To California for Biopsies

This week was time to return to California for routine biopsies for Gage and Lindsey.  Lindsey had her annual biopsy.  Her coronary arteries look great and she received a ZERO!! Gage had his routine monthly biopsy and he received a 1A (essentially a ZERO)!!  We will take that.  Both of their pressures were great.  It was a long day yesterday.  Lindsey had her annual biopsy where they go in through her groin.  Afterwards she has to lay flat for 4 hours.  While she was recovering, she started bleeding, so her 4 hours had to be started over.  Instead of leaving at 7:30 PM we left at 9:30 PM.  Needless to say, we were tired and ready to go.  Our morning there started at 9:00 AM with an appointment for Sierra then Gage checked in at 11:00 for his biopsy, Lindsey at 11:30 for her biopsy.

Today was a much funner day.  Lindsey had her appointment at 9:00 AM for follow up of an exercise study her and Sierra are participating in.  While she was at her appointment, we had a fun morning visiting friends in the hospital.  Six of our friends received their transplants this month, most in the last couple weeks.  They are all doing great and it is fun to see their waiting time finally end.  After our visits and appointments, I took Lindsey to her good friends Kirtana and Sierra to her BFF Nori, while Gage and I met our dear friends Mrs. Blazinsky, Miss K and Fiona.  We played at the museum and zoo then went to the park.  Ending our evening going to dinner with all of us (Miss K, Fiona, Mrs. B, Sierra, Lindsey, Gage and I).  It is nice to come and  "visit" our friends in California.  We do miss them and it is nice to have a reason to come back and catch up.  We feel so very blessed to have so many wonderful people in our lives.

So our plan now is as follows.  Gage will meet with our doctor in Boise in 2 weeks, then return to California at the end of August for his next biopsy.  Lindsey will see our doctor in Boise in October and return in January for her next biopsy.  She has been doing so well since her transplant.  No rejection or issues.  It has really been a great blessing.  Sierra sees our doctor in Boise in September and returns in October for her biopsy.  Gage has monthly biopsies until October then he will go every 3 months if they continue to look good.  It will be nice to space our visits out a little bit.

Jason, Megan and Hunter stayed home and are working hard at getting ranch work done.  It has felt great to all be together and eat meals as a family! We could ALMOST get used to it.

 Fun with Mrs. B, Miss K and Fiona.

 Aunt Tiffany came to visit before we left for California.  The girls had a fun night of makeup with blindfolds on.  They looked stunning in the end!!

They even held down Megan and decorated her face for her.

 Lindsey and Gage at biopsies yesterday.

Home and LOVING it!

Gage and I arrived home in the late afternoon of the 29th of June. Since then, we hit the ground running and have been enjoying and taking in our time at home ever since.  We have had the pleasure of attending 2 reunions and started the "cleaning/dejunking process" of our house.  This includes weeding garden and flower beds, staining fences and decks, ranch work and visiting with family.  It finally feels like summer!  The kids might think they have been admitted to a work camp, as there is a lot more for them to do, but our new motto is, "work hard play hard."

Gage is doing great.  I will be taking Gage, Sierra and Lindsey to California next week for biopsies and appointments.  It has been really nice having a couple weeks to have a break from biopsies, clinic and blood draws.  We are taking each day in deeply.  Always walking tentatively not knowing how long this will last.  I have enjoyed watching sunsets, being able to see the stars at night and the good feeling  being home all together.

So far, we have thrown out 7 bags of "stuff" from 2 bedrooms and one bathroom.  We still have a lot further to go, but it is great to be home where we can do that. We are slowly making our house feel lived in again, inside and out! Tomorrow, the 5 kids and I are heading to Boise for appointments.  Sierra, Gage and possibly Megan will check in with our pediatric cardiologist there.  Megan just for her annual echocardiogram.  We will then leave there and head to 4 orthodontist appointments.  It should be a fun day.  Hope for some shopping somewhere in there as well.

Our first stop when we got home was to say "Hi" to dad at his office.

 Tour of Grandma Bingham's (Jason's mom) old stomping grounds. Then on to Bear Lake.

Next reunion, having fun hiking in the mountains near our house. 

 Enjoying some tin foil dinners in our fire pit in our yard.

The reward for a hard weeks labor.  Hiking in to a mountain lake and cliff jumping. 

 No, we did not let Gage jump from the high cliff.  He just jumped in from the rocks in the picture. 

 Today Gage was baptized.  We believe in baptizing at the age of 8.  He could never be baptized because of his VAD.  It bothered him a lot.  BUT, today he was finally able to be baptized.  It was a very special day and he was definitely ready.

My wonderful family who came to help with it all!!