Sunday, Jan 29

Day 447, January 29, 2017 Sunday

Heading back to California.  Had a good week in Oregon. Watched Megan and the Powder Valley team win two of the three games.  Friday’s game was probably Megan's best game yet. They beat up on Joseph pretty good.  Saturday was a different story.  They went to Nixyaawii, a very talented highly ranked Indian reservation school near Pendleton.  It seemed like we were intimidated from the start and our confidence was down. We lost big to them.  Megan has three games this next week that Stacy and I will miss. Tuesday they will be playing the same Nixyaawii team on our court in a makeup game.  It is not getting any easier leaving Megan at home with my bother and his family.  Frankly, Stacy and I hate not being a part of Megan’s life.  Even when I am there it is not the same as when the entire family is there.  Months ago we made the decision to let Megan go home for school and sports, in the idea the transplant would have happened by now.  Well it hasn’t happened yet and we are facing decisions for summer and beyond.  Megan is very devoted to the team and will do about anything to stay on Oregon. Stacy and I have worked hard to support all our kids.  Stay tune for that.

Gage had his normal bi-weekly checkup.  Nothing to report there.  All his levels are where they want them.  Stacy did confirm (at my request) Gage’s status on the list.  According to the doctors, he is still on the transplant list as a status 1a (list of the highest priority) and has been a status 1a since February 10, 2016. There have been no viable heart offers for Gage.  So the wait could be longer, much longer, like another year perhaps; or it could be this afternoon.  The point here is Stacy and I need to prepare and think in terms of another year of waiting. Then, if or when the transplant happens sooner than that, great!  But for now we need to start thinking in longer terms.

Having said all that, Gage continues to do great.  His health is good, his spirits are up, he is in school, and loves to bug and fight with his brother.  

Funny story to report.  The other night Hunter was asked to dump the garbage.  As a good obedient ten year old boy, he did NOT want to do it.  He gets easily side tracked, distracted or gets annoyed by someone.  Gage picks up on this and LOVES to annoy his brother. So Gage starts singing a song that he knows Hunter hates.  Hunter gets mad at Gage and a fight quickly escalated.  (Remember all this started because Stacy asked Hunter to take out the trash)!  Stacy was helping Lindsey with her homework and didn’t noticed what happened until that all too familiar blood curdling scream by Gage.   You guessed it….the garbage sack Hunter was swinging around at Gage hooked on Gage’s feeding tube and….. out it came.   Now Stacy is ticked.  Hunter still hasn’t taken out the trash, Gage won’t stop bugging Hunter, and Lindsey isn’t focusing on her homework.  Once the tube came out, Hunter was sufficiently humble (or at least compelled to be humble).  Gage was given the choice as to whether Hunter deserved to get a feeding tube shoved up his nose.  This time, Gage showed mercy to his older brother (crazy).   It took only two tries to get the tube back in, so that traumatic experience was kept to a minimum.

In other news, our good friend Katie Hubbard (Feik) is organizing a 5k run for Gage’s heart fund.  She has worked hard organizing it.  It is April 1^st at our home in Oregon . Of course all are welcome to come and joy the activity.  Stacy and/or I will plan on being there. You can register from the website at www.heartsforbinghams.org/5k

That’s it for now. Time to land in San Jose.  As they say, ‘Keep on, Keepin’ on’.

Jason

 Megan and Kim at our Powder Valley home gym. 

 Here's a blast from the past.  Going back to 1987'ish. 

 Hunter and Gage dressed up for career day.

Hunter and Colonial America program

This is a little buddy of Gages.  Her name is Debbie and she has the same backpack as Gage. She is waiting for a heart as well.  Twins!!

Fun at the RMH.