Smooth Sailing

Aside from Matt and I oversleeping by an hour, everything went wonderfully today! We had planned on leaving extra early anyway, so the late start didn't affect our day too much.

Upon arriving at Strong at 9am, we dropped off Brady's urine sample at the lab. Next it was on to the hospital gift shop where we did some Easter and birthday shopping! We decided to go and check in a little bit early at the MRI department.

As soon as we got to the waiting room, the nurse came out to get us. When we walked into the anesthesia care unit, the anesthesiologist was there waiting for us. The best part? He was flipping through Brady's chart one page at a time. Can you imagine? An anesthesiologist reading through the entire chart?!? He had me at hello.

After reviewing our conversation from the day before, he assured us that the plan was to use gas to put Brady to sleep for the first 5 minutes, insert the IV, and then use propofol throughout. He also said that to prevent nausea, he would give him Zofran (anti-nausea) before he woke up. Matt and I were beyond ecstatic that he "got it." We felt very confident leaving Brady in his care.

Brady did great throughout the morning, despite being unable to eat anything. He is such a great sport about things, he really is. I'm continually astounded at how God has protected the level of trust he has in Matt and I. It is clear to see that he always knows things will be okay if we are near. Matt accompanied him back to the MRI room and held him as he went to sleep. He certainly doesn't like this part as he is very fearful of the mask they hold over his face. Thankfully he is only upset for a few seconds before falling asleep.

I'm so thankful that Matt is willing to protect me from this part of the process. I have done it before and it really upset me. I would do it again of course if need be, but the fact that Matt does this for me makes me love him all the more. I can never forget the days of walking Brady back to surgery that night he was diagnosed, holding him down during hour-long nuclear scans, holding his head to a table while a tube was forced down his nose and throat, being barely able to stand as I watched him be extubated and come off of a ventilator, and seeing his tears stream as drainage tubes were pulled from his chest and back. To spare me from more of these moments is a tremendous act of love!

He ended up going in 30 minutes early at 10am. At 1pm they came and got us. It was wonderful to come into the room and see that he was still sleeping. What a difference from last time when we could hear him screaming from the hallway and walked in to find him raging and covered with vomit. He woke up very, very groggy, but not sick. It took him about 20 minutes to be lucid and able to sit up and talk. His first request was for a cookie. That's my boy.

We were able to leave within about 45 minutes and were home around 3. On the way home, Brady ate a few chicken nuggets, some french fries, and two more cookies. He was making up for lost time. He even acted silly a few times which just made Matt and I so happy.

He made it all the way to bedtime without sleeping or resting! He was his good old self and wanted to carry on with his usual crazy-boy stuff. Things were pretty quiet in he and Eli's room as soon as lights went out.

And...
At 9pm tonight we got the call that makes us jump for joy. The oncologist called to say that things look, "rock solid normal." I didn't even compose myself to ask any specific questions. I just said, "THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR CALLING!" We are going to have a follow up appointment on Thursday, so I can save all of nitty gritty stuff for then. For tonight, I have 4 healthy and happy kids all tucked in their beds.

Thank you Lord!