The Ostrom Family Adventures

A small family embarking on a year-long adventure to New Zealand to meet new friends and learn about more of the world and ourselves.

We Interrupt this Scheduled Adventure for . . . Another Adventure!

Post Op day 10?

23 July,

I just returned to NZ from a very short trip to Blaine, WA for 1 week. It’s been 2 weeks since my stepdad went to the hospital with chest pains and was found to need a Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (CABG for short). He bravely had this done on the 10th of July and I flew back on the 14th to be there to help the first week as my Mum brought him home to recover.

He has been a Legend with this recovery.

There was some gentle surprising as he didn’t know I was coming back. Many of my friends and colleagues who have moved to NZ away from family urged me to go – even for a short time, and I’m so thankful they did.

It was also a great chance to get some summer heat as we have been in the middle of winter in NZ.

Gorgeous Semiahoo looking up into Canada

I also found that if this whole “doctoring” gig doesn’t work out, I would enjoy being a personal chef. I cooked and helped my folks find some food they really like that are more heart healthy than how they were eating before.

After getting him settled back at home and letting Mom rest a bit more for a few days, I took 1 day and was able to see just a few friends, and though I couldn’t see everyone I would have liked this time, it was heartening to be able to see a few in person.

Love Love these Chosen Sisters!
And these (not so little anymore) ones.
Our incredible friends who are helping us so much during this adventure!
New “little” friend Jewels

Somehow I missed getting a photo of my siblings or of us all together for a day. It was super surreal and sad how short of a time I had with them before I had to head back to Mason and Leif – who were having a super fun “men’s week” while I was gone. But I learned that flying across Te Moana nui-a-Kiwa (The Great Pacific) is easy as, and with modern technology, we’re not as far away as it seems.

Goodbye for now North America!

jessalostrom

2 responses to “We Interrupt this Scheduled Adventure for . . . Another Adventure!”

  1. dolphinsuperba9f65c8577 Avatar
    dolphinsuperba9f65c8577

    Bittersweet to leave, I imagine. So thankful you could be there to guide them on this new journey! Cocoa is making good progress! The picture above is the day we got her. You can see her thigh and glut muscles are lacking. Since then, we have added Vit E and selenium to her diet as she was very low in both. Apparently they are important in muscle growth. We have gotten back to a good rhythm with her. We also have a round pen that we use for training-she must have never lunged before and we are both poor at helping her do it! I will take another picture in a month or so to see if there is any muscle growth that is noticeable. Must be weird to have winter and not have Christmas. Are the days as short/shorter there? I just checked your latitude-40th through middle of country. That must mean your days are a bit longer than at winter solstice here. And you are now on the other side of it, so sun is slowly coming back. Is it very snowy? Lots of questions! Nothing mush new here except we are having a marvelous harvest! Wish you were here to share! Blessings! Tina and Ed

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    1. jessalostrom Avatar
      jessalostrom

      Hi! It really was so hard to leave again, but I am glad to be back here and we are trying to extend our visa’s and stay a bit longer. We are not sure if it’s going to work yet though and will let you know when we hear. It truly doesn’t feel like enough time to be here yet.

      I couldn’t see the photo of Cocoa, can you send it by email? I am so glad I was able to meet her. She has the sweetest personality.

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