Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Oh Captain, My Captain

Caz was honorary captain for the DHS football game last Friday night.  He was really excited about it.  It was a battle of league undefeateds, Duxbury versus Hingham.  Winner goes to the playoffs.  If Duxbury loses, their 34 game win streak ends.  Their bid for a 3-peat ends.  It's homecoming.  Under the lights.  The crowd was huge.  He and a plus one got to go out with the Duxbury captains for the coin toss. What more could a 13 year old boy ask for?
     The game was a real thriller.  Duxbury was not playing their best.  Hingham took it to them.  The game ended in regulation as a tie.  OT.  4 Plays from the 10 yard line for both teams.  It was deja vu for me personally. For the crowd, it was nail biting time.  Zac got to be on the sideline for the entire game if he chose to be.  I did notice he was gone for a long stretch.  Apparently, according to his mother, he bought himself a pizza from the concession stand.  And was walking around eating being trailed by half a dozen teenage girls.  It's good to be the king......

Battling Back

This past weekend featured the return of the Caz.  We taped him up, added a pad, and put him back into action.  His coaches were excited.  But more importantly,Caz was ecstatic. He was so pumped to get back into action.  He played both days.  He really played well too.  It was like he didn't miss anytime. Sure, I'm his dad.  His grandmother's and mother's opinions might be slightly biased too.  But his coaches were pleased with his performance.  I guess that really says it all.
     I am really just happy that he stuck with practice and stayed engaged while on the IR.  He bid his time.  He lobbied hard to return to action.  He (begrudgingly) wore the required pad over his break.  He really wanted to come back this weekend to play our local rivals.  On Friday night, he asked me, "Dad? Are we playing Vegas this weekend?".  Yes.  Indeed we were.  This is where the rivalry begins.  Nothing wrong with a good, healthy rivalry.

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Sick and Tired of It

Coco missed school today.  It was actually the 6th day so far this year.  There seems to be a trend at the beginning of each school year that Coco gets belly aches.  We thought it was stress.  Then potentially he may have had an averse reaction to nitrates.  Not that he ate a lot of hot dogs or pepperoni, but we excluded those outright.  The pains would subside and only kick up now and then.  But when the pains came, they came hard.
     Today, the pains were excruciating.  It's hard to tell sometimes, if kids' pains are really as bad as they say.  But Coco was not milking it.  He was even told that if he didn't go to school, then he couldn't go to his friend's birthday party in he afternoon. Coco was in tears but couldn't get up to go to school.
    Demi was conflicted about bringing him to the doctor.  Not that he wasn't really in pain.  But out doctor was scheduled to be on vacation.  Would a substitute really be able to help?  Luck was with us this day.  Our doctor stopped into the office and decided to take a look at Coco.  After some tests, we finally got to the cause.  While painful, it will get better.  It will take some time, but at least now we know.  It's been years now, but I think there is finally light at the end of the tunnel.

Monday, October 15, 2012

Cast Off

Well, the cast came off today.  Caz couldn't wait.  He actually got a kick out of the sawing.  Demi took good video of the process.  The giggling during the buzz saw portion is priceless.  It must have tickled.
     Talk about the Lizard King.  He was scaly under that cast.  The dead skin will take weeks of loofah scrubs to get rid of.  Its a splint now.  Two weeks of a splint and then cleared for contact.  The team is in the playoffs.  That was Caz's goal.  Get back for the playoff.  I really like the commitment.  He is really into football.  

Saturday, October 13, 2012

The Return of the King

The Lizard King returned from Nature's Classroom.  Demi and I were excited to have him home.  We missed him.  At least until he opened his mouth.  Yes, he was tired.  Yes, he was dirty.  Yes, he stunk.  But he definitely had changed environments quickly.  He had gone from living with 23 other 13 year old boys, hiking and playing out doors to family rules and family expectations.  Honestly, XBOX seemed to be the root of all evil.  As soon as XBOX time was done, the mouth started.  He had it in his head that he was owed time for "roughing it" without electronics for 4 days.  Needless to say, Demi and I did not agree.  And so the boundaries were test.  The Lizard King was relentless.  He would not stop arguing, bargaining, or complaining.  I finally had to send him to his room to calm down.  It eventually worked.  I can only imagine that this re-entry was just a drop in the buck compared to something like coming home for the first summer after college.  Can't wait......

Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Nature's Classroom

Caz left for his 8th grade school trip today.  The whole 8th grade.  4 days.  In NH.  It really should be a great experience for him.  Some time away with just his peers is a great opportunity.  Demi and I really worry about this social skills sometimes.  It seems misplace really.  He does really well in social settings.  He just really seems to lack a desire to socialize.  In the end, he always has a good time after socializing.  But it's getting him there that is the battle.  Hopefully, this may break the ice for him.  Football seems to be doing that  quite bit.  Maybe this pushes him further along the path.

Friday, October 5, 2012

Making The Grade

First term progress reports came out today.  While the grades themselves are great, its the actual progress that is impressive.  Caz is really doing well, and doing it "his way."  There is continued work we do together for the ADD, but he's able to cope on his own more.  I don't want to give the impression that we are holding his hand or doing work for him.  But we do have to provide multiple reminders to do tasks, or check that things are done, or help him organize himself.   He's really showing progress though.  And the grades are bearing that out.
     Coco is more than adjusting to Middle School.  He's knocking it out of the park.  It sure makes life easier for Demi and me.  I just want to make sure we don't take it or him for granted, and praise him for his efforts.

Thursday, October 4, 2012

Soldiering On

Caz is continuing to go to practice while on the DL.  He so wants to be a part of the team still.  He really misses playing.  He's been really great on the sidelines during games.  He supports his teammates.  And his teammates and coaches have been really great to him.  His first day back was the game the next day.  I dropped him off during warm up and he went off to join them.  I saw his teammates and coaches come over right away to see how he was doing.  A couple put their arms around him or gave him a hug.  It was really a tremendous show of camaraderie.  This is really what I wanted Caz to get out of football.  Yes, I love the sport.  But what I remember so much, is the feeling of being part of a team.  My teammates still mean a lot to me to this day.  I could be biased but nothing seems to create bonding like football.  I am so happy he got to experience it.

Monday, October 1, 2012

Bad Break

Well, it was a moderately bad break for Caz.  The first bad injury for one of our family while playing football.        He got hurt on D, while going to the ground and bracing for impact.  He got caught in a pile up at the same time, with another player hitting his wrist at the same time.  What is amazing, is that he stayed in for two more plays and had to make tackles on both.
     I was warming up Coco's team at the time.  When I came onto the field he was on the bench with the EMT.  His wrist was wrapped with ice on it.  It was week and trembling.  Something was definitely wrong.  Demi brought him up to the hospital.  X-Rays showed a distal radial fracture.  The doctor had to give him Oxy and then set the break.  Caz was a trooper through it all.  Final diagnosis was out for 6 weeks.  Caz was crushed.  That was the balance of the season.  Caz asked for a cast he could play with but was told no. This was the right call.  It's not worth it for 8th grade football.  However, he is shooting for a return during the playoffs.