The Annunciation Triptych

"The Annunciation Triptych"
A 15th century painting, on-view at The Cloisters in New York City. One of Toni and my favorite pieces at one of our favorite places.

Athens
That's Athens, Ohio, not Greece. My in-laws live in Athens, home to my alma mater, Ohio University, and to the World Famous Smiling Skull Saloon.

autopsy
Examination of a dead body to find the cause of death.

"The brick" decorated for Calvin's 3rd birhtday, March 20, 2004.

the brick
We bought a brick with Calvin's name on it that you can find in front of the Gordon Square Theatre, part of the Cleveland Public Theatre complex at West 65th and Detroit in Cleveland.

"Cat's In The Cradle"
This infectious ditty by Harry Chapin suggests the horrifying irony that no matter how nice you think you are, if you do not give your children the right amount of attention and love, they may grow up to be as passive-aggressive and terrified of emotional contact as you are.

The Cloisters
The branch of the Metropolitan Museum devoted to the art and architecture of medieval Europe. Located on four acres overlooking the Hudson River in northern Manhattan's Fort Tryon Park, the building incorporates elements from five medieval French cloisters - quadrangles enclosed by a roofed or vaulted passageway, or arcade - and from other monastic sites in southern France.

"Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon"
We saw this film a month or two before Calvin died, and we believe he enjoyed it very much. Toni feels he was trying to reenact most of fight sequences while the film was going on.

Photo of me, taken at The Cloisters.

Cytotec
Cytotec is the trade name of a synthetic prostaglandin analogue, misoprostol. It is marketed in the USA as a specific drug for the prevention and treatment of NSAID induced stomach ulcers. In Brazil it is widely used as an abortifacient. There have been several clinical trials of its use as a cervical ripening and labor inducing agent. It is extremely effective at very low doses, is very cheap, and has been used on many many women without their being aware that it really is still an experimental use.

divorce
I was married once before, briefly, when I was in my early 20s.

"Don't talk about our son, Martha."
A line from "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?"

dop-tone
(or doptone) A handheld heartbeat monitor (Doppler fetascopes) many providers use during monthly check-ups to monitor the baby's heartrate.

Down Syndrome
Down syndrome is usually caused by an error in cell division called non-disjunction. However, two other types of chromosomal abnormalities, mosaicism and translocation, are also implicated in Down syndrome - although to a much lesser extent. Regardless of the type of Down syndrome which a person may have, all people with Down syndrome have an extra, critical portion of the number 21 chromosome present in all, or some, of their cells. This additional genetic material alters the course of development and causes the characteristics associated with the syndrome.

Down syndrome is the most commonly occurring genetic condition. One in every 800 to 1,000 live births is a child with Down syndrome, representing approximately 5,000 births per year in the United States alone. Today, Down syndrome affects more than 350,000 people in the United States.

Toni, Lydia and friends at Hamley's.

epidural
An injection, esp. of an anesthetic, into the epidural space of the spine.

"Hamlet"
The last Shakespeare I directed was "Hamlet" and so it snuck its way into the play. I also directed "Romeo and Juliet" in 1994, and the first play I wrote after that, "The Vampyres" had gratuitous passages from "R&J" in it. Bad habit, I know.

Hamley's
England's largest toy store. So, it's like FAO Schwartz, only much smaller. And still in business.

hypertension
Abnormally high arterial blood pressure.

"Lonely Boy"
Andrew Gold's one-hit wonder is a metaphor for the entire Baby Boomer generation - "Give me everything I want or go f*** yourself."

magnesium sulfate
Epsom salts. For use in controlling seizures associated with preeclampsia, epilepsy, or when abnormally low levels of magnesium may be a contributing factor in convulsions, such as in hypothyroidism or glomerulonephritis. Possible side effects: Depression, flushing, hypotension, circulatory collapse, depression of the myocardium, sweating, hypothermia, muscle paralysis, CNS depression, respiratory paralysis.

mailing list
We were haunted by a certain baby food company, beginning shortly before Calvin's due date, and continuing for the next seven months. To find out the name of this company, you will need to check out a live performance.

neonatal
Pertaining to a newborn.

St. James Park, home of very brave pelicans.

Pitocin
Synthetic formulation of a hormone, oxytocin, that stimulates uterine contractions and is used to induce labor or delivery. Pitocin is a commonly used drug during labor. Its use is also somewhat controversial.

preeclampsia
A disorder that occurs only during pregnancy and affects both the mother and the unborn baby. Affecting at least 5 percent of all pregnancies, it is a rapidly progressive condition characterized by high blood pressure, swelling and protein in the urine. Sudden weight gain, headaches and changes in vision are important symptoms; however, some women with rapidly advancing disease report few symptoms.

Typically, preeclampsia occurs in the late 2nd or 3rd trimesters, (middle to late pregnancy), though it can occur earlier. Proper prenatal care is essential to diagnose and manage preeclampsia. Preeclampsia, Pregnancy Induced Hypertension (PIH) and toxemia are closely related conditions. HELLP Syndrome and eclampsia are more severe forms.

Preeclampsia and other hypertensive disorders of pregnancy are a leading global cause of maternal and infant illness and death. By conservative estimates, these disorders are responsible for 76,000 deaths each year.

prenatal
Existing or occuring before birth.

rashers
British for "bacon."

Saint James Park
St James's Park & The Green Park lying to the East of Buckingham Palace, were acquired by King Henry VIII at the same time as Hyde Park. They provide the backdrop for British ceremonial life with The Mall, which is the processional route between the Palace and the Government offices of Whitehall and Horse Guards Parade, being the venue for major ceremonial occasions. St James's Park reflects the English picturesque style of landscaping which was prominent in the 19th Century. It's a very popular Park, especially with tourists and office workers, and famous for its views, waterfowl and flower displays.

Six Flags
A national chain of amusements parks, Six Flags Ohio is located in Geauga County. Toni and I have never actually been to Six Flags, we went to Cedar Point on the date mentioned in the play. The change was based on the idea that more people have heard of Six Flags than Cedar Point, but I may be wrong about that and am thinking about changing it back. Cedar Point is the greatest amusement park in the world.

"Shadow of the Vampire"
A fun but flawed film we saw a month before Calvin died. My question is this - if they are all German, but speaking English so we can understand them, why do they have German accents? Willem Dafoe was excellent, but Malkovich was obviously only there for a check.

An ultrasound - not of Calvin, but of his sister.

soft monkey
In America we would say "stuffed" to describe a soft, toy animal ... but in England stuffed means pregnant.

"the sparrow"
1) "There is special providence in the fall of a sparrow" - Hamlet V.v 2) "Aren't two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them falls to the ground without the knowledge and consent of your Father." - Matthew, 10:29 3) A science-fiction novel by Mary Doria Russell I was reading in Britain that dares to ask, "What if you have proof there is a God, but that same proof makes you hate Him?"

"Three Is a Magic Number"

From the Emmy award-winning ABC animated series, "Schoolhouse Rock." It is still in my head whenever I need to multiply by three, and that is a wonderful thing because it is a great song (and so is the De La Soul cover.) I never sang this song to Calvin, I sang a different song to Calvin, which is private.

ultrasound
(also sonogram) An image, as of an unborn fetus or internal body organ, produced by ultrasonography.

vicar
A parish priest in the Church of England.