Back From Camp

What a fun time at camp! It was a little stressful being away from Bailey for 2 1/2 days, out in the woods with only a cell phone to rely on for communication. So, in case my cell phone stopped working, I gathered two other cell phone numbers from a camp counselor and another chaperone parent and passed those numbers on to Tom. So, I think I had it covered, although I was still a little uncomfortable. Ok, I was down-right stressed Wednesday night, but I was better yesterday. But, turns out Bailey had a great time with her Dad and Nancy (as I knew she would) and all was well back here at the hospital. Camp was so nice. The weather wasn't bad at all. Very cool and overcast, but didn't really rain, and the dogwood and red bud trees were all in bloom. Sooooooooo beautiful looking across a perfectly still pond at the pink and white blossoms hanging over the glassy water. Josie and I both touched a snake. It had been captured by one of the camp counselors behind our cabin a few weeks earlier. It was a black rat snake, and only after he said they had a very sweet, calm temperament did I touch it. Josie had a great time too. I was really expecting it to be more of a bonding time with Josie since I haven't been home much at all since January, but she spent most of the time with her friends and only came to me when she needed me to hold her coat! That's fine. It was nice to see her having fun with her friends. She had a crush on one of the camp counselors - a 19 year-old from England. I didn't like that much! I was driving to camp early Wednesday morning AND I FINALLY HEARD PART OF THE WFMS MORNING SHOW!! I heard Mimi's traffic report and I squealed [to myself, since no one else was in the van with me] and said "That's my friend!" It was so fun to hear you on the radio, Mimi! I've been listening to you for many years, but it was so much more fun now. Haha! And Vickie told me you were talking about Bailey and me today being Keith Urban fans. I wish I could have heard that! I dreamed we went to the Keith Urban concert together and, Mimi, you had front row seats and Bailey and I were waaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyy up in the nosebleed section and could only see part of Keith's hair on the top left of his crown. I think I've lost my mind! Haha! I came back to the hospital today to find a note on Bailey's door that said, "Mom - I'm in the classroom where we had my birthday party." She was working on a poster for the nurses. The nurses from each of the centers here at Riley were to submit a poster with the theme "Many roles, one profession . . . ". So, they put Bailey on the job. She did the whole thing herself today and I helped her with cutting and pasting. They were all very pleased with the result, so we took it up to the display area and voted . . . yes, stuffed the ballot box again. (No, we haven't heard anything about the Christmas card contest yet. I'll let you know.) Dr. T gave Bailey a Thunderbirds hat. He gave me one too after I told him how much I liked it! He told me that they figured out a way to list her on the transplant list to where she might get a heart quicker . . . something that has to do with not having to do a crossmatch (testing Bailey's blood with the donor's) but just listing the antigens that she has so they can be compared to the donor's. I didn't really follow it . . . probably because when Dr. T was telling me about it he started mumbling and said, " . . . and we don't really need to get into the technical right now . . . because I don't really understand the medical stuff anyway." He's so funny. I don't know if he didn't want to make Bailey uncomfortable (which she sometimes gets when he talks technical) or if he really didn't need to get technical with me (which is fine because I didn't follow it anyway), but he simply said that it was good news and we might get more calls with possible matches. Hope it works! In God's time. I want to thank everyone who has sent cards and posted comments. Those cards and comments and prayers keep us going. It's easy to feel removed from all of our friends and family right now, but you all have continued to love us and pray for us and kept us part of your lives. May God bless each and every one of you, may God bless the donor's family, and may God bless Bailey with a new heart. God has already blessed me and continues to bless me daily. I'm not going home until Sunday, and only for the day, so I'll catch you again tomorrow night. I'll try to post more photos this weekend too! Love you all, Angie