We've come a long way...

We made it through the busy week...almost!

We finished up our appointments today. We were up at Children's from 10:00am until 3:00pm. We saw both sets of doctors, and all were so pleased with where Max is at. I think they all felt proud to send him on to a new adventure, and proud that he has made it this far to see a new adventure. It was a day of remembering, and looking into the near future about his care over there. We will miss them all, but assured, and reassured them that we would not be leaving their care, they were still Max's doctors here, and as far as they were concerned, they could count us as being on a long vacation.

I took a couple of pictures while we were up at the hospital waiting, this one that came out made me laugh. Steve wanted to put Max on this little plastic dog chair. He told Max, "I want to put you on there, but I know Mommy won't let me.". I told him he was quite right in that assumption, it has germs all over it! Then it made me think of that song, Germs Germs My Invisible Dog. hahahaha!



Then we got a picture of Max and Dr. L. too. He was quite a show-off for him today. He was using his switch to talk to him. It was great for them to chat it up. I asked Max who he was there seeing, and he told me "Dr. Laoprasert" with his switch and choices. You would have thought Dr. L. just saw him get up and walk across the room. He was so amazed. He said, "He knows who I am?!; How many other kids do we underestimate because we think we know what is going on inside of their heads?" He asked if we would take video of Max using his talker so he could show all of his colleagues and present it at conferences. Wow...pretty cool!

Here is a picture taken in March 2004, the day we were discharged from the hospital after Max's brain surgery.

We knew so little about Max at this point. We knew we loved him to beyond words, and that we were so proud of his strength. But, honestly had no idea how much life he would have left. We did know, that whatever life he would have, was due in large part to this man.

Here they are today.

We've come a long way! And we still know, that no matter where on this earth we roam, the possibility to share it with Max is still owed to the doctor who took a chance on our son.

With the doctors appointments done for the week, we can focus on finishing up the packing. Steve sent off 3 of the 3 bags we're moving with. He's sent them to his parent's house so we don't have to lug them around the airport.

Abbey comes for the long weekend in the morning. I'm glad there was a fare sale to get her here before we leave. I was feeling sad to not see her before we went. I'm glad we'll finish up here with her.

Steve goes to CA on Sunday, where he'll be all week. I'm hoping he can make it a short week and hurry on back here. Dr. L. is putting Max in overnight EEG testing next Thursday. It will be good to get it done but man oh man have I NOT missed doing those!

The only other thing we have to do next week is finalize Olive's paperwork. Then she'll be one jet-setting mutt!

I better go to bed for now. Abbey already thinks I'm a bum for sleeping past 7:00am every morning...of course she never once hears her screaming brother through-out the night!