Goodbye Bailey

Today we had to say goodbye to our dog Bailey. Aaron and I got him before we were married. He has been with us through so much. He was a wonderful dog for the kids - he was their horse, their pillow, their food vacuum. He loved watermelon, bananas and any kind of bread but croissants were his favorite - must have been the poodle in him. In 12 years we never heard him growl and we never worried he would hurt the kids. He always had to see me if I was in the house and would sleep outside my bedroom door when it stormed. The house seems emptier without him. Fly high big boy.

Driving home sooner than we thought

We had hoped to stay for a few days in MD after the cath for some down time, some camping time with my sisters and nieces and nephews but we just can't do that now. Our dog Bailey is going downhill very quickly. He hasn't been able to walk all week and has to be carried everywhere . This is no life for our big boy and we need to get home to help him. So we are on our way back to Alabama.

All done

We had to hit Sabrinas on our way back to MD. We were hungry! Relieved and starving.

Cath day

 

5 am ready to crush it! 

Macsen did really well with this cath/mri.

No problems with sedation. He did wake up from the sedation very upset so they gave him some meds to help him sleep and reset. It worked! Phew. He has to keep his leg still and flat for 6 hours - not something you can convince a 2 year old of mid tantrum. My sisters both came to keep us company, keep us distracted and keep us fed/hydrated. We won't know any results from this cath for a few weeks once the team has reviewed everything. Preliminary numbers showed some improvement in heart function

DVDs are a wonderful thing. All gowned up

Premeds kicked in and Macsen is feeling floppy

Walking my baby back to hand him over never gets easier

Several hours later he is back! 

Woke up pretty freaked out and uncomfortable so 

they gave him some sleepy meds. He has to lay flat for 6 hours so the meds 

will help

Woke up sweet and silly. Happy to see my boy is back

Flat time over! Ready to go! 

L

Taunte K came to see me!! 

Reading Market

Early night tonight. We are all exhausted and have to get up at 4 in the am for his cath. Macsen, Aunti G and I went for a swim and we all ate a big plate o' meat - pastrami, corn beef and brisket in the Reading Market. Yum! Macsen enjoyed the seeds from a pickle - silly boy. 

PreOp

Big day of testing. Echo, EKG and Xray all went well. Macsen is such a brave little man and barely whimpered during the EKG (lots of stickers and scary clips.) He was a model patient suring his echo and xray. He barely cried during his lab draw - though the tech was amazing and got a vein very quickly. She listened when I said he was a tough stick - went to another room to get a NICU needle and put a heating pack on right away. He barely broke a sweat and we were done in no time. We had a meeting with the RN about last feeds for the day. So glad this time they said he can drink milk until 2:30 a.m. That is doable- last cath it was midnight so for 8 hours he ate/drank nothing which is tough on a 2 year old. We have to be back at 5:30 am for his MRI then his heart cath. Macsen's 1 and only freak out today was when his cardiologist came in at the end of everything - he was done and just kept saying "Poo-ah! Poo-Ahh!" So tonight Aunti G found us a nice hotel less than 2 miles from the hospital with an indoor "poo-ah" (pool.)

Being awesome during his echo

Blood draw :( He insisted on taking a photo to show his sisters

Helping Aunti G find a another hotel room since we can't get into the Ronald McDonald house

Playing while we wait for our Xray

Pools make everything better

Made it to Pa... via Jersey

Aaron drove us through pretty heavy storms all the way from Md to New Jersey where we have a hotel ( we were unable to get into the Ronald McDonald house.) Glad to be here safe and sound. Breakfast in the morning at the hotel - woohoo free breakfast!!! Then off to CHOP fortesting