lung scan and balloons

Ever wonder what a lung profusion scan looks like?  Well, we got to see, because our boy was able to make it through the test without sedation!  Yay!

I had forgotten that even if he could get through unsedated, he would still need an IV to insert the radioactive isotope into his bloodstream (I know, I sound so medically talented!  Ha!  Unfortunately, I know much more than I want to know).  I was completely dreading the IV, because he has always been difficult to stick.  My heart broke into about a million pieces when they laid him on the table and went for one arm and it didn't take.  He looked at me with such bravery and begged for it to be all done.  I barely could muster the words to tell him they were going to have to do it again.  He was so brave, as I promised him a "present" for getting through the hard part.  When I produced the stuffed Smurf I found at Target, he cried and hugged it, putting his head on it as his little tears dripped down his face.  It was that moment.  My heart broke.

Once the IV was in, everything else went smoothly.  He laid like this perfectly still for about 45 minutes. They said that he did just as good as the adults that come in to have it done.  I was so proud of him.

He didn't really crack much of a smile, except during a couple of parts of the special movie we bought him to bring along ("Rio"- it's fantastic!)  But once it was over, he jumped off that table and sat on daddy's lap while they took out his IV and he said, "It's all better now!"  He was charming the ladies as usual, and everyone loved him.  One of the nurses said he actually made her day!  

We have some big rewards in store for this little man... one of them was the evening of his scan- we took the kids to the Balloon Classic in Indianola.  It was really an event that is beyond description, but I tried to capture the beauty in pictures...

We watched the hot air balloons rise in the sky as several more came to land in the distance.  There were over fifty balloons at one point, floating in the sky.  It was just breathtaking.

This was one of those "once in a lifetime" things that you just don't see every day.  We knew Andrew would enjoy it, and he certainly did!

Not to mention the giant jumpy houses and slides that were there for the kids...

They even had a barrell train for the kids.  See the giant Eagle balloon in the distance?  That was quite a sight.

As the sun went down, it was just a beautiful evening.  The heat has subsided, at least for a few days.  We are enjoying it!

Andrew insisted on climbing up this net to the slide on the other side.  I wasn't convinced he could do it. Yeah, he proved me wrong.  (And the pictures don't do it justice- this thing was huge!)  And when he got done?  He wanted to do it again.  Yeah, this is the same kid who had to have a lung profusion scan performed that morning!  Ha!

Kerigan was thrilled with the balloons- ha!  Once again, she slept the whole time.  I wonder if one of these days I'll post an update where she wasn't sleeping!  Again, I forgot how much babies sleep!  It is crazy!

Andrew wanted to ride the train one more time before we went out onto the field to see the balloons up close!

This was a completely amazing sight.  As the sky darkened, the balloons lit up the night!

Kerigan woke up (for about five minutes!)  She was somewhat fascinated with the balloons- she looked all around at everything.

Andrew loved this "Kung Fu Panda" balloon!

Fire in the Sky!  All the balloons lit up!

Everyone would yell, "1...2....3... GLOW!"  And they would all light up.  It was an incredible sight.  We had such a fun time doing this as a family.  I love that Kerigan is already getting used to being "out and about," because that's the way we roll around here!  And I wouldn't want it any other way.  

Making memories...that's what life is all about.

*No news from the lung scan yet- I'll update when we know the plan.  Thanks for the prayers!