Oley Conference

I've gotten behind with the updating, but it's been a very full weekend. The Oley Conference has been a fantastic time and the whole family has enjoyed themselves. There is so much to say about it, and I'm sad to see it come to an end, but I am so glad we have gotten the opportunity to be here.
Friday and Saturday were spent in sessions with topics ranging from advocating, preventing line complications, depression, pain management, transplants and so much more. Lots of fascinating new ideas and we have some questions to go ask back home, and a few new things to hopefully try out. In some ways, it was a bit frustrating, to see all the pumps and new technology that is available, and it seems that we, in Manitoba, are so far behind.

While we were at sessions, Kailyn & Joshua spent an afternoon on a private trolley tour of San Diego and an afternoon at Seaworld. They were thrilled!! Yesterday evening was the silent auction where the kids went a little nuts at the kids auction table and ended up with a bunch of Disney loot. And today was the picnic by the pool with face painting, rock painting (not sure how we will lug those home!), and just socializing. Once again, the kids were spoiled rotten with freebies. Good thing we will have extra room going home after using up all Noah's supplies!

But the best part of the conference was the people we met. Other parents with kids on TPN, and adults who've been doing this for 20 or 30 years. A few of them I have been corresponding with on my internet TPN support group, so it was wonderful to put faces to names. But to just for a few days, feel like the "normal" ones when everyone is walking around with tubes and pumps was such a great experience. A few times Kailyn mentioned how neat it was to see kids like Noah, especially kids her age. To just be around families that "get it", without having to explain yourself...they've been there, done that...that was priceless. We will miss them and are already talking about how we will get to next years conference (it's in Florida, so we wouldn't mind that!)

But it's time to say goodbye and move on...tomorrow we leave the Marriot (loved this hotel...great pool!) and we are headed to the famous San Diego Zoo and then the Holiday Inn at Old Town.