HEART CATH

I just got back from Akron Childrens Hospital. Sean is doing well after having a heart cath, and is coming out of the "sleepy gas" ( I can't spell anesthesia), better than when he had his teeth done.

While Dawn and I waited, the staff at the heart center gave us a bag of goodies which included a nice book on how the heart works, diagrams, problems, symptoms, and surgeries performed to fix the various defects that happen. It's been a long time since I was in biology, so it was good to use the two hour wait we had to freshen up on what goes on with the heart. Glad I did. When the procedure was over, Dawn and I went back to a room where the doctor explained what he saw and what his early prognosis is. He also showed us video of the procedure, which was fascinating.

The doctor must still meet with a panel of heart doctors and surgeons, but if what Dr. Lane saw today holds, Sean may have a procedure called a 'Fontan', to repair his heart. To hard to explain here how that works, other than to say, it's a re-tubing of his heart valves/arteries. As far as the time frame goes, still not sure, but it sounds like sooner rather than later.

I had to come home early today because the construction company came to make a few adjustments to the house, and our appliances are being delivered today. I am waiting to hear from Dawn whether she and Sean can come home today or not. While Dr. Lane had his instruments in Sean's heart, he clipped a 'coil' that was sending blood, via a vein, into his lungs, and that is not supposed to be happening. (Got to see the before and after video of that). After clipping this vein, it coils up does nothing, along with keeping blood out.

One last thing, while waiting in the recovery room, other kids are being brought in from their various surgeries and being hooked up to monitors. The other kids' monitors read blood oxygen levels of 100. Sean is still hovering in the 71-78 level. I'm repeatedly told as an adult with that reading , we'd have real problems on our hands.

INDULGE ME

If there wasn't enough emotional stress having to put my dog down, we also moved this past Thursday and Friday. Since we don't get TV hook up until this Thursday, we've had a lot of time to actually unpack, get organized and build a giant trash heap in the garage (imagine that, no TV, you get a lot accomplished). Dawn was putting the picture albums back on the bookcase when she pulled out one in particular which had photos that were black and white (harkening back to a day when I still had to put film in the camera, and I must have been in the B/W mood). There were some good ones in there, of Will and Liz when they were still really little. I'll have to post those some day.

Anyhow, the ones below take me back to when I first got Truman. I remember my dad was concerned Truman's ears would never stand up. It did take awhile...I guess he was a late bloomer.

GOODBYE TRUMAN (1997-2009)

TRADE

Well, I shall watch one of my favorite teams get worse while another favorite gets better. I'm just glad I have both hats I can wear.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=aw-shaq062409&prov=yhoo&type=lgns

TWO TACOS FOR THE LADIES

A co-worker sent this to me. After seeing it, you'll understand, but one, I wish I could sing, and two, do something like this without laughing.

I go away for a few days and come back to see Will has taught Sean some action moves....

THE ASSOCIATE

I just finished John Grisham's newest book, The Associate. I enjoyed his earliest books, especially The Painted House. But this last one had a good story up until the end. It just fell flat. So save yourself $24.99 and wait until the mass paperback, or better yet, just check it out at the library.

I also just finished a peanut butter and banana sandwich that was worth the price I paid.

THE FACES OF A BIRTHDAY BOY

Today our little guy turned 3. In just one more month we will have had Sean one year. Our social worker came for the last time yesterday, and she asked me how I was adjusting. Part of my answer was, I cannot imagine not having Sean in our lives. Though it's been an adjustment, an on-going one at that, we are certainly blessed to have him. Today is filled with balloons, presents, extended family, cake and ice cream. There are still times I wonder what life would be like today for Sean if no one had chosen to adopt him. Would the workers even celebrate his life with a special party? Maybe. Maybe not.

Today in Shantou China, it is 79 degrees with 100% humidity and fog, and the orphanage Sean is from is a non-descript building in the middle of a city with a population of 1,333,973, and a country of 1.3 billion people-7,000 miles from America. Yet, these are numbers that did not prevent God from bringing us Sean, and for that we will always be grateful.

(click on picture for full-size)

FORGOTTEN

I saw this in Morehead, Kentucky, on my way to my hotel. It's as if someone pulled over to the side of the road and left this caboose for someone else to take.