Add to my list of things never to be without

So I'd like to add this

to my list of things to never be without as a transplant parent. It is called unisolve and it takes off adhesive painlessly. We used countless of these pads in the hosptial when Ian had his transplant because of all the tape on him from IV's and other tubes. The staff gave us lots when we were discharged and I have slowly been working through our supply (treating them like gold) getting off the tape goo from labs. I just broke down and used the last one this past time for labs. Ian came home with a different type of tape (I call it paper tape) and it is awful stuff to get off. I managed to get it off without an adhesive pad using water and an ice cube but then for days (about 4) goo was left on his arm attracting all sorts of fuzz build up. Which is when I decided to use the last pad and hope that the lab place would let us bring in our own bandaids....which brings me to the some great news that.....

Ian is now on an every month schedule for labs! This is great. We haven't been this far stretched for labs since pre-transplant. We are greatly excited to meet this milestone. So even though I used my last unisolve pad, hopefully I won't be needing them as often any how.

Clinic Visit News

Ian had a fabulous clinic visit complete with getting his flu shot. (This is an extra bonus for me as I won't have to take him and wait in the ped's office here for an hour occupying both kiddos!)

He is growing and doing well on all accounts. The staff I think are all smitten by him but who wouldn't be right? He managed to get a special Thomas the Train engine from one of the doctors there. We are touched she remembers Ian so well to know that he adores Thomas.

The big news is that we are cleared for 6 months before needing to head back for clinic visit. This is exciting stuff! He would have been cleared for a year but because the doctors just changed his prograf level and are still keeping an eye on his EBV (viral that is still showing up in low level of his labs) so the team feels safer at having him come back in 6 months. Again, I am thrilled.

And for a bit of history, the end of this month (October 2005) five years ago marks our first ever visit with the CHOA team to get Ian evaluated and listed for transplant.

Grounded

Ian and Brett were going to fly today to his clinic appointment but if you can believe it there are NO RENTAL CARS available at the ATL airport for today or tomorrow. So they are now driving instead of flying and I am yet again stocking the DVD wallet with lots of movies for the drive. Thankfully I checked a new Thomas the Train out from the library and have a few other suprises for Ian on the journey. I am hopeful this clinic will be a good visit and our next one won't be four at least 4 months but am really wanting it to be 6 months. I'll post an update on his clinic visit after the return journey.