Hello there precious blog family!

Let me start tonight’s update with a huge THANK YOU! I know I keep saying it but I will just never be able to say it enough! I seriously cannot keep up right now and what a blessing it is to have this “problem!” Between texts, emails, FB comments and messages, letters, cards, the most thoughtful and helpful gifts, calls, and such…..we have been so inundated! Some even by perfect strangers!  To say you have blessed our socks off is such an incredible understatement! Please forgive us for our tardiness in proper thank you’s and just know that our cup is seriously running over! We feel the love and WE ARE SO GRATEFUL!

That being said……I will tell you about today. This morning at 9 a.m., we arrived at the hospital for Cannon’s final test of the visit. The Gastric Emptying Study. We were a bit worried he might get sick as he looked really weak and nauseous. So, we decided not to perform his flush today after calling to speak with a nurse. We wanted so badly for this test to be successful and didn’t want to open the floodgates so to speak. As he gets sick during his flush lately about 60-70% of the time.  Upon arrival, Cannon had to eat a meal that contained radioactive material.  They prefer that he eat 2 scrambled eggs and 2 pieces of toast with jam…..as well as to drink a small bottle of water in a 15 minute time period.  Cannon absolutely hates scrambled eggs.  They make him gag.  But we were able to motivate him by reminding him that this would help the doctor better understand why his tummy hurts.  He was able to eat 1 egg and one piece of gluten free toast with jam and drink 2/3 of the bottle of water.  It wasn’t perfect but it was far better than what he had been able to get down in the 2 previous tests.  He immediately had to jump up on the table…..lying still for several minutes to have the first of 3 nuclear scans.  Afterwards, we were free to roam about for a while and come back in 2 hours for the next scan.  Our home hospital does more frequent scans during their Gastric Emptying Studies but I guess there is variability between hospitals.  We decided to hang out in the Columbus Blue Jackets Family Resource Center while we waited.  It is an awesome area of the hospital donated by their NHL hockey team.  Cannon enjoyed playing in a play area there while we relaxed in a living area and went over our questions for the doctor afterwards.  2 hours came and went……and we returned for the 2nd scan.  He was a bit wiggly on this one but all was okay….the tech said.  This time, we roamed a bit.  We went down to the Emergency Area where there is a cool aquarium, visited the gift shop, observed a lot of the unique decor this hospital has to offer, and ultimately ended up in the Chapel.  We spent some time there just praying together and it was quite precious.  My nerves were creeping in and I wanted to squash them!  We prayed for many things……the doctor, the tech performing the procedure, the potential infection site, accurate results, and that there would be resolution at the end of all this.  We placed this journey in God’s mighty hands and now we wait.  We are in a holding pattern.

We had been told to go to the G.I. Clinic 30 minutes after the final test was complete……to get all the results and the doc’s recommendations.    I was nervous about this as I wondered if it gave him enough time to properly review everything.   Also,  he has been so busy and just popping in and out…..never truly finishing a thought or conversation.  I thought if we just arrived whenever…. without a scheduled appointment……we would definitely get the same him.  After sitting in the clinic for a little bit, one of his nurses came out and told us that the doc wanted more time to review his results.  Could we come back tomorrow at 9 a.m.?  I was so thankful.  All I had prayed for the night before and day of was to have some good time with him and for him to be focused and prepared for us.  We were so thankful!  So, we came back to RMHC for the night and will head back to the hospital in the morning.  Who am I kidding?  Today.  Sorry y’all…..I fell asleep trying to write this post last night.  

Specific prayer requests for today…..

1) A good block of time with the doctor today.  No matter the results…..we have a few important questions and we need time to properly go through them.

2) Continued prayers for the doctor to have real empathy towards Cannon.  To truly take his time, consider all of his diagnoses, and come up with a comprehensive plan of attack to make his life not just better but much healthier.

3) If he feels that more testing is required…..that we will be able to change plane tickets, adjust Mark’s work schedule, and that my parents can spare the time.

4) There is no sign yet of infection from the mishap in surgery.  We pray that continues.  It could take up to a week to show up.

Thank you again for everything our beloved friends.  I am so very hopeful that the next time I am updating y’all……it will be with tons of new, clear ideas and solutions to the issues that plague our sweet Cannon.      GOD BLESS Y’ALL!