I'm reporting to you tonight, from my bed. Where I sit with a laptop and a pepsi,...and a belly full of this:
Yeah, I skipped Zumba tonight...I had more important things to do. Like CELEBRATE.
So, Joel had roto virus a couple of weeks ago. We thought it was the flu....but it just didn't end. The poor kid lost a pound, which in his case, is really not good. He's 2 1/2 and he barely tops 25 pounds. Our pediatrician asked that we come in, and while we were there, I told him I noticed that Joel's testicles were looking as they did pre-surgery four months ago. So he checked them. Said it looked like a hernia. AGAIN. I held the tears back until I got to my dad's work down the street. When we were in the hospital last, I told Joel we were done with surgeries. That it was his last. I wasn't about to break my promise to him, even though it wasn't my promise to make in the first place. No more surgeries. No more hospital stays, and hospital beds, and strangers. No more OHSU, cause we hate it there anyway.
Joel's sickness finally left this Monday. As in 14 days of flu-like symptoms. ACK. You don't even wanna see the laundry piles, and the things I've neglected. We had an ultrasound yesterday at Providence.....on his balls. Wanna guess how he liked having his balls mutilated by that ultrasound tech? He hated it. And her. So I took that little precious to Starbucks when we were done.
The ultrasound tech mentioned that she saw a tear in his tissue; took pictures of it to send off to the radiologist. We discussed theories as to why his right testicle would be so swollen and painful. His shunt drains near the area of the last hernia, and it's possible that the fluid passed through the tear.
{Side note}: The shunt fluid theory is a little disappointing. Even though Joel's shunt is to stay in his brain for life, our hope is that he doesn't need the shunt. His hydrocephalus was obstructive, caused by a clot from his brain bleeds. He went through a blood thinner treatment that 'possibly' could have cleared up the clotting throughout his body....there's no telling if there is still an obstruction or not. Shunts malfunction. Quit working. There are lots of problems that can happen with shunts....which lead to surgeries to replace them. Still following? We said no more surgeries. I need hydrocephalus to miraculously clear up, even though that shunt is staying there for good.
So, we left Providence yesterday, not sure of what to hope for. A miracle? I don't know. I just know that I promised my little Ironman that we weren't going back to the hill.
We got the call this morning. The ultrasound showed no abnormalities. No surgery. Nothing. What about the tear? What the heck?! I honestly don't know what she saw yesterday. I don't care. I just know that as of tonight, we may not have to have any. more. surgeries.
I was able to keep my promise tonight.
Connor and I baked a cake, and while dinner was chaotic as usual, dessert was not. Adam and I sat on the couch, shared a piece of cake, and watched the kids laugh, and joke, and eat theirs. I couldn't help but just sit back and watch the peace over our family. Joel had no idea why we were celebrating, but the rest of us did. Is this the end of surgeries and procedures? Not sure....but it sure felt like it tonight....and I'm a blubbering mess. I'm so thankful.....I'm so thankful.
