6 months ago today we came to Sick Kids on a Sunday night and found out that Gavin had a brain tumour. It has been a long, long journey since D-Day. We have experienced incredible highs, like Bean’s very successful brain surgery, and plummeting lows, like our last 13 days in the ICU.
After his tumour resection surgery, we spent two days in the ICU, and as we left, the team saw us off saying, We hope we never see you again.
Unfortunately, that was not the case and we had to return for this extended stay. Today again, though, we say, We hope we never see you again. We now find ourselves back in our old room on 8B, with Gavin thrilled to see all his pictures and toys. We’ve already played garage and puzzles and are now relaxing with a DVD.
I never wanted him to have to make that trip downstairs, but I am forever thankful for what they were able to do there. When things seemed the most dark, they were able to stabilize Gavin again and again, using techniques and machines that I had never known existed. I am so thankful for his recovery. I am so thankful for the existence of the oscillator. I am indebted to the doctors and nurses and respiratory therapists of the ICU who got us here, still in hospital but back on the unit.
The next few weeks will be about recovery. Gavin is still in delicate shape but is beginning to be back to his old self. He has been playful today but needs to be watched carefully to be sure he doesn’t over-exert himself. We will wean him off morphine over the next couple of days, and begin to increase his formula to get his weight back up. I hope that his oxygen needs will decrease as well. The plan is to continue treatment with steroids and platelets to reduce the inflammation and continue his lung repair.
He is talking more and more but still not making sentences as complex as those from before, as speaking is still an effort. His throat is most likely very hoarse after 13 days of intubation.
We will be spending Christmas on 8B this year, but that is fine with us. It will be a subdued holiday, but we have already received all the gifts that we need: a clear scan, repairing lungs, and the end of active treatment.
Many, many heartfelt thanks to all of those who have been with us day after day through this. Your messages, cards, packages and food deliveries have helped us more than you can know.