Our home away from home....

 I couldn't get any takers to go with us back to our home away from home, Columbia, Missouri so Jeremy and I made it a mommy and J vacation.  J had been on spring break all week and Thursday was really the nicest day of the week and made for a nice drive.  We made a few stops along the way, to change Jeremy's clothes, eat breakfast, grab a lunch/snack.  We took the scenic drive to Dr. Dan's office and went down Stadium Drive from I-70.  I noticed things I didn't before.  I love Columbia, it is so easy to get around you have I-70 or US-63.

We arrived at Dr. Dan's office, I had to put on J's AFO.  We were greeted by Holly, his awesome medical assistant and then off to X-rays.  When we got back to the room, Holly came in and said, "look who I found" I looked up and was surprsied to see the World's best and our favorite resident, Dr. Daniel Robertson.  I wanted to get a picture of him and Jeremy when J was feeling better but I didn't even think of it.  He knows J and is such a pleasure to talk shop about Jeremy, he is such a sweet, compassionate resident and is going to make an AWESOME family-centered care physician.  He said he would check back to see what the plan was.  Dr. Dan then stuck his head in to say hi to his buddy, shortly thereafter our resident, Dr. Gillizi came in.  I wasn't expecting too much in the way of future plans.  Dr. Dan wants to give Jeremy more time, since he is making progress, we will keep him updated and go back to see him in clinic on April 28.  He also felt this would give us time to get all the test needed and see where we are at on the bladder.  When we will do spinal fusion is uncertain at this time and the only thing he really said is this year. 

We then went to the hospital to visit J's fan club, I don't know why I didn't get a picture of all of his fans around his stroller.  J has a pretty good group of followers there.  It would have made a good picture.  We got to visit with Kelsey, PT who loves J, he loves her, she only seen him occasionally so she got to come by each day and play.  We visited with Lauren, social worker, the same way, she wasn't our social worker so she got to just come by and play with Jeremy when Amber got the hard job.  Corrine, child life, who is awesome, loves J and he loved crazy Corrine.  Caitlyn, PT, was there we got to see her, she had the hard job of working with Jeremy, she also saw him when we were there in August.  J got to see his favorite nurse, Shelley.  He seen some other friends who came by to say, Hi to the Master of Disaster from Oklahoma.  We went to PICU and got to see just a few of the nurses that took care of Jeremy, we did get to visit with Dr. Wankum.   J was really out of sorts and wasn't his usual, ornery, playful self, he would sorta crinkle his nose but I think his anxiety was high thinking he was there for a surgery.  When we go back in April I have got to take pictures of him with everyone. 

We took a trip to Columbia Mall just to look around to see what we could find, but J was tired at that point and could care less, we stopped at Applebee's for dinner and went to the motel.


The next morning we woke up to colder temps and drizzle.  We had made plans to meet 2 families that have became good friends from the area, they both have children with special needs.  We were going to meet at the Nature Center in Jefferson city.  It was a nice visit, I love visiting with other mom's and Zayden and David are adorable.  Julia is good with pictures so she took plenty, I will post some of them. 

J with our friends, David and Julie Hahn

Maydsen, Zayden, Heidi Rayl... Julie and David Hahn... J and mom



J and mommy



A Columbia freind told me about Central Dairy, a local place.   The factory sets in town and next to it is an old time ice cream parlor with good ice cream.  Jeremy and I headed to Osage Beach where we were going to stay the night.  We stopped at the outlet mall to go through a few stores but again J had enough of shopping.  We stopped at Panera Bread and took dinner back to the motel.  I should have known better than to leave my son with a full large glass of sweet ice tea, because when I opened the car door he threw the empty cup at me and my back seat got most of it.  



J got over there by himself



J at Central Dairy, taking out the napkins

Jeremy woke up in a good mood on Saturday, so the trip home was pleasant.  I think he finally started to relax.  On the way home, the warning sign should have been the lid to his small sweat ice tea whizzing past my head.  We were almost to Joplin when my son hands me his McKid's box, filled with a few chicken nuggets, french fries soaked in sweet ice tea and box was leaking. 

We arrived home shortly after 1pm, got everything put up, laundry caught up, trip to Wal-Mart to buy groceries and currently a tired boy who should sleep very good tonight I know I am tired.  It's about time to start getting him ready for bed, bath, teeth brushed, clothes laid out for church tomorrow morning.





Happy Boy, he was glad to be home....