So Kiernan had his big test. He had to go on a looonnngggg 4 day cleanse. It started the day after thanksgiving (and thank goodness after and not before).
At the beginning he could eat normally but had to take 4x the adult dosage of laxatives daily. This was not fun.
Even less fun was the final day of clear liquids and laxatives.
My poor buy. What a major drag.
He took it all well and followed his doctors orders and once we got done with everything we were rewarded by the offhand "It looks like the prep went very well" from his doctor.
We have learned from this adventure that Kiernan cannot abide jello in any form.
His procedure was at Childrens Hospital in D.C. so we had to get up at 430 to make it on time.
The waiting room was a combination of expected pediatrician stuff and helpful unexpected things like patient buzzers to let us wander around and fish tanks everywhere.
We were all sleepy and more than a little anxious about the whole thing.
Once we got going it went as smoothly as it possibly could.
They had good wifi. They didn't do the IV's and uncomfortable stuff until he was sedated. The wheel chairs on pre-op are all these car looking push strollers. Everyone else there is there with kids so the tolerance for kid stuff is magnificently high. The staff was kind and professional and talked straight to Kiernan instead of over him.
I hope to never go a gain but Children's is really very good.
They let us go in with him to be sedated. He was nervous and I was nervous. They put the mask on him and stared up the air. At first it was nitrous oxide, a thing he has had before at he dentist, and then it was whatever they use to knock you out. He didn't like that and struggled so we had to hold him down a bit. I hated that so much. It felt like I was helping strangers that I want sure of harm my son. I knew that wasn't what was going on so I helped but my chest hurt so badly I considered keenly that I might be having a heart attack for the next 20+ minutes.
As soon as he was out they shooed us out of the room for an hour(ish). The sun had come up by then so we went over to the cafeteria and ate some breakfast and then I took David on a brisk death march of anxiety all around the 2nd floor of Children's Hospital.
After our hours(ish) was over we got to go back and see him.
He was out like a light.
They didn't let us touch him or talk to him. I approved of this after the explication that they preferred the let the kids sleep off the meds rather than trying to fight them into consciousness.
He looked very pitiful and small. I was so happy to be back with him.
After about 20 more minutes he started coming round. He clearly thought his canula was a stuffy nose and kept trying to pick at it. Once that was out it was smooth sailing until the Dr. came and showed us pictures of the procedure.
The Doctor said that his upper GI looks good (they did an endoscopy and a colonoscopy) but that he had some polyps in his lower. They took some samples for biopsy (we are still waiting on the results), there was some cauterization so we were to expect some bleeding but nothing major.
Then the Doctor said something that alarmed and upset me.
He said that he was happy with the test because he feels like we've found the root of the problems. obviously this sounded promising. He said he thought that he polyps were responsible for the rectal bleeding. He looked very satisfied at this news.
We were not there for rectal bleeding.
I asked if this might explain anything about the nausea and vomiting. He said no. I said that were were seeking treatment for nausea and vomiting.
He said that in the chart from last October it says rectal bleeding.
I feel like there must have been a chart switch or that he hasn't been hearing us all this time or that some sort of mix up is happening.
This is such a major, scary and unusual procedure to put an 8 year old through that the thought of a mix up is really perturbing.
We shall see.
At work things got unsettled as well.
Our beloved Krishna left for a new job.
We threw a party in the lab with a disco ball and dry ice and then we all went out to eat.
And then she was gone.
As a grown up person in her 40s I have gotten to the stage that I am willing to say good-bye to all but 3 people with a smile on my face and to genuinely wish them happiness and luck.
I wish all the happiness and luck to Krishna and I hope that she will continue to be part of our lives.
That being said this particular separation is hurting more than it should.
I found myself going to work in the aftermath with a kind of dread that I haven't had for the last few years and recognize that it was Krishna buffering me from it. I know lots of people get up and would rather not go to work. This is not precisely what I mean. I talked to Kelsey about it briefly last week. I am back to the place where I see work (especially in the morning as I am arriving (and usually not much longer than that) as a place that I go to fail.
It sucks
There were a couple of Cub Scout things to keep me occupied in the interim.
The display case at the local library that I put together with a mom from Pack 460 had its month long run and had to be taken down. I will do it again next year I think. It was well received.
The boys got to see our new Mount Airy Police Department. I wish I had been able to make that one. December is pretty slammed at work so now its tough to do almost any home stuff if its not weekend home stuff. Mom went and took lots of pictures and its looks like they had a great time.
The Girl Scouts did have a weekend thing.
Megan got to march in her very first parade.
She was very happy to do it.
We walked right down Main Street in New Market (a town one over).
It was a great first parade as the sun was out and the people lining the street were great and the rout was short.
It was pretty chaotic and didn't show much of the rigor of the Boy Scout version but it was the first time for this bunch and I expect it will get more well tuned with practice.
I went with mom to an open house at a place called the Bee People to begin the Christmas shopping season. They had some really sweet stuff.
We started Advent calendars to the delight of our chocolate loving children. I even managed to get one to Erena on time this year. I drove around with her last years calendar until the summer this year. So this time I used Amazon.jp like a civilized individual.
Japan doesn't do these but that girl is half American and should know the joys of a constant morning sugar rush.ha
I got an advent calendar too. Kelsey bought me a Tea Advent Calendar. It is full of all sorts of delicious stuff. I am enjoying the heck out of it.
We had what was hopefully the first of many German food days that included Davids cousin Roland and his fabulous newly wed Adriana.
We always love seeing Roland because he is charming and funny and smart. We are always a little intimidated by seeing Roland because he is successful and world traveled and cool.
His wife turns out to be all of those things too.
They came and brought cookies and many German foods and conviviality.
We hung out and ate and talked and the table was full except for Aunt Lore's spot (she got sick at the last minute and couldn't make it). She missed Ruthie's find of a very satisfying German bakery in Columbia that makes nutella torte. Oh man!
I made German Fire Punch. Instructions here .
Mostly the kids bonded over screens.
I wonder where they got that from...
The super-moon came back and I got a few fair pictures of it.
Megan is trying out new hair styles left and right.
Here is the easy one.
Here is the hard one that she wants for the school Christmas party.
Here is the cosmetology head I got to practice braiding for Megans grand ambition that I gamely agreed to do.
Here is Megan dressed as Pika Chu checking out our first snow.
Here is my first attempt at a french braid thanks to the enforced rest of a snow day.
I was so excited about the snow!
We went to the store early and got breakfast taco fixing and we had a huge breakfast then moved the couch into the kitchen and removed the screen and cleaned the glass doors.
David (in addition toe moving the couch) made hot spiced glog (the nonalcoholic version).
We sat and watched the snow and snuggled in our fake furs and played Christmas music for more than half the day.
It was sooo good. We made occasional trips down to the hot tub to bid it fitting farewells.
By the end of the day we had between 4-6 inches of very fluffy satisfying snow.
It was all very festive.
I did Christmas cards and the kids worked on their gingerbread houses and we listened to more Christmas music.
We went on an exciting adventure to Brookside Gardens.
Megan rode with Krishna and Kelsey. I am always a bit nervous letting that girl out of my sight in case she dose something ridiculous and appalling but they said it was lots of fun.
We sat in line to get in for almost an hour so I sure hope it was!
The lights were beautiful.
There was a fire for making s'mores.
There was Christmas music
There was merry making.
I miss Krishna
Back at work this week there have been some cool surprises. Someone brought in a service dog and it has improved the feeling of the building noticeably.
Also there were chromosome Christmas cookies
In other news, Martin got a massive and beautiful tattoo.
It is a phoenix as you can see. It is about depression and is beautiful for that reason as well.
I will keep you posted about the biopsy results dear reader.
So far so good.
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