A Visit With Some Old Friends

The big male Komodo dragon at the Memphis zoo

We had some time this morning before our first (and only) appointment, so we rented a car and drove to the Memphis zoo.

Steven and the 21-foot reticulated python

The zoo was one of our main diversions when we were living at St. Jude, being only a mile away from Target House and free to St. Jude patients.

The reptiles would be fed on Saturdays at 1 pm and the Komodo dragons on Sundays at 3 pm and we went whenever circumstances would permit us to go.

When Steven finished treatment in May 2004, there was the promise of a new exhibit, The Northwest Passage was cordoned off as a construction zone with the promise of an eventual Arctic exhibit.

Had we traveled to Memphis mid-February as originally planned, we wouldn't have been able to see it, it opened just three days ago.

Steven said to me today, "I think it was a gift from Kyra", since the reason I moved our visit was because it was the tenth anniversary of Kyra's death, it just didn't seem like a good day for an MRI.

The polar bear exhibit was awesome, I don't remember seeing the polar bears in San Diego ever as active and playful as the polar bears were in Memphis today.

Memphis was having ice storms two weeks ago as well, today it was warmer than the weather we left behind in San Diego, sunny, warm and beautiful.

Endocrine evaluated Steven and confirmed what we already know, he's moving ever closer to puuberty, but on schedule. His growth is keeping pace with where he's been since he was an infant, 25th percentile, so no growth hormone for now. Such a blessing, growth hormone injections are common for kids who have had radiation to their whole brain.

- Kathleen