Super C

Super Carter to the Rescue!!!!!

Love  you my little super hero!

Fall Camping

Two weekends ago summer came back for a few days.  We decided to take advantage of it by going camping on Lake Michigan.  We camped around Traverse City and it was so much fun!  The beaches were wonderful, and the water was a beautiful color.
On our second day, we headed out to The Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lake Shore.  When we moved to Michigan, everybody would tell us this was a must place to go.  It was even voted Prettiest Place in America by Good Morning America.  Yeah, it was pretty, but prettiest??  I guess growing up in Alaska, I am super biased.  But, really, this place has nothing on Alaska.  There was a lot of sand, and a big lake.  The water was a great color, but where were the mountains?   They have a big sand dune that everybody climbs.  It was a big climb for little Carter, but he ran up the whole way.  I assumed at the top there was going to be an amazing view of Lake Michigan.  Wrong, just more sand.  But, Carter did love it, and it proved to us that there is no wearing out this little man if that hill could not take him down.   Either way, it was so nice to get out of Eastern Michigan.  And the fall colors were out in all their glory.

Goodbye

Saying Goodbye to the CPAP!!!  We hope to never see you again! 

I am so proud of how you handled wearing this thing for over a year Carter.  It is amazing how easy going you were about it, and how you would keep it on at night.  You rock my little man!!!!

Results are In

All the test results are in for little Carter.  I have been having people calling wanting to know all the findings, so here it is for you all.  Do you like the bad news or the good news first?  I prefer the bad stuff first, so here we go:

CT (head)

- Right side of jaw smaller than left (No new news here, we knew that)

- Small chin (didn't need a fancy test for that)

- Open airway

- Adenoids are HUGE (have to have them removed)

CT (Chest with Contrast):  add on test after findings from scope

- Accessory bronchi going to right lung

- Have to make appointment with General Surgeon to discuss what this will mean for Carter

- My interpretation: Carter is just more special than we ever thought 

MRI

- Chiari 1 Malformation

- Flow of spinal fluid is being interrupted

- Have to make appointment with Neurosurgery to discuss what this will mean

- If you don't know what this is, Google will do wonders for you

Echo

- Perfect :)

- See, I told you there was good news!

Sleep Study 

- Apnea: 0.8 (That would be like nothing!)

- Lowest oxygen dropped was 83% for just a second

- Snoring noted (which could clear up once adenoids are removed)

- No longer needs to wear CPAP

- Best news was have had in a long time!

So there you have it.  When we scheduled Carter for all these studies, I was thinking we were just going to get information on how to improve his breathing at night.  I had this thought in the back of my head that we could find out something else unwanted, but that was all it was, just a thought.  So now that we have the information, we get to try and figure it all out.  

I love you dear Carter.  We will figure all this out, and hopefully it will just be a memory soon enough.  You are tougher than any person I know, and I know you will handle this like the champ you are.   

Testing

Carter had a busy week in Detroit.  Here is the schedule that he endured like it was no thing: 

Monday: Echocardiogram, 5 hour break in the hospital, Sleep Study

Tuesday: Direct Laryngo Bronchoscopy, CT Head, CT Chest, MRI Head

And, he was AMAZING through out the whole thing!  Anesthesia was amazing at the hospital, and made me realize that I only want Carter to be put under at a children's hospital from here on out.  I was so proud watching Carter walk into the OR in his little outfit, with about 15 people trailing behind him.  He was really brave, and I could not have asked for a better kid.  And, Carter slept like a champ during the sleep study.  Plus, he let me curl up next to him the whole night so I didn't have to try and sleep in the horrid recliner they had for me!  I am so blessed to have this little man in my life.  Hopefully the results will be in soon, and we can get some answers on how to help Carter out!

Brave Boy Again!

Carter and I had to head into Flint (AKA Most Dangerous City in America) at 4:45 this morning to the hospital.  He had to have dental work done under anesthesia.  This is the first time that Carter had a procedure done at a non-children's hospital and it made me nervous!  He had to have caps put on and cavities filled.  Due to his small airway, they could not do it in the office.  So, it was off to the hospital.  Any time Carter has to have general anesthesia, it is a big deal.  When I got there, they sent in a CRNA to do the case.  WRONG!  I had to explain to her very nicely that Carter was very hard to intubate, and only an anesthesiologist confident working with children and small airways would be working on my son.  So the sent in the angry anesthesiologist.  Really, have you ever met a mean anesthesiologist?  Apparently they have some in Michigan.  

When it came time to wheel Carter back to the OR, they informed me that the anesthesiologist said I could no longer come back there with him.  Oh, they were messing with the wrong Mommy here!  They said because of his airway, they were not going to be able to gas him before they placed the IV.  So, they did not want me back there because they thought I could not handle watching my son get an IV.  Yeah, they might be right, I HATE watching my son get an IV, but there was no way I was going to make him go through that by himself.  After arguing back and forth for a few minutes, they finally gave into me.  And I will be darned if that anesthesiologist had to poke my baby TWICE!!!  Gosh, it was hard watching Carter go through that, but I saved my tears for when I got out of the room.  There was no way I was going to let that mean Doctor think I was a wimp.  

As far as surgery went, Carter did great.  He has a couple of caps and some fillings, and freshly cleaned teeth now.  Once again Carter you were AMAZING!  I was so proud of you for your bravery and how strong you were.  I love you sweet angel!  And, thank you for your amazing snuggles after surgery!  I know it was the drugs making you curl up on my lap for so long, but I still loved it!       

He LOVED the socks!

Deep breath Riley.

All Done!!!

Let's get out of here Mom!

Jello and Movies all day long!

The Time has Come

Before Carter was born, Tim and I used to talk about what we looked forward to when this little man joined our family.  I would always talk about kissing his little toes and snuggling.  Tim said he looked forward to the day that Carter was big enough to play football with him in the backyard.  Well, the time has come!  We were sitting at the dinner table last night, when Carter looked at Tim and said "I want to play football with you Daddy."  Totally out of the blue, and oh you could see Tim's heart swell!  I think Tim was picturing more of teaching him plays and the rules of the game, but that will probably have to wait a few years.  Right now it is more of a "Chase me Daddy".  Either way, both the boys had a great time and came back inside sweaty, just like the stinky boys they are.