Checkups

As I was driving to Vanderbilt Children's Hospital yesterday on the first day of our spring break, I looked over at my niece and said.."Who would have thought we would be here?" Of course, no one ever thinks that their child would be sick or have doctors on top of doctors, it is just something you don't put in your "list" when you think of things your child will need when they grow. Well, Vanderbilt is in our list, and we put it in our calendar like t-ball practice, dance, etc. It has now become part of our lives. We get excited when we see Ryan Seacrest opened up a music studio for patients, when we can play the piano on the main stage, and of course go see the fish out in the gardens. Yesterday, Paislee went to the gastro doctor and was told that she will always be on medication. She has chronic reflux that she will not grow out of and she will have to treat it forever. She may or may not have to have surgery, but the doctor told her she will have a life long relationship with him and will continue to see him. Yes, I admit I was a little blindsided. I thought we might would outgrow it or it could be fixed, but it can't. I think I am at the point where we have been to so many doctors that I know things are wrong, but I just want them "fixed." I don't want to worry about her heart anymore, her ears, and now her throwing up. I just want it all to be fixed and no worries. I try my best to make a normal life for her. There are still worries in the back of my mind. Right now after her heart checkup, her right aortic valve in her heart is weak from working so hard, she still has not past her hearing tests after three surgeries, migraines are still prominent, and this. I focus on the fun things when we go, how we get to bring cousins, go to the mall, play cards with the volunteers, and see the fish in the garden. My children can't remember their life without Vanderbilt. I know it may seem strange, but when they have to go to the doctor, Vanderbilt is comfort and not scary, they know their way around, which elevator goes where, how to work the train sets, etc. We still have more appointments left as March is our checkup month but we are grateful for how far we have become. We move forward and know it will always be a part of our lives.