When in Doubt, Picnic

Brian surprised me by getting home before me today.

Yippee skippy!

This hasn't happened since he started working in Tuscaloosa.

 

We took advantage of the beautiful day, and took the party outside.

Because an evening this lovely practically begs for a picnic in the front yard.

 

 

This, my friends, is just what I needed.

We have had a super wonderful, super hectic week.

 

Yesterday, we went to Children's Hospital in Birmingham to see a

Pediatric ENT.

We went for two reasons:

One, Baker has had strep five times in about seven weeks,

and two, we still needed to address his hearing.

 

This was the most perfect visit.

I fully believe the people there have been strategically placed to brighten days, cure hurts, and lift spirits.

And they did just that.

From the red wagons, to the easy smiles,

many of my prayers were answered in a single doctor visit yesterday.

 

We started the visit with an Audiologist.

I could have hugged her.

She was so wonderful with my baby boy, and also with his nervous mama.

Baker just gravitated to her, and she was so informative.

She first did the same hearing screen that all babies have at birth.

 

A side note, Baker passed his hearing screen in the NICU,

but has yet to pass another hearing test.

 

After this, we went into a sound proof room.

For a moment, I pretended I was competing for the diamond crown in Miss America.

Tucked away in the sound booth so I wouldn't hear Miss Oklahoma's scripted answer for world peace.

I had traded in my black skinnies for sequins and ... ahem.

 

The Audiologist went outside the room and made sounds of varying pitches and volumes in several different monitors to see how Baker responded to each.

 

He did really well acknowledging sounds on his left side,

but never seemed to notice the noises on his right.

This could be because he was tired, it was at the end of the test,

there is fluid in his ears, or because there really is a hearing deficiency.

He presented below normal range in all areas.

And while this was not the news we wanted to hear, we were comforted in their plan to couple results of both the Audiologist and ENT and proceed from there.

 

We then saw the doctor, his nurse, and his nurse practitioner.

They were all wonderful.

They checked, and scanned, and swabbed, and listened to, and shined light on, and explained, and comforted.

 

This Friday, May 3, will be a big day for Baker Boy.

We will go to Children's Hospital early that morning to have tubes put in his ears, adenoids taken out, and a brain stem response hearing test.

It is described in detail here.

 

This test is one we have been considering,

but wouldn't even think of putting him to sleep for a hearing test.

However, this is the perfect opportunity to combine the procedures.

The Audiologist described it as a hearing test that takes his participation out.

And since the two will be done in conjunction, we will be able to tell if it was all of the fluid in his ears causing the negative results, or if there really is a hearing problem we need to address.

 

We will likely have the results before Baker is out of recovery.

They promised he would be new as new by Friday afternoon.

 

Children are incredibly resilient.

I am daily amazed by Baker's strength.

 

As you say a prayer for Baker, please also say one for a sweet friend.

He is having the same surgery on Monday,

and I think his mama is as apprehensive as I am.

 

We covet your prayers and well wishes.