Cassie's bath

On Monday, Dec. 13, Cassie went back to Doernbecher, yet again. BUT, and it's a very big but, it was to remove the final tube from the outside of her belly. She told everyone who would listen she was keeping the inside ones. When she was called in for her appointment she was already in panic mode. Afraid of what was to come, but looking forward to getting the final step over with. As they followed the nurse she kept saying, "We need to go slow. Can you please be slow like Dr. Austin did?" The nurse asked her if she was walking too fast. When she was getting ready for the tube removal she was starting to hyperventilate, Dr. Austin told her to calm down. Then she kept sobbing and breathing hard and saying, I need to calm myself, I need to calm myself. This was all before he had done ANYTHING. LOL Momma told her to breathe (like Lamaze breathing). She started to breathe deep and hard, and again Dr. Austin told her to calm down. She asked him, "Can you please go slow like last time?" He told her fast would get it over sooner, but she wasn't too sure about that. She finally told him to go ahead. (she's amazing for a 6-year-old) He removed the final tube, wiped the blood off and put a bandage on the wound. The second he was done she popped up and threw her arms in the air saying, "I need a hug, Dr. Austin." He said she was the first child who had ever popped up so fast, and certainly the first to ask for a hug following this procedure. He said they were usually so caught up in the crying they didn't even notice him. Not our Cassie. She had her eyes on the prize, a real bath. She hadn't had a real bath for a month and a half.

So last night, after the wound had a couple of days to heal, she got her tub bath. She was the happiest girl in the world, surrounded by hot water and piles of bubbles. She didn't want to get out. Ever. LOL And who could blame her after a month and a half with . . . as my mom always called them "spit baths."

Best giveaway EVER!!!

I just entered the best giveaway ever. It is from the great online and brick and mortar store Gamestop. Anyone with kids, or who is into gaming knows this name well. They have outdone themselves, and the prizes offered are well worth the few minutes it takes to enter. Check out my note, and click the first link in my note to enter yourself.

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Frozen windshields and pancakes

My day started off way too early, and frozen. I woke to my alarm blasting to remind me I had a doctor's appointment this morning. I generally stay up fairly late and get up around 9 am or so. So, having a doctor appointment at 9:45 am put a cramp in my style, to say the least. However I was really glad I got up so early and got to witness the beautiful ice on my windshield. Of course the bad part of this story was my car's unwillingness to start. So since we couldn't get my car running with any sort of speed, I drove my daughter's Jeep to the doctor (an experience in itself).

Now on to the important stuff, an update on Cassie:


Cassie is home and doing fine. She has had most of the tubes removed and is starting to use the new catheter port next to her belly button. She will go and have the final tube removed in a week or so. Since she has missed an entire month of school and will miss a bit more (before the holidays), she has been working with a tutor. She is doing great, feeling better every day, and starting to move around on her own again. I think her favorite part of being home is getting to eat her mom's cooking, and having pancakes whenever she wants them. The dietitian has added instant breakfast to her food regimen as often as she wants. Since Cassie has been addicted to chocolate milk for a long time this is really a simple change. She weighs in at a mere 30 lbs. so needs all the calories she can get. As a 6-year-old she is definitely on the slender side, but with the lack of muscles in her legs it's not surprising she doesn't weigh as much as other kids her age. She has had visits from her best friend, and been out and about as much as possible, including going to her favorite Chinese restaurant.