Medical Blah blah blah's

So we have actually been technically "medically free" since we have been home (I don't count getting blood drawn each week). Yes, we've had the occasional follow up appointments, but nothing serious, which is great! It's funny that about mid February it hit both Mark and I at seperate times:

...something is missing? No...something is different....there's a void...no....it's not quite a void...what the heck is it?.....

And the lightbulb turned on. We haven't had any major hospital trips! Now, why this may sound silly, for us it took a few months of "regular life" to actually see what we were missing! Aaaahhh, the peacefulness! :)

But that kind of ended in the past 2 days. ALTHOUGH! I can say I'll take these events WAY over any of the others this summer...and really...I'm not complaining. It's actually nice to have different medical things. I think there's something wrong with me :)

Anyhoo, to the point. Last Friday I was handed a note from the elementary office saying Josh failed the hearing test, his left ear only. I wasn't surprised and even chuckled since he's had this hearing loss since before Kindergarten and somehow he slipped through (previous ear injury). Although, it makes me think that maybe in those past tests Josh just raised his hand randomly, not really sure what to do, and got most of "them" right. Kind of like I did in middle school taking tests on the scan trons and filling in the bubbles randomly, sometimes I actually did ok! Anyway, it would so be a Josh thing to do :) Ok, so back to the story. The school requires you to visit the doctor to resolve the matter and we were overdue for a visit for his ear anyway. Now, the last visit (before Kindergarten) I left steaming mad due to what I felt was the doctor brushing me off. He said there wasn't anything they could do yet, surgery would only be done when he was probably around 10 years old. Until then (!!!!) Josh wouldn't be able to submerge his head under water at all! And sadly but not surprising my irritation got the better of me and I said sarcastically to the doctor "So, your telling me I'm going to have the only 10 year old who doesn't know how to swim because of a hole in his ear drum?" I thought it was kind of ridiculous that he wouldn't do the surgery. Now, in hind sight I feel like an idiot because knowing Josh's demeanor, there is wisdom in that advice; it takes an extremly compliant child for the recovery. And as some know, Josh can't even handle a que-tip swabbing his cheek without 3 doctors holding him down and him screaming madly as if they were sticking needles in his eyes!! And the maintenance after the surgery is vital and I know Josh wouldn't do it.

Ok...I'm getting sidetracked again. SO this time..the doctor came in, examined, with Josh being the most bravest yet in history and not even crying(!!!WHOOHOO!!!!) and delivered what I was expecting to be the same old story. Not so much. Josh developed scar tissue, the hole is bigger(?) and possibly two of the small bones that vibrate may be damaged. The doctor said "You'll either need to have surgery or..." Josh was hanging on that or..."You will need to get a hearing aid..." and Josh interjected "Hearing aid! I just need that, no surgery!" And the doctor then finished saying "And then we'll do the surgery when he's a little older". Josh's whole body slumped and he gave me the sad/scared eyes. What's funny is this surgery could be YEARS away and he will worry and talk about it until the day it happens...which will DRIVE ME CRAZY! I do sound like an unsympathtic mom but in my slight defense Josh is quite the melodramatic kid which can be exhausting! So, we will have another hearing test next week and make some decisions, all the while I will be talking with Josh about ALL the pro's and con's of each. He seems to understand those things at least!

Ok, one more medical mishap :) It's quick. Last week Mark came in from the garage saying "Uh, hey Jen? I think I need stitches". Mark had stabbed his finger while making Josh's pinewood derby. After taping it up really good, he decide not to go in and it healed nicely. So, today ........ I'm in a HUGE hurry, just getting home from doing a sidejob .....we are supposed to be leaving for Reno in a few hours for my cousins wedding. But because of a misunderstanding among scouting leaders who were out backpacking with the scouts, Mark and I needed to find a 3rd person, drive out to the beginning of the backpacking trail where they left the cars, and move them to another city where they would be ending up tomorrow. It was 4:30pm, the park gates close around 7pm (it takes a little over an hour to get there) and we aren't packed to be leaving for our Reno trip whatsoever. And where did I find Mark when I got home? In the garage fiddling with Josh's RC airplane. I was very proud of myself keeping my composure (haha), not even freaking out that we still needed to find another driver! I went inside for 3 seconds, went back outside to ask Mark to start finishing up. And a few moments before, he had finally gotten the motor/prop started for the first time, and I started to say something. Mark turned around and looked at me with a pale face and said "Uh, Jen...I need to go to the ER, I need to get stiches." (WHAT?!?!?!?) So I calmly went over to look thinking he said this last time and he was fine. Hmm, not so much this time. He got his pinky in the way and it sliced it three times right down the side...it was gross! And because he's on blood thinners, it was bleeding all over the place. So I got him some paper towels and sent him off to the Urgent Care. Now, I did find 2 other people to help move the cars after frantically calling all around, we got there with about 2 minutes to spare before they closed the gates. Mark was luckier, he went in, they superglued it and he was home within an hour! Argh! Oh well, at least it wasn't a weeklong stay this time (ha ha). We can be grateful for that :)