Yesterday flew by as we spent most of the day doing our usual, going place to place to eat. Olivier made a remark to Melanie that was a bit heart wrenching. He had said that we go on a lot of trips for Xavier’s hockey and we went on this trip for a food run and he asked when he would get a turn. Mel had mentioned that they had a private getaway vacation to go see Connor Price and he had mentioned that Xavier and I went on hockey trips all of the time. Mel said that it was not the same as we just did hockey games. In the grand scheme of things though he is neglected for things because his interests do not necessarily align with the rest of ours. I told him that he can plan something this summer and Mel put the kibosh on that when I said no limits. We were going to head to Europe, stay in a castle and learn archery and jousting. There are some alternatives that I have found that we can do. I keep on forgetting though about my mobility and limited energy supplies and Mel brings it up that we need to be careful because we are not sure how I will be. She is right. It sucks when she is clearly right and I am clearly delusional. She has a better grasp on the reality of my situation while I still operate on memories of what I used to be capable of.
This morning we took a 260m walk to a place for coffee and back. I chose not to use the wheelchair and walked it and did that fine without issue, but when I think could I do that walk 10x the length of what I did I question it. I may be able to slowly get back up to that but it is fatigue that is setting in both in my legs and stamina. I will start doing light training with Xavier and get stronger. He is a beast now with the amount that he is lifting across the board and you can see it in his physique. He no longer has the soft body of a child and is starting to be chiseled.This morning I did find some events that I think that he would enjoy. He had mentioned going back to Medieval Times, but we also found the Black Creek Renaissance Faire that we might attend and take some archery lessons and a family escape room. Things that Olivier likes to do. It makes me a bit sad that he feels neglected. As a child growing up I never experienced it as I was the eldest golden child. My brother was the baby and my sister was the forgotten tag along kid that I brought along everywhere. I think that is how he feels and he relates well with my sister. She gets him and they have a pretty strong bond. He asks her for recipes and enjoys talking to her.
Once we picked up my sister we went to The Pacific Mall and this is where I was a bit of an idiot. It was not as crazy packed as I thought it would be and it seems like they actually tore down some buildings so it is not as crazy as it used to be. We setup the wheelchair but it did not include the safety wheels at the back that prevent tilting. I was being lazy and said it is fine without them. Spoiler alert. They serve quite the important purpose. Going up a small incline to get on the sidewalk I managed to flip the wheelchair backwards and a bunch of bystanders had to help me up. Mel then went back to the van to get the supports. So yes they are quite important to have in case you were wondering. We went upstairs and I got some dandan noodles and Olivier got some egg waffles and popcorn chicken that was delicious. We tried to find Mel’s cup but alas we failed and then we were on our way to Saigon Star for lunch.
The food at Saigon Star was quite enjoyable. As expected my parents critiqued the hell out of all of the food. They started by making sure I got the price for market value as Vietnamese people will jack up the prices and rip you off if you do not ask prior. The food was tasty, they mentioned that the meat was well cooked but the sauces left a lot to be desired. They had thought it would be some of the fermented traditional sauces as opposed to more Western aligned ones. My mom had mentioned that the platters I was getting were one from Northern Vietnam and one from the South and she was not familiar with the Northern one. They were both delicious and everyone loved all of the food. My dad did not think that they prepared the crab properly as the pieces were huge and messy to eat. Olivier loved the crab and he said he is going to dream about it.
We had moved the reservation up so we could go to the mall. Once we checked in we went over and did some light shopping quickly. There is a chocolate shop I wanted to go to, so we went there and spent a ridiculous amount. My favorite chocolate was actually a strawberry bark with white chocolate. Everyone loved that one. We got the kids some clothing and found the candy store where they sell sour strips and bought a stupid amount of that candy as well. As we were leaving the kids grabbed grilled chicken from Chick-fil-A and headed back to the hotel with my parents and sister. Mel and I went to Banh Mi Boys for my 9pm meal. As we went there we had passed it by as you had to take stairs up to the place. I sat in my wheelchair at the bottom facing the crowd and felt like a beggar asking for money on the corner. If I had a cup I am sure I would have gotten some money, with my Lululemon pants and Arc’teryx jacket I am sure I looked rather homeless. Once we got back to the hotel I ate while Mel took Olivier swimming and Xavier went to work out in the 24hr gym. He told Mel he was also going to work out at 2am. I am not sure if he did or not.
Some lessons learned from this trip so far is that I have yet to really understand what my capabilities are as they are ever changing. I am not sure if I ate as much or not, but the frequency has been the same. Energy levels are manageable but that might be due to external forces taking care of me. Specifically Mel for making sure I am not foolish. I like to be foolish, consequences be damned. Mel and Xavier are strong enough to pick me off the ground when I mess up.
Q