When Bad News Almost Feels Like Good News

When bad news means fixable answers to questions you've been pondering, about your child's health, sadly, it almost feels like good news.

I have to start by saying, we didn't even get asked for Sam's name when checked in at the surgery desk. I don't think that was the first time. Many of the staff in surgery are on a first name basis with Sam. It is the most lousy and endearing feeling all in one.

Today was not so great, but it could be much worse. Sam's ENT told us, "Most kids go one, two, and maybe three, but Sam goes one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten..."

In order for me not to write a book, I can tell you...

...Sam's last surgery did not work. They did part of the surgery, but the rest will not get done until all the GI (tummy) stuff gets figured out.

...his esophagus needed to be dilated, AGAIN.

...they couldn't check to see if his nissen surgery came unwrapped, which would be for the fourth time, because they weren't able to pass the scope through. They will likely do other testing to check on this.

...we will wait to see what the biopsies tell us.

...Sam will likely get a more complicated feeding tube placed when they dilate his esophagus, AGAIN in four to six weeks.

Although there was quite a bit of heavy news, everything is fixable and that is the good news. The other good news is we were able to find answers to the elcalated retching and aspiration episodes. What's another surgery when you've had more than thirty and you're not even three years old yet?! I'm close to forty and I haven't even had one people!

Even more good news, Sam recovered amazingly, once again. He makes anesthesia look easy. He makes surgery look easy. He makes hard stuff look easy, period. Maybe he really is Superman. He's our Superman, that's for sure.

"Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy.” James 1:2