Liam's appointment

This was us in Ethiopia. Thought this picture was funny. Look at the super tiny hat I shoved on his head... Needless to say I was a bit concerned when we had barely walked into the waiting room and we had already had 3 melt downs, and at that point I do mean "we." Liam and I are like a game of ping pong. He serve the attitude and I serve it right back:) I know I know kids can sense when something is wrong and I am sure his radar was in full throttle because there was no inbetween for him. He was going straight from quiet and happy to full blood curtling screams. What was evoking such terror? Well I know the first time it was because I wouldn't let him dump everything out of the diaper bag. Second one I said no to having a cracker....crackers that he couldn't even see he just "knew" they existed. Which he was right but I didn't know how long the day was going to be and I wanted to keep my magic tricks as long as possible. Besides the times when he would scream you know for the really horrible stuff like being weighed, the nurse walking in the door, not being allowed to push the stroller into the nurses legs as she is trying to say her last piece, as she is running out the door. Well I decided after all this and already feeling like I needed a nap I decided I needed a new game plan. I dug into my bag of tricks and found a sucker. Oh the saving grace of a sucker. This made for a very peaceful doctor check...the whole reason we were there. When the doctors walked in..wait did I say doctors? Tis true 3 doctors came in...I feel as a parent it just gives you a sinking feeling when they bring in more than one physician. Well Doctor #1 felt it...(the doctor we were there to see). Doctor #2 felt it. THen doctor #3. Doctor #1 as he is feeling the spot and Liam is wiping his stucky sucker all over my arm hair, he says "usually in children when they develope a spot it ends up being benign." My ears catch the word benign...THIS EQUALS HOPE! As he backs away and doctor #2 starts feeling it. While #2 is feeling it, Liam is now rubbing sucker in on my shirt and up my neck. But I am feeling a bit more relaxed. Then Doctor #1 (again the doctor we were there to see...drops the iceberg bomb. Basically he says this could be benign or because of the shape and the effects it's having on his walking and bowels etc. that this could just be the tip of the iceberg. What does that mean...? Well it means that there is actually a problem further inside his little body and this spot we are feeling is actually just the tip of the iceberg. Yeah kinda as horrible as it sounds. So Blessing #1 is that all tests were ordered today..or least all tests he doesn't have to be sedated for. Tomorrow may be a CT scan maybe not. No matter what we will need to biopsy it. The doctor said "I don't know what this is but I do know this is hurting him...it's like having a rock in your butt.." So Blessing #2 all tests that we could do without sedation were done today. This equals 1 ultra sound, 3 x-rays, and blood tests. I am so glad we didn't go back home have to wait longer and do more tests. Blessing #3 I know I talked about Liam having a rough time but all in all He really did do amazing. I seriously could have done without the screaming every time someone touched him. But all in all though he really bounced back pretty quick! I mean for not having a nap all day long, having people constantly poking proding and rubbing a very painful spot, and not getting lunch until almost 2:00 He did awesome! I can't tell you how many times I told him I was proud of him. He really was a trooper. Blessing #4 It was awesome having both of my parents there. My mom is awesome with details and was kind of my back up eyes and ears. If she wasn't mentioning things to mention to the doctors she was making sure Liam wasn't falling off a chair, or bossing other little children near by...or running people over with the stroller. My Dad was the muscle and the energy to keep up with Liam. Liam has this love for his papa. Papa really holds a special place in Liam's heart. He was happy to have Papa carry him around, push him in the stroller etc. Blessing #5 I slept so well last night! NO terrifying dreams or thoughts. Just peaceful sleep. I could feel everyone's prayers for me. Blessing #6 We are on our way to answers! Blessing #7 We love Saint Louis Children's Hospital!! Appearantly it is #4 in the nation! I would love to see what number 1,2,3 are like because Children's was AWESOME! The staff was super friendly, I felt like I had the doctor's 100% attention and he was going to be in that room with me until I had said everything I needed to say. He made me feel like nothing I said or asked was stupid. It was amazing...Even the cafeteria workers were amazing! Oh and the food...Yum! Blessing #8 Wesley did Awesome in Kirksville. He has a fabulous Preschool teacher who watched him after school. Aaron got home before they did and appearantly Wesley had had so much fun that when he saw Daddy was already home and his teacher was leaving he hung his head and burst into tears. I just had to laugh when Aaron told me this only because I am sure it was not quite the welcome he was looking for but it told us (me really) that he had truly had a great day. It's nice when it feels like a couple of my ducks are back in a row. What's next? Well now we wait. We wait for the first set of tests to be reviewed. If the doctor feels based on the tests today that we need a CT scan then we might (I think) have that tomorrow. If the tests today look like it is localized then we move forward with the biopsy. I believe the end result is the biopsy. Then we all keep praying it is benign.