Out of surgery and mad as hell (updated with photos)

Quinn's surgery wasn't until 2:45 p.m., which really worried us because this kid does not like to skip meals. Our strategy was to keep him busy, busy, busy and filled up with apple juice, which was allowed until two hours before surgery.


At 12:30, a bit nervous, we left the Yawkey Family House Here it is - a former frat house that was completely renovated and reopened about 9 months ago in its current form.)



At the hospital, he walked happily into the OR. He had a great time operating the mechanical bed with directions from the awesomely cool anesthesiologist, and played a fun game blowing into a mask, which he didn't realize was the fumes that would knock him out. The nurses were very patient and took their time with him, but when he tried to convince them to put the mask on his toe ("On toe! On toe!"), the anesthesiologist popped the mask on his mouth and off to dreamland he went.

While he was in surgery, we waited in this very nice family area. The surgery lasted 1 hour and 15 minutes, followed by an hour to put on the cast and an hour in the recovery room before we were ushered in. The poor kid woke up immobile, with his arm in a horribly awkward position.



Understandably, he is MAD! Between tears and begging to put his arm down, he did ask for some apple juice (his new passion, discovered this morning when he was on a clear-liquids diet until our noon arrival at the hospital).



He is doing well, all things considered. A nurse was able to scare up a master key to the locked video room, so Barney is making things better, as Barney always does for Quinn. After two doses of morphine, he is finally sleeping and I'm in the fold-out bed beside him.

Dr. Waters said kids who wake up with a "spike" cast are typically mad, mad, mad for a day or two and then adjust quite well once they realize it's not going away. Let's hope that's the case for Quinn!

Surgery tomorrow (updated with pictures)

We're in Boston for Quinn's long-awaited shoulder surgery. We flew in yesterday and Quinn did shockingly good on the plane - then made up for it by waking up at 4:30 a.m. and refusing to go back to sleep. We were even treated to a very nice call from the front desk telling us other guests were complaining about the racket.

We've made it to Boston for Quinn's long-awaited shoulder surgery. The trip went well despite my fears, and Quinn loved pulling his new big-boy back pack.

This morning, thought, he woke up at 4:30 a.m. and refused to go back to sleep. We were even treated to a very nice call from the front desk telling us other guests were complaining about the racket.

Today was pre-op madness. We visited the orthopedic clinic and pre-op clinics. Jess, Dr. Waters' nurse practitioner, explained the procedure and how everything will happen.


She also showed us, and Quinn, a doll wearing the cast Quinn will get. Yikes, it's much worse than I had pictured. Full upper body, and it can't get wet. That's going to be a challenge. He's an active sweaty boy who gets hot on the coolest of days.

In pre-op, Quinn was examined to make sure he was healthy for surgery. Then we met with the anesthesiologist and went through the hospital admissions process.



His favorite part of the day was watching the ball maze in the lobby, which he just can't get enough of.


He had so many appointments, and no nap, that he was just pooped. He slept right through his last two appointments.

Tonight we enjoyed a great dinner with other families staying here at the fabulous Yawkey Family Inn, which is affiliated with Boston Children's. Volunteers come and cook several nights a week, which is so nice. It's great to meet with other families, and we even met a little girl who got double arm casts off today, and got some survival tips from her mom. It's a beautiful old house that's all updated and gorgeous - and rooms cost $30 a night. Amazing.

Surgery tomorrow, so early bath and bed tonight. Please send your prayers, thoughts or good vibes at 2:15 p.m. eastern on May 20 - that's when Quinn's surgery begins.




Today was pre-op madness. We visited the orthopedic clinic and saw the cast Quinn will get - yikes, it's much worse than I had pictured. Full upper body, and it can't get wet. That's going to be a challenge. Then he got examined to make sure he was healthy for surgery, met with the anesthesiologist and went through the admissions process.

Tonight we enjoyed a great dinner with other families staying here at the fabulous Yawkey Family Inn, which is affiliated with Boston Children's. Volunteers come and cook several nights a week, which is so nice. It's great to meet with other families, and we even met a little girl who got double arm casts off today, and got some survival tips from her mom. It's a beautiful old house that's all updated and gorgeous - and rooms cost $30 a night. Amazing.

Surgery tomorrow, so early bath and bed tonight. Please send your prayers, thoughts or good vibes at 2:15 p.m. eastern on May 20 - that's when Quinn's surgery begins.

Winning by failing

Quinn's tests for public special-ed preschool were a classic example of trying to fit a square peg into a round hole.

The way these tests work, if a child fails three consecutive challenges in a given area, that test is over. Quinn typically hit that threshold very early, indicating very serious delays. He is missing many of the basic, basic building blocks - not surprising for a child who spent his first 16 months in an orphanage with little stimulation. BUT, if you skip over the baby stuff, Quinn has many skills of a child his age or older. He knows his letters and numbers, can figure out how most anything works, knows which key goes into which lock and has memorized countless books and songs.

So how to score him? If the test results take into account his more advanced skills, he would not qualify. If they focus on his lack of basic skills, he would certainly qualify.

His therapists all agree that he will benefit from this program, and want him in it. So after much discussion we decided to follow the rules to the letter: When he failed three consecutive challenges, test over. They all agree this is fully ethical, and best for Quinn.

So that's what we did. And he qualified. He will attend preschool for two hours four days a week, and will get 30 minutes of speech therapy every week and 30 minutes of occupational therapy every other week.

We visited his assigned school yesterday, still unsure if this is the route we wanted to go. We were convinced in about two seconds. The atmosphere was fabulous. We arrived during "free choice" time. A little girl in a smock was painting a picture. An occupational therapist was playing a game with a few kids. The teacher was filling the kids' backpacks with goodies while chatting with each one. One aide was helping kids build a tower while another aide played "snack time," helping kids cut and serve a plastic pizza cooked in a toy microwave. Quinn headed straight for the train table and stayed there - sometimes playing on his own, sometimes with other kids - until it was time for clean up and circle time. He knew just what to do when the Barney "clean up" song came on - and when it was over he headed over the CD player and started it up again (Mrs. Schreiber is going to have to move that CD player!). Much to our amazement, he plopped down in a chair for circle time and participated in the song and hand movements.

We are SO excited about this school and the opportunities it holds for Quinn. Aug. 23 can't come soon enough!

Mother's Day

We had a really wonderful Mother's Day despite that fact that I have pneumonia! We started the day with a spectacular brunch with my parents, brothers and sister-in-law at a spectacular resort. Everyone else paid $52 per person (!!) but we ate for free because Tom wisely shot an ad for them last year and took trade-out instead of money. Smart man.

Quinn loves to do "cheers," so we started brunch with a mimosa toast. This was Quinn's first taste of orange juice, and he loved it!


After brunch Quinn took a long nap and MaMa read a book (ahhhhhh). Then we played in the back yard and BaBa pulled out the professional camera.




This shot is my favorite Mother's Day present. Love it, love it, love it.


We ended the day with what has become my Mother's Day tradition: a mound of fried food from my favorite local greasy-spoon, followed by a big slice of lemon diner cake. Yum! From start to finish, it was a pretty perfect day.

Grandma Day

This is how Quinn and Nana spend their Mondays. Quinn tells Nana what to do, and Nana does it. Is that a perfect way for a toddler to spend a day, or what?

Impish cuteness

Surgery postponed

What was supposed to be our travel day to Boston instead started with a 5 a.m. phone call from Boston saying Quinn's doctor had a family emergency and had to leave town, so he needed to reschedule our surgery. Great sadness for the doctor, of course, but honestly we were relieved for the delay. My bronchitis has ramped up to a pretty nasty level and Quinn continues to cough in his sleep, making us fear he's getting it, too. Now even Tom is feeling sick.

Traveling the way I felt would have been nightmarish and I seriously doubt I would have been allowed in the hospital with this cough. I am on antibiotics, but still...

So we have a new date of May 20, and a new set of plane tickets with less convenient times, including a 2:15 a.m. arrival back home after surgery. But at least we didn't have to travel sick.