I had some awesome Daddy and Me time at the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry over the weekend. We went specifically to see the USS Blueback because I’ve become really interested in submarines.
Here I am steering this puppy!
The bunks are super small!
After our tour of the USS Blueback, we also saw a LEGO exhibit. And I found out I’m 98 LEGO bricks tall!
I am now the proud owner of a g-tube. We checked in at Doernbecher Children’s Hospital at 6am on Thursday morning. By 9am, I was a tubie.
When I got to my hospital room, I practiced feeding my g-tube baby.
Daddy practiced feeding the g-tube baby, too.
That day and night, I tried to walk around, but it was not so fun. So I hung out on my bed and played with cars and planes.
The next day, I was afraid of walking around. So the nice ladies at the hospital lured me out with the promise of Legos and airplanes. After that, I just wanted to wander around and play in the playroom.
After I was discharged, we rode the tram!
Yesterday, I had a mega day at the hospital doing tests and follow-ups. But good news!
This means I don’t have to see my nephrologist again until the summer, and never have to see my urologist again! (Assuming, of course, that I continue to keep my kidneys healthy.)
AND I PEED IN A CUP. All of the nurses gave me high fives!
(Sorry, no photo. We were running around too much for Mommy to remember to take a picture. Miracles DO happen.)
After eight hours of evaluations with a Developmental Pediatrician, Speech Language Pathologist, Psychologist and Occupational Therapist, along with questionnaires from my therapists and teachers, I was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder. (Or as we call it at home…Too Charming, Smart, and Handsome For My Own Good Disorder.)
THEN WE RODE ON THE TRAM!
Yesterday, I went to Doernbecher for an Upper GI x-ray and a consultation with the surgeon who will be placing my gastrostomy tube. During the x-ray, I got to see the pictures of barium going into my stomach. And I told the nurse my favorite airlines and she told me she’s going to Texas on Alaska Airlines!
It was a really icy day, but, of course, we still rode the tram. This was our view:
And here’s a picture I took of the tram from the 7th floor of Doernbecher!
Yesterday, I went on a scavenger hunt with a bunch of other Portland kids at the Tryon Creek State Natural Area. My favorite thing to find on our hike were nurse logs!
The hospital has been giving me free tickets for the tram. I love giving my ticket to the tram conductor.
My most recent visit was to talk to the gastroenterologist about a g-tube. We’ll most likely be going through with it, but we have one more consultation with the pediatric surgeon. I’ve been feeling so well getting good nutrition and hydration through the NG tube. Everyone wants me to continue getting great nutrition and hydration to see what all I’m capable of!
We took Grandma and Grandpa to the Portland neighborhood of Nob Hill yesterday. While they and Daddy went into Blue Star Donuts, I had fun talking to people outside. Then I got out my camera for some good street shots.
Grandma and Grandpa are here visiting to celebrate my birthday. First, we went to Powell’s book store where I got a book about, duh, airplanes. After going out to lunch and driving the hills of Portland, we came home and I got birthday celebration #2! Grandma and Grandpa got me a cool car puzzle and my very own camera. I was taking pictures all over the place!
My little Portland suburb covered in snow. Ain’t it pretty?
BUT I HAD PLACES TO GO! It was about to be my birthday and I was scheduled to get on an airplane (an airplane!!!) to see Nana and Papa!
Long story short: the roads were insane, we abandoned our car, waited for an Uber driver with chains on his tires, sat in a standstill on the freeway for an eternity, just missed our flight, and finally booked ourselves on a flight scheduled to leave 4 hours later which was delayed an additional 2 1/2 hours. So there was a lot of waiting. (And, by the way, I was the awesomest kid ever and Mommy and Daddy thanked their lucky stars that I am an airplane and airport fanatic and determined to make this trip happen.)
We finally took off at 11:20pm and I got to celebrate the stroke of midnight of my birthday, quite fittingly, on Alaska Airlines. Then I finally fell asleep. And thanks to Nana and Papa for picking us up at 1:10am and then hanging out with me when I asked for “dinner” at 2am.
