Team Tate and Team Eliza set out at 6 a.m. last Wednesday for a full day of check-ups at The American Family Children’s Hospital at UW Madison.

It is about a 2 1/2 hour drive from Twin Oaks to Madison.

We did come across one area where a bridge was still out from the flooding, and we also were heartbroken to see all the damage along the way, but the drive went well!

Tate and Eliza watched DVD’s the whole way there.

The name of the game was to distract two hungry kiddos who could not eat or drink!

Once we arrived, we checked Eliza in at the sedation clinic for her 9 a.m. appointment, but also checked Tate in for his 10:30 a.m. MRI.

Blake and I barely got our next distraction tactic started before the folks from MRI were knocking on the door looking for Tate!

I panicked just a bit, because since we arrived at the hospital I had not yet prepared Tate for what was coming.

As Blake stayed with Eliza, and Tate and I walked hand-in-hand over to the main hospital with the MRI technician, peace just washed over us both.

There were SO many people praying!!!

We waited for just a few minutes for Tate’s turn in the MRI machine.

They only have one machine that is safe for Tate to go into due to the strength of the magnetic pull of the machines as they take the images since Tate has a shunt in his head.

Tate brought Elephante, and asked if he could have a MRI too!

Tate and Elephante climbed up on the MRI bed, and I leaned in as far as I could and held Tate’s hands like he asked me to.

The MRI took only 3 minutes, because it was only of Tate’s brain and not his spine this time.

That machine is SO, so loud – even with ear plugs in our ears.

Tate never flinched and did not cry!

He is so brave and strong.

We went back to Eliza’s sedation room, but soon we were off again – this time for x-rays of Tate’s shunt system.

Those were quick and easy as well!

Eliza was now sedated and well underway with her CMG, which is a test to check on the health of the bladder, so Tate and I wandered around and got some snacks at the cafeteria.

We checked back on Eliza right before noon, and thankfully they were finished and Eliza’s sleepy meds were wearing off.

Tate’s sedation for the same procedure started at noon.

Eliza and I were off this time – for an appointment with her urologist.

Yes, this day was as stretching and crazy as it sounds.

After seeing the urologist, Eliza and I headed to the lobby to feed this poor starving girl some lunch!

I pushed her around in the stroller we borrowed from Kayla, since her legs were still very wobbly because she had been sedated.

We then went back to the sedation clinic to wait on Tate’s procedure to be finished.

The head nurse came out a couple of times to tell us that Tate was struggling greatly with this procedure, so our wait was pretty long.

When it was finally over, we had two more doctors to see.

Tate was DONE.

It was a blessing that he fell asleep, even though that did not give either of his doctors a chance to even say hi to him!

After all the doctors were seen, we headed out.

It was 4:30 p.m.

Blake knew, without even being asked, where to head next!

It took about 2.2 seconds for the back seat of the van to look like this –

He’s under there, I promise!

It was a rainy and stormy drive home.

We arrived home sometime around 7:30 p.m.

It is always good to be reunited with all of our people!

We have a full disclosure policy with Tate and Eliza, and they are told in advance what is going to be expected of them in words they can understand and process.

It makes for a hard couple of days before appointment day, as they try to figure out where to put all of the things they are feeling.

If you only knew how thankful I am to be their Mama!!!!

I wanted nothing more as we waited for Eliza, and then Tate, to come home than to HOLD them.

And hold them I do!

All in all, our big medical day was not so bad.

It is just A LOT.

We are waiting on results of those sedated CMG tests, but their doctors appointments were SO encouraging!

Eliza has been released from neurosurgery.

WHAT.

YES!! RELEASED! Like – “call me if you need me!” released!

Tate does not have to have a MRI for TWO YEARS, unless symptoms warrant it sooner!!!

AND…..

WE HEARD THE WORDS – “THEY ARE MIRACLES.”

We certainly didn’t need a whole day of appointments to tell us something we already knew, but we will take it.

Yes.

Miracles.

As I reflect back to Blake and I pouring over their medical files from China as we started the processes to bring them home…we NEVER imagined THIS.

BUT GOD.

“Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.”
Ephesians 3:20-21

Yes.

AMEN.