Adventures Before Departing

Yesterday, on our last day in Boston for this trip, Audrey was recovering very well from the anesthesia and after a good 12 hours of sleep she was ready for a relaxed adventure in her stroller. We bought blueberries for her lunch at the Haymarket, sushi on the North End for mine, visited the rose garden at the waterfront and caught a ferry to Boston Harbor Islands National Park. On Georges Island we explored an old fort and attended a free classical string quartet concert by the Berklee School of Music (which I'd heard about from a guy wearing a Powells Books t shirt while waiting in line for the ferry). On Spectacle Island, she fell asleep and napped peacefully while I explored the visitor center and then hiked the long spiral around the island to the highest point in Boston Harbor. She woke up in time to enjoy the view with me. The boat ride itself was exhilarating--the perfect weather, the thrilling wind that broke up the heat, and the smell of the briny sea air all combined to give us such a feeling of freedom from worry. On our way home she saw the horse drawn carriages and asked me so sweetly that we decided to gift her that special experience. We wrapped up the night with a fun dinner out with our wonderful host family, and Audrey has been a traveling champ again today. She was a total nut on the plane, playing very cute games with her infamous "Pink Blankie". Our 3 hour layover in Chicago is nearly at a close and she has been napping peacefully for most of it. One more plane, one more train, then looking forward to resting in the arms of my family tonight and celebrating Aaron's 10th birthday tonight with his special request-- homemade pumpkin pie (made with our own chicken eggs). Feeling more thankful than I can say!

Climbing the spiral path to the beautiful vista at the top of Spectacle Island, the highest point in Boston Harbor, and historic town-dump-turned-gorgeous-nature-preserve.

Difficult News in Boston

Please keep our family in your prayers. Audrey has a rare complication called a recurrent fistula (a new tube that has grown connecting her esophagus to her airways), and will need major surgery very soon in Boston, basically the exact surgery we did 2 years ago that was followed by 7 months of complications. I am stunned and heartbroken, but thankful for her wonderful doctors and nurses, and for the support of family and friends.

This morning after being a total sweetheart in our crack of dawn pre-op, she woke up from anesthesia screaming in pain from the IV in her arm that had needed to be placed by ultrasound--exactly the same spot they tried to give me an IV when I was giving birth to her, for those who've read her birth story--and the nurses were frantically trying to get me to come comfort her just at the same time Dr Manfredi had sat me down to break the news. There was almost no time for questions. (Drugs first, questions later.)

Audrey got morphine and settled down in my arms, devoured two popsicles and loved the shiny bead necklaces they gave her as a prize. She has been feeling great ever since the IV came out, even felt well enough for us to visit with sweet friends in the hospital whose son just received a kidney transplant, and then had a blast playing in the playroom while I visited with our friend Deb, the childlife specialist for the EA family wing. Audrey fell asleep for the bus ride home, we took a long nap, and our sweet host family shared their dinner with us and even gave her strawberry ice cream.

Audrey hugged me tonight and said, "This was a very good day." I was floored by her beautiful example, and I know she's right. Counting our blessings tonight.

My fabulous 3.99 custom omelet from the hospital cafeteria this morning, full of vegetables and feta, that I managed to get two bites of before the doctor arrived to talk to me. Don't worry, it was still delicious cold, two hours later. I was blessed to have an awesome nurse who gave Audrey a Dora video and gave us privacy and time so I could finish my breakfast.... lunch.