Who Did This?

We have always been honest with Garrett of his beginnings, letting him know even before he understood its implications that he was from China, that we adopted him. And in general, all things considered, he has understood.
When he was four, he asked his mother on a road trip why his little ear (i.e. the side that is missing an ear) is different than his big one. He had recognized and verbalized that he had only one ear. Maggie told him that one day he would get a 2nd big ear to replace his little one.
Well, that day came yesterday, thanks to the good effort of Dr. Jones and his staff.

An extra shout out goes to Dr. Jones for going to the mattresses with the insurance company that had determined the first 2 rounds of review that Garrett receiving hearing on the left side of his head was not considered medically necessary, and was a 'cosmetic' procedure, not to be covered by them. After Dr. Jones climbed the ladder to the state insurance commission, the insurance company's perspective changed.

Garrett became the 3rd Adam, with Dr. Jones removing a portion of his rib to carve an ear and insert it in the side of his head in the first of 4 surgeries to gain his hearing.
G-man has had a few other surgeries, and has always proven completly brave about the process. This time was no different, coupling his natural bravery with an intense excitement over the new ear. However, upon waking up, bandages wrapped over his head, tubes draining various-colored fluids from random body parts, and a covering over his rib, all bets were off. In a drowsy, dry-mouthed manner, upon the entrance of Dr. Jones into the post-op room, Garrett strains with all the drugged-up voice he can muster, "WHO DID THIS!" while holding his rib. Direct and distinct accusation in his voice.

Hoodwinked.

Shanghai'd

Today, I pulled my Macaroni out

Screaming upstairs
Emily tearing into my presence, crying
sobs of "Garrett is...."
run up the stairs
Garrett holding his jaw crying

I look around, trying to find Eliza, expecting to accuse her of some heinous crime
She replies: "Garrett pulled his macaroni out"
and he confirms: "Yeah! I pull my mac-roni ou."

I take his hand back off of his face, and sure enough, the drain coming out of his jaw from last week's surgery is no longer stitched into Dudley's (British Garrett) jaw.

No sympathy in the Bowling house for things you do to yourself. We just don't have enough margin for it.

i really must learn to be more cautious in my agreements

sunday:
Dok-tor ??
Daddy Dok-tor ?!?!

monday:
early wakeup
no breakfast
sit in traffic
listen to talk radio
have ~74 ladies come in and poke me and think that using a sweet voice is going to sway my heart (well, it worked a bit)
another swig of the HAPPY JUICE !!
30 minutes of waiting, where I turn 1st into a happy drunk, then into a slobbering drunk, falling all over Daddy and mumbling "I love you, man"
then off with a stranger who kept telling me "It's going to be just fine", EXCEPT that it is NOT FINE !!!
i wake up
with strangers
another hole in my head
with a straw sticking out of my jaw-bone
and no Eliza
... "I WANT MOMMY!"
daddy showed up a bit later, which was acceptable (not ideal, but acceptable), and i fell asleep

--- 4 hour interlude, with a move to my old stomping ground, the one-hundred wing ---

some infectious dok-tor pokes me in the head until i finally wake up
small moans
larger complaining mumbles
tears uncontrollable
"I need to go Potty!!!"

(32 oz. lighter) Daddy and I give thanks before I partook in a feast of applesauce, refried beans and grilled cheese sandwich. topped off with a gatorade thirst aid.

(30 min. later) I return thanks all over my covers. "I Spilled!" Back to where I started earlierL hungry.

catch the first half of Star Wars: Return of the Jedi with dad,
slip off to sleep
--- 8 hour interlude, with me peeing all over the bed twice; you might as well skip the pull-ups ---

wake up at 4 am
tired of sleeping
having been asleep 27 of the previous 32 hours

infectious disease dok-tor decides i've got to stay another day
(you really should get travel insurance, to take care of these unplanned vacations)
play
watch TV
pee
play
pee
eat
pee ("I poop Daddy")
watch TV
pee
play
pee ("I poop Daddy")

Mom comes by for a few hours.
I give her a hard time because she isn't as cool as Dad
She responds by making me go to bed

again

Mommy kept poking at me on Monday. Said something about my face. Everybody seems so interested in my face these days. Daddy said to stop worrying, which of course I wasn't anyway. I think he may have been talking to Mommy.

Then Tuesday me and Eliza went on a fun ride with Mommy. Things were great until Doctor showed up again. Typically he just laughs a lot and gives me stickers, but this time he stuck a needle in my jaw and withdrew a lot of white smelly stuff. Didn't even ask first. He's not getting my co-pay.

Out comes the Happy Juice again. It's a love-hate thing. The stuff is 'real', you know. I feel alive. But then I end up in a bed with tubes and wires and a Vacancy sign on the left side of my mouth. I love the Juice, but I've got to kick this habit or I'm going to go missing.

There's always the upside. Cute nurses bringing me stuff and talking about me like I'm not in the room. Room service, plenty of Thomas the Train and Pudding.

The next time Mommy starts poking at my face again, I'm going to hide in the closet.... unless she promises the Juice.