Whirlwind Week

A week ago, Bogey and I hopped on a plane and headed to Palo Alto.  Sometimes I really love that place.  Last week was one of those times. 

Our scheduled Cleft Team appointment was last Wednesday.  When we got to our appointment, we sit in a room and about 8 or 9 doctors come in and out.  Our craniofacial surgeon (who is awesome, by the way) and 2 members of his staff (the NP and PA) came in to check the healing of Bogey’s cleft lip and palate surgery.  They were pleased with the way things looked.

The social worker paid a visit.  The case manager stepped in.

Some guy with a camera taking pictures of Bogey’s scar dropped in.  (I sure hope I made it into some of those photos ;) )

When we were done with the craniofacial portion of the appointment, we happily floated over to a new room on the ENT side of the office.  Bogey got a hearing test.  He got his ear tubes checked.  We visited with a speech pathologist. I got to hold Bogey on my lap while someone (not sure of the official title or purpose) shoved a scope thing up his nose and the speech pathologist and the ENT doctor were doing a little song and dance to get Bogey to say “Bye-bye” or “Grandpa” or “All done”—which was all in vain because he wanted NOTHING to do with the thing up his nose.  He mostly did a lot of screaming and I sat there dreaming up medical mumbo jumbo to describe what I was seeing from the camera up his nose.

After everyone settled down, the final word is that Bogey is going to need a  Velopharyngeal Insufficiency surgery in about 6 months. The very back of his soft palate does not close properly.   Plus, he needs his ear tubes replaced ASAP.  He didn’t pass his hearing test with flying colors this time.

Here’s where things get sticky.  The ear tube replacement surgery is a brief procedure, but can we do regular anesthesia here in town, or do we go ENT shopping to find someone who can do cardiac anesthesia in Salt Lake? (If it were up to me, I’d rather just go back to Stanford and have the ENT there do it…but that doesn’t seem practical) 

Overall, the appointments went well, and I know we’ll figure things out.  Bogey has been a champ through all of  his medical stuff. 

The day we left, happened to be the first day of school for the older kids.  They were super excited to be back in school after a near-perfect summer vacation.  It’s weird to me that they are getting older.  I know I can’t be aging, so it’s strange that they would. ;)

Mulligan-2nd grade (Don’t worry.  His second grade classroom is the same classroom I had when I was in 2nd grade.  That’s not weird at all.)

   Gimme-5th grade  (Heaven help us.  As I recall, this is when I started noticing brand names, and memorizing boys phone numbers.  Times have changed, though, right?)

Birdie-1st grade.  She has the same teacher that Mulligan had last year.  That teacher will be in for a real surprise when she realizes Birdie and Mulligan are very, very different.  I’m pretty sure Birdie is just as thrilled with “hot lunch” as I was at her age.  What a treat to be able to eat in the school cafeteria!!

 

After getting the kids off to school, and Bogey to and from CA, we rounded out the summer with a little camping get away.  There is a reason that our tent has only been used a handful of times, and it’s NOT because we sleep under the stars.  We’re just not big campers…I think we would be if we didn’t have and entire tribe to bring along. 

Nonetheless, it was so fun to get out and visit with good friends. I can’t believe how blessed we are to live where we do.  We are surrounded with such great people!  Our kids hit the jackpot on neighborhood friends!  What a way to end the summer…or should I say, kick off the fall season?  (It was freezing at night!)