Brad, A Breakout & Basketball

30Nov - Friday

Jess & Me after Games & Grey's

Jess & Brad

Today is Breakout day for Jess, the Dr. has said the infection is kicked and she can go home! Shortly after we finished our Game (we tied at a game of Sequence) & Greys last night I left for home and Brad surprised her by showing up a day early. Hmm, why is she smiling much bigger in the photo at the right?

Brad went back to the hospital this morning to ensure they let her go because we have a date tonight. Brad is here for business meetings this week, but has scored tickets to tonights Raptors vs. Phoenix Sun game at the ACC. I am the 4th in their group and very excited - I’ve never been to the ACC, nor have I ever seen a professional basketball game!

Carman is going as Susan tonight, she has graciously given him her ticket so he’ll be the 9th in the Zizian family section. I checked with Brock at the ACC before accepting her offer, to ensure that the seats where located in a spot that Carman could get to. He assured me that they are likely the easiest to get to (meaning fewest stairs), even though they are up near the rafters! Next I need to arrange for him to have oxygen. He has 2 O2 strollers but they won’t last long enough for him to get to the game, then to his seat, watch the full game, get back to the car and home. I make a call to The Treadmill Room to see if I can book out a stroller for the weekend, our PT tells me I can and to come anytime to pick it up. I head there right away and even score a parking spot in front of Sick Kids - these are hard to come by and only available until 3:30. It’s 3:08 so I make tracks to TGH and back. Three strollers should do the trick and I’ll be picking him up at Zizian’s after the game, so we can refill one from our travel tank in the car if needed.

I drop him at the Zizian’s, where he is joining them for dinner before the game and head to Jess’. It’s our first date apart since we came her, so I’m a bit nervous, but with the extra stroller and Kristy’s offer to let him use one of her O2 strollers during dinner, to save his 3 for the game, I think we’ll be good.

Carman, in the white sleeves, holding both arms up

We're down here, they're way up by the Rona sign!

Once their group arrived we were able to pick them out (there were 9 of them after all) and trhu a series of texts and waving my white scarf we connected. Our seats were 9 rows from the floor at centre court - thanks Brad!!!

Raptors Warm-up

Me, Jess & Brad

Carla & Me

Carla, Me & Jess

Jess' snack of choice!

Raptor Girls

Mini Raptors

The staff were very helpful and stored Carman’s Rollator for him until he was ready to leave. Jim came thru with more cash again too...they bet on the game, just between the two of them, Carman says he even told Jim he could pick whichever team he wanted. They took turns putting their money on the arm of the chair throughout the game. It went back and forth for the first 3 quarters and became a nail biter near the end. The Raptors won in the last few seconds of the game, sending the crowd to its feet and giving Carman the pleasure of taking Jim’s money!

The mini Raptors (young kids in mascot costume) were very entertaining during commercial breaks, dancing and doing acrobatics (in full costume) to keep the crowd loud. It was a great night and we couldn’t keep Jess in her seat, she was so excited to be there and make noise!

Post-game we took our time, letting the crowd disperse a bit before even trying to leave. One of the ushers was very helpful and pointed us to an easy route out...then Brad tried to do the impossible for us - get a cab! Every cab that went by the gate we were at, was already full. It was -14 with the wind chill, so nobody wanted to walk, not even two blocks to the bar. One of the security gents was very helpful in our attempts, but to no avail. He then volunteered to walk us to a gate where the cabbies hang out. Score! within a couple of minutes of arriving at the gate, Brad had a cab for us and we were on our way.

Brad's favourite end of quarter show

The final score - Yeah!