BSA Part I: Detour to the hospital, Darling husband, Departure at last

After all of the hoopla of May--with the birth of Juju, the ensuing round of sicknesses and the overwhelming outpouring of love and generosity that came with it all--it was time to introduce our little Juju to the big world.  Well, actually, no, it was time to ease out of another school year and lazily into the hot summer of 2010.  But, as it happened, we had cause to load up the family van and hit the road for a Big Summer Adventure that first week of June, just before Juju's 1 month birthday.  Although I was really excited about the destination and the planned activities, I am not going to lie:  my heart was not in the preparations.  Normally I start purchasing and planning special car activities a month or two in advanced, I make lists, buy snacks, plan games or songs, choose read-alouds and get everyone a few new clothing items to freshen the wardrobe. 

I was very pregnant a month or two before this trip hit the road and, frankly, just didn't do much to prepare.  Even as the days to destination narrowed, I half-heartedly started tossing a few things in the suitcase and picked up a box of instant oatmeal packets for the snack crate, but not much else.  Truth is, I wanted to be taking things slow and I was in conflict with the reality of my deadline. 

And then, the day before we were set to leave on our Big Summer Adventure, my dear Midwife Melanie saw something.  Something I had seen and pondered in my heart, wondered about, dismissed and revisited several times.  She saw Juju's feet and legs turn dark red, then blue, then purple.  She worried.  Then she called me later in the afternoon and begged me to see a doctor before leaving on our Adventure.  She was particularly worried because---and this is a golden part of the story---Juju and I were set to fly to our summer destination.  Midwife Melanie was worried about those purple legs and she was worried what cabin pressure might do and, rightfully so, she was worried about what we would do if something--what? we couldn't guess--would happen while we were trapped at altitude with no way of getting medical help

So after The Prof returned home from a long day of working (at 9:30 that night), Juju and I headed out to our fantastic local children's hospital.  We were admitted.  There was a pulse-oxymeter, urinalysis, CBC, apnea monitor, hourly blood pressure check of the extremities, chest x-ray, and EKG.  And then it was decided that, in this case, cyanotic episodes (turning blue) is simply normal.  Blood pools sometimes, you know.  I didn't know;  now I do.  Blue feet, legs, and belly = Normal.

Whew!  Back to our regularly scheduled Big Summer Adventure then.  

As I mentioned above, The Prof had most selflessly gifted me with an airline ticket and offered to drive the other five children the 1200+ miles each way with our 13 year old son taking my place in the front passenger seat.   

Did you catch that?  He volunteered to drive five children on a 2500 mile road trip!   

And he was looking forward to it!  And I had barely packed the clothes much less fortified the van with the usual round of snacks and surprises.  Plus, I had just spent the last night before our departure in the hospital which means Poor Prof had to get the house ready for two weeks of abandonment.  No.  Small. Task. 

Alas, we did make it out the door that Sunday afternoon.  OK, it was evening actually.  I drove to Mass straight from the hospital that afternoon.  We headed home to tie up a few loose ends and then we hit the road for the Big D.  It was a long three hour-ish drive and we finally checked into the hotel at midnight.  Grateful to learn that there was an airport shuttle available, I bravely agreed to a 4am wake-up call. (Not much of an early morning gal, and, what with the prospect of a mere three hours of sleep  ahead of me, it took some courage to believe I would respond to a 4am alarm)  Arise I did.  Juju and I climbed into the airport van at 4:30 am, wishing our own little family and van the safest of journeys with a promise to meet up again in five days several states away, with many miles traversed and many tales to share.

to be continued...