"He told me to tell you: "Everything is OK" "

In mom talk that usually means:

I don't believe you, so how about you giving me the whole story

so I can decide if everything is OK.

For us there is nothing worse than to get a call from someone telling us our youngest son is "OK" ~ the red flags pop up and wave with gale force winds...just give me the details as thoroughly and quickly as you can.

We know each day is a gift when we think about this young man who has overcome various health issues in his young life from day one to today~ten days before his 25th birthday. He didn't come home from the hospital when I did following following his birth, as a toddler and preschool child his playmates were his Nurses, Doctors and other hospital staff. He slept more nights in a hospital bed than his own during his first 3 years. During our boys' school years we planned our vacations around surgeries and/or hospitalizations. He is no stranger to a Dr's office or emergency room.

Last night we got one of those "Everything is OK" phone calls. Ryan was born with Marfans, has a heart condition, pectus excavatum and his body looks like a tic-tac-toe board from his many and various surgeries. He is very good about taking care of himself, taking his meds, getting his check ups and etc. He knows when the slightest changes take place and which changes warrant a trip to the Dr, urgent care, or ER. Yesterday it was a trip to the ER.

He is fortunate to have a cardiologist who is well versed in Marfans treatment. Dr ran all the tests - didn't like the way some of them turned out and decided to keep Ryan overnight for observation and run more tests this morning. He was admitted to the cardiology unit and was hooked up to monitors and etc.

We got online and checked airfare and flight times last night. We knew we would go if needed and he knew we would be there if he asked us to be there. Ed wasn't sure he could make the trip due to his recent surgery so we thought about flying our oldest son, Roy, from Seattle to San Diego. My sister decided Ryan could not have surgery without her there (there is a story behind this!!! and someday you might hear it) I cancelled my business trip and we spent the night and this morning sitting by the phone waiting to hear something, caught between don't wait - just go and wait - we need more information.

More tests today, and all of them "inconclusive". Ryan was released from the hospital late this afternoon and hopefully he is at home sleeping. He left his phone at the office yesterday but he said he would borrow a phone and call us tonight.

Today Ed and I held each other, prayed, drew strength from my sister, Nancy (thanks for being there for us!) and our oldest son, Roy. Ed paced while I put my anxious energy to work by cleaning, doing laundry and sewing and sewing and sewing.

Sherrie, thank you so much! You are a great second mom for Ryan, and we know that boy-o needs more than one!!! That Ryan, he will give you gray hair, this I know, this I have proof of!

Nancy, thank you for always being there when I call and cry, and then laugh, and then cry some more....Thank you for laughing and crying with me....I love you. Today you can be both the SO and the PO, because you are!