Schedule and Family Update

Hello, bread friends! Since my schedule in January/February has become a little complicated, I've had to update the schedule a few times. At one point, I realized we would be going four weeks without a bake day! And we can't have that. So I added a special Thursday bake on a week when I have less committments than others. Please take note on the schedule, found here.

Milo (7) enjoying a dairy-free hot chocolate.

Many of you have met my seven-year-old son with Down syndrome, Milo. As the eighth of nine children, he is a very social creature and loves meeting you all at the summer market! He has truly never met a stranger and will even give you a hug, if you ask. He was one of the most compelling reasons I started my bakery - to earn money for medical equipment that he needs. (We are still working on that!) Milo's biggest medical mountain to climb has been his battle against sleep apnea. He has been on overnight oxygen for five years to help treat this condition. He has had multiple doctor visits, clinic consults, scopes, procedures, and surgeries to treat this issue. We kind of hit a wall with his treatment options last fall; the last scope showed that the best choice his surgeon could offer was painful surgery with only moderate chance of success. We didn't like that option.

But we never stop fighting for him. If he were 13+, the Inspire implant would be an option for him. It wraps around the hypoglossal nerve and controls the tongue during sleep, keeping it out of the airway. I found other parents in the DS community who were getting the implant at younger ages on an experiemental basis. So in the past two years, I have researched and made connections that culminated in a huge win - Milo will be having the Inspire device implanted surgically in Boston on February 11! His surgeon is one of only two nationwide who are implanting in children in order to gather enough research to get the FDA to approve it. We are thrilled about this opportunity. There is a lot more to his story. If you're interested, click below to read his CaringBridge. (For his safety and protection, you have to have an account to read it, but it's free and easy.)

Milo's CaringBridge

In addition to Milo's big trip to Boston, my eldest son's varsity basketball season has games and tournaments in January and February, and another son has his musical tech and show weeks in February! Add in regular old family life for us and you have very busy month or two.

I hope this snowy and blustery new year is treating you well, and that you can find time to enjoy the small, important things in life (like delicious, nourishing bread). I have so enjoyed seeing some of your faces during our brief and chilly Friday afternoon pickups, and I look forward to late May, when I can see you all at the market again! In the meantime, thank you for your continued patronage and support. Truly, when you buy my bread, you support Milo and our family. I'm humbled and honored by the privilege of being your village baker.