Stanford called this morning and let us know that they have set up chris for the 27 th of July for the left side.!!!!!!!!!!! That is the only side affected. We are so happy....... and now a little scared.  This is a little hard for us. We have yet to let chris know what he is in store for. He is 14 years old but with about a 7 year olds comprenhesion. We don't think that it will help him to know more. I have asked him if he would like to join me on this web-sight and he said "no". Just take me. I told him that we knew in advance when his appointments are. Do you want to know? He said "no". They think that we will be there for about four days or so. This web  page is directly responsible for us hooking up with all the right people. God Bless you all. I looked at the calander and "baby blue eyes" will be there at the same time as us. I hope to meet some more people then. I must apologise for my missing the last stanford meeting. I was at Lucille Packard Caffateria instead. SORRY 

Boy, do our hearts go out to you!  Our daughter, Tara, is 17, and had her surgeries on 6/2 and 6/9.  Only a parent who has been through this whole process can understand the pain you must be going through . . . . and, of course you're scared!  I wish we had found this website prior to Tara's surgeries, because we felt very alone as we went through it with her.  Hopefully, your road will be better, as you will have so many people pulling for you and your son!

You will quickly learn about Dr. Steinberg, Theresa, Jolie and the rest of the staff.  They are nothing short of angels - incredible expertise combined with a wonderful bedside manner.  Know that your son will be in the very best of hands.

Are you local to the Bay Area?  We live in San Jose (about 25 miles from Stanford), and would be happy to provide any support you may need while Chris is in the hospital.  Please don't hesitate to ask, o.k.?  Our thoughts and prayers are with you - keep your chins up!

Jill MacInnes

gotchlorine wrote on Jul 12^th, 2004 at 2:01pm:

To chris's mom/dad:

I know how you feel about wanting Chris to know what is going on.  Our son was only 3 1/2, and I also felt it important for him to know to help him deal with it.   Kyle had a Toddler Bible and, just before I rushed off to try to get to the hospital before his 1st angiogram (they rescheduled him earlier), I grabbed his Bible.  While sitting in traffic on the way, I began to think of his favorite bible story: David & Goliath.  I got there before they took him for the angio and had time to read the story to him.  (I have no idea how I did that!) I told him that he was like David and the "owie" in his head was like Goliath and that God was with him, just as He was with David, and that with Dr Dauser and his team, he would beat this Goliath because they were in "the Lord's Army".  And they did!
If you ask, God will send you the right words to give to Chris and will give you and your family the strength you need right now.  He was there for me, i know He'll be there for you, too!

God bless - I'll say a specail prayer for Chris this week!

sue

  This waiting is the hardest thing.We were given a date for surgery 3 months after Kahtleens angio.I cried so ahrd I just didn't think I could possibly wait this long.It turned out that they had to move it up because she had another stroke.but it felt impossible to wait, everything in our life was on hold.Kahtleen was 5 at the time of surgery, she was born with Down syndrome. She really didn't understand what was happening but this was OK, she just accepted everything and never complained,even after her worst stroke.We talked about what she could understand and just kept telling ehr we would be home soon and playing baseball and swinging on her swing and seeing her brother and sisiter. This alwasy got a huge smile and took away the pain.Your family is in our prayers.
Mary Grace

I understand what Chris feels, when I had ear surgery for the 4th time in 4 years I just told them to tell me when to be there, I didn't want to know what they were doing. Afterwards my husband told me what they did and I was REALLY glad I didn't know beforehand. It's so much easier to be brave if your not sure what to expect.
Chris will let you know what he feels the need to know and it sound like right now he wants to be able to take it as it comes, and not worry about what will be coming.
Tyler told me he didn't want to know the details either, just knowing they were going to do surgery on his head and it would help the headaches go away was enough for him.

Good Luck, I will put your family in my prayers.