Saying Goodbye to Children's Hospital

I was actually a bit sad to leave today. It was hard to be too sentimental about it as I was carrying a screaming child out. Max had his dialysis line removed this morning! Praise Jesus!!!

We were received on time, and all went well in that department. That is to say, that everyone seemed to expect us, and we were on the schedule after all. By the time we got back to the pre-op waiting area, Max was beginning to show his signs of anxiety. As I carried him into the OR room, and laid him on the table, he was in full on anxiety attack. The doctors got him under anesthesia, and I left. He was brought back to us within about 30 minutes, but he was not fully awake. He was screaming, loudly. He was not consoled very easily, and then when I finally did get him settled, the nurse came to remove the IV line, and that was the end of his calm. The doctors and the nurses agreed that much of his screaming was in regard to his dislike of the hospital setting, and they agreed that we should just go home as quickly as possible. The nurse ran down the discharge orders, as sent us out with him still screaming.

So, as I walked out the door of Children's Hospital for what will likely be the last time in 2008, I was hurried, but still a bit sad.

Sad because I know that every child in there has a story, and every parent is hurting! We are lucky. We get to take a fully healthy child home. Not all parents there will ever get to do that.

I will be forever grateful to the countless Doctors and Nurses who helped Max recover! The care we received at Children's was outstanding!

I am continually blown away by the outpouring of love and support we have received from people all over the world. To the people of CTK, Thank you! Thank you for your prayers, your food, your gas cards, and your encouragement.

Max will have a check up in 3 months, and really all that is left for him is to continue to heal, and to get off the blood pressure meds.

Thanks Again!
Shannon