Ben and Meghan's wedding

First dance, with me looking on at far right.

The wedding Saturday was just perfect. The bride looked like a movie star, and the groom was incredibly handsome! And most importantly, they looked so happy together.

It was wonderful to be surrounded by friends and family. Everything went off without a hitch. I was worried that Joe and Katie would be unable to make it to Friday's rehearsal and dinner. They were in lockdown in the Boston area, but they got out on time. Of course given the tragic events in Boston, I was worried by a lot more than that. But they did make it to New Haven on a beautiful spring day with flowers and trees newly in bloom. The celebration was a good counterbalance to a horrible week.

I was so proud of each of my children. Ben, of course, but also Joe and Katie. Katie read beautifully during the ceremony. And for a unique touch, Joe used his sports announcer voice to call out the names of the wedding party and parents as we entered the reception. Bygones were bygones as I walked in on the arm of Jim, my ex-husband. Joe later gave a speech noting the events in Boston but saying that we all should keep in mind that there are more good people than bad people. He said aptly funny things about Ben and aptly serious things about Ben's role in his life and the important role Meghan has already played and will continue to play.

On Saturday and Sunday morning I walked with my sister/friends around the Yale campus, enjoying the buildings and the scenery. On Sunday, those of us who were up and about went out to brunch. And then Katie and I split the driving to get her back to Brandeis. We stopped on Route 84 at a funky bookstore/restaurant with a bird-feeder outside the window and a chart of birds on the table. It was fun to identify the birds as they came and went. Plus I had the best club sandwich and french fries ever.

Today I had checkups at Dana-Farber. I had joked to Melissa that I would keep on my eye makeup from the wedding, but it turns out that the makeup lady put so much on that I still haven't gotten most of it off. My counts were great, with my platelets going over 100 for the first time in ages. (They are 105 out of a normal scale of 155-410.)

I also checked in with my surgeon in head and neck oncology. She said my tongue looks perfect and I can wait a year to come back.

I was so tired from the weekend that I dozed off in between appointments and then slept in the car before my ritual stop at Starbucks.

I need to have another "therapeutic phlebotomy" to withdraw some blood and with it the ferritin that is still overloading my liver. But all the appointments today were booked with people donating blood for victims of the marathon bombing. So I'm staying overnight and getting it done tomorrow afternoon. I wish I could donate the blood, but alas, it wouldn't do anyone any good. I hope that I have the energy to drive back tomorrow afternoon, but I'm not sure that it is wise, given that the blood draw makes you anemic. I have my supply of peanut M&Ms to help keep me awake, but if it ends up being rush hour, I'll probably stay another night.