Friday, March 06, 2009

G went to a full afternoon of school yesterday! It sounds like he did wonderfully. When I picked him up, and we were heading home, I asked him what he thought of school. His reply, "It's a great school!"

We finally got his twister straps (and STILL no walker), and he isn't loving those. They sound horrible, but they're pretty basic. I plan on getting a picture, but right now, we'll just say he's not too cooperative.

After his MRI results, I feel so elated! And kind of lost! LOL When he had SO much going on, it seemed like that was the way it was going to be. Now, life with G is pretty low-key. When I had to fill out the paperwork for his MRI work up, the space for surgeries was way too small. It's always kind of sad to fill out all his surgeries, and he's only three.

What it looks like:
2005- 9/29- shunt placement/myelomeningocele closure, 12/13-bilateral clubfoot percutaneous tenotomies
2006- 1/9-shunt revision, 2/23-cystoscopy urethral stricture repair, 5/1-shunt revision
2007-1/12-shunt revision, 1/24-bilateral clubfoot percutaneous tenotomies, 1/30-shunt revision, 2/4-shunt replacement, 2/14-shunt revision
2008- 4/25 left clubfoot revision

It's tough to fit that in the space allotted.

As we approach April as our one year anniversary of being surgery-free, I think I can finally accept it. Now that we've been told TWO years for a follow-up, I feel like just maybe, yeah, we'll make it. For so long, not even realizing it, I was waiting for that other shoe to drop. I realize that it still can, but I'm not holding my breath anymore. Life without surgery after surgery feels kinda good. All the unknowns don't seem to be beating on my door so much.

Thursday, March 05, 2009

An MRI,etc

G's appointment went well yesterday. I should really say appointmentS because the boy had several.

We arrived early at 9:00 am. He went NPO at 7:00 am, so it worked out well. I'm not sure about all the times, but it seems like they got things moving relatively quickly. His MRI was scheduled for 10:30, and it was started right at that time! He had a head CT before the MRI, and those kind of freak him out as he's had so many. He did SO well, though. He was sad, but he did remain still.

He charms the nurses like crazy. He's got so much wit and humor and makes the cutest faces. They did not want to poke him for the I.V. but, of course, it had to be done. He and I read a book while they tried to find some in his feet (no sensation), but the veins were too fragile and kept blowing out. He would look over the book to see what they were up to, and would start to get upset about them "hurting" his feet until I'd distract him and he'd forget all about it.
The I.V. ended up having to go in his hand. One of the nurses names was Rosie, and he really seemed to like her. They had a different nurse come in because they didn't want G to be mad at them. While they were poking about, G started yelling, "I get stickers! GET me stickers!" I felt so bad that it hurt, but I had to giggle at his demand in the midst of his pain. It went relatively fast (I'm sure not so much for him, but if he could remember a couple years ago...), and we took him in for the MRI.

Just like that he was out, looking like a peaceful little angel. Hubby and I headed downstairs for a candy bar and then back to the waiting room. He was in the recovery room within about 50 minutes.

Once G woke up, he was off and on a little loopy, and boy, he says funny things. He had a red popsicle and some apple juice. When the IV had to come out, he was so excited to get it out, until it had to be pulled out. The nurse asked if he could count to 10, and he said, "yes". She told him to start counting, and he said, "Ten." LOL

Afterward, we headed to the x-ray department, and G was amazingly cooperative. Usually, we have to help hold him still, but he would just stay in whatever position he was put in. He had about 6 taken, so very surprising to me he did so well!

We headed over to see the neurosurgeon's nurse practitioner, and she was pleased to report that all looked good!! Yay!! We won't need to return for two years to follow up!

So that was day, and the older kids got to go visit their cousins and aren't home yet.
We are so tired but oh so grateful for such a GOOD report.