DC: Home to the Country's Best Restaurant and Best Baseball Team - Something for Every Weinstein

(FYI - This is a writing split.  You don't have to guess who wrote what.  Just know I tuned it down...)

We expected another long day on Tuesday.  Harry had planned ahead and invited Jacob & Bryan to come to the 2:00 p.m. dance party.  But we had an unexpectedly short day.  In and out in 2 hours!  First time we had such luck. And  Dr. Anne Angiolillo was in clinic today.  That is always a good thing, because Dr. A (or Angel-O) only has two rules - no playing with birds and no sushi if the ANC is below 500.  Beyond these barriers, anything goes.  Two weeks ago, she encouraged Harry to get back to the gym and to outdoor cycling.  She immediately noticed the impact of getting Harry back to working out his aggression through athletics, and not his parents. So the day had to be celebrated with more skateboarding.

Dr. A

As Harry is back on chemo after his break, his counts began to creep down (but remain in sushi range):
Normal                     Harry 6/18       6/24        7/1      7/21.     7/23    7/25       8/1      8/11    8/18
Hemoglobin  12-16      14.1                13.3.     13.2       8.7          7.4    7.7        7.3    10.6     8.9
Platelets 150-350        235                 174.       168        89          65      78         370   309     169
WBC  5000-10000     8750              6300.      6200     2006       1005  1420     640   3390   1930
ANC.    Above 1500.                       4700.      2770      1150       270    480         50    1620  880

And as his blood counts decline, his exhaustion rises.  When I picked him up from a friend's house, he quickly fell asleep in the car just like he did at the Gan.  And he slept for an hour in the car as I ran errands. (Is leaving a sleeping fifteen-year old alone in a running car with air conditioning on, as bad as leaving a sleeping three-year old?  Is it better or worse than when Jeane Kirkpatrick left her dog in her car, with a window cracked open, to go to the dry cleaner? At least I am not on the front page of WashPost Local section yet.)

And while have been concentrating on medical issues, we have been ignoring the basics.  This week, Harry went back to our orthodontist, Dr. Byrd, and found his teeth had not slid back to where they were before he stopped wearing his night retainer.   

Dr. Byrd's waiting room is always packed, and knowing Harry's weakened immunity, she allowed him to wait in her office (which is always much nicer than any waiting room.  As her patients know, Dr. Byrd's offices are nicer and more relaxing than being at home.)  

Dr. Kang: we'll see you tomorrow for that eye exam & glasses to go with the new hair style. Don't worry,  Dr. Giannini, you're are next.  But we feel every time Harry has a bite of salami or a bagel from the Zabar's basket - you're with us for a simulated at-home dental experience. 

Dr. Byrd and Harry

On Tuesday, Harry then went to see the best baseball team in the country, the Washington Nationals.  Many thanks to our wonderful neighbor, Eileen Ferrell, for giving us her great seats on the club level on the first base side.  Harry was delighted to be in enclosed space, while Raina and Jonah enjoyed our normal third base side seats. 

It was a very memorable evening.  Leon Wieseltier has already been an incredible source of wisdom and strength to us.  Last week, as Harry was in an "Entourage" phase, Leon did yet another extraordinary deed and reached out to his friend, Doug Ellin, the show's producer, to get Harry some incredible swag.   (It was a huge Hollywood week for Harry: Jeff Shell and Natalie Horsburgh continued the Hollywood theme by sending even more great  Universal Pictures movies and swag .  We are deeply grateful.  And running out of space.)

Later in the game, Leon brought us up with his family to sit in the Nats' owners' box.   He and the Lerners could not have been more gracious.

The moment we arrived in the owner's box, Harry was greeted as if he were a big-time celebrity, a la Vinnie Chase, by Steven Neuwirth, a friend of the Lerners who contributed to Jeremy Fand's fund to get Harry the Wahoo! trainer.  After some hugs and a nice chat with Neuwirth, Ed Cohen, and Ted Lerner, and some owner's suite food, we sat down to watch Anthony Rendon's bottom of the ninth walk-off single, driving in Bryce Harper for the Nats' 9th win in a row.  An amazing evening.

Harry and Steven Neuwirth, a.k.a. Jeremy Fand's friend (and the Lerners' friend as well!)

    

Harry and Edward Cohen, Principal Owner of the Washington Nationals

Then, on Wednesday, Bon Appetit announced that DC had the best restaurant in the country on Wednesday.  So where do we go Thursday?  Rose's Luxury, which lived up to its name.  I arrived at 4:30 p.m. for a fun sixty minute line wait in the rain.  (No reservations.  As my lobbyist line mate stated, with either admiration, sarcasm or just despair over missing a billable hour - it's an equal playing field for all Washingtonians.)  

We ordered every dish that was vegetarian or could be made vegetarian.  And we shared.  (But next time the lychee salad is mine alone.  And Eden claims the matzah ball carrots.)  Harry & Casey were even given a tour of the kitchen from chef/owner Aaron Silverman:

Kitchen tour with chef Aaron

Harry and Casey take on Rose's Luxury

  

And allowed us to join in