Hello everyone!  This past week has been a doozy, moreso of the unexpected parts than the things we expected, ... but we've gotten through it and here are our updates.  

Rees had to come home on Wednesday after he threw up at school.  Strangely, he seemed fine to me so I was slightly fearful that the expulsion was due to returning high CSF pressure.  I tend to do that ... jump to the worst case scenario.  But HE WAS acting very similarly to the times this happened in January and early February.  However, by late the next day, we determined that he must have, in fact, had a pesky stomach bug because he kindly passed it along to Brynn.  Thankfully, their episode(s) were quick and pretty uneventful.

 We were able to keep our scheduled dental appointments on Thursday.  Brynn, Jonah, and Rees were all scheduled for cleanings ...

Then we also had Jonah scheduled for some tooth extractions.

They used nitrous oxide and the usual numbing gels and injections and they removed FOUR of Jonah's teeth.  They really came out quite easily, in only about two or three minutes total for all of the teeth to be removed.  The longest part of the whole ordeal really was just the waiting for the prep and numbing agents to be administered and to take effect.  All of that took 30 - 45 minutes including the time it took to calm Jonah down when he got overly nervous about the little nasal piece with which the nitrous oxide was to be administered.  I think it made him, at first, think that it was going to be like a surgery where he is put to "sleep" first.  

Once all the prep was out of the way, he really did okay and I sat there holding his hands the whole time while he focused on breathing through his nose and listening to his mama and the dentist have various conversations.

Once we got home, we gave his teeth a peroxide "bath".  

Trust me ... they needed it!!  

They really cleaned up quite well!

We don't do the "tooth fairy" in our family and I don't think Jonah understands about that anyway BUT he was pretty excited to know that we save the teeth and he liked that we have a special spot for them.  

Jonah did not like having a mouthful of gauze so he really didn't keep it in too long.  I know he looks pitiful here but he really wasn't in any pain and he also didn't feel bad.  He was able to eat lunch not too long after we were home.  He made a good choice ... NOODLES!!

Then he proceeded to "pretend" to beat me in a game of checkers.  Of course, I LET HIM ... ("mama-of-the-year, ... YES!) and showed him all the slick moves so he could beat me for real next time.  

AND THEN because this silly mama did n-o-t NOT initially think Rees was infectious on Wednesday and I did my usual "mama-kissy-face" with him, ...by late Friday afternoon, I was in a world of stomach-flu-hurt!!  I was at work most of the day feeling okay, but not great, and as the hours went on I was noticing more and more that something was not right.  By late afternoon, I had to convince myself that my time was up and I should hightail it out of there and get home as fast as I could.  

Friends, I prayed all the way to my car, 

"LORD, please help me to get home.  Oh, let me just make it home."  

That's it, ... you can do this.  Open the car door.  Get in.  

"Please, LORD, ... please just let me make it home."  

UGH!  This is starting to hurt.  Okay, turn the car towards the exit.  

"LORD, please let me make it home! please let me make it home! please let me make it home!"

Uh-Oh!

I AM NOT going to make it home!!

I stopped the car in the middle of the parking lot, open my car door and ...

This was one answer to prayer that was VERY EVIDENTLY and DISGUSTINGLY a big, fat NO!!!

I was shocked!  I mean, really, God??  This was no small regurgitation ... and I am fairly certain that there were people watching.  I am expecting, any day now, that someone is going to tell me that they saw the whole thing on YouTube. 

I was pretty sick all weekend.  So much for having an easy go of it, like Brynn and Rees.  Very thankful, though, that no one else in the house got it.

Earlier this week, we had a full day of medical appointments again.  Rees had a CT done to evaluate the status of the distractors that are supporting his forehead and to determine if there has been any bone growth since the last CT in December.

So good news is the distractors are holding nicely and there has been a "TEENY-TINY" bit of bone growth.  Nothing too surprising there!  

This is what Rees' skull looks like now ... it isn't A LOT different from three months ago but there is evidence of some bone growth.  IN REALITY, though, it is such a small amount for the length of time since his first surgery.  

The BIG DIFFERENCE is in the changes that have taken place since the most recent surgery six weeks ago.  In the photos below, the one on the left is the view from December showing that the forehead was indeed collapsing.  The one on the right is from this week showing the support and spacial difference due to the distractors.

Pretty impressive, huh??

Well, take a look at the transparent view from the other side of his head.  This just blows my mind and pretty much solidifies for me that Rees will not be participating in Physical Education, Recess, or any contact sports for a VERY LONG TIME!!  

I'm so surprised that he isn't required to wear a helmet ... but, again, ... remember I tend to jump to worst-case-scenarios.

  

Here is the transparency from the other side.  

Pretty amazing, isn't it?

Rees has a little break now again until the next surgery, which is scheduled end of May.  It's definitely good for him to have a break and to see that it isn't always "his turn".  Next up is Jonah and then Brynn ... we'll keep you all posted, of course!  In the meantime, we are looking forward to Spring and are really rooting for its swift arrival.

C'mon SPRING!!