Day 599 – Grayson’s Journey

Dear family and friends

Grayson slept in this morning and had a mostly quiet day. He and Regina ran some errands this afternoon. We spent the early evening preparing dinner and watching some amazing choral videos from choirs that we sang in the 1970s and 1980s. It was a fun trip down memory lane! Grayson and I finished the evening preparing for the latest Harry Potter release by starting the video collection from the beginning – tonight it was Year 1 – the Sorcerer's Stone.

Lauren returned home tonight after 7 weeks in Kentucky! It is great to see her again. Too bad her room is being remodeled and she will have to sleep on the couch or on bare plywood floors in her room. My suspicion is that she will choose the couch!

Pax!

Brant

Day 598 – Grayson’s Journey

Dear family and friends

Grayson is home after 2 days at USC University Hospital!

Grayson didn't sleep well in the hospital, and he fell asleep in the car on the way home. I fed him lunch and he was more than happy to lay down for a three hour nap! Because Grayson was awake most of the night, so was Regina. She took a much shorter nap this afternoon while I (the guy that slept in his own bed last night!) ordered new meds and made follow-up doctor appointments – something that took much longer than I expected.

Tomorrow things will be back to normal except for some wound care for Grayson. Thanks to all of you for all of the prayers and well wishes!

Pax!

Brant

Day 597 – Grayson’s Journey

Dear family and friends

To set your minds at ease, Grayson's procedure was a success and he is resting comfortably at USC University Hospital with Regina by his side this evening.

At 6:30 this morning we arrived at the USC Medical Center Campus. Grayson was scheduled for a cardiac procedure and he was healthy. (You may recall that this procedure was postponed from June 14^th because of a cold.) He was checked in and preparation for the procedure started before 7:00. Because of the crowded conditions in the prep area, Regina stayed with Grayson while I cooled my jets in the waiting area. By 8:00 Regina joined me. We went to the cafeteria for breakfast and killed time for the 2 to 4 hours before we expected Grayson to be in recovery.

At noon I didn't think much about it. At 1:30 I decided to get some lunch, but Regina wanted to wait. I returned at 2:00 and Regina was still in the waiting area and starting to look nervous. At 2:45 the cardiologist came out and found a place for us to meet. We sat down (a little bit anxious perhaps) and he explained that the procedure had been a success, and that they spent additional time tracing other potential anomalies in an attempt to prevent other issues in the future. After a significant period of discussion, we concluded our meeting and went to join Grayson in recovery.

The procedure involved a cardiac catheter and recovery requires 6 hours of lying on your back before movement. (I know – I just did that last month!) Grayson had an additional catheter inserted in his carotid artery (in his neck) and had some additional recovery I did not have to deal with. Anesthesia helped and television did the rest! Grayson was very calm all afternoon and was cleared to stand at 8:15 this evening. Unless there are complications, Grayson will be home tomorrow afternoon.

Pax!

Brant

Day 596 – Grayson’s Journey

Dear family and friends

Happy Independence Day!

Today I spent some time catching up on some work around the house with Grayson as my helper. After lunch we ran some errands and paid a visit to my sister-in-law Julie. The visit was more like a party as her husband Howie was the perfect host for her daughters Kathy and Kimberly, and granddaughter Alyson. Julie was in great spirits and we had a delightful time this afternoon. Grayson had a ball stuffing himself with watermelon. Fortunately we brought an extra shirt for him to wear home!

Tomorrow Grayson goes to USC University Hospital for a cardiac procedure – the one postponed from last month because of his cold. We will arrive there at 6:30 AM so it will be an early morning for Grayson and us. If all goes well, we should return home on Wednesday. Join us in prayer for a successful procedure and a speedy recovery.

Pax!

Brant

Day 595 – Grayson’s Journey

Dear family and friends

Grayson was a bit slow all day today. He has his good days and his bad days, and today was definitely not one of the good ones. Fortunately, Grayson always has a pleasant disposition and is a loving person. Unfortunately today he just couldn't seem to focus on anything.

Perhaps tomorrow will be a better day!

Pax!

Brant

Day 594 – Grayson’s Journey

Dear family and friends

Today the temperatures were in the 90s. We spent the afternoon lounging around the pool at Rita and Richard's, along with Austin and Xixi and Richard's sister Joanne. Grayson had a wonderful time, as did the rest of us.

Good company, good food, great location – what more could we ask for on a holiday weekend!

Pax!

Brant

Day 593 – Grayson’s Journey

Dear family and friends

Grayson was alert and active this afternoon. After work the two of us ran a number of errands and tried not to get into too much mischief. We arrived back at home just before 8:00, cooked dinner and watched National Treasure – I forgot what a fun movie that is!

During the day, Grayson and Regina made several Fuzzoodles for fun. Here is a picture!

Pax!

Brant