15 minutes of fame...

Team Arrandale's first official family photo...  made our photographer's blog as well.  Spending a couple of hours running around Union Station with Stacey Schmitz is the best way to get your picture taken!  

http://blog.staceyschmitz.com/archives/2007/12/christmas_photo.html

Barber Sam

So... The hair is buzzed. Both Dad & Sam's. Maybe even Papa Gene's if the rumor is true! If anyone needs a buzz, Sam is now officially an expert. Now we use a special antiseptic shampoo this week to prepare for surgery. Dr. Singhal said he will be using the same scar line & is hoping that the scar will be even smaller after this procedure. We got a call from Children's Mercy this morning for pre-registration. We go back in on Monday for some more blood work & should get a call that day with all the final directions & details...

We had a couple of fun calls last night from friends checking in on us & letting us know they are thinking & praying for us. We know that there are so many of you supporting us. THANK YOU!!!

Paging Dr. Arrandale!!!!

Today we spent the morning at Children's Mercy Hospital doing a large chunk of our pre-op stuff.

Yesterday Sam got a new doctor's kit so that he would be able to perform some tests on the nurses and doctors that were visiting with him. Sam really likes his new equipment, and has spent the majority of the last two days checking his mom's, his dad', and all of his various bears, cookie monsters, Elmo's, and stuffed dogs heart rates and blood pressures.

First we went to the pre-op admission office where Sam had all of his vitals taken. Then he got to check the nurse's heart rate and blood pressure. We also met with the anesthesiologist. Then we got meet with the nurse from the Child Life Department.

She was great. She read a book to Sam explaining what he could expect the day of his surgery. She also let him smell the different flavors of "Sleep Air" and let him pick one for his surgery. He chose banana.

Then we met with Dr. Singhal and his staff. We got to look at the pictures from his latest C-T scan. His skull has healed nicely from his last surgery but there is no more room for his brain to grow. His brain doesn't have too much pressure yet, but would eventually if we didn't do the surgery (scheduled for Feb 5th).

After meeting with Dr. we ate lunch in the cafeteria (hospital food has come a LONG way) and then off to the lab for some blood work. Sam was not a fan of having a needle in his arm.

We were all very tired after our day so we came home and all members of Team Arrandale took huge naps.

Back to it...

So...here we are, back on intra-blog-net-web. I know what you're thinking, "There is NO way that Team Arrandale will be able to keep up this break-neck pace!" and you may be right. But, we must push on.

We are officially less than one month away from Sam's surgery. He's officially just finished his second round of antibiotics for a rather nasty sinus infection.

A couple of notable upcoming dates for our team.

1/23/08-pre-op appointments with Children's Mercy Hospital: including the anesthesiologist, the surgeon, his assistant, etc. they will do a physical, medical history, blood work, double check his latest C-T Scan, and tell us if we need to give him a buzz cut.

2/4/08-Kelli and Ted are off for at least two weeks.

2/5/08-Actual surgery date...aka..."Sam in a helmet for three months" begins.