh on us.

When Coach O’Brien heard about Emily, he wanted to know how he could help. Last spring, he helped organize a fundraiser during a scrimmage at Southern where people could make donations. Most recently, he, with the help of Chris O’Connor in sports information, set up a similar fundraiser at the home game against Stony Brook. While the donations were more than generous, the bucket could have been empty and we still could not have been more excited about what took place.

An hour before kick-off, we were greeted at the gate by O’Brien and a handful of his players. Emily was led on to the field where she got to interact with the players during warm-ups. She was named an honorary captain for the game, high-fived each starting player and even got to stand on the sideline, complete with Fairfield soccer apparel, during the match. Even with a spirited three-year old in the mix during a close match, the players displayed genuine enthusiasm and patience with her every inquiry.

While Fairfield came up short that day, I can only hope the players and coaching staff take comfort in knowing how happy they made our daughter.

Your womens’ soccer program is made up of the kind of student-athletes that should make a university very proud, and it is in good hands under the direction of Jim O’Brien.

Go Stags.
Tim Tredwell

This is how far behind I was.

2011-09-27T13:10:00.004-04:00

The wife and I just had the following the conversation...

Tim - "Did we ever post anything about Disney or any of the summer trips?"

Kate - "Uh, no."

As I looked at the picture file with over 500 shots in it, I won't say what I actually said because this is a family show, but let's just say it was a long slow exhale that rhymed with "duuuuuuuuck."

Anyway, with trips to Disney World, Sea World, West Palm Beach and the beaches of Rhode Island, there are plenty of great shots. However, with me pausing every sentence or so to try and clear the fluid in my lungs on top of already being a little loopy thanks to the various meds I'm on, I just don't have the patience to thoroughly examine each picture. So if the quality of this post isn't quite up to snuff, feel free to peruse other free blogs with cute kids. You get what you pay for around here!

Entering the Magic Kingdom. In step.

A little quality time with Tigger and Pooh.

Mommy schooling Emily about stingrays.

PFFDers will appreciate the range of motion. Crossfitters see the phenomenal depth in her squat!

Children running through an open field. It's in the dictionary under "Happiness." Look it up.

The Cousins: Allison, Caroline, Sammy, Jane and Emily.

She loves the animals.

2011-09-27T12:47:00.002-04:00

These pictures are from a recent trip to Brooksvale park where you're free to walk around and take in the various horses, goats, rabbits and other assorted wildlife. She seems ok with it.

Look at the hands. Such a little girl.

Love this look.

2011-09-27T12:44:00.002-04:00

Gram - "She's just such a happy kid!"

Daddy - "Yeah, not all the time."

Really??

2011-09-27T12:18:00.003-04:00

Diagnosed with pneumonia yesterday. Pneumonia. Apparently when you have a barking, rattling cough for the better part of three weeks, you just might want to consider checking in with your doctor. At least before the fever spikes. Not that this excuses my six week blog hiatus, but just thought I would put that out there. Plus, it gives me a chance to use this picture.

Anyway, plan on making up for it all right now. Stay tuned.

Happy Birthday, Emily!

2011-08-09T08:16:00.003-04:00

Not a lot of time this morning for a sappy, long-winded piece about how this birthday is already infinitely better than last year's simply because you're not strapped into the back of the stationwagon, hurtling south in preparation for reconstructive hip surgery. Just know that I don't recall allowing you to turn three. So have a great day, sweetness. But watch yourself.

A little late on the update...

2011-07-21T21:56:00.004-04:00

My deepest apologies to anyone who continually checked back here over the last 36 hours, thinking something had gone wrong and was genuinely concerned for the health of our child. The simple fact is, she is fine. She had her standard burst of bi-polar-ism (I really hope she's not actually bi-polar seeing as how I continually refer to it in such a casual manner) upon her exit from surgery. She woke up all smiley and happy, pitched a fit when Mommy came to get her, seemed happy to see me in the waiting room, then promptly melted down when I picked her up. All this was followed by a trip to Toys-R-Us and an extended nap for everyone back at the hotel. If I wasn't such a cheapskate, I would have paid the $10 for 24 hours of wi-fi and given you all the gory details right away. But, well, naps are free. So there.

Wednesday wasn't very conducive to blog updates either as Team Tredwell loaded the car and hit the road at 4 AM. With a cooperative three-year old and two parents determined to sleep in their own bed for the first time in 10 days, we pulled into the driveway just after midnight. South Florida to central Connecticut in 20 hours. That's the way you debate!

That gets us to Thursday. Today was a catch-up day. Catch up on sleep, cleaning, finances, yardwork, etc. Should I have gotten to this sooner? Of course. But, honestly, you should be used to this from me by now.

At this point, you're all well aware of the particulars from our check-up. I'll just add a couple notes that I failed to mention the other day.

That is a picture of the screw that was removed from Emily's hip on Tuesday morning. It's about an inch and a half long. She was walking before we got back to the hotel. It furthers my belief that this kid is unstoppable.

When Dr. Paley came into the exam room to check out Emily's x-rays and eventually discuss removing the aforementioned screw, he struggled to raise the seat in front of the computer to a preferable height. I hold this man in such high regard, yet I'm wildly immature and my mouth has always been quicker than my brain. "Really? You can't even work the stool??" I think he laughed.

I'll leave you with this. I tend to wrestle with insecurity. It's part of who I am. Some may doubt that, but that just means I have you fooled (editor's note: sucker!) Then there are moments like Monday at Paley's institute when, in a discussion with patient coordinator Caroline Eaton regarding the new website Paleykids.net which will help patients and their families connect with each other, she mentions, "For a while, your blog was the network!"

The following day, she stops by the bullpen where Kate, Emily and I were getting geared up for surgery by watching Wall-E (don't judge us.) She tells me that Dr. Paley wants me to be sure to mention in the blog that this procedure Emily was about to go through is highly uncommon for Superhip patients. At the time, I just kinda nodded. Only later did I pause to think about that.

Paley and his team make miracles happen all the time.

In my own ridiculous, sophomoric way, I get to help.

Just your standard Tuesday.

2011-07-19T09:30:00.002-04:00

Today's post is coming at you a bit sooner than expected. I had expected to get home from Florida, harass the Director of Photography into uploading pictures from our trip, and then procrastinate for another few weeks before finally enlightening the masses about our visits to Disney World, Singer Island and St. Mary's hospital. Life, however, has a way of throwing curveballs when you're looking fastball.

Team Tredwell went into yesterday's appointment with Dr. Paley expecting x-rays, a substantial wait, a little face time with The Man himself and a date for next year's lengthening surgery. Well, we got all that and more! (I feel like I'm writing for an infomercial. I need to get some sleep. Or hire new writers. Either one.) Emily, who had been having a smashing time all week sweating her way around the sunshine state, naturally turned a corner when it was time to get some work done. X-rays came at a price, as she wailed away while Daddy struggled to hold her in place. In the end, she managed to keep it together long enough to get the pictures we needed. This was followed by a lengthy stint in the lobby/playroom as people from all over the globe waited for the attention of one of the top doctors on the planet. Emily returned to her normally charming self, organizing games of duck-duck-goose in the hallway with other kids and even attempting to rope some staff members in to the game as well. (Admit it, Caroline. You wanted to play.)

When we finally got moved to an exam room, we got a little time with our man Servando who looked through Emily's x-rays like a kid on Christmas morning. As a simple gym teacher, I don't understand much in the field of orthopaedic surgery, but I know what the words "fantastic" and "beautiful" mean, especially when they pertain to my daughter's x-rays. He was genuinely excited to see the hardening of the hip socket, creating a more stable joint and the potential for continued progress. He also noted the discrepancy had decreased by a tiny fraction as a result of last year's Superhip which was obviously good news.

When Dr. Paley arrived, he echoed Servando's earlier statements, although in a much more relaxed way (note to self: never play poker with Paley.) As he looked at the x-ray, he clearly saw something noteworthy, turning to us and asking "how long are you staying?" A brief moment of anxiety was quickly wiped away when he explained how the hip looks excellent but, in a highly unusual circumstance for a child with PFFD, the growth plate is still open. In the majority of cases, the growth plate is completely closed, meaning any extra length will only occur through surgery. In Emily's case however, there is still the possibility of more growth. Her right leg won't catch up to the left without surgeries, but perhaps the road just got a little less bumpy.

Of course, to allow that growth to occur, Dr. Paley needed to go in and remove one screw which kept her hardware attached to her hip joint. To do that, a five minute procedure was necessary involving a tiny incision, a screwdriver and a single stitch. Piece of cake! (Emily disagreed.) Still, it was amazing to watch the team snap into action as he turned from the x-rays and began doling out assignments. "Get them on the schedule for tomorrow morning. Call the insurance company and get approval. It's 4:20 right now. You have 40 minutes." Seriously, it was awesome.

And now, it's 10:20 AM. Kate took Emily in about two hours ago and we should be able to see her anytime now. She was clearly not on board with this whole idea (waking up at 5:30 AM probably didn't help,) but rallied with the help of a little medication. Nothing but smiles and giggles as they wheeled her away. This kid is incredible.

I'll keep you updated when I finally get to see her.

Oh, boy.

2011-07-08T14:47:00.003-04:00

I'll let you guys figure out what this video is all about. I just know it's going to get crazy around here in mid-January...

Every kind of summer fun.

2011-07-08T14:09:00.004-04:00

What's there to say? It's summer! Fill up the kiddie pool and play outside until you're covered in sweat, dirt and bug bites.

Father-daughter bonding.

2011-07-08T14:04:00.002-04:00

That's right. Playing Mario Kart and blatantly ignoring the mess in the corner. Awesome.

I needed this.

2011-06-21T19:47:00.003-04:00

There's a lot to think about when you're planning your daughter's first lengthening. Paley-patient Emma, pictured above, seems to suggest that mobility won't be a problem.

Ok, that was a long time.

2011-06-12T15:06:00.002-04:00

I'm still here, I swear.

What can I say? It's a tough schedule I keep. Knee-deep in 360 middle schoolers from 7 AM to 3 PM. Maybe get in a workout after work. Chase Emily around the rest of the day. Did I mention she stays up later than I do? I know you think this stuff just writes itself, but it's hard to come up with brand new poop jokes every few weeks. Even when you have an almost-three-year-old who's actually potty training.

Let's see...where were we? Last we talked I was thanking my hoop team for their thoughtfulness. Shortly after, those of us at Camp Tredwell were prepping for Emily's first soccer fundraiser. It turned out to be a great time. Both teams took a real shine to our girl. Emily got to go out on the field during warm-ups and get loose, sit on the Fairfield bench during the game and even get prime seating in the press box. That's a full evening! Thanks to Coach O'Brien, Coach Cohen and Coach Lopes for putting together a tremendous evening. Despite temperatures in the "let's just stay inside" range, we still drew a decent crowd to watch some spring soccer. Extra special thanks go to Bri Miller and Alli Walsh, two injured Stag players, who sat near the front gate and hit people for donations. These two couldn't have been any nicer. While their Fairfield degrees will certainly take them to bigger and better things, they can always fall back on careers in fundraising.

I'm sure a lot has happened since then, but I've pretty much screwed myself by taking all this time in between posts. Really? I can remember all the details? The witty remarks? The uncharted cuteness? Remember, I'm not terribly bright and a bit of a boozer. It's just a matter of time before Emily is rolling her eyes at me and walking away with an exasperated, "Ok, Dad..."

So, until I decide that it's much easier to post a picture with a quick blurb every few days, I'll just have to catch you up bullet-point-style.

I'm pleased to say Emily is taking after dear old Dad with her ability to quote movies. Because "Despicable Me" is in her rotation right now, she rips those lines out at just the right moments. Time for dinner? "Assemble the minions!" Ordering pizza? "I will stuff you all in the crust!" If you don't get these jokes, you need to get on her level.
She has a new swingset in her backyard. It is her equivalent to Ray Kinsella's baseball field. It is the first thing she looks for when she wakes up.
She can flip out with the best of them. Offer her a peanut butter sandwich and, in the same breath, she will cry, "I DON'T WANT THAT! Give it to me. Thank you!" Either she's soon to be turning three or she's bi-polar. It's really 50-50 at this point.
She loves to sing and dance. She knows the words to a number of top 40 songs featuring Rihanna, Adele and the Black Eyed Peas. I'm not sure how I feel about that.
She clearly has personality. I often label her "bossy" and am immediately corrected by women who call her "assertive." How ironic.
She often asks, "You know who's going to fix my boo-boo? Dr. Paley."

As sweet as the last one is, it's a phrase that's starting to take over our little world. With about five weeks before our next check-up with The Man, we're starting to put plans in motion for her first lengthening next year. Even as I sit and write this, thinking about alternate housing, stretching the finances, insurance and separating the family for an extended period is creating a knot in my stomach. Nevermind the fact that it's our beautiful little girl who will be going through such excruciating pain for months at a time.

But what can you do? There was never another option. This is what we're doing. We've got a plan. We're all in. It's just our turn.

While being busy was a convenient excuse, perhaps this is why I took such a lengthy hiatus. It allowed me to avoid the reality of the situation. For the longest time, this was something we would have to go through eventually, but not now. Later. Much later.

Not anymore.

And I know, I know...we'll get through it. We have to. But knowing that doesn't necessarily make this easier.

Uh, I don't have a clever ending here. Maybe next time. For now, just enjoy a couple recent pictures and hopefully I'll be back soon.

It had to happen eventually.

2011-04-05T19:11:00.005-04:00

By "it," I actually mean two separate events. The first "it" was the inevitable end of my basketball season. The other "it" was my next widely-anticipated blog post. Yes, technically I posted that flier announcing the upcoming Fairfield - Southern Connecticut spring soccer game (Friday, April 15th! Tell your friends!) but that didn't cover my usual quota of cute Emily photos and sophomoric fart jokes. So, after catching up with all my post-season responsibilities (paperwork, schoolwork, re-introducing myself to my wife, etc.) and watching UConn take the NCAA tourney by storm (sadly, I did NOT pick that one) it's clearly time to buckle in and update the masses. Keep your hands inside the car at all times, please!

Ok, I actually don't have anything too exciting to report. Remember, I was basically an absentee father from late November to early March. Really, I just want to talk about my team and how great they've been. My girls had a pretty good season. We doubled our win total from the previous year and even made some noise in the state tournament. But they could have won the whole damn thing and it probably wouldn't have meant more to me then how they've been with Emily all season. It started last August when we returned home from her Superhip surgery in Florida and found a massive pink box stuffed high with toys, coloring books, crayons, dvds and every type of fun imaginable, all courtesy of Hand girls' basketball. The mini basketball that every kid signed was a pretty nice touch, too.

It didn't stop during the season, either. If Kate brought Ems to practice, everything stopped as they elbowed each other out of the way to be the first to pick her up. After a good win or a tough loss, these girls were never too tired, too busy or too cool to roll around on the floor with my ever-energetic toddler. When it came time for our team picture, they insisted that Emily be in the shot. Like I was going to say no.

And if that was all they did, it would still be more than I could ever want.

But they went above and beyond. They went ABOVE above and beyond. In an effort to raise some money for our future Florida excursions, a good friend donated his tickets for the Lakers-Celtics game in Boston. 9th row behind the basket. Phenomenal seats. Our booster club took the opportunity and ran with it, selling raffle tickets to anyone with a wallet. The team carried Emily out to center court during halftime of one of our biggest games so she could pick the winning ticket. One of my senior captains was even kind enough to point out the dance teams' skimpy outfits and say "we wear longer shorts than that, Emily." Well done.

One of my sophomores, however, wasn't satisfied. She got her parents to front enough money to buy 1,000 black rubber bracelets with "HOOPS FOR EMILY" printed in gold on them. The team went to work selling these as well.

At the banquet, my girls presented Kate and I with two checks. I'm not often speechless, but, well, you get the idea. In my attempt to sufficiently thank everyone for their effort and support, I tried to tell them just how much it all meant to me...how much THEY meant to me. I told them someday we're going to win a state title. We have the talent and the commitment in this town necessary to make that happen. But I wouldn't trade ten state titles for the privilege of coaching this basketball team. And if you think I got through that without getting a little emotional, then you haven't been paying attention.

So, to Ash, Leo, Kelsey, Kara, Jackie, Morgan, Kelsey, Gianna, Graceann, Fitz, Jenn, Hannah, Trish, Grace, Sophie, Colette and Lily...thank you. Thank you for everything you've done for me and my family.

Emily LOVES Graceann.

Thanks for teaching Emily about spit bubbles, Kara.

Emily, surrounded by her "friends," picking out the winning ticket.

Thank you, Gianna.

How cool is this?

2011-03-30T09:21:00.002-04:00

Our beautiful girl.

2011-01-20T22:23:00.004-05:00

No news to report. Just wanted to show her off.

Blizzard!

2011-01-12T19:06:00.004-05:00

Don't know what the total accumulation is on this monster snowstorm, but I can tell you it's getting us a second day off from school tomorrow. Plenty of much-needed quality time with my ladies!

I think I might pass out from all the cuteness.

The driveway provides the perfect bunny slope.

Not sure who had more fun here.

Taking a break from all the fun.

Not even close to done.

Is it really 2011???

2011-01-12T15:56:00.007-05:00

Yes, I'm somewhat embarrassed to say I haven't posted since last year. It's not like I've had a shortage of material to broadcast, either. What can I say? Basketball season is a grind, man. 13-hour days every weekday which feature the regular teaching day, practice prep, film breakdown, meetings and actual practice before eventually getting home to hang out with my two favorite ladies for about 90 minutes before crashing hard. Wash, rinse, repeat. But that's not what you're here for, is it? Listening to a grown man piss and moan about how hard his work day is? Seriously, is it? What is wrong with you? We'll get to that later.

Let's dip back to early December when Kate, Emily and Gram took Superhip week by storm, going from Connecticut to West Palm and back in just about 36 hours. They met up with the Petraske, Scott, Rodriguez and Tudor clans who have collectively dubbed themselves "The Lengthening Class of 2012." Children played. Stories were shared. Superhip shirts were worn. Hard to believe they avoided the paparazzi.

While it was a treat to finally get some face time with our people, that wasn't exactly the point of the visit. Dr. Paley needed to follow up on his craftsmanship from August and, ya know, he generally gets what he wants. With roughly a dozen doctors and therapists from around the world following his every move, he presented Emily's entire case and described her progress in a very positive manner. He was pleased enough that he told Kate he didn't need to see us until next summer and that would be the last time before her lengthening in May of 2012. While that seemed nice, Kate admits she didn't think much of it until a clearly surprised Caroline Eaton exclaimed that she's never seen Dr. Paley do that. He usually wants to see his kids every six months, minimum. Still not sure what he saw that makes him feel so confident. Not even sure I care. All I know is when people ask how Emily is, I always respond the same way. "Bulletproof."

Since then, time has moved with Flash-like speed. Ems continues to grow and develop at an alarming rate. She just looks so....old. She's very much a little girl. Yes, the seemingly ever-present binky makes her appear more toddler-like (we've now limited it to bedtime...it's like kicking heroin) but every once in a while Kate will get Emily dressed up with her hair in a ponytail and I'll just think...when did we get an 8-year old? I'm not a fan of this phenomenon.

Nevertheless, while she ages far too rapidly, it is wonderful to watch. She is an amazing child. She is beautiful and happy and curious and funny and demanding and easily the greatest thing I've ever been a part of. I'm just doing my best not to screw it up.

If I had a resolution in 2011, it would be to spend more time with Kate and Emily. With that, we're going out to play in the snow. Gotta take advantage of a day off in the middle of the week.

Mom and dad, otherwise engaged. Emily, constantly aware of the camera.

I love the smirk. You'd think someone just gave her socks.

Emily giving us "pensive."

Taking after her dad's casual approach.

Seriously, when did she get so old??

Awesome.

2010-11-19T12:00:00.003-05:00

I believe most of you know these two handsome devils. Dr. Dror Paley on the left and Ms. Caroline Eaton on the right rocking Tredwell brand "superhip" shirts. When the man who makes miracles and the woman who helps the man make miracles are wearing your shirts, your fundraiser is a success.
Thanks for all you do! Keep up the good work!

Don't call it a comeback!

2010-11-12T22:01:00.003-05:00

Ordinarily, this is where I'd slowly slink into the room, head down, tail between the legs, mumbling some pathetic excuse of an apology for the longest blog hiatus in the history of The Gray Area. But not this time. Oh, no campers...I'm done apologizing. I'm a man. Not much of one, but a man, nonetheless. A man with things to do. What things? Don't ask me questions like that! Sarah Palin taught me that direct questions are a violation of my first amendment rights. Shame on you! And so close to Veteran's Day, too...

Obviously, my absence has had no effect on my grasp of a ridiculously bizarre and completely unrelated rant. What can I say? I stay true to myself. But in all honesty, it's been a combination of things that's kept me post-free since September 23rd. First off, I've been keeping up with my man Carter who is ahead of Emily on this journey. He's a tough, good-looking kid and his mom does such a fabulous job with him and her family and her blog that, and I'm not ashamed to admit this, I was a little hesitant to get back to posting. Seriously, how can a rapidly-aging, barely-literate, middle school gym teacher hope to compete? Then, to send me further down my self-imposed shame spiral, I discovered this little slice of brilliance and, well, my literary insecurities ran wild.

But it wasn't all bad. I also managed to rope the wife into joining me for some real workouts a few days a week which, naturally, turned into a whole family event. The family that sweats together stays together! But then Daddy had to get all old and soft and tear his left pectoral muscle. Deep down, I think Kate is happy...not that I'm hurt...just that I won't be nagging her to come work out with me.

Ok. So...we're gonna just go ahead and put the brakes on the Tim Tredwell Pity Party and move on to the good stuff. Like, ya know...why we're here...that cool, kid Emily. Last time I checked, we were flashing pictures of that bionic hip and shoving her out into the wild to test it out. Let's see...cast off on a Thursday, taking tentative steps Saturday, wandering around Ikea unassisted by Monday. Seriously. People continually ask "how's Emily?" My response each and every time..."Bulletproof."

And it's not even about the mobility or the fact that a scar down her leg seems to be the only evidence anything was ever done to her. She's just such a nice kid. She's cute and smart and fun and talks all the time (not always a positive.) Wednesday night while Kate was out to dinner with friends, Ems and I were snuggled on the couch watching Lilo and Stitch. She looks at me and says excitedly, "Wanna make popcorn?" I know she's just past 27 months old now and it's not like she explained how to solve for X or anything...but it was just so darn cute. You could say I'm a fan.

Kate, Emily and Gram will be shuttling down to West Palm Beach in early December for a check-up with The Man. I will not be traveling this time as I prepare my other girls for their season. I'm sure the Tredwell Women will be taking Superhip Week by storm. Probably best for me to just stay out of the way.

I promise to be in touch before then. In the meantime, some pictures of the cutest girl we know.

Cast Away!!!

2010-09-23T07:10:00.004-04:00

That, my friends, is the tiny piece of hardware placed in Emily's right femur and hip during her Superhip procedure six weeks ago. That x-ray was taken yesterday. Last night at about 10:50 PM, Dr. Paley e-mailed us the ok to remove her cast for good and begin weight-bearing and physical therapy. And there was much rejoicing. If I had more time, I would go into great detail about our plans for a nice retirement ceremony for this stupid, clam-shell, urine-stanked brace (think a large open field, safety goggles and three sticks of dynamite) but I don't. So, instead just think about our kid roaming free yet again. And smile a lot. Because we are.

It's go time!

2010-09-09T20:55:00.003-04:00

To say the response has been tremendous would be a drastic understatement. Kate and I originally thought we'd order 50 shirts, try and sell them and maybe cover the cost of a cheap rental car while we're in West Palm Beach for Emily's three-month follow up. Wrong. People have been coming out of the woodwork wanting to help in anyway possible. This has been a most humbling experience.

But now it's time to go to work. For all of us. So many of you have come forward saying you want to get in on the latest "superhip" t-shirt trend. Can do. Here's what needs to happen next.

-E-mail me (timtredwell@yahoo.com) exactly how many shirts you want and their sizes. We'll have anything from youth XS to adult XXL. Some of you have already done this. Others have simply said "we're in" or "I'll buy a bunch." Encouraging, indeed...but we need hard numbers now. Even if you've already done so, please humor me and do it again. It's pretty easy to get swamped. Remember, I'm just a simple gym teacher.

-Please send a check, made out to Emily, Kate or Tim Tredwell (whichever one of us you like best.) Emily will have her first bank account starting with the receipt of the first payment. Even more incentive to get your order in soon!

If you're local (in Connecticut...or you're planning on being nearby at some point in the near future) it will be $10 per shirt. If you're in the continental U.S., please include an extra $5 for shipping. Checks can be mailed to:

49 Black Walnut Dr.

Middletown, CT. 06457.

I'd like to order the shirts by next week. The sooner payments come in, the sooner we can get you the shirts and the sooner everyone will know just how superhip you are.

I will never be able to thank you all enough. But I'll try.

Happy Birthday, Gray Area!

2010-09-07T21:07:00.007-04:00

That's right, bubba. Two years ago today, a blog was born. We've shared a lot in that time. Together, we've experienced the highs, the lows, the laughs, the tears, the clever wit and the inability to formulate a coherent thought. We've done it all! If you listen closely, somewhere, a Hamden High School english teacher is weeping quietly to herself...

And after more than 100 posts and almost 9,500 hits from visitors stationed at every corner of the globe, I feel like we're just getting started. We've got at least another decade of this, so if you know any good fart jokes, it would really help us out if you could pass them along.

In the meantime, we've gotten a massive response to our fundraising query. While we've always been keenly aware that we're surrounded by some of the best people, sometimes it doesn't really take hold until three hours after a mass e-mail has been sent out and I've had requests for more than 60 t-shirts, offers of donations, tickets to auction (really, REALLY good tickets too) and so on. And that was just last night! Well, today the requests kept coming. To say we were overwhelmed would be painfully understated. You guys are phenomenal.

As a side note, many of you requested a t-shirt because you're generous, heaven-bound people who just wanted to help out. There was a part of me that thought, "that's awesome, but they DO get a pretty sweet shirt." It was then pointed out to me that, apparently, the funky, old school font I had hunted for, e-mailed to friends, posted on the blog and facebook was only showing up on MY computer. Everyone else was taking a gander at whatever standard "times new roman" default font their personal computer went with. Goody.

But thanks to Cousin Sarah, errors were corrected, images were salvaged and our shirt design has gone public...for real, this time. We're still taking requests, and should come up with a solid plan in the next couple days.

Thanks to everyone who's been there for us and continues to be.

More info!

2010-09-06T15:42:00.002-04:00

Can you feel the excitement? Because it's in the air!

Ok, maybe there's no actual excitement in the air, but I feel like there could be. This morning, Kate and I were discussing the financial details of having a child with PFFD, and started to steer the conversation in the direction of fundraising. We are fortunate enough to have good jobs, insurance and supportive people in our circle. But even with that, frequent flights and extended stays in West Palm Beach will begin to take a toll. While we are truly blessed to be in such a position, I would feel dirty just trying to set up a fund for Emily without people getting something in return (we could auction off time to just hang out with her but that doesn't seem right...especially these days. GOD is she two.)

So this is what we're thinking....t-shirts! Everybody loves 'em. Everybody wears 'em. So let's sell some! The design would be a simple, white, short-sleeve tee with a light blue "superhip" (as seen below) printed across the chest.

For those of you who have been playing along this whole time, you know that "superhip" is the name of the surgery Emily just went through this past August. For the rest of you, it's just another good way to advertise to the rest of the world how groovy you really are. Everyone's a winner!

I'm thinking $10 a shirt. If we have to send it to you, we'll need to tack on a little extra to cover shipping, but we can cross that bridge when we get to it. I'm sorry for the jump in price, but shipping's expensive. Take it up with the Post Office.

Right now, we're just trying to gauge interest. If you like this idea, leave a comment or shoot me an e-mail at timtredwell@yahoo.com that says how many you want and the sizes. If enough people are on board, we'll make it happen.

That's all for now. Hope to hear from you really soon!

Stay tuned...more info to follow.

2010-09-06T15:28:00.007-04:00

All home. Together. Finally.

2010-08-23T23:56:00.004-04:00

I think the standard intro here is "what a long, strange trip it's been." But, frankly, that quote is overused by high school yearbooks and dirty hippies and I'm too tired for this nonsense.

The simple fact is we're all back home and I could not be happier.

It was a difficult and emotional two weeks capped off by Dad's 16+ hour drive through mostly monsoon-like conditions. But I'm getting ahead of myself.

I dropped Kate and Emily off at the airport Friday night. Rightfully nervous, Kate took control of our precious cargo while I aimed the car north. Emily was merciful and slept the entire flight, landing in Hartford around 9:30 PM. I believe I was in northern Florida at that point.

Just being home seemed to lift Emily's spirits. She had her grandparents, her toys, a full fridge...and really, what else do you need?

Meanwhile, I took a slightly longer route. A brief stop in Columbia, SC allowed me to spend time with our friends Matthew and Melissa (and FINALLY meet their precious daughter, Olivia.) This allowed me to recharge a bit before the home stretch on Sunday.

But no matter how long it took, or what traffic I hit, or how hard it rained, or what detours I had to take (are you getting the picture or am I painting with too broad of a stroke? The drive sucked) NOTHING made it better than walking in the door and hearing Ems say "wanna go see Daddy?" I'm easy. I know.

And things have improved. Drastically. She is happier. More mobile. More like the kid we've always known. She is still capable of getting plain surly, but show me a two-year old in a lower body cast who DOESN'T act out periodically.

It's been about 26 hours since I walked in the door and I'm starting to feel almost normal. And if things are back to normal, that means I'll probably go on a month-long blog hiatus. If so, I apologize in advance. In the meantime, enjoy the pictures. And thank you all for helping us get this far.

That's the happy girl we know.

Piper taking care of her favorite patient.

"There is nothing fragile about that hip."

2010-08-19T18:36:00.003-04:00

That's the quote of the day. Who said it? Who else? Dr. Dror Paley...the only guy whose opinion really matters in this case.

And it really could not have come at a better time. We are fried. All three of us. Emily is ready to get up and go (that's frowned upon at this point) and like any good two-year old, she's giving us the business by just screaming that she wants to get down, wants to get down, wants to get down, wants to get down...you get the idea. Of course, we're mortal human beings...there's only so much Kate and I can take, especially when that's happening in the wee hours of the morning.

Got up today, dragged around the room for a bit before getting ourselves together and heading over to the hospital for our one-week follow up. This, of course, means we have to take another x-ray. Want to guess if she was a fan of the idea? (Here's a hint...she wasn't.) Then wait for Paley to come see us.

While waiting for Paley, Caroline Eaton came in the room and looked genuinely afraid as Ems just let it go for a long, long time. "I've never seen a reaction like this!" Super.

It should be noted that we are REALLY spoiled by this kid. She was the happiest, most mellow kid on the planet for the first 20+ months of her life. That ended last Thursday. Now, we can all understand why she's so upset (although if anyone told us we had to lay on the couch and watch TV for six weeks, a lot of us would probably be ok with it) but it doesn't make it any more fun to deal with.

So there we were, walking her up and down the hallway in the stroller, hoping and praying she'll decide to calm down, just for the sanity of everyone on this wing of the hospital.

Tony, the ortho guy, came in, removed her hard cast and replaced it with a soft cast...essentially a clamshell brace which can be fastened with velcro. Emily did not share our enthusiasm. Eventually she would wear herself out and take a nap on the exam table. The next 25 minutes were the most peaceful, most wonderful minutes since they began keeping track of time. I wish I were exaggerating.

When Paley came in, amazingly, Emily did not stir ("I have that effect on kids" he said with a grin.) He looked at her leg, her incision, her x-rays...and used words like "beautiful," "great," and "fantastic."

"That is a perfect Superhip," he said. Which is pretty funny...cuz, ya know...he did it.

(Hey, I've said it before...as long as he gets results, he can high-five himself, call me names, punch me in the junk...whatever he wants.) He also dropped the quote featured in today's headline which was pretty comforting, considering it led to a conversation about what was now considered kosher...like taking Ems swimming, giving her an actual bath...just no weight-bearing activities for another five weeks. At that point, take a new set of x-rays and, barring anything unusual, she should be free to ditch the brace and wreak havoc on Camp Sweatpants like Godzilla in Japan.

Now we're back in the timeshare...for one more night. We've already been to the pool, had a nap and started to pack. 24 hours from now, the ladies will be in the air and I'll be bearing down on the Florida/Georgia state line.

Things are looking up!

Remember all those good feelings this morning?

2010-08-18T19:23:00.003-04:00

Yeah, they're a distant memory.

Emily has been a monster today. Not that I can blame her, but at the same time, there's really not a lot we can do (ever try and explain that to a two-year old? I see you out there nodding...how'd it work out for ya? Uh-huh...poorly is correct.) What does she want? She wants to be outside...playing...on the beach...without a cast on. How much of that can we make happen? Um...none.

For now, she sleeps. But it's only a matter of time before mighty Kong awakens from her slumber.

45 more hours...

Getting her appetite back?

2010-08-18T11:16:00.004-04:00

I don't know what happened last night, but by 11 AM, Emily has eaten half a peanut butter sandwich, cheerios, a generous helping of raspberries, popcorn and washed it down with plenty of milk. I know she had a rough night and Kate had a difficult time calming her down...but whatever she did gave her the munchies. I'm just sayin'.

An almost normal day?

2010-08-17T21:40:00.002-04:00

We're getting closer to normal. Not close enough, but closer.

I got up this morning and went for a run (painful, to say the least.) By the time I got back to the room, both the ladies were awake and ready to rumble. Today's adventure? The mall! We strapped Ems into the stroller and got to it. I think we were in the Gap for about seven minutes before Emily started flipping out. We learned. No stopping. Shop on the fly. Missed that outfit the first time? Too bad, sucker! Keep it moving!

The fun part was Kate projecting her desire to get a little lunch at the mall on Emily as we walked by a Ruby Tuesday.

"Emily said 'eat'!"

And she did. However, I put the timing of the statement and the location of the restaurant as pure coincidence. Nevertheless, lunch out was a welcome break. Emily even forked some salad to her own mouth. Clearly, a little independence made her feel better. She probably had more to eat today than she's had in the last five days. I'm no expert, but believe that's a step in the right direction.

An afternoon nap for the child allowed Kate some much-needed time at the beach. I'd like to believe it allowed her to re-charge the batteries, but I think it might have made her more anxious to speed through the next five and a half weeks. Right now, she's dozing off next to Emily on the pull-out couch...and Ems is kicking her saying, "Mommy! Wake up!" You can almost see Kate's tolerance-o-meter move into the red zone. I'm thinking one more viewing of The Incredibles might end with her sending furniture through the window like a drunk rock star.

Nevertheless, we push forward. I can't BELIEVE tomorrow is only Wednesday.

Sorry, Aunt Sue.

2010-08-16T21:33:00.002-04:00

Ok, so the days are blending together a bit and I believe my lack of posts today can be directly attributed to that. Although it might be laziness. Or forgetfulness. Or a blatant disregard for what my fans want. I don't know...choose one. Seriously, whatever gets your motor started.

Not a lot to report today. Ems is growing more polite, which I believe is a sign she's feeling better. She even had some popcorn and a handful of craisins (that's not a typo, they're dried up cranberries. She loves them) to go along with her milk which, while disgusting to folks like you and me, is a start to getting her back on the food train. We're getting there! Of course, if she kept up her previous dietary habits with her current activity level (lying supine on the pull-out couch, propped up on pillows, watching DVDs) we'd all end up on the Maury Povich show talking about how we ended up with a 300 lb. two-year old. And, really, no one wants that.

Meanwhile, Kate and I are chomping at the bit to get home. Getting up today, feeling almost refreshed and doing a quick count to realize we've got another five days here was NOT the way to start the day. Nevertheless, we're scouring all the brochures in the lobby to see if there's anything we can do that will allow Emily to get outside without getting too hot, sweaty or crazy. Even if we can put her in the stroller and roll through the mall, it's something.

Our post-op visit is scheduled for Thursday at 1:00. Sadly, this is the most exciting thing we have going right now. Unless, of course, we get to go to the butterfly museum tomorrow. Keep your fingers crossed!!

For those of you who are still following along (and haven't passed out from all the excitement) Kate's sister-in-law Laurie had surgery of her own today. Diagnosed with breast cancer in May, she is currently at Dana Farber in Boston. The way I see it, a whole lot of you have included Emily in your prayer circles. While we have God's ear, please include one for Laurie.

That's all for now. More tomorrow, I promise.

Before and after.

2010-08-15T11:35:00.003-04:00

I don't have a good caption. I'll just say I'd rather never do this again.

Home, kinda.

2010-08-15T11:07:00.002-04:00

We're free!

We got discharged from the hospital this morning shortly after 9:00. I would talk about how excited everyone is, but, really...it's impossible to tell because nobody has any energy. Emily is obviously limited by her spica cast so she's still annoyed with the universe. Kate dropped us off at the timeshare before running off to pick up supplies for our remaining time here in Florida. I really don't know how she has the capacity to keep going. This is the longest she's been out of the hospital since we walked in there Thursday morning (she's been gone 90 minutes as of right now) and that's really saying something. Hopefully she'll be back soon and can get some sleep in an actual bed. Or at least a shower.

Perhaps an update on the kid, then? After getting her epidural removed yesterday, her temperature dropped almost immediately. She now sits at a comfortable 98.1 degrees (she apparently runs cool.) Although not everything went so well. During the night, her IV blew which caused her arm to swell and some obvious discomfort for our girl. However, I think getting in the stroller and saying goodbye to the hospital and multiple daily visits from the nurses eases most of that pain.

For now, she is sleeping propped up in a chair with her blanky and puppy, still wearing her hospital gown.

Getting closer all the time.

I think it's Saturday...

2010-08-14T13:33:00.003-04:00

During the summer of 2001, I was lifeguarding at a local country club. I was 26 years old, in grad school and about to become a teacher. In other words, experienced enough to know what I was doing but old enough to know better. Hang out by the pool all day, out just about every night. It was one of the most fun summers I've ever had.

One night, we wandered into our local hangout and noticed the lack of customers. I turned to the bouncer and said, "kinda dead in here for a Friday."

The bouncer looked at me sideways.

"Tim...it's Tuesday."

Right.

Take away the good times and sweet tan and that's pretty much how I'm feeling right now. Rarely without a coffee in hand, sore from sleeping on that damn recliner and just looking for excuses to get up and wander the hospital.

Kate, on the other hand, continues to play Atlas. She is unflappable. Helping every nurse without overstepping, never more than an arm's length from Emily...I am amazed by her more and more. I keep trying to push her out of the room...but she just...stays.

While she's keeping everyone on the same page, I worry about when she's finally going to let go. I have a feeling it will all come out at the most bizarre time. Three weeks from now, I'll put a spatula in the wrong drawer and she'll choke me into submission. And really...what jury would convict her?

Ems is slowly coming around. The fever finally got below 101 today. Kim, the AP on call this weekend, came through to check on the incision (looking good) and to take out the catheter and epidural. Everything appears to be ok which is obviously good. Now, if we can just get her to start eating. Looks like Emily will be dropping some of that baby fat she's been talking about. A little late for beach season, sweetness!

But she is being such a trooper. She flips out anytime a nurse enters the room, knowing they're going to be poking or prodding or basically making her a little more uncomfortable, even for just a few seconds. Thank god she doesn't have daddy's vocabulary. It would get SO inappropriate in that room...

Hopefully getting out of here tomorrow. Will continue to keep you posted with anything new.

Day two.

2010-08-13T17:14:00.002-04:00

And I thought I was tapped yesterday.

Nothing quite like a good night's sleep on a reclining hospital chair to really take the edge off. Although I can honestly say after yesterday's activities, I probably could have slept on hot coals and just would have dreamed blissfully about barbecue. Kate snuggled up next to Ems in bed and managed a little sleep, but she's still in nurse mode so that's no easy task. I still haven't seen her break down, although I'm sure it's coming. Nobody's that good. Not even the Fonz! Wait, what?

Anyway, we made a step towards normalcy today. I managed to get out of the hospital and shoot back to the timeshare for a shower, some fresh clothes and a deep breath of non-hospital air. Kate even stepped out for an hour to go to Target which I'm sure was oddly refreshing for her.

Emily continues to be pretty mellow. She's had a constant fever of about 101 and her hemoglobin count was low which required a blood transfusion, but nobody seems too thrown off by this so that works for me. The company line is this is very standard stuff for second day after surgery. Basically, whenever the nurses come in and start saying anything medical, I just gauge Kate's reaction. If she visibly tenses up, I know to be concerned. So far, so good.

It's been helpful to have such a great nursing staff with us the last two days. All three nurses we've had have been friendly and professional. Granted, I could be easily fooled (if they're nice to Emily, I figure they're doing the job...I know, way to set the bar high) but Kate has said repeatedly how good they are. As always, if she's happy, everyone's happy.

Except maybe Emily. It wasn't until about 2:00 that we started to see flashes of the kid we know. Before then, she would wake up briefly, cry, try and push the cast off and just repeatedly say she wanted to get down. Since then, she's pointed to the TV (Sesame Street DVDs) quietly naming the characters and generally started to look a little more together. Kate had said she should get a charge of energy after the blood transfusion. Great. Here come the accusations of doping and the eventual attempt to take away her Tour De France wins. Who are we talking about again?

Our friends the Estrins stopped by briefly (Mariel had her superhip just last week) and everybody looked great. Mariel handled her surgery like a champ and was apparently really giving it to every staff member who came in the room ("I don't like her! I don't want you here!") which is even funnier when you know how nice her parents are and what a cutie she is. Turn up the heat, kid!

So that's where we are. A dramatic improvement from 24 hours ago. As I understand it, things should continue to improve each day. Let's hope so.

Again, thanks to everyone for the continued support. It has been literally non-stop. I'd probably be completely overwhelmed if I wasn't so freakin' tired. If I ever seem unappreciative, feel free to remind me.

All systems go. UPDATED - 7:25

2010-08-12T09:00:00.013-04:00

We arrived at the hospital shortly after 6 AM and were taken into pre-op at about 6:30. I was able to hang on to her for a good amount of time while our nurse did all the pre-game testing/paperwork. Afterwards we put her on a bed and all sat to watch the latest Wallace and Gromit selection while we waited for the call.

Around 8:00, Emily gowned up and we attempted to slip her some pre-anesthesia sleep juice (really? You expect me to remember the name of the drug right now? Shame on you.) She wore more than she drank but she got just enough to get good and loopy. Still, she was getting antsy after another 15 minutes and clearly wanted to be anywhere else. A coloring book saved the day and she was still on her belly coloring away when they wheeled her to the OR. Kate got to put on her own biohazard outfit as well and went back with her while I was sent back to the waiting room (after taking a few minutes to attempt to compose myself in the hallway, I trudged back into the lobby to get some coffee...within SECONDS of walking through the door, I hear a "hey, wow, man...you play basketball?" Seriously? Right now? I'm thinking on a day like today, I should be legally allowed to choke this person. I'm writing my congressman.)

Kate came out a few minutes later and looked great. She was very proud of her little girl. Apparently, everyone agreed she did really well...right up until it was time to put the mask on her. She fought it for the whole two seconds it took to put her out.

Thanks again to all the staff who were professional and courteous in the time leading up to surgery. Especially my man Servando, the physician's assistant who not only colored with Emily on the operating table, he offered his cell phone number to be used 24 hours a day if we needed anything. Either he's really good at his job, is trying to win that Team Paley bet we discussed last night or I am making this cargo shorts/hooded sweatshirt ensemble WORK.

UPDATE - 9:18 - Dr. Paley just came out and gave us a wave saying they're going to start in about five minutes. Buckle up, kids.

UPDATE - 10:37 - Servando just stopped by to check on us. He is not in the OR with Emily (he's working on another case) but is in contact with the team and "through signs and body language" things are going well. Caroline should be coming out to talk to us soon.

UPDATE - 11:09 - Caroline checked in and said the word from The Man is that things are going "great." No surprises, for good or ill and he should be finished in about 90 minutes. We still won't be able to see her for about three hours, but we're making headway.

UPDATE - 12:28 - Found out our final post-op appointment with Paley will be on Thursday, not Friday. The thought of hanging out until Kate's Saturday evening flight got even less attractive, so we called the airline and attempted to make a switch. The customer service rep initially balked, saying it would cost an additional $180 per ticket. However, after talking about WHY we're down here, she knocked it down to $60 total. Done and done. Thanks, Delta!

UPDATE - 1:06 - Nothing new to report. It's brutal watching the "staff only" door open only to have it be no one we're interested in seeing. Starting to numb up a bit.

UPDATE - 1:26 - Paley just came out and talked to us. Everything looks "beautiful." He said the only part that was a bit abnormal was the need to shave some bone where the femoral head connects to the pelvis to promote a more natural range of motion. She's being closed up right now after which she'll be casted, they'll take more x-rays and moved to recovery.

Getting closer!!

UPDATE - 3:10 - We were just moved to a different waiting room. Should be able to see her anytime now.

UPDATE - 3:17 - Kim, another top notch physician's assistant, just came out to tell us "the epidural must be working" because Emily is awake, looking around and just smiling. That's our girl!

UPDATE - 7:25 - Well, I'M tapped.

We finally got called into the recovery room at about 4:20 and Ems looked pretty beat up. She was a little swollen and pale and would wake up only briefly. When she did, it was like she was trying to cry but it took too much effort, so she just went back to sleep. We sat next to her for about an hour (the LONGEST hour all day...and that's saying something) before they got her ready to move up to her room. When it was time to roll, we gave her blanky and puppy...but it was the binky that finally got a smile. Once that binky was in her mouth, she lit up, looked at us and said, "Hi Mommy! Hi Daddy!" Like crack, that binky.

We got situated in her room and just kinda sat. The room is a little bare and we're on the sunny side, but I was more than happy to get out of that recovery room. Too many wires, too many people, too many bells and whistles...just too hospital-y. It's a little calmer now.

Paley stopped by a little before 7:00, gave her a once over and a thumbs up before moving on to examine more of his craftsmanship. Jennifer, the PA who closed Emily up after surgery also stopped by and gushed about how great our girl was going into the OR. When she left, Kate turned to me and simply said, "I like her." Agreed.

Since getting to her room, Emily has been out for the most part. The epidural is humming and pain meds are at the ready. Kate and I were catching up on texts/phone calls before I figured I should put a wrap on this for the day. Unfortunately, that meant leaving the room for the wi-fi connection in the 24-hour coffee shop they have here. The most unfortunate part? Now having to navigate my way back. I hope to see the ladies again before Ems is discharged on Sunday.

I'm just so thankful for the support today. A lot of people checked in by text, phone call, e-mail, blog comments...and that's on top of the people who were physically here for us today. Most importantly, thank God I married Kate. She so easily switched back and forth from mom to nurse that I don't think I ever saw her where she didn't appear to be in complete control. I, on the other hand, was a puddle most of the day. Not my manliest performance. Uh...I don't have a redeeming joke here. Shut it.

So that's it for today. I'll be sure to keep you in the loop in the coming days. Thanks for keeping up with us. We all did it together!

The clock is ticking...

2010-08-11T21:17:00.003-04:00

Again, I don't have a ton of jokes or quote-worthy material to post tonight. It's been a long, exhausting day. Emily showed her two-year-old-ness like a champ during her pre-op, absolutely refusing to let the nurse take her blood pressure, maintaining a zen-like calm while they drew blood from her arm and then requiring three adults to hold her down while they took x-rays. If her head fully spins around, I'm out. Dr. Paley's on his own.

Team Paley once again showed why people travel from all over the globe to see them. The staff could not have been any nicer or more helpful. We were in the hospital from 11 AM until about 2 PM, took a brief break for lunch (Sonic!!) and then back for more meetings, pictures and Paley-ness until about 5:30. While it was a difficult day mentally, it obviously could have been far, far worse. Some brief notes from today's activities...

-Kate and I get to decide which one of us wants to go into the operating room with Emily and anesthetize her. Oh, and it's helpful if she starts crying, because she breathes harder and falls asleep faster. How's YOUR day going to start tomorrow? Got a tough day at the office? F--k off.

-We're looking at close to seven hours worth of surgery and surgery-related goodness tomorrow. 90 minutes for prep, three hours for the procedure, an hour to cast and another hour for her to come out of her haze.

-Met a pair of moms (one from Michigan, one from Utah) who are here with their sons for lengthenings. Both were extraordinarily friendly and talked about the community that exists around the hospital making things so much easier as everybody has somebody to lean on. Comforting, to say the least.

-At one point, one of the moms talked about Paley's ability to remember each child and even their specific interests. Caroline Eaton, who was in on the conversation, chimes in, "the really amazing thing is that he can look at x-rays and recognize the kids by their femurs!" I am NOT making that up.

-Caroline led off one of our meetings today warning me to not post any photos of Ems in her spica cast. Apparently, after a few conversations with the FBI, she found out there's some pervs out there who are into that sort of thing...ifyaknowwhatImean. I WISH I were making that up.

-In the final, self-serving note of the evening, Caroline mentioned Paley's weekly meeting with his team where he presents upcoming cases. In front of about 40 people, he read directly from The Gray Area while discussing Emily. Allegedly, there are now bets being placed as to which staff member will be mentioned in future posts. And if you think I'm not immature enough to somehow use this to our advantage...well, then you clearly have not been paying attention. Having said that, nothing makes sleeping in a reclining hospital chair easier than a nice fleece blanket. Ahem.

Anyway, the last supper is finished. Emily is watching Kung-Fu Panda (I know...I'm shocked too) blissfully unaware of what awaits her. Kate and I hope to get SOME sleep before walking through the hospital doors at 6 AM. But I wouldn't bet on that.

I'll have the laptop with me tomorrow and will try and give some updates throughout the day. If you know anybody upstairs with any pull, put in a good word for us. We'll take all the help we can get.

The waiting game.

2010-08-10T21:07:00.002-04:00

I'm running out of clever intros and witty banter so I'm just going to put out the nuts and bolts and let you throw in your own fart jokes where they seem appropriate.

We flew in from the Dominican (which was a BLAST) on Sunday, landing at JFK around 4:30, met up with Kate's parents in long term parking where we collected Emily and some bags and got on the road. We wanted to make it to South Carolina where we had friends waiting for us, but by 1 AM, everybody was struggling, so we shut it down just south of Richmond, Virginia.

Back on the dusty trail by 10 AM, we made it to West Palm Beach by 11 PM with ONE STOP. That, my friends, is impressive. Emily was a trooper and had about the same amount of meltdowns as Mommy and Daddy. (I figure she's allowed. Imagine how bad it could have been if she was aware she spent her second birthday in the car.) Kate took the first six hours then, after a delicious Cracker Barrel meal, hopped in the back with Emily where they watched movies on the DVD player while I finished the run. Safe to say I could have slept on a bed of nails last night and still would have hit the snooze button.

Today was a low-key, mellow day. Cloudy and rainy outside, so not a lot to do. Grocery shopping and dinner out. Right now, I'm in the lobby (with the wi-fi connection) while Kate valiantly attemps to strap Emily down after she finished a bottle of lemonade at dinner tonight (we go away for five days and now she doesn't drink milk anymore? Me and the grandparents are having words...)

Tomorrow we head to St. Mary's for an 11 AM pre-op with the hospital staff and then another appointment with Dr. Paley and his people. Then, back home for more waiting. Thursday morning is D-Day. Time is grinding to a damn halt at this point.

There is definitely some tension around the room. Everyone is trying to put on their happy game faces (except Emily who just goes with whatever mood strikes her. God, I want to be two years old.)

Don't know what else to tell you. Will have more tomorrow after the visit with Paley.

Does she look worried?

2010-07-22T00:20:00.003-04:00

Seriously...is that the face/body language of somebody who is concerned about the major reconstructive surgery she is about to undergo in just a few weeks? I think not. Luckily, her parents are doing all the stressing for her.

And I don't even think we're doing that bad (I'm sure my blushing bride would disagree with me on that.) You know, let's just set a rule right now. I will only refer to myself and my feelings regarding any events in the coming weeks. I will not speak for my wife or make any attempt to interpret her thoughts or stress level. It's 12:30 at night and I just don't feel like getting choked. Besides, if I made an abrupt shift from the hard-driving, self-centered, narcissistic direction this blog has been taking the past 23 months, what would that say about me? And don't you even say anything about maturity...I won't stand for that kind of talk!

Ok. So, in exactly two weeks, Kate and I will hopefully be getting a few minutes of sleep before waking up in the wee hours to catch a flight to the Dominican Republic where we will party like it's 1999 as our good friends Cory and Vicki tie the knot. Shortly after the nuptials, we'll jet back to the states, land at JFK, locate Kate's parents in the airport parking lot, grab Emily, some bags, some snacks, pack the car and start the drive to West Palm Beach.

Tired yet? I am.

But I'm not nervous.

I'm not. I don't know why. It goes against everything I stand for. I am not a cool guy. I'm anxious. I'm pessimistic. I try and cover it up with humor and sarcasm, which, on occasion, I have probably taken too far. (Uh-huh...go ahead, people-who-know-me. Roll your eyes.)

Anyway, this isn't completely honest. I have some idea why I'm not nervous. I've met Dr. Paley. I've listened to past patients speak glowingly of him as if he were a mythical character...consuming his enemies with fireballs from his eyes and bolts of lightning from his arse(come on, movie folks...name the film. I'll give you a hint...the actor is having a really bad couple of weeks.)

And I've watched my daughter grow.

That's probably where I'll run into problems.

I really do believe Dr. Paley when he looks me in the eye and tells me he'll get my daughter's legs to equal length. I trust him with everything I have. He has the knowledge, the ability, the resources and countless people behind him nodding along in agreement. That works for me.

Where I will get myself in trouble is looking at Emily as she does her various Emily things, with or without her shoe lift, having almost no issues navigating her way up, over, around whatever stands in her way...and thinking those amazing, fantasy, what-if-we-won-powerball kind of thoughts.

"Maybe her femur has been growing more than we thought...what if we don't need four surgeries?"

"Her hip and leg look great. There won't be any complications whatsoever."

"I'm sure she'll do fine in the hospital. She's a tough kid. She can handle it."

"She's two years old. Of course she can handle a drive from New York to Florida."

And so on.

Of course, most of you recognize that this is spoken as a parent who just doesn't want anything bad for his child and can therefore manage to concoct these borderline-fantasy scenarios in an attempt to drown out any negative thoughts despite the overwhelming evidence that, although this will eventually be fine, the process itself will be, at times, a complete shitstorm.

Where does that leave us? Same spot as when I started this. Sitting at the kitchen table. Finishing another beer. A couple hours closer to August 12th. But still not nervous.

Ok. That's not completely true either. I'm a little nervous. I suppose finally confronting the demons will do that. We're past the canned talking points brought out during brief conversations with fake smiles and practiced confidence. It's late July. This is no longer something way off in the future. It's not something to think about later. It's real. It's happening.

So, if you all will allow me, I'm going to need a moment with my man here...

Dr. Paley...throughout my life, I have been extraordinarily fortunate to be surrounded by people who care about me. I've been handed opportunities that a lot of people don't get. I wish I could say I've always done my best or that I've always been fair and honest and polite, but that wouldn't be accurate.

I have been blessed with the most perfect little girl. She's smart and fun and beautiful. Sure, she's becoming a feisty two-year old who throws random fits and firmly declares, "NO CUBBIES!" when I want to watch my team play. It just shows she's probably smarter than me.

This kid...she doesn't know it yet, but she needs you. I need you. We need you. We need you to do what it is you do. We need you to do what no one else can do as well as you.

Please.

Our people.

2010-07-21T23:24:00.003-04:00

For those who have been loyal followers of this blog, you know I started this partially out of laziness as well as a not-so-subconscious need for intense therapy. What I did not count on was literally a worldwide audience as well as the opportunity to meet and interact with so many amazing people. Thankfully, my wife and Chief Photographer is much better at corresponding (you see how often I update this thing) and has managed to maintain relationships with people who are experiencing the very same thing we are. They share stories, pictures, advice and anything else which may be even remotely helpful.

Recently, we were fortunate enough to get into contact with the Estrin family of Norwalk, Connecticut. Mary and her husband Dan are followers of The Gray Area and asked us to get in touch. We met up at the Beardsley Zoo in Bridgeport and became fast friends. The Tredwell Ladies have met up with the Estrin Ladies a couple times now to go to interactive, kid-friendly, touch-and-learn-as-you-go, germ factories or whateverthehell you call these places. If nothing else, it makes for good picture-taking.

Young Mariel is about four months older than Emily and just slightly ahead of us on the journey through Paleyland. She'll be in West Palm Beach for her Superhip just a couple weeks before we will.

Our thoughts are with you guys. We all know you're in good hands.

A little something for now.

2010-07-07T20:24:00.004-04:00

Exactly five weeks from right now we'll be in West Palm Beach, making a feeble attempt to mentally prepare for Emily's Superhip surgery the next day. Having said that, know that I'm working on a long, incoherent, rambling post where I will try and make some sense of what's knocking around in my head. I make no promises regarding quality or amount of humor/entertainment. Just that it will be...oh, I don't know...honest? How about that? I've said it before...you get what you pay for around here.

In the meantime, enjoy these recent pictures. I'll be back soon.

One more for good measure.

2010-05-28T22:28:00.002-04:00

I love this picture...completely ignoring the Cubs game and looking for a DVD to watch instead. She'll learn.

I promised you five posts. You got five posts. They said it couldn't be done. I did it. Still, there was more to do. More to say. So I dug down deep...and found just enough to keep going. Why? Because that's what I do. I blog. I blog for you. Like, once a month. Sometimes more. But usually it's less. Sad, right? Heartbreaking? Pathetic? Don't answer that.

But there's more. You're all well aware of what she looks like. You've seen her in color, black and white, group shots, evening wear, swimwear...but there's more to this kid than just a pretty face. It's important you know that.

I could take a few hundred words to weave a delicate literary path through the forest of her personality, twirling around and around whilst describing what makes Emily Emily...but I'm tired. You're stuck with bullet points. Suck it up, cupcake.

This kid is smart. Very verbal. If you're lucky enough to be the one to get her out of bed in the morning, she spends the first few minutes of each day naming things in the room. It's as if she spent the night cramming for an exam.
She likes baths. She will come to you any time after 8:00 with a hopeful look. "Bath? Bath?" And if she doesn't come to you first, all she has to do is hear YOU say bath, and she's running for the stairs.
She is obsessed with Kung Fu Panda. OBSESSED. It's on a 24-hour loop in this house. She giggles hysterically during the entire final battle between Po and Tai Lung. She usually gets to watch some of it after a bath. Suddenly, those first two bullet points take on a whole different slant, huh? (She's smart...claims to like baths...knows she'll get her Kung Fu Panda fix after putting in some tub time...come on, I'm feeding you, baby birds!) Thankfully, it's a movie we don't tire of. "There is no charge for awesomeness...or attractiveness."
Even though Kung Fu Panda continually plays, it has not diminished her love of books. We took her to the library today and she ran to the middle of the children's section with her mouth wide open and loudly clapping. She spent the rest of the time picking out every book she could reach, handing them to whichever parent was closer and then running for more.

But it's not all fun and games around here. She is fast approaching two years old. Which means she's testing boundaries, making a mess, running wild...basically acting like a kid who's fast approaching two years old. There's really no explanation needed. Just prayer and extra strength Tylenol.

And there is that other little thing with her leg. Remember? Short femur? Multiple surgeries? Long painful rehab? Thought you might. Well, surgery number one is scheduled for August 12th. Communication between Team Paley and Team Tredwell is becoming more frequent. Plans are being confirmed. Accomodations are set. We are a go.

And yet, none of that really hammers the point home. Remember our boy Ethan from Texas? He just went through this last week. Kate has been great about keeping up with the family and his mother was good enough to keep a running journal of everything that occurred.

Would you like more evidence that this is really coming? Caroline Eaton, our go-to for everything Paley-related, recently sent this video detailing just about anything we could have wanted to know about this procedure.

I'm not nervous. Yet. Perhaps I'm just fooling myself or putting off basic reality. Or, maybe I've achieved a certain calm regarding the entire situation. I saw this movie once, where the main character thought he needed this special power to defeat a seemingly invincible foe when, in fact, he just needed to believe he could. Crap...what was it? It's a good movie. You should totally check it out.

A hint of summer.

2010-05-28T21:59:00.003-04:00

It touched 100 degrees on Wednesday. Nothing a relaxing dip can't handle!

BFF's.

2010-05-28T19:53:00.002-04:00

Emily and Kylie could NOT be any cuter together.

Pretty in pink.

2010-05-28T19:32:00.003-04:00

Halfway there!

The many faces of Emily.

2010-05-28T19:17:00.005-04:00

Now with 80% less binky!

A new record?

2010-05-28T18:56:00.003-04:00

Yeah, I know. I promised to be more bloggy this month. What can I say? You get what you pay for around here.

So, in an unprecedented move (read: sucking up to the readers who haven't given up on me yet) I will be going for a record five posts tonight. I've been hydrating all day, I stretched out and even ramped up my workouts lately. I think I'm both physically and mentally prepared for just such a grueling event. Now, if only Emily will cooperate. She's currently in the other room. And it's quiet. That's never good.

Ok. Wish me luck.

PS-this counts as one post.

Remember us?

2010-04-30T22:31:00.002-04:00

I know...I know. Believe me, my absence from the blogosphere has not gone unnoticed. However, my lack of posting should be seen as a positive in regards to young Emily. If you review my early posts they were dark and troublesome and full of doubt and I just don't find myself in that place all too often anymore (check that...I still hang out there...just not because of her...never forget I'm a disturbed individual.) But mostly, I don't have time to brood when I spend my time trying to keep up with this kid. She's all over the place! Granted, it's often because she's clinging tightly to her mom (you do NOT want to be around when Mommy leaves...it gets a little loud.) But the simple fact is Ems is a machine. Walking, talking, playing, coloring, swinging, sliding...you name it, she's into it. She loves her new crab sandbox (thanks, Oppy!) and is certainly discovering a love of the outdoors this spring.

While I keep a close eye on the school calendar (just seven weeks left!) every passing moment puts us closer to her Superhip surgery in August. In three and a half months, we'll be hitting the dusty road to West Palm Beach. Perhaps I'm only kidding myself and am actually filled with the false confidence of someone who hasn't fully owned the gravity of the situation. Or maybe I'm done worrying because I trust our plan. I trust our guy. And I know...I KNOW...it's going to work. Remember...we got this.

So why worry? Enjoy the pictures and I'll try to be a little more blog-minded in May.

Already a shopper. Guh.

Relaxing after a hard day.

Bubbles...is there anything they can't do?

The statement after seeing this family shot..."God, we're old."

Happy birthday to my guys.

2010-03-25T22:49:00.002-04:00

11 years.

I really can't believe it's been that long.

My dad has been gone for 11 years. Diagnosed with cancer on his 60th birthday and gone two years later to the day. After three tumors, multiple surgeries, countless chemo sessions and eight months of gradual deterioration at home, he needed to go. We were begging for him to go. When it was over, the house was lighter. A weight had been lifted. It was finally over. He was free.

I was just 23 at the time. I felt like I was just starting to figure things out.

Since then, I've gone back to school, found the job I was made for, met my wife, bought a house, and had a little girl that would have turned my dad inside out. He'd be 73 today and I have no doubt he'd be rolling on the floor laughing and playing with her like a man half his age.

That's the part that hurts.

As much as I would enjoy sitting next to him at Wrigley Field, playing golf together or just talking hoops, I would give everything I own to see him play with Emily for one day. She would have him wrapped around her finger within seconds. That's kinda her thing.

And as I think of him this week, it's amazing how he still plays a role in our daughter's future. The other day, Kate casually mentions to me, "hey, you know who shares your dad's birthday? Dr. Paley."

If that's not a sign, I don't know what is.

We got this.

I wish I liked anything as much as she likes this.

2010-03-13T11:35:00.002-05:00

Just because.

2010-03-13T11:32:00.002-05:00

Do I have to say anything?

Ems loves Gram.

2010-03-13T11:22:00.001-05:00

I think the feeling is mutual.

I love Saturday mornings.

2010-03-13T11:05:00.005-05:00

Emily is in the playroom getting acquainted with classic cartoons (Hong Kong Phooey! Nice!) which means I finally have a moment to put a couple posts together. Nothing grand, just a few recent pictures. I promise to sit down very soon in an effort to hack through something moderately informative/entertaining regarding our beloved Ems, Easter and, of course, March Madness. In the meantime, all the best to those of you who keep checking in.

Happy Birthday, Mommy!

2010-02-20T15:22:00.016-05:00

We don't like to talk about it a lot around here, but our Director of Photography had a birthday yesterday (I won't mention her age, but it rhymes with "flirty".) While the staff tried to keep the day as low key as possible, it did involve a shiny new lens for her camera. What does it do? Hell if I know. It's some superzoom, autofocus, kinda fisheye, type...or something. The point is, she was pleased and that means a whole bunch of new pictures. And two days in a row with new posts. Sweet!

A long, slow exhale.

2010-02-18T20:04:00.003-05:00

Think back to 1994 and the movie Forrest Gump. Jenny just took off on Forrest in the middle of the night. Upset and unsure, our hero takes off running, going back and forth across the country, gaining followers, helping the citizenry with their various issues and perhaps inadvertently inventing the grunge look. There's that great scene in the middle of the desert where it's revealed he's been running for three years, two months, 14 days and sixteen hours. He stops...turns...his followers chatter excitedly "quiet...quiet...he's gonna say something!" And he just says, "I'm pretty tired. I think I'll go home now."

What's my point? Why does there have to be a point? Can't you just enjoy the flashback to a great movie? God, you're greedy.

(quick sidenote...I never tire of this film. I would watch it ten times just for the scenes with the drill sergeant. I'm laughing just thinking about it. But I digress.)

Ok, so there's a point; when there's this much time between blog posts, I feel like I need to come up with something for my followers that's really clever and poignant and inspirational...and I don't always have it. So I apologize in advance for a lack of, uh, whatever it is you're looking for that I'm not delivering.

A quick update. Basketball season has ended. Wins were tough to come by (we finished 5-15) but the kids never stopped working hard, they improved exponentially and I think we've set ourselves up for a strong run next season. Emily was a big hit with the team and they were genuinely annoyed when hearing their mascot would not be in attendance at games. Kate and Gram were troopers about trying to get her there, but it's tough chasing after an active 16 to 18 month old when you're trying to watch the action. Plus, as soon as Ems would get in the gym and see me, she would just point at me, call out "Daddy!" and try to run across the floor. LOVE her.

But now that the season is over, my schedule has opened up tremendously. I'll actually be home and awake for more than 90 minutes a night (I definitely saw my team FAR more than my own family this season...it's helpful that the girls on my team are really nice.) Throw in the fact that it's February break, and I've been able to spend more time with my two favorite ladies in the last three days than I have in the last three months. You know what I've found? I kinda like 'em.

I know, I know...you want to hear about the kid. Well, I don't blame you. Because she's awesome. Non-stop. Constantly going and playing and talking and everything you'd expect out of an 18-month old with the whole world in front of her. She's on her second pair of lifted New Balance (not stolen shoes, mind you...her second pair of shoes with one three-inch lift) and she wears them all the time. If she doesn't wear them, no biggie, because she's strolling around regardless. It's hard to describe...she just does so well. And I get it, every parent has a kid who is the smartest, cutest, most coordinated, blahblahblah. Johnny's vocabulary is so advanced! Sally's walking at 10 months! Susie's been invited to compete in the Future Tramps Pageant! But when you've got a kid with a significant disability, that forces you to adjust expectations a bit. The thing is, she won't let us. She just won't stop. You get the feeling she doesn't have it in her to stop. Add to it the fact that she actually might be the smartest, cutest, blahblahblah...and we're getting a daily lesson in how to handle adversity. Emily's method? Plow through it. Laughing.

I suppose that's one of the reasons why I haven't been posting as often (aside from the 13-hour work days for the last three months.) Initially this was my therapy session. By putting my thoughts out into the blogosphere and hearing back from all of you made this somehow manageable. Maybe it will work out. It did for some people! We'll get this leg thing taken care of. Or, maybe we won't. But either way, she'll be fine. Right? Won't she? Sure, she will. Why not.

It's been a year since we first met with Dr. Paley. A year since we finally turned the corner from constant doubt to that first flicker of confidence. I don't have those doubts anymore, or at least not as often. I'm not looking for the same reassurance. As I watch her grow and mature and develop into the dynamo that she is, I know she'll be fine. I know she can fight through it. And I've got a world-renowned doctor who's going to do his part to make sure it happens.

But there's more. I recently heard from a young lady named Aeryn who is a student at University of Michigan. Much like Emily, Aeryn was born with unilateral PFFD which affected her right leg. Through four separate lengthenings at the hands of Dr. Herzenberg in Maryland, Aeryn was able to make up an astounding 14 inch discrepancy between her right and left leg. (Even as I write that, it seems beyond the realm of possibility. 14 inches. Stunning.) When she graduates next December, she'll make that walk with two equal legs. While she admits the process isn't for everyone, she says that it's "ABSOLUTELY worth it."

We got this.

Getting her game on.

2010-01-05T11:58:00.003-05:00

The day before the holiday break, we have our annual student-faculty basketball extravaganza here at school. Kate was nice enough to bring Emily down to watch Daddy buffoon to the indifference of hundreds of 7th and 8th graders. She seemed interested for at least six or seven minutes before deciding instead to dismantle every piece of equipment in my office. I can't blame her. This game is rarely pretty.
Nevertheless, the sweat poured, nobody suffered any catastrophic injuries and maybe, just maybe, a little fun was had. Most importantly (in my humble opinion,) Ems got a little gym time. Hopefully this will be a place she enjoys...cuz if she wants to see Daddy, she's going to spend a lot of time here.

Working on her defensive stance.
Hey...what's in there??

Waiting to sub in!

Daddy trying to show off...or pretend like he's still got it.

Number 42 there? Clearly not impressed.

Finally back at it.

2009-12-27T19:19:00.004-05:00

I fall a little more in love each day.

(How was that for starting with a bang? Did I grab your attention? Did you forget I've been absent for a month? Good...good.)

So, I've been out of commission since my last post with school and basketball season occupying the majority of my time. On weekdays, I'm out the door just before 6:30 AM and am rarely back before 8 PM. Kate likes to joke that she's a single mom. Which makes me the deadbeat dad. Uh-huh.

Alas, it's the nature of the beast. Basketball season is a grind and for a few months, everyone gets a little shortchanged. We just try our best to make the most of the time we have.

But I wasn't kidding about that first line. This kid is my favorite. Every time I see her, there's something new...a new skill, a new word, a new expression, that leaves us all in stitches.

There's her love of music. She starts dancing the second she hears the first few notes of any song. And she's almost on beat. I've seen adults with far worse rhythm. FAR worse.

There's her constant imitations. Whatever you do, she's picking up on it. Wash your hands in front of her and watch her rub her own hands together. If your team scores, she pumps her fist and says, "YES!" because that's what YOU did. This is, of course, the time to admit how we've had to start checking our language a bit. A bad day at work or a bad practice and it can get a little truckstop-ish around here. Not good times. Bad times.

And, most importantly, there's the walking. That video that some of you have seen more times than you planned because you kept checking back for the update that just wouldn't come...you know that one? (scroll down if you're not following) Yeah, that thing's ancient history. You've gotta SEE this kid motor around the house. It's like she was born with that big shoe on. She'll take a little tumble, (sometimes) dust herself off and get right back up. She's got places to go! Out of the way!!

Oh, and it's beautiful to watch. She's strong and confident and ever so excited. She gets a huge smile on her face as she comes at you. I don't think she could be more proud of herself. She certainly has every right to be.

And with this being the holiday season, that means more people to show off for. Aunts, uncles and cousins all got a great show. If the lights are on, the star must perform.

While I feel like I had many more stories to tell, for whatever reason I'm coming up empty right now. I'll no doubt remember them the instant I click on "PUBLISH POST" at which point I'll log back in and regale you with continued tales of mirth and joy. Unless I get struck by another senior moment. Then you'll just have to look at the pictures and shake your head at how amazingly well Emily is doing despite her half-wit father.

Ooh-ing at her many Christmas presents. SO cute.

Emily working the jedi mind trick on cousin Allison.

Give. Me. The. Bottle.

Emily absolutely ADORES her cousin Caroline.

All dressed up for tea!

I know what I'm thankful for.

2009-11-26T22:49:00.003-05:00

WALKING! - updated.

2009-11-10T15:44:00.003-05:00

Emily has been standing on her own for a few weeks now. And she gets SO excited when she does (as the pictures clearly illustrate.) This made me believe the big day was imminent.

Going into Halloween weekend, many asked what our plans were. I told anyone who would listen, "Ems is going to walk this weekend. I can feel it. She is so close."

Ok. So I was a little ahead of myself. But not by much.

Coming home from school today, Kate called to tell me Emily walked three steps with her supershoe on. Excitement was in the air. I may have leaned on the gas a little more than usual on my way home...hey, I had to come home and see it for myself. Of course, I had to wait until she was done with a short nap. And a snack. But then...success! Just moments ago, she just took a couple tentative steps toward me. And what do I do? Run to the computer. I may need to prioritize a bit.

Nevertheless, the mood is high here at Camp Sweatpants. Thanks, Emily. You've done it again.

UPDATE - I have been thinking about this all afternoon and I can't believe she did this with her supershoe on. Those of you who have seen this thing up close know it's big, cumbersome and difficult to handle. I was convinced she would walk soon, but thought it would be either barefoot or with regular sneakers on (the flat soles help with balance.) Nope. Not her. She takes those first gentle steps with that monstrous, Herman Munster shoe. I am continually amazed by this kid.

Tiggers LOVE candy.

2009-11-02T17:53:00.001-05:00

Why go out trick-or-treating when I have my own bowl right here?

Unprecedented!

2009-10-24T14:50:00.002-04:00

Another first for The Gray Area! Four posts in a single day. Looks like everyone's gunning for a promotion.

I absolutely love this last picture. Aside from all the colors and cuteness, it's like she's training for a future strongman competition or something. Look at the form on this one-handed pumpkin power clean!

Well, I'm exhausted. A record-breaking four posts in one day. It's Miller time.

Camp Conquest.

2009-10-24T14:14:00.002-04:00

Columbus Day weekend means more than just an extra day off around here. It is also the annual Conquest family camping trip to Vermont. This excursion is different from anything the Tredwells grew up with as it involves pop-up campers, wilderness, peace, quiet (Tredwells are loud folks) and so forth. Of course, Daddy is also about seven inches taller than your average pop-up camper ceiling, so this year's trip meant Team Tredwell bunked off site in a nice hotel, making everybody just a little happier. And by everyone, I mean me.

Nevertheless, the air was crisp, country stores were visited, pumpkins were picked, pictures were taken and swell times were had by all. I do love this time of year.

Grammy AND her own pumpkin. Good times.

The windswept look is SO in this year.

There's a joke here somewhere...I just can't think of it.

Look at the EYES on this kid!

I just love this series.

2009-10-24T14:04:00.002-04:00

Autumn in New England.

2009-10-24T13:55:00.002-04:00

I think our Director of Photography is bucking for a raise. Well deserved, in my opinion.

Life goes on.

2009-10-09T23:29:00.003-04:00

Greetings, loyal readers. To those of you who stuck around during my inexcusable 30-something day hiatus, I'm glad you're still here. To those who stopped checking in...well, they're not reading anymore. The hell with 'em!

I will admit, I took a little too long to get back at this. I suppose I rested on the laurels of the unprecedented triple-post day a tad too long. But I'm back, recharged and ready to go. Shall we?

To start with, our girl turned 14-months old today. And while that is hardly a noteworthy birthday, it's always fun to think back to where we were a year ago. Ahh, to be young and uninformed again. On second thought, let's just skip that.

Nevertheless, Ems continues to assert her independence. She's now perfectly comfortable expressing her displeasure when she doesn't get her way. She recognizes when we don't want her to do something...and does it anyway. And she's learned that food solves all problems. Between Emily and I, Mommy doesn't have a prayer of ever finishing a meal again.

This week alone has featured a number of noteworthy events. To start with, Daddy got a new gig. After completing both interviews and getting some positive feedback, Kate asked, "if you get this job, can we dress Emily like a tiger for your games?" Abso-freakin-lutely! So, for the girls basketball team at Daniel Hand High School, meet your new mascot...

Unfortunately, not all the news was good around our camp this week. Both Kate and I lost friends this week...one to cancer and the other to inoperable brain tumors. No one enjoys a funeral, but two in one week can weigh you down. Not that you need a reason to do this, but be sure to tell somebody they're important to you and give them a hug. We all need one. And if you're alone on a library computer or in some kind of internet cafe, well, just keep your damn hands to yourself. Weirdo.

The kid literally made some big strides this week. We finally touched base with the prosthetist and made the necessary adjustments to her shoe lift. Following Dr. Paley's orders, we bumped her up from a 3 cm lift to a 7 cm lift. I don't know another way to say it...this thing is huge. Like, skyscraper big. But, godbless her, Emily gets better on it everyday. Kate and I have made a conscious effort to give her some daily shoe time. And Ems wants to walk SO badly. She'll reach up to you with both arms and say "go, go, go!" If you're nearby, you better take her hands and go, go, go. She gets so excited to walk, she can barely contain herself. With or without her shoe, there's very little holding her back. I've said it before, I'll say it again. Tougher. Than. You.

It's autumn in New England. I promise to come with good pictures of Emily and leaves and stuff.

The Gray Area turns one!

2009-09-06T23:16:00.003-04:00

Emily insisted on getting her hair perfect for the big occasion. Eventually she'll learn that the bristly side works better.

It's true, loyal readers. By the time this is posted, it will certainly be well after midnight, which puts us at September 7th. The cannons will roar and the champagne will flow and the people will dance merrily, celebrating the fact that exactly one year ago, a blog was born. Or, I'll drink some tap water, take the dogs out one last time and sleep the sleep of a man who hopes his daughter stays in dreamland until at least late morning. Hard to believe I don't have my own reality show.

Back to this obviously monumental event and the self-congratulating portion of the program. In an effort to avoid spending hours on the phone updating loved ones on Emily's progress, I put together this page which has now spread, literally, worldwide. (I see you Brazil, England, South Africa, and Australia...thanks for stopping by!) Whenever I sit down to write, if I'm not deep in some absurdly self-absorbed funk, I am primarily thinking of those closest to me and their desire to keep up with our kid. I suppose I never considered the fact that I might be able to have an impact on other people who share these experiences. I hope you are all getting something out of it. If not, well...uh...I don't know what to tell you. This is all I got.

Since I'm almost positive none of you are here to listen to me high-five myself, I suppose I could spend some time on our soon-to-be-13-month old. Emily continues to develop in leaps and bounds. Many of you have already seen the video below with her strolling across the family room...aided by her trusty cart. She doesn't do it a lot, as it's faster and easier for her to crawl, but she does it just enough to let us know she's got it in the arsenal. Because of the eight cm discrepancy, she tends to push the cart by "walking" with her short leg and "crawling" on the knee of her longer leg. Whatever mode she chooses, she is very, very mobile...which includes climbing stairs, pulling herself up on couches and tables...basically whereverthehell she feels like going. The only thing holding her back is a desire to avoid any trips to the ER by her parents.

Which brings us to another development. Emily has clearly begun to assert her independence. Gone is mellow, sweet, go-with-the-flow Emily. While she is still just a handful of sunshine the majority of the time, she has no problem letting us know when she wants down, up, food, toys...just whatever her pretty, little heart desires. How does she let us know? Well, she just tells us! Her vocabulary is slowly expanding. She's got a handle on "dada," "mama," "hi," "buh-bye," "woof woof," "uh-oh" and "Piper." She's still working on "Moose." But what I'm most proud of is her progress on "please," where she will hand you a book and say "pleezsh" as in "Father, I would certainly appreciate it if we might sit on the couch together while you read this story to me. Please." I'm still a bit fuzzy on the rest of it, but she is clearly having a conversation. What's being said or who she's talking to is open to debate. I just try and keep up my end of the discussion with standard responses. "I know!" "Right?" "Is that so?" "I told you that chick's crazy!" And so on.

While I realize a number of you are here for PFFD-related information, I find myself somewhat lacking in that area today. Trust me...that's not a bad thing. If I can avoid ever feeling like this again, I'd like to do so. But I suppose that's the beauty of being where we are. We're past the point of not-knowing. We've met The Man. He's on board. We've got a plan. A schedule. We can enjoy Emily for who she is and not focus solely on what she has.

Before you get all giddy and think we're going to completely re-vamp the site by putting a banner that reads "Super Deluxe Happy Fun Time" superimposed over a picture of a smiling family with everyone laughing and holding hands and wearing matching outfits...slow down. I still have my dark, depressed, rage-filled moments as I watch Emily's right leg dangle just out of reach of the floor. Those moments usually feature my inner-monologue yelling questions that start with "WHY THE F-..." But that's just what they are...moments. They don't last for days or keep me company during sleepless nights.

I suppose that's the difference a year makes. We are a year older. We are a year wiser.

And we are a year closer to all that pain and uncertainty just being a distant memory.

Go Ems, GO!

2009-09-06T18:54:00.004-04:00

Daddy's girl.

2009-09-06T18:42:00.005-04:00

The first of perhaps three posts tonight...an unprecedented level of production. Why? Cuz it's my blog, goshdarnitall.

A brief glimpse.

2009-08-17T19:29:00.002-04:00

This Macbook photo was inspired by the following conversation...

Kate - "I love her belly!"

Tim - "She looks like a frat boy."

Now THAT was a party!

2009-08-11T23:18:00.003-04:00

If you read my last post, and I mean really read it, you might recall somewhere in that rambling mess that we returned from Florida last Thursday night, cleaned up poop, slept, went to work, slept a little more and then hosted the first birthday party for our beloved Ems. No small task, right? Well, despite a little fatigue, I really think we pulled it off. Everybody who attended, young, old and in-between, seemed to have a pretty good time. Of course, I don't really have proof. Oh, wait...yes, I do. BAM! Cousin Sarah does it again!

Our visit with The Man.

2009-08-09T23:06:00.004-04:00

This past month has been a bit of a whirlwind for my little band of Tredwells. Kate and I spent July 7th to the 9th in Chicago, quickly followed by a week-long family trip to Texas. After a ten-day breather at home, we were back in the air for six days in Florida, returning home for good on August 6th at about 11 pm. For you math junkies, gnaw on this word problem for a minute...

Tim and Kate flew more than 2600 miles with their infant daughter, Emily, to two different locations in the United States where the sun is known to rest approximately seven feet off the ground during the day. One of these locations featured Tim's family whom he rarely sees and loves dearly, but includes two spirited, small children. The other location features a surgeon who may potentially have a solution to Emily's rare condition but only through dramatic and painful surgeries. Tim has a propensity for snarky comments when he gets tired, angry, stressed, frustrated or just plain bored. Using the information given, calculate how long Tim will have to wait in Purgatory before being allowed entrance to Heaven, if you think he hasn't already booked a reservation for a seat next to the broken air conditioner on the bus to Hell.

Ok, that took a long time and probably wasn't worth it, but it seemed like a good idea at the time. Shut it.

Anyway, we got back late Thursday night to find that our bulldog Moose had missed us so much, he left liquidy poo all over the first floor of our house. ALL OVER. You know those thoughts about coming home after a long trip and being so happy to just be home and see your dogs and not be living out of a suitcase? You know that feeling? Well, it lasted as long as it took me to open the door and be assaulted with canine biological weapons. Not good times. Bad times.

And the hits kept coming. Kate and I cleaned up, caught a quick sleep and split the next 24 hours between work and feverishly preparing for Emily's first birthday party which, as anybody with children can attest to, takes more than just mixing Kool-Aid, opening a fresh bag of Ruffles and making sure the front door is open.

Nevertheless, the weather was perfect, the party was awesome, merriment was had and pictures were taken. But we'll save that for its own post. We've got other stuff to discuss.

The whole point of being in Florida was to see Dr. Paley. He had suggested we fly down for an MRI and a consultation. Naturally, we did as we were told. We tacked a few days on to the front end of the trip to at least give this trip a vacation-like feel. Emily attended her first Cubs game where she watched them lose in typically crushing fashion (get used to it, sister) to the host Marlins, checked out the Miami Seaquarium and polished up her tan on the beaches of Fort Lauderdale.

But then it was all business. To say I was on edge about this MRI would be an understatement. The thought of drugging my only daughter so she'll lie still is not a pleasant one. The good news was that she would be given chloral hydrate to drink instead of sticking her with an IV or strapped up with a gas mask. And, typical of our little fat kid, she sucked it down like it was fruit punch. The nurse who had spent so much time telling us kids usually throw it up because of its awful taste thought it was hilarious.

One moment I'll probably never forget came as Kate was rocking her to sleep. Ems was clearly fighting it, but the eyes got heavier and heavier. Right before she went down for the count, she looked up at me and gave me a little buh-bye wave. Afterwards, she reached into my chest, yanked out my still-beating heart and made it into a keychain. Damn kids.

In the end, she made it through both the MRI and the x-rays with minimal fuss. Kate even managed to sneak a quick picture of her enjoying a well-deserved bottle in her adorable little hospital gown.
The rest of the day was shot as Ems was still loopy from the drugs. Of course, she recovered enough for a late night dip in the pool, plenty of food and a good night's sleep.

The next day we arrived for our 2:00 appointment with Paley and were greeted by the friendliest team of nurses. They could not get enough of Emily and the feeling was clearly mutual. We also met with the patient coordinator who introduced herself by saying, "I'm the patient coordinator, Caroline Eaton....I love your blog!" Ms. Eaton is well-versed in Paley's ways. Besides working with him, she has appeared on his operating table multiple times. That's a pretty big vote of confidence, in my humble opinion.

We also got to talk with one of his physician's assistants who spent a good amount of time getting to know us. She spoke almost reverentially about him, talking about the amazing things he is accomplishing in surgery. Again, all evidence that we are on the right track.

After Paley finished another small miracle in surgery, he came upstairs to see us. The visit was brief as he went through the necessary images of Emily's leg. With an eight cm discrepancy and everything else looking strong, Ems is right where he thought she'd be when he first saw her six months ago. He said we can expect that discrepancy to triple by the time she's fully grown. Of course, he just may have something to say about all that. His first statement will be August 17th, 2010. Super-hip surgery is scheduled.

Here. We. Go.

One year ago today.

2009-08-09T22:07:00.003-04:00

You turned one year old today, Ems. We waited nine months to meet you and your arrival instantly altered the course of our lives. Your mom and I have spent the last year falling more and more in love with your infectious giggle, your Coney-Island-hot-dog-eating-contest-like appetite, your animal noises which all seem to sound like the same jungle cat, the fact that it appears like you're imitating me, but there's a good chance you're actually poking fun at me. It's just the way your dad would do it.

What you don't yet know is how much I admire you, Emily. You have no idea what's ahead. Right now, you couldn't care less that in just over a year, you'll go through a horribly complex surgery that will put you in a lower body cast for six weeks. You couldn't possibly fathom what it's going to feel like when you have to go through three separate, painful procedures to help that right leg catch up to your left. You just keep smiling. And you keep making other people smile. You make it impossible not to.

In one year, you have taught me more about inner strength, resiliency and courage than I could have ever imagined. But you're just getting started, aren't you?

Thank you, Emily. Thank you for everything you have given us. Thank you for being you.

Happy Birthday, Ems. Daddy loves you.

Fellow PFFD-ers.

2009-07-23T20:39:00.003-04:00

When I went back to school to become a PE teacher, I had to take anatomy and physiology I. It's about as basic a course as possible. This bone connects to this bone which connects to this bone. Memorize it. Test Friday.

Well, the first test rolled around and you'll be happy to know I got the second highest grade in the class...with a 34. That's a 34 out of 100. (Highest grade was a 63.) People failed in spectacular fashion. People failed with sevens and eights. I wish I were making this up.

I was furious with myself for my performance, furious for my lack of preparation, furious about the impression I was leaving with my professor. People actually tried to point at the bright side by mentioning how nobody else did well, you still had one of the top grades, blahblahblah. None of that mattered to me. I failed.

My point is this...I rarely found comfort in the fact that other people were sharing in the same struggles as me.

(Ha! You thought we were playing connect-the-dots between anatomy class and Emily's femur, didn't you? Admit it...that's what you thought. Never forget I'm a bit of a self-absorbed prick. Moving on.)

Anywho, when Kate told me she had used Facebook and other sites to connect with other families with children who have PFFD, I thought it was great. For her. She'd be able to share experiences, make some new friends, perhaps find a comfort zone with everything. I chose to work on this blog. It would be my comfort zone. By the way, it's probably unnecessary to point out how this blog has turned itself into some kind of digital-age group therapy, thus rendering my previous point about not caring about other people with the same problems completely moot. Shut it.

So, when Kate mentioned some of the families she had "met" online lived in the Dallas area, our recent trip seemed to be a perfect opportunity to finally get together with some of our fellow PFFD-ers.

It was a fascinating evening. Burgers and dogs, kids all over the place and plenty of interesting conversation. Try and name another event where the question "so, does everybody have five toes" would NOT earn you a series of sideways glances and sharp whispers? (It's common for people with PFFD to be missing a toe or two.)

Everybody's story had its own twists and turns, but they followed a familiar path. There were meetings with local orthopedists. Vague reports. Difficult decisions. And we all talked about Dr. Paley like he was an old friend. Allow me to introduce you to some of our people.

This beautiful girl is Michelle. Her parents, Matt and Lisa, hosted the event and could not have been any nicer. Michelle's condition was like Emily's in that it was a complete surprise at birth. Unfortunately, x-rays showed her left femur to be about the size of a dime. Dr. Paley, miracle-worker for so many with PFFD, could do nothing, saying it was one of the worst cases he had ever seen. Still, Matt and Lisa found comfort in the diagnosis as it took the decision out of their hands. Her left foot was amputated which, when she is fully grown, will look like an amputation just below the knee. After watching her all evening, it clearly has not slowed her down. Not that she can afford to relax. She's expecting a baby sister in October and somebody will have to keep that kid away from her toys.
Ethan is one of the smoothest kids I have ever seen. I'm serious. This toddler has game. I would so be high-fiving him if my daughter wasn't on his radar. You should have seen him smiling at all the girls (he was the only boy in attendance,) and gently stroking their hair. His parents are going to have their hands full. They should be used to it. It's been that way since his mom was 26 weeks pregnant and pre-natal testing led them to believe that Ethan had a skeletal disorder that would make it difficult for him to reach full term. Abortion was suggested. Further testing erased thoughts of that rare condition and instead suggested a cancerous mass on his femur. MRI's were inconclusive. When he was born, he was found to have a short femur and a missing fibula in his right leg, but otherwise perfectly healthy. To say it was a relief would be an understatement. They'll be visiting with Dr. Paley on August 20th.

This little firecracker is Abby. She is such a happy, social kid, looking for hugs from whomever was close by. Her PFFD was discovered during pregnancy which gave her parents a heads-up, but little else. Severity was unknown and, like it was for the rest of us, information regarding this condition was hardly common knowledge. Her situation is unique in that her femur is short and her tibia and fibula are also approximately two cm short of her other leg. They had just taken a trip to Florida to meet with some guy named Paley and are currently mulling over their options.

This one here is the reason most of you have read this far. You're well aware of her story. To most of you...maybe all of you...it sounded horrible. It sounded, at times, insurmountable. And yet, after reading about other children with similar conditions, perhaps things seem a little different. Do they seem brighter? Do you feel more optimistic? I swear, I remember hearing a story about how these kind of situations are helpful somehow...eh, I'm sure I'll think of it.

Picture update, Texas style.

2009-07-23T19:00:00.004-04:00

That live blogging thing lasted for one post. Sorry. I just wasn't into it. Whatever. Here's one last round of pictures before we get to some actual information. I'll bang that out right after this gets posted. I promise. Really. Why do you doubt me? You know what? Don't answer that. Hey, look! Pictures!

Our hosts, Emily's Uncle Pete and Aunt Kathy. This could NOT have been a nicer visit. Thanks, guys!

A look at the Ballpark at Arlington during Monday's Sox-Rangers game. Pete has been in Texas since September, but now claims to be a "die-hard" Rangers fan. Oh yes...catch the fever!

Signs like this are on just about every place of business in Texas.

I don't even have a joke here.

I think this is the only way you can finish a picture post about Texas.

Live from Flower Mound, Texas!

2009-07-17T00:15:00.004-04:00

This just in...Texas in July is somewhat toasty. And since this heat is crushing my humor and creativity, y'alls (yes...they say that here) can just enjoy these pictures and we'll talk about our feelings another time.

Some quality pool time is a necessity down here.

The cousins playing nicely together.

I believe most of you know her.

Cousin Allison.

Cousin Caroline.

Now with more Emily-ness.

2009-07-12T23:14:00.007-04:00

If nothing else, I am a man of my word.

I deviated from the original course by posting about our brief excursion to the Windy City. The reaction was swift and ruthlessly negative.

"Nobody cares!"

"Your team sucks!"

"Show us the kid, you narcissistic hack!"

And so on.

Therefore, in an effort to pander to my worldwide audience, (look at the chart on the right...the stats don't lie!) I bring you news of the child.

Ooh, didn't that sound dramatic? Well, get over it because I actually don't have too much. We met with Dr. DeLuca this past Monday so he could take a gander at her new shoe lift. We've been putting her in it about once a day to give her a chance to get familiar with the feel. Because she's mostly crawling and doing some cruising along couches and coffee tables, the shoe isn't terribly helpful just yet. At least, according to our humble and non-orthopedic opinions.

However, we were interested as to what DeLuca was going to say regarding the size of the lift. If you'll think back to this post, we had a budding doctor-to-doctor controversy as Dr. Paley felt the shoe lift should be twice as big as it is. Well, DeLuca looked at it and was clearly on the same train. He didn't want to say definitively, but he felt some more time would be necessary before we made any adjustments. "Give me a call in a month or so and we'll take another look," he said.

It's worth noting that, in exactly one month's time, we'll be returning from our visit with Dr. Paley. Funny how that works out, right? If I was a high-profile athlete, I would point to the heavens right now. And maybe pound my chest a couple times. And probably pay someone else to write this. Right. Moving on.

Other fun from this past week includes Emily figuring out how to clap...while with her grandparents. That's a fun phone call.

"Hey, does Emily know how to clap?"

"Um...no."

"Well, she does now."

Apparently, she took a look at her right hand...gazed at her left hand...and smacked them together which both surprised and amazed her. She's been enjoying it ever since. There are now constant ovations in the house. Super for the self-esteem.

Finally, in what will be a string of firsts for Team Tredwell, we will all be headed down to Texas this Tuesday to visit with Emily's Uncle Pete, Aunt Kathy, cousin Caroline and cousin Allison. This will be the first trip to the Lone Star State for all three of us, as well as Emily's first plane ride. As excited as I am to see my only brother and his family, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little nervous for this flight. Emily has been the most wonderful baby...mellow, engaging, and cute enough to make a bishop kick out a stained-glass window...but she's still an 11-month old. An 11-month old that's trapped in a pressurized metal tube for over three hours. You get the idea. Say a prayer for us. I'll take all the help I can get.

That's it for now. Perhaps I'll delve into the world of road-blogging this week. Live from Texas! It's The Gray Area! Oh, the excitement...

Only slightly Emily-related.

2009-07-12T11:56:00.003-04:00

I realize this blog was designed to keep you up to date on all things Emily. And, clearly, that top picture is NOT Emily. That's because mommy and daddy felt it was crucial for our little girl to get some quality time with her grandparents.

As parents, we are responsible for so very much. We teach, we comfort, we counsel, we discipline..the list is endless. But the simple fact is, every once in a while, kids need spoiling. It's in the rules. Look it up. That job falls squarely on the shoulders of the grandparents. It's not just their right, it's their responsibility. So, being the model parents that we are, we sent Emily off to Grammy and Grampy's house for a few days.

With some time off, what were we to do? My first reaction is always, in an almost Tourrette's-like fashion, "Chicago!" So off we went.

(By the way, did everyone catch that? I totally made it sound like Emily needed time away from us. No, I didn't plan this trip months ago. It's what Emily needs. It's really in HER best interests. Got it? Back to the story.)

Being a life-long Cubs fan, I grabbed (read: overpaid for) a couple of prime seats four rows from the field just past first base. They were on the visitor side, which forced us to be surrounded by Braves fans, but, I mean, who cares? WE'RE FOUR ROWS FROM THE FIELD. We got to our seats well in advance of the first pitch where I sat in utter disbelief at our location, mumbling to myself "this is unreal...this is so cool...unbelievable..." while Kate just smiled and shook her head.

Several hours, hot dogs, Old Styles and cotton candies later, it was time to head back to the hotel. We spent the next day wandering around downtown Chicago, dodging raindrops, eating too much and drinking even more. Before we knew it, we were on a plane home.

Everybody seemed to enjoy their time. Emily loved spending time with her grandparents. Grampy got to show her off at his favorite lunch spot and introduced her to donut holes. He's no rookie!

As much fun as it was, it's good to be back home with our girl.

Enjoy the pictures. I promise a post in the very near future that will be chock-full of all the Emily-ness you've come to expect from The Gray Area.

Count 'em...one, two, three rows between us and the field. Awesome.

This is really the only reason Kate agrees to come here.

How do YOU think the game is going?

Despite the loss, we managed to get a nice picture at the end of the night.

Red, White, Blue and Gray.

2009-07-04T18:54:00.003-04:00

Have a safe and happy Fourth of July, everyone!

Her first lift.

2009-06-29T21:34:00.006-04:00

A recent visit to the prosthetist resulted in Emily's first lift. As you can see above, a molded, hard plastic AFO (Ankle Foot Orthotic) combined with a three cm lift on the right shoe of her stylish pink New Balance has her a little closer to even than she was before. The AFO produces the stability she needs, and the lift cuts into that seven cm discrepancy between the two legs.

In the few days we've had this, she's tried it out a few times, struggling to get used to the rigid ankle joint and added weight. Of course, she's still not even 11-months old, so she's still figuring out how all her own parts work. Tack on the fact that it's summer, and the thought of putting her in knee socks, a brace and sneakers seems somewhat, I don't know...un-American? Does that work? Sure, why not.

Anyway, with this new lift, we've got our first bit of doctor-to-doctor controversy. We were in touch with Dr. Paley recently, updating him as to Emily's progress. Paley came back with an e-mail suggesting we should really come in for an MRI (to get an accurate measurement of the discrepancy) and a consultation so HE can put together a proper lift for her. Now, if you'll recall, Paley is located in West Palm Beach, so shooting down for an appointment is going to take more than an afternoon. But he's the best in the world with this stuff. This is our daughter. What would YOU do? Exactly. We're flying down in August.

Paley's belief is that Ems should have a lift on her shoe that is whatever-the-discrepancy-is, minus one cm. With the current estimation, that would double the size of the lift she currently has. This, of course, flies in the face of what Dr. DeLuca has us doing. DeLuca's contention is that a bigger lift would add bulk and weight, making it difficult for Ems to get around. Valid point. Let's get it on!

Not much we can do in the meantime. We'll continue to give her opportunities to try out this new lift. And she'll get used to it. And she'll continue to get stronger. And more confident. And more amazing. It's kinda her thing.

Staff breakfast.

2009-06-29T21:05:00.004-04:00

In an effort to keep morale high here at The Gray Area, we like to venture out as a group periodically. We do team-building activities, attend various social gatherings and basically try to get to know one another in venues outside the work environment. These photos, complete with a brief bio of each contributor, are from Saturday's staff breakfast on the deck at Lyman Orchards.

Tim Tredwell - Founder, Chief Writer - The man behind the original idea for The Gray Area was inspired to create the site when multiple inquiries regarding his growing family combined with his lack of interest in making phone calls.
Kate Tredwell - Director of Photography -A nurse in her spare time, Kate is rarely pictured as she spends roughly five days a week behind the lens of her Nikon, which is a shame because she is continually voted "Best Looking" by the interns.
Emily Tredwell - Producer - Every picture, every storyline, every aspect of this site, is produced by this kid. She's got a gift.

This is just one more reason...

2009-06-28T13:25:00.005-04:00

...why I'll never be father of the year. This picture absolutely cracks me up.

Ten months, two days and five more pictures.

2009-06-11T19:32:00.004-04:00

I really think her "determined" look is my favorite. Tell me this kid won't be able to get through surgeries and rehab. She's going to be tougher than all of us.

On the move!

2009-05-31T17:15:00.005-04:00

Rainbows and Care Bears and lollipops.

2009-05-31T10:39:00.005-04:00

I will be the first to admit that this blogging thing is hard.

That sounds so annoyingly stupid (Wah! Typing out a few thoughts and posting a picture is too tough! Wah!), but, in my opinion, it's the truth. I had a journalism professor whose catch phrase was "know stuff," so I try to absorb as much information as I can which includes news blogs, sports blogs, gossipy-celeb-rag blogs as well as the blogs put out by cousin Sarah and my sister-in-law, Kathy. It's ridiculous to try and keep up with the professionally run sites as they generally employ teams of people to churn out multiple posts on a daily basis that are edited, cropped and, for the most part, informative and thoughtful. But I can't even measure up to two people in my own family. The reason being, they are two of the most optimistic, generous and all-around nice people I've ever had the pleasure to be around, and it shows through so clearly in their posts. Everything is rainbows and Care Bears and lollipops. I love it. Unfortunately, it's just not me.

Oh, I've given it my best. I've made honest attempts at adding a little syrup to my literary diet. But no matter how well I start, it eventually spirals down into some curse-laden rant like I'm Yosemite Sam and Bugs Bunny just tricked me into falling off a cliff. Again.

What was the point of this? I don't know. You don't even care, do you? Tell us about the kid! You shut your mouth when you're talking to me!

Young Emily continues to develop at a rapid rate. Her crawling is getting quicker all the time. If you leave her in the family room to head to the kitchen, it's only a few seconds before she's sitting on the floor behind you. Quite proud of herself, she is. And rightly so!

She also really, really wants to walk. Not only is she pulling herself to a stand all the time (recent headline at TheOnion.com "Edge of Table Victorious Over Toddler"), she's now making legitimate attempts to climb out of the pack-n-play. I do NOT see this ending well.

She's also getting some play time with other kids. Sunday of Memorial Day weekend took us up to Cory and Vicki's annual shindig where apparently everyone has kids now. It was interesting to watch her interact with those around her same age as well as being able to gauge my own ability to just step back and watch. She, of course, was great. She sat nicely on the blanket in the middle of the yard while playing with whatever toys were available, even ignoring the one-year old who felt it necessary to repeatedly bonk her on the head with a plastic block (I think of the Homer Simpson quote, "Urge to kill...rising...rising...").

And now, here we sit just a shade over 27 hours away from our meeting with Dr. DeLuca. If you'll recall, we originally had scheduled an appointment with him to get Ems fitted for her first prosthetic device on July 6th. I'm not exactly sure what this will look like or what will happen. I would imagine we'll get an exact measurement on how large the discrepancy is at this point, and he'll then put together some kind of contraption that will make it substantially easier for her to stand/walk. As I mentioned previously, this kid really, really wants to walk. This will be just what she needs.

Perhaps it's times like this where I realize why I won't be able to make my blog the super-sweet family blog. Even though Emily was perfectly content while that boy smacked her in the head, I could not help fast-forwarding to an age where my beautiful little girl comes home crying because a classmate made fun of her leg. Even though Ems has already displayed more personality than half my 7th grade classes, I am beyond nervous that some jackass kid will feel the need to try and embarrass my daughter in order to boost his/her own pathetic level of self-worth. I shouldn't worry about it, but I do. I teach middle school. Everyone of us can think back to our own experiences. We all knew that kid. That kid is always there. My only hope is that she is smart enough, strong enough, mature enough and quick-witted enough to handle it.

I realize this is the same process every parent experiences. We all hope our kid is the super-intelligent, popular, good-looking captain of the (fill in the blank) team. Over time, most gradually realize their child might not fall into that top one percent. Emily, however, got dealt her first set-back right from the jump.

At times like this, when looking for something to make sense of it all, it's my brother Pete's voice I hear. "God had to give Emily that leg just to keep it fair for everyone else."

Have a lollipop.

All kinds of stuff.

2009-05-11T21:02:00.005-04:00

How else can I title this post when so much has occurred in recent weeks?

First off, and perhaps most importantly, Dr. Paley went and made it official. Scroll down to my last entry to find the link to our future destination in West Palm Beach, Florida. The good doctor e-mailed his new contact information at St. Mary's Medical Center a week ago Sunday, a move that touched off a little excitement as well as some pre-game jitters. For the longest time, I could put off the reality of this situation by playing the "well, let's just wait to see where he sets up before we start making plans," card. It's a convenient way to delay accepting the inevitable. Now, with nothing but a calendar between Ems and her first surgery, everything takes on a different feel. I'm sure I'll be discussing that ad nauseum in the coming weeks and months. Next, on a very special "The Gray Area"...

In the meantime, our girl continues to grow exponentially. She turned nine months old this past Saturday and will have a check-up this Wednesday. They'll tell us what we already know...she's huge. And smart. And good-looking. Hey, we're paying them. You tell me what I want to hear!

But before she hit the nine-month mark, she hit a few milestones. Besides popping out a couple teeth (pictured below) she has started crawling. It's official...no more leaving her in the middle of the carpet with a pile of toys and knowing she'll be there when I look up. She's on the move and looking to climb. Oh, did I mention she's pulling herself up to a stand, too? Yup. She's doing that as well. Bolt it all down. Her reign of terror has commenced.

With all this new ground to cover, we will clearly have to move our appointment with Dr. DeLuca up a bit. It originally seemed safe to meet with him at around 11 months to get her fitted for her first shoe lift. But this kid is obviously a game-changer.

We should probably get used to it.

West Palm Beach, Florida.

2009-04-20T07:36:00.003-04:00

The latest rumor is that Dr. Paley will be headed to St. Mary's Medical Center in West Palm Beach, Florida. While there is nothing official on either the hospital website or his own personal page, our inside sources (yep...I have sources...my journalism professors would be so proud) are saying that's his destination. And after a quick google search of the area, it would certainly make sense. Downtown Baltimore or palm trees and long sandy beaches? I'll take "move south" for $100, Alex.
Granted, none of this affects Emily's schedule, as her super-hip surgery won't happen until summer of 2010. In fact, it's probably beneficial to have the move take place now, giving Paley more than a year to get everything set up to his liking before we go under the knife. Nevertheless, it's nice to have an idea of what's coming down the pipe.
More to come once something concrete is announced.

DeLuca's on board.

2009-04-08T09:59:00.004-04:00

Walking into our appointment on Monday, I wasn't sure exactly what to expect.
I thought about a long wait in the lobby. I thought about a minor confrontation when we didn't see eye-to-eye with the doctor's opinion. I thought about where we would go to get something to eat afterwards.
But I really wasn't terribly concerned about any of it. We have the Ace of Paley tucked up our sleeve. We're feeling good.
But DeLuca surprised us. We discussed Emily's x-rays and what the possibilities were. He talked about how difficult lengthening would be. We told him about our meeting with Paley and the confidence he had expressed. He agreed. It's all possible. We can do this. And he can help.
DeLuca is very different from Paley. He's more conservative. He didn't bathe us in sunshine or make any bold promises. He made sure we were aware of exactly what lay ahead, for good or ill. We knew.
In the end, we just wanted to know if he can be there for us. He's close by. He's experienced. He's connected. And he's on board.
In about three months, we'll be seeing him again. This time, to help Ems get fitted for a shoe lift or prosthetic or whatever it is that's going to help her motor around.
The team is coming together.

How things change.

2009-04-05T18:31:00.005-04:00

I find it hard to believe we have come this far.

This weekend we saw the baptism of Emily's first BFF, Kate and her family took part in their annual Easter Egg Hunt up in the Berkshires and I divided my time equally between basketball and trying to fight off this poison sumac/oak/ivy that seems to be taking over my right arm, Matrix-style. Just living the suburban dream, we are.

Oh...and we have an appointment with Dr. DeLuca tomorrow.

You may remember this gentleman. He's the local orthopedist we've been meeting with since Ems was two days old. He's kind, intelligent and well-respected.

He also said it would probably make the most sense to amputate.

This appointment was scheduled months ago. We were told to go home and enjoy our daughter. Come back in April and we'll see how she's progressed.

Then we met Dr. Paley. And our world changed.

We have been consumed with joy and confidence since that meeting six weeks ago. Something about a surgeon looking you dead in the eye and telling you what he can do...what he will do...to say it was a transcendant experience might only understate it a little bit.

And if I may wildly oversimplify four major surgeries and years of recovery for our little girl, all that was left to determine was where Paley would be setting up his new digs so that we could begin making arrangements. The latest rumor is that he will be heading to a different hospital in Baltimore or somewhere in Florida. So apparently not much has changed since this process began.

But let us deal with the immediate future. Tomorrow, Dr. DeLuca will look at Emily's legs and probably tell us how significant the discrepancy is going to be and how amputation continues to make the most sense. We will thank him for the information and talk about our meeting with Dr. Paley. We can only hope he will be supportive as it would be a great help to have him in our corner. Regardless, we are on the attack. Join the fight or get out of the way.

Just a short time ago, my stomach would have been in knots this close to an appointment. I would have been distracted and, at best, distant during work tomorrow. In the parking lot at the doctor's office, I would have done my best not to tear up as I prepared for the worst.

We're nowhere close to the end. But we have come so far.

Her first March Madness.

2009-03-22T18:20:00.002-04:00

This is quality father-daughter bonding.

Mother's choice.

2009-03-22T18:14:00.004-04:00

I think this new camera is working out pretty well.

Mommy has a new camera.

2009-03-08T18:33:00.002-04:00

"This is very manageable."

2009-02-21T23:42:00.005-05:00

After meeting for 90 minutes on Saturday, those were the words of Dr. Dror Paley as he shook our hands and said goodbye. As last words go, they left quite an impression.

After more than six hours of driving this evening, (thanks GW bridge!) I thought this post would write itself. Ha! Not so much. There's just too much swirling around the ol' melon right now. I will try and summarize to the best of my ability.

I'll start by saying this...Paley is a surgeon. No doubt about it. He's calm, intelligent and very sure of himself. He didn't spend time cooing about Emily's cuteness or how good a drooler she is. He has a job to do. And, frankly, I don't care if he preps for surgery by giving me an atomic wedgie...if he can do what he says he can do, he's got carte blanche with me.

I could spend all day going through my notes and detailing the surgeries and rehab, but it's stuff I've already discussed. Super hip surgery at age two. Lengthening surgeries at ages four, eight and 12. You knew that! Pay attention! Right. So let me bullet the key points from today.

Orlando is out. Apparently the Disney Children's Hospital backed out of the arrangement they had with Paley due to financial issues. He is currently looking for a new place to set up shop and should know in the next six weeks or so where that will be. He mentioned he might come to the northeast. Could we possibly be that lucky??
In discussing the lengthening surgeries, he talked about how far the technology has come just in the last ten years to the point where he didn't even want to get in to her lengthening at age 12, saying it will probably be completely devoid of a bulky, external fixator. "If we're still using the same techniques ten years from now, I'll be very disappointed," he said.
When I started to spin a yarn about our experience trying to find information and a possible solution to this PFFD mess, he cut me off and said, "Lemme guess, you went to an orthopaedist who told you amputation was the only thing to do, right?" He chuckled. "Really sensitive how they do that, right?" His words...there is NO REASON to amputate.

Let's understand each other. Some things haven't changed. This process is still going to be long and unpleasant. The rehab will be hard. The pain will be significant. But I'm drinking the kool-aid. I'm buying whatever he's selling.

Our next step is to wait for Emily's first steps. When she starts standing, it's time to look for a prosthetic device to make sure she can motor around with the best of them.

As our meeting was winding down, Dr. Paley said, and I will freely admit to getting teary as I write this, " I can look you in the eyes and tell you right now...we will get your daughter's legs to an equal length."

We're on the attack.

A brief production note.

2009-02-16T18:17:00.004-05:00

Nothing grand to report just yet. Friday we take the ride to Baltimore to meet with Dr. Paley. We'll be home late Saturday and, after a day of driving and processing, I'll be sure to update you on all pertinent details.

In the meantime, I've added a links section over to your right where you can check out Dr. Paley's new website as well as the Disney Children's Hospital site. If this is the direction we're headed, and it looks like it is, it won't hurt any of us to be as well-informed as possible.

That's all. Wish us luck.

A step forward.

2009-02-07T12:28:00.008-05:00

Yesterday was Emily's appointment with Dr. Brian Smith over at Yale. Kate and I, while ever-hopeful some doctor is going to kick the door in and tell us about some quick-fix solution (have her take this pill! She'll grow a full femur by the weekend.) we're fully prepared for this guy to not really be up on the latest information. How could he be? Nobody's holding benefit concerts or 5k walks for PFFD. It's really not on the radar of the general public. But he is a doctor and I've heard Yale is a pretty good school so let's give this a whirl. Frankly, if he can give us one piece of information we didn't already know AND we get a peek at her most recent x-rays, I'll say this was a success.

Success!

It should be noted that Dr. Smith was a very nice, intelligent, soft-spoken man. While he was aware of PFFD and it's complications/treatments, his experience with it was minimal and he couldn't tell us anything we hadn't already learned through almost constant study in the past six months. (This was something I was apparently poor at hiding. Afterwards, Kate tells me "you have problem parent written all over you.")
What Dr. Smith did do was to give us the name of the Chief of Medicine at the Shriner's hospital in Springfield. Regardless of Emily's treatment program, she is going to need all kinds of prosthetic work. With these devices costing thousands of dollars and insurance companies being what they are (read: stingy), it's certainly nice to be hooked up with the head honcho of a place that's known for its quality, free work.

Without question, looking at her x-ray was the part I was most on edge about. I can watch Emily move and play and see that leg kick around and say to myself "I swear there's something going on in there. It's growing, right? Look at it move. It's grown. It's working. It's going to be fine. Right? Right?" But, seriously, what the fuck do I know? Oooh, you took anatomy and physiology seven years ago...you're a genius! What are the odds I'm setting myself up for a huge fall?

Dr. Smith pulled up the x-ray and immediately I felt better. There was her femur...short and bowed, but looking strong. He pointed out a number of crucial aspects like the apparent development of a good hip joint and knee. He agreed we're still looking at a potential discrepancy of eight inches. Perhaps the most important thing he said was during his discussion of the different kinds of PFFD. "There are multiple classifications and this appears to be a milder case."

Like I said...success.

Two more weeks and we get to sit down with Dr. Paley in Baltimore. This will be the true test.

Quick! Staring Contest! Me and you! Now!

2009-01-30T07:42:00.002-05:00

You win. You always do.

A toast.

2009-01-27T20:24:00.007-05:00

A toast, indeed.

What are we toasting? A toast to a possible snow day tomorrow. A toast to the home I am still as excited to wake up in as the day we moved in. A toast to my little Emily who giggles happily whenever I make faces at her. A toast to my wife who laughed until her stomach hurt after I told her that as a child I used to wipe boogers on the wall behind my bed. (It's true. And gross. Don't judge me.)

But most importantly, I am toasting optimism. I know, it goes against almost everything we here at The Gray Area stand for, but we are talking about real, shiny, giddy optimism. Little Orphan Annie-level optimism. The first feeling of optimism I've felt since my daughter was two hours old and the doctor sat down in front of us with a pile of vague information and a concerned look.

Last week, Kate started calling doctors in search of second, third and fourth opinions regarding Emily's leg. Since her diagnosis, people have come out of the woodwork to recommend a doctor, point out a helpful resource, share a similar experience or just to say a prayer. In our research, we came across a Dr. Dror Paley who founded a limb lengthening facility in Baltimore. He is an expert in PFFD. It's his life's work. People travel from all over the globe for his help with this condition. And everyone says the same thing...he's good. Very, very good.

Unfortunately, Dr. Paley is no longer taking new patients as he is moving to Orlando in June. He's starting a new facility at the Disney Children's Hospital. Of course, he is leaving behind a capable team that has trained with him for years. We will be in good hands if Maryland is where we choose to be.

Then he called.

Dr. Paley, upon receiving an e-mail from Kate, called her from his cell phone at 7 PM on his way home from work.

That part deserves its own paragraph. What doctor, let alone one considered to be a worldwide leader in any field, calls prospective patients whom he doesn't even know on his way home from work on a Friday???

Kate was supposed to be at work, but decided her co-workers could do without her for a few minutes while she sat in the parking garage and discussed little Emily.

Dr. Paley asked for information about our daughter. He listened. He gave his opinion. He outlined a treatment program. He admitted it's a little hectic at the clinic these days, could you just come in on a Saturday? The office will be closed, but I'll meet you there and we'll talk about the possibilities for Emily's care.

I will probably save Kate's voicemail forever. She was as excited as I've ever heard her. It was not the forced positivity that many of us have expressed these last few months. There was excitement and enthusiasm and, finally, confidence. Confidence that we can do this.

We can do this.

This will not be a walk in the park. All procedures will take place at Paley's new hospital in Florida. A week for "super-hip" surgery at age two. Lengthening surgeries with four months of daily, painful rehab at ages four, eight and 12.

But, for the first time in months, I have this unshakeable feeling. It's almost overwhelming.

We can do this.

She can do this.

And, I think...I hope....HE can do this.

An almost-five month/Christmasy-type picture update: Family, toys and a new swimsuit.

2009-01-06T21:33:00.007-05:00