Happy Thanksgiving!

This has to be the best Thanksgivings of them all. Last week I was losing hope. I felt despair and grief that Tanner would NEVER come home. I saw bars on every window at the hospital. I ignored my birthday because our family wasn't together. I was actually going to give up blogging because I couldn't find anymore good in the situation.. But yesterday, due to our fabulous nurse Practitioner Laura, we left UCSF WITH TANNER! I FINALLY got to see the hospital in my rear-view mirror! Whew! What a roller coaster week! Mark had been with Tanner since last Tuesday so we were ready for the trade-off (he had last minute "dealings" with the old house to finish) and the doctors had told him Tanner would NOT be home for Thanksgiving because the home nurse wouldn't be available until next Monday. We were devastated that Tanner was perfectly healthy but couldn't come home because of staffing difficulties! So when I arrived Tuesday, my first question was, could I have friends that were RNs help with Tanner's meds and dressing changes over the weekend? And immediately Laura started digging for answers. Mark left with the news that Tanner's antibiotics would be ready by Friday and we would be taught by the pharmacy how to use the pump. So Tanner and I left for the afternoon session of the playroom. He was showing me how he could jump around in the ball pit when Laura called me out into the hallway. With her was the charge-nurse case worker and they told me of the new plan. (It STILL seems surreal). Tanners meds and pump were to be delivered to the hospital Wednesday by 3:00. A nurse from Crescent Health Care would come and teach us how to use them. The home care nurse would come Monday morning with the next week's supplies and do a dressing change on the PICC line. Tanner was scheduled for a cardiology appointment on Monday, November 30th. And once our teaching was done...WE COULD GO HOME!!!!! I jumped up and down and hugged each of them several times!! Mark had barely gotten home when I called him and asked him "how'd you like to have Turkey in Brentwood!". He thought I was teasing! Its just been absolutely like a dream ever since. ALL our prayers were FINALLY answered! We will still have to go back to UCSF for a new PICC line December 11 but we are HOME! And even one night at home is worth it! Mark's parents are here today making us a wonderful turkey dinner while Mark and I sort through boxes and assemble beds. And the magical voices of 4 children playing upstairs! Happy Thanksgiving!