Wendy Patterson here.
Sorry for not writing, but Carston, our youngest, has been in the hospital; he had surgery about three days ago, and it's been rough. He made it through the surgery with very little difficulty, but he's been in a lot of pain.
He is expected to be in the hospital for at least several more days to a week, the way things look now. The doctors want to make sure he is going to be okay, so they're keeping him in for a little while longer.
Ethan's been a dear, being home with our other two, Spinner (eight) and Maeli (six), while I spend time with Carston as he recovers. If Ethan isn't there, then Mamie, my mom, is, as is my daddy, Tank (real name Tom, but he's a big bear of a man, so everyone calls him Tank).
Carston has had so many surgeries (big and small) I've lost count.
As you know, Carston has spina bifida, the reason for all these surgeries. He's nearly died several times. Other times he's sailed right through, like this latest one. He's the reason my hair's thinned out, turned gun-metal grey; but I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world: he's brought us incredible joy. He's a little miracle; he's the child we weren't expected to have after we had Spinner.
Spinner has told us what he wants to be when he grows up. He wants to be a storm chaser. He loves storms; storms fascinate him to no end. Doesn't matter if it's tornadoes, hurricanes, or just a plain ol' thunderstorm: he loves it all! :)
As for Maeli, she wants to be a little girl. She doesn't know what she wants to be yet. She is still figuring out how to learn more in the way of English, trying to get used to the American way of life!
As she puts it, "I don' wanna gwo up". LOL
Carston is lying in his hospital bed, sleeping, oxygen prongs all askew, IV line twisted around his arm. I pray and hope he doesn't pull it out, or else it may hurt, and he may have to get stuck again with another needle. He looks so angelic, I can't help but to smile!
The nurses have told me I have a good little son. I am so proud of him; he is being so brave through all this. It is never easy to be in the hospital as a patient for anyone; it is worse when one is a child, especially a child who has serious physical disabilities.
When he gets out, I am going to have to take him out for the biggest ice cream sundae in the world; he loves those things! :)
Well, Carston is all twisted up in the covers, so I am going to have to try to untangle him. I will write in here again soon; hopefully by then he'll be out of the hospital and recovering at home! We can only hope! :) Take care and God bless!
~Wendy. :)
