Well, looks like it's time to hop back in the ring.
We've been following up with Luke's cardiologist ever since his surgery last year. Pretty standard for open heart surgery. This past January, during his routine echo-cardiogram, his doctor noticed some problems cropping up. We've been keeping an ever watchful eye on him since and attending his many appointments. On May 5th we went back (again) and received the news that our chunky monkey will be enduring open heart surgery once again. Hopefully, for the last time.
Since my last posting (so,so,long ago), Luke has GROWN. At a very healthy 27ish pounds and 33 inches long, he has surpassed our wildest dreams of where he would be at this age. He is a typical 16 month old boy. His M.O? DESTRUCTION! If it can be dismantled, ripped, beaten and or a combination of all, he will have at it. Actually, he'll have at anything. As I type this he is very busily "taking care" of the recycling (read: unloading the entire basket). No one is safe from his whims. Our old, sweet dog, Sutter patiently endures all sorts of "love". The cats have learned to RUN when they see him. And, we are endlessly amused and enraptured by him. He is magical. We all sit around watching him explore the world around him and in turn we see the world anew. His new favorite thing to do is put his socks in his mouth and carry them around like a dog. (He has been watching his dog brother carry around his stuffed animals that way). He climbs the furniture,has learned that he can remove the floor registers and stuff things down the ducting and knows that he has 6 people who think the sun rises and sets on him.
Life can be crazy sometimes. Everything seems to happen all at once or in groupings. My mothers husband, my step Dad, Bill Ormond, lost his battle with esophageal cancer in February leaving her a widow for the second time. I was there with them when he passed away. It sucked to lose a Dad AGAIN. My oldest sister, Lisa, is in hospice care for ovarian cancer. She has been brave and patient and graceful. She is an angel. I have literally never heard her say one negative thing about anyone or her circumstance. The cancer is in addition to the M.S. she has had for many years. I have had many people say to me, " why does all of this have to happen at the same time?" or "why do so many bad things happen?" Honestly, I think, why not? What about the people who lost so much during hurricane Katrina? or the tsunami? or the earthquakes in Chile? or the parents who lose their child to a hate crime?
Life is amazing. And wonderful. And at times, painful. At the end of the day all of the things that we experience in our lives make us richer in compassion, wiser if we allow them to. We can take all of the tears, laughter, heartache, joy and be there for the people we will meet who are just starting their journey along the same paths. I have hope. Lots of hope. I can't help but think that someday there will be parents of a small child who will need an anchor in the storms that surround you while watching your child go through such a major trauma. That someone who is losing or has lost a loved one will need someone who understands. I have to admit that all of these things have softened me as a human being. I have always been a really optimistic person but these past few years have refined me even further. I have learned to think before I speak (mostly) and see that usually when someone says or does something hurtful it's unintentional.
So, y'all.....here we go. We are ready. Luke is strong. The bell is about to ring and he's going to knock this one out.
