READY!

James was SO ready to go home this morning! As soon as Jay called with the all-clear from Doc Smith, us girls loaded up and headed out to collect our boys. By the time we got to the hospital, James had eaten bacon (after opening his breakfast tray, declaring "Ooh, the BACON!" and snatching it right up - makes you proud, doesn't it Stephen?) and had his IV removed. He didn't even fuss, I'm told. He knew what it meant. We changed him out of his little hospital gown into his "cop-tuh" jammies, handed over a balloon ("Tank you Gamma!"), and he was headed for the door. He told those nurses "All done" and "Bye-bye!" for the last time, blew them kisses, and we were out.

He goes back to the pediatrician in a week for a recheck, and in for a follow-up echocardiogram in 2 weeks. Until then, he gets a dose of aspirin every day and has to finish up his oral antibiotic. To which we have added flavor for the first time ever. Because although James used to be (and has ALWAYS been) the BEST medicine taker (seriously, he used to ASK for it, especially if Cora was getting medicine when he wasn't), 3.5 days in the hospital has changed all that. It is now an all-out screaming and kicking mess to get his meds into him, no matter how we try. And clarithromycin is NASTY, so the least we could do was add some fake grape flavor to counteract a bit of the bitterness. I know I've said it before, but I'm gonna go ahead and say it again. Can this sweet boy PLEASE catch a break for a few months? Please?

Thank you ALL so very much for loving our kids the way you do. Your thoughts and prayers and concerns over the past 4 days have meant the world to us, and we appreciate all your offers of help and support. We are very grateful that Jean was willing and able to stick around (How could she leave her baby when he was in need?), especially considering that she came out here for Cora's tubes surgery 2 whole weeks ago on a spur-of-the-moment call to duty, expecting to only be here a few days. I suppose a mama's/grandma's job is never done...