Day 210, Little Chelsie, and Summer Plans

Need to catch up.  After school got out last Thursday, Stacy took off with the kids for Oregon. Gage and I have been hangin' out here in Calif.  I made it through my first dressing change and he is still alive. My goal is to keep him alive and well until Stacy gets back, and so far so good.

Meantime back at the ranch, Stacy and the kids arrived home around 4:00 am Friday morning and have had a great time.  Renee, Holly, Morris,Tiffany and her 2 kids came in from Oregon to be with Stacy and the kids. As far as I have heard, they have been working hard and playing even harder.

However, the big news from Oregon is our good friends the Thompson's.  Colby and Erin's little girl Chelsie was involved in a horrible lawnmower accident.  She has had her left leg amputated just above knee.  She is currently in Seattle going needed surgeries and therapy. I have thought a lot about them as they sit by her side trying to provide the comfort she needs. Our thoughts and sincere prayers go out to them.

Stacy comes back tomorrow (Monday) night and I fly out Tuesday. Kids will remain in Oregon one more week before summer school and camps begin.  Gage's attitude has been surprising upbeat and positive while his siblings are playing with cousins back in Oregon.  Stacy said at one point Saturday there were 20 kids under the age of 16.

For the next few months we will be house sitting for the VanElderen family in Los Altos Hills.  The house is about 15-20 minutes from the hospital.  It's a nice house, but we are missing our RMH friends.  We hope to have a few family reunions this summer so Gage can see all his cousins and family.

Medically there is nothing to report with Gage or the other kids.  He has been waiting for 210 days.  On June 10th it will be 7 months.  He is still listed as status 1A but I can't help but wonder if more critical kids in the hospital may get the call before Gage.  If that is the case, I'm ok with it,  I understand, as long as he gets his turn with the perfect match when the time is right.

(last weeks post)
May 30, 2016

I was telling Stacy about the constant pull I feel from two angles.  On the one hand I feel the pull from Oregon for all the work related issues.  Even though tax season is over there is still plenty of office and ranch work to be done to support my clients, family and life style.  On the other hand I feel the pull to be with my family in Calif to help raise kids, tend to their individual needs from school, sports, activities, and of course the medical needs.  No complaining here, and I mean that, it’s just a tug-of-war I have felt for many months and wanted to share.

Great birthday and Memorial Day weekend.  On Friday we went to a home that had a pool for the kids (and myself) to play in.  We felt bad for Gage watching him stand on the edge.  He had fun with a big squirt gun as he shot water and annoyed all of us in the pool.   As a seven year old, he was good sport!  It drove us crazy watching him walk around the edge, wading in, and bending over to fill his giant squirt gun with the Blackwood and driveline keeping him going.    

On Sunday we went to the Blacks and Golafashans for dinner and party. It was tons of fun. 

Today (Memorial Day) we did something we have been needing to do for a long time.  We gathered up the kids, bought some Chipotle food and drinks, and headed to the hospital to visit families.  There are several families right now that have it a lot worse off than us.  There is an 8 year old who had a heart transplant three years ago, now the child has coronary artery disease and is on a ventilator waiting to be relisted (sound familiar?)  Another 2 year old child who waited in good ole’ Room 3241 for 6 months on a Berlin, just received a transplant.  We also saw 2 other kids in the CVICU that have very complicated and life threatening heart issues. Stacy has gotten to know these families, so it was a good day to take food to them, and offer a bit of empathy for what they are going through.  Unfortunately we recognized each one of the rooms they were in and could understand the stressed look in their eye. It was good for all of us.

Megan and Sierra have heavy finals this week. They are both studying hard, but maybe have different intensity levels, and different grade goals.  I will leave it at that.

Looking forward, I fly back to Calif on Thursday. Stacy and the kids (minus Mr. Aurelius) will be driving home Thursday afternoon after finals.  Yes, this means I will be with Gage alone for 4 days.  I will have to do 2 dressing changes and cleanings by myself.   Stacy has retraining me but this time I might have listened a little closer than in earlier trainings.  Stacy would NOT be impressed if I showed up in Oregon with Gage to get help with the dressing change!

 

Stacy’s mother and sisters are coming from Utah for the weekend to help Stacy and the kids with the piles of stuff that I might not have gotten to, plant the garden, and restore the woman’s touch our home has been missing for the last 6½ months.  It is starting to look (and smell) like a guy’s apartment if you know what I mean.  Stacy will then fly back to Calif to find ALL well there.  I will fly back to Oregon, then a week later, drive back to Calif with most of the kids for various summer camps and activities.  We are also planning some family reunions in Calif in July and August so there you go. 

Ya know, in the middle of all this the Man-of-Steel is going to get his new heart and drop the Blackwood and the pacemaker.  But until then, we are going to keep on keepin’ on.

Saw the nurse with an awesome man bun.  Who knows if we get to that point. Right now it is just this curly mess.

 

Till next time

Jason