A lawyer in the making...

Today Gavin had pacer & cardio clinic in OKC. All in all a great appointment. His pacemaker looked good, doing its job! As of right now looks like he has about 10-14 years left of battery. This time frame can change depending on how much his heart uses the pacer as he gets older. At this moment he is using it 50% of the time. They adjusted his pacer to turn down the sensitivity on it. There was some interference noise that they want to rule out as anything else alarming. We will know for sure at his recheck in January. His INR levels were high, so we're adjusting medications again. He will get labs again in a week. They are working on getting us a home test kit. It is a finger stick like what diabetics use for glucose tests. This will be so much better than the weekly home health lab draws. Gavin is a hard stick and it takes a lot of blood and time. The finger prick will be easier and faster! Hoping to have the kit by November. We will have a home pacer check in January. Then go back to clinic 6 months from now. Gavin's neuro sent us a referral to see the neuro in OKC for a second opinion on the pupil situation. We're waiting to hear back from them for an appointment. 

During cardio clinic Gavin asked Dr. Overholt if he could sign up for flag football. Gavin is getting to the age where he realizes everyone else is playing sports. He is very passionate about sports. He wants to play everything but especially football. We try not to bring up football to him and we've pushed him towards golf and baseball. But now that his best buds are playing football, basketball, & soccer- he wants to join in on the fun. Today he pushed and pushed the convo to happen. Pleading his case, how tough he is, how he wouldn't let anyone touch his pacemaker. He even promised not to fall. Dr. O asked him if he was planning to be a lawyer because he'd make a great one someday! Ha. Dr. O rubbed his back and explained to him the risks of high impact sports with not only a pacer but with Coumadin. Gavin was about to tear up but took it well. Dr. O said we will see if he's still interested in all of this in the spring and we will go from there. He wants Gavin mentally to feel a part of "normal" kids but stressed the physical issues that can occur. Which we are totally on board, we try to let Gavin do what his body limits him to do. But we also know as parents we have a responsibility to keep him safe. Honestly, after everything we've been through with him, this has been pretty painful. It's heartbreaking and hard to tell your child they cannot be/do something when all we want to do is tell our children they can do anything they set their mind to. Asking for prayers for wisdom and words to share with our Gavin.