I should really learn to keep my mouth shut....

.....and for those of you who know me this would be no easy feat. It seems that my last blog update has been proven invalid -- this trip can and did get worse today.

We actually arrived for Max's cardiac MRI at 5:30am as instructed only to find out that registration doesn't start until 6am. Trying explaining THAT to two very cranky children (and one rather cranky husband)! When the radiology tech brought us back to the exam room I knew we were in trouble when she asked me if we had had a call from their department on Friday telling me that our appointment needed to be moved. Now I know I look stupid but I couldn't help to think, "Is this girl insane?" Why would I drag myself, two kids and husband out of bed at 4:30am, walk in 20 degree weather, and wait more than half an hour to check in if I had had a call cancelling Max's MRI? At this point I was cranky but I held it together long enough to ask why they needed to cancel. Evidently the pediatric cardiologist is only in lab on Wednesdays, which we knew from past experience but because Max had an appointment with his cardiac surgeon at noon and we know he needed to see the MRI we assumed special arrangements had been made. WRONG! I asked what the plan was in light of all this, the tech told me they would go through the regular protocol (after I explained what Max's protocol was) and then if need be they could always get more film in a second session. Did anyone mention to Max that there might be a repeat MRI? I know I'm not crazy enough to go there....the child is still in the dark on this possibility. So after nearly two hours we were done and sent on our way. We ran back to the room to sleep for a bit, take showers and eat something before our appointment with Max's cardiac surgeon.

We arrive for our appointment with Dr. Vricella on time anxious to talk about the MRI results, Max's valves, the aorta repair, etc., etc., etc. After sitting in the waiting area for about 15 minutes with Mr. Monkey (aka Max) who was kind enough to entertain everyone in the room -- patients, secretaries, doctors, and interns alike --- we are told that Dr. Vricella had just been called into an emergency surgery so our appointment would need to be re-scheduled. Argh! Obviously this was an emergency so we understood completely although I must admit thinking, "And I subjected my son to that half-assed MRI this morning?" I guess we really could have postponed that to Wednesday as well. Ah, the best laid plans of mice and men.....So all in all Monday was a bust! It's 8 o'clock and Max has been asleep for two hours if that's any indication of how smoothly our day ran.

While sitting here in the kitchen at Children's House writing today's update a women came in to get something. I remembered seeing her last night, she had been talking to herself in a nonsensical way and I thought she was just a little whacky. Tonight she started a conversation with me and she told me her son had been rushed to the PICU last week and his brain tumor was back for the fourth time. Now this little boy is just eight years old, not much older than Max, and the doctor's have told her "this is probably it." So this woman who I had written off as "whacky" just 24 hours ago taught me an extremely important lesson tonight -- no matter how bad a day I had today it was still a good day. No matter how much I wanted to throw Max out a window because he was acting like a nut at least I have a son to loose my patience with. All in all, I guess I learned once again to be happy with what I have. Perfect its not but its better than most!