Tuesday, April 4, 2006

It's now my privilege to correspond with all you who are on our General Mailing list. The pleasure has always been mine to edit what Steph's delicate fingers could rattle off before she sent her updates away.

Before I proceed with giving an update, I would first like to thank all of you who have responded. Your words of encouragement have functioned as they were intended. We covet your prayers not only for James' health, but for ours as well. We hold dearly the profession of God's providential care, although we admit that the helpless feeling of not being able to do anything while our little guy is struggling can be emotionally challenging. Please do not feel obligated to respond, but don't refrain if you feel inclined to respond.

On Monday afternoon James had a CT scan done. He had to drink a dyed solution before hand. Imagine that! The kid will have nothing to do with his bottle anymore, and we have to get him to drink 5 ounces of this stuff. Let it suffice to say that it took the two of us to perform this task. How much actually went down his throat, we don't know, (my glasses thought I was talking to a Lama) but it was enough to make the scan successful anyway; the results came back negative. What they were all looking for I'm not exactly sure. To be truthful, we didn't really want to ask. What previous X-rays should as something in the bottom of lungs showed up to be swollen lymph nodes there too. However, all his lymph nodes were under the critical measurement of 1 cm, except for one in his groin, which they want to remove and send in for testing. The thing is there is now a 5 day waiting list for the surgeon. The Dr. said that James could go home when he started eating. Unfortunately, progress is going backwards when it comes to feeding, so he won't be going for a bit yet. Today he also quite overtly and vocally expressed the symptoms that Steph had originally brought him in for (throwing himself back and screaming), so progress is not being made there either.

During our relaxing 15 hour wait in emerge on Saturday night, they did a swab test ( 5 inches up is nose!) to send in for testing for respiratory diseases as well, since James had a bit of a cold. This came back negative today, which means that he is now free to roam out of his room. Up to now we always had to wear gowns in his room, which had to come off as we left. We were forbidden access to the common kitchen. The nurses came in looking like they were going to handle a radioactive species. It's all good precautionary I guess, but seemed kind of silly for a common cold. So this afternoon Steph was able to take James out to the play room where he could drive like his father on his favourite ride-on toy. However, he quickly was drained of energy to even do this.

Well, that's about sums up the situation for now. I best be going and play Molly-Maid for a bit..... I might become domesticated yet.

Rob