How can I summarize such a special couple weeks that Daniel and I spent together on our trip together in Israel. Being without a computer to blog daily makes it difficult to give a detailed picture of our time but if I will try to describe the feeling of it the best I can.
Preparing for the trip was ominous and the Doctor’s warnings and my anxiety over Daniel’s health was palpable. I had notes and medications for every incidental possible. I will give you a spoiler alert the only medication needed was by me when I decided to take Daniel’s emergency antibiotics when I started getting sick half way through the trip.
Backing up to departure from Denver and Daniel could not wait to cut his ties from me. From the moment of class pictures and parents hugs he had given me the eye and the warning to keep my distance. I new I had to keep reminding myself that this is what it was all about. It was about him and his class and about him being with them. I think I may need to back up a bit for those of you hearing about this trip for the first time.
From the first day of Daniel’s diagnosis on June 6th 2014 (it seems like eons ago) and Daniel first became coherent again all he could think of was would he be able to go with his class to Israel for HIP. HIP is the Hebrew Immersion Program where his 10th grade class travels to Israel for 6 weeks to tour and study Hebrew. It is basically the culmination of their entire school career. At this point last June we could not see past the end of the week and survival let alone getting him to Israel but ultimately it became our second biggest goal. One of course was survival. With so many milestones along the way like eating and walking and fighting infections it became the goal of all the Doctors and Nurses the would not even consider thinking of it so soon after transplant. It was not looking very likely to happen but we kept our eye on the prize. And here we were. When we were able to get back to school in August ahead of schedule it was getting closer to becoming a reality and we started making the trip come into focus. Although Daniel’s trip would be modified from the almost 6 week version of the rest of the 10th grade class we were heading for Israel. Daniel’s modified trip had lots of perks the rest of the class’s wasn’t going to have, but the unfortunate non-negotiable downside was that MOM (yah, that would be me) was going as a chaperone. Duh duh duh. Well not really a chaperone, because that would mean I was helping with the class. I was going to be a fly on the wall when he was with his class and strictly instructed to not interfere; help; talk; make eye contact…you get the picture.. I was not to be noticed on HIS TRIP. I totally wanted to respect that and completely intended to abided by his wishes. I was there G-d forbid and just in case.
As we were at the send off for the class the day before we left I remembered the same group of kids singing about this exact trip “we’re going on a big trip, We’re going to Israel” 10 years in their future but it meant so much more for us and I was already teary.
SO NOW the big day arrives and we are at the airport. All the parents at drop off are getting the same treatment as they are wanting hugs and pictures and I am no exception. Eye rolls and leave me alone is exactly what I got. In fact I think I got it a little more. I got strongly shut down with a back off and this is my trip and you are not part of it. I quietly teared up and although felt completely unappreciated (like most parents of teenagers) I threw on my thick skin and moved on. I stood back and looked at him with his friends and new what an accomplishment this was and that he could do whatever he wanted. Well this independence lasted up until security when he needed me to carry his stuff. Uh huh, I see how this works. It’s okay I was glad to help of course. His class of kids are such a great group and I was more than thrilled to help out. I tried to always stay at the back of the group like a sheepdog to make sure they all were accounted for and only help when asked for something and this seemed to serve well. Once on the plane they were on there own anyway. Daniel asked for an oxy because he was uncomfortable from his Bone Marrow Aspirate the day before and slept a lot of the flight. I was in first class for the first leg and got to sit beside Joe Sakic from the Avalanche and we talked about life with teenagers the whole way and Canada(very funny).
When we got to Israel Daniel and I said goodbye to his friends for the week as they went to their school program and Daniel and I traveled to Tel Aviv for a week of rest and relaxation before joining up with them again. Daniel did not join his class at the school because of the conditions there. We did not feel with his new immune system he was ready to handle the desert and situation down there and he was okay with that.
After long travels this was how our first dinner went.
Preparing for the trip was ominous and the Doctor’s warnings and my anxiety over Daniel’s health was palpable. I had notes and medications for every incidental possible. I will give you a spoiler alert the only medication needed was by me when I decided to take Daniel’s emergency antibiotics when I started getting sick half way through the trip.
Backing up to departure from Denver and Daniel could not wait to cut his ties from me. From the moment of class pictures and parents hugs he had given me the eye and the warning to keep my distance. I new I had to keep reminding myself that this is what it was all about. It was about him and his class and about him being with them. I think I may need to back up a bit for those of you hearing about this trip for the first time.
From the first day of Daniel’s diagnosis on June 6th 2014 (it seems like eons ago) and Daniel first became coherent again all he could think of was would he be able to go with his class to Israel for HIP. HIP is the Hebrew Immersion Program where his 10th grade class travels to Israel for 6 weeks to tour and study Hebrew. It is basically the culmination of their entire school career. At this point last June we could not see past the end of the week and survival let alone getting him to Israel but ultimately it became our second biggest goal. One of course was survival. With so many milestones along the way like eating and walking and fighting infections it became the goal of all the Doctors and Nurses the would not even consider thinking of it so soon after transplant. It was not looking very likely to happen but we kept our eye on the prize. And here we were. When we were able to get back to school in August ahead of schedule it was getting closer to becoming a reality and we started making the trip come into focus. Although Daniel’s trip would be modified from the almost 6 week version of the rest of the 10th grade class we were heading for Israel. Daniel’s modified trip had lots of perks the rest of the class’s wasn’t going to have, but the unfortunate non-negotiable downside was that MOM (yah, that would be me) was going as a chaperone. Duh duh duh. Well not really a chaperone, because that would mean I was helping with the class. I was going to be a fly on the wall when he was with his class and strictly instructed to not interfere; help; talk; make eye contact…you get the picture.. I was not to be noticed on HIS TRIP. I totally wanted to respect that and completely intended to abided by his wishes. I was there G-d forbid and just in case.
As we were at the send off for the class the day before we left I remembered the same group of kids singing about this exact trip “we’re going on a big trip, We’re going to Israel” 10 years in their future but it meant so much more for us and I was already teary.
SO NOW the big day arrives and we are at the airport. All the parents at drop off are getting the same treatment as they are wanting hugs and pictures and I am no exception. Eye rolls and leave me alone is exactly what I got. In fact I think I got it a little more. I got strongly shut down with a back off and this is my trip and you are not part of it. I quietly teared up and although felt completely unappreciated (like most parents of teenagers) I threw on my thick skin and moved on. I stood back and looked at him with his friends and new what an accomplishment this was and that he could do whatever he wanted. Well this independence lasted up until security when he needed me to carry his stuff. Uh huh, I see how this works. It’s okay I was glad to help of course. His class of kids are such a great group and I was more than thrilled to help out. I tried to always stay at the back of the group like a sheepdog to make sure they all were accounted for and only help when asked for something and this seemed to serve well. Once on the plane they were on there own anyway. Daniel asked for an oxy because he was uncomfortable from his Bone Marrow Aspirate the day before and slept a lot of the flight. I was in first class for the first leg and got to sit beside Joe Sakic from the Avalanche and we talked about life with teenagers the whole way and Canada(very funny).
When we got to Israel Daniel and I said goodbye to his friends for the week as they went to their school program and Daniel and I traveled to Tel Aviv for a week of rest and relaxation before joining up with them again. Daniel did not join his class at the school because of the conditions there. We did not feel with his new immune system he was ready to handle the desert and situation down there and he was okay with that.
After long travels this was how our first dinner went.
The next days we were not on a schedule and it was beautiful. We were just resting and eating and wandering and exploring. We picked up a few tours and found wonderful restaurants and just had no schedule to contend with.
There are hundreds and hundreds of pictures I can't possibly share them all so I I am only showing a few. These are from our few days in Tel Aviv. We toured Old Jaffa we ate at some fancy restaurants, one was a Michelin star restaurant which was the only one in Israel and a very special experience indeed. We went to Ceasarea and the Bahai Gardens and to Rosh Hanikra which is the border of the country. Each spot was more beautiful than the next and the history is astounding.
Our last day in Tel Aviv we had a unique opportunity that I am sure most would never have thought of but through a few connections and old and new friends Daniel and his love of sports transcended borders and followed him to Israel. We got the chance to spend some time with Allon Sinai, the sports editor for the Jerusalem Post. He is THE GUY in sports in Israel and Daniel had a sit down with him at the Olympic Sports Center. We were invited to a private viewing of the Olympic Experience which is kind of a museum of Olympic history broad and specific to Israel in an award winning presentation and it was fantastic and then we were asked to meet and join two current Israeli Olympians and light the Chanukah menorah for a sports broadcast. It was very cool. The young men were extremely polite and handsome. We will definetly be routing for them in Rio in High Jump and WindSurfing. Then we were thrilled to find out we were invited as special guests that evening to sit courtside at the Maccabi Tel Aviv basket ball game. This is the European professional league basketball. Smaller than what we call professional bball but still huge to them and very familiar to Daniel. He was totally pumped. Not only were we treated to courtside seats but Daniel was honored in front of the whole crowd by the all time European high scorer Doron Jamchi. This was a shock and a surprise and although it was in Hebrew I understood that they were honoring my son for recovering from Leukemia. The entire arena of strangers applauded for Daniel and the high scoring player came out after the game to congradulate my boy. This was mind blowing to say the least.
Our last day in Tel Aviv we had a unique opportunity that I am sure most would never have thought of but through a few connections and old and new friends Daniel and his love of sports transcended borders and followed him to Israel. We got the chance to spend some time with Allon Sinai, the sports editor for the Jerusalem Post. He is THE GUY in sports in Israel and Daniel had a sit down with him at the Olympic Sports Center. We were invited to a private viewing of the Olympic Experience which is kind of a museum of Olympic history broad and specific to Israel in an award winning presentation and it was fantastic and then we were asked to meet and join two current Israeli Olympians and light the Chanukah menorah for a sports broadcast. It was very cool. The young men were extremely polite and handsome. We will definetly be routing for them in Rio in High Jump and WindSurfing. Then we were thrilled to find out we were invited as special guests that evening to sit courtside at the Maccabi Tel Aviv basket ball game. This is the European professional league basketball. Smaller than what we call professional bball but still huge to them and very familiar to Daniel. He was totally pumped. Not only were we treated to courtside seats but Daniel was honored in front of the whole crowd by the all time European high scorer Doron Jamchi. This was a shock and a surprise and although it was in Hebrew I understood that they were honoring my son for recovering from Leukemia. The entire arena of strangers applauded for Daniel and the high scoring player came out after the game to congradulate my boy. This was mind blowing to say the least.