6/21/18 Brief Houston update

Hi, there.  Steve again.  Gabrielle is working hard, resting in preparation for her big day of testing today.  Yesterday was kind of ho-hum.  Only testing she had was a blood draw in the morning.   After that, we just headed back to our apartment where Gabrielle had a long nap and we binge watched TV.  Her tummy pain has been getting worse, so she didn't sleep well the night before.  Still no appetite, but last night, I was able to get her to eat an open faced turkey and cheese sandwich and maybe an M&M or two for dessert.  We hunkered down amidst thunder, lightning and torrential rains...giving Houston, in my mind the title of "the rainy city".  Oh to be back home in sunny Seattle!

As for today, through the "magic" of scheduling vagaries somebody decided to lump all the really tough tests into a hectic tightly packed day today.  That means that she gets an ECG (simp), a chest, abdomen and pelvic CT scan with contrast material (not so simp), followed by a stress echocardiogram (way, way harder than "not so simp").  She can't eat before these tests, which means that she has to have the CT, get the contrast material which tends to give her the runs (TMI? you decide), and then she has to hop on a treadmill an hour later and run fast enough to get the heart pounding so they can get an echocardiogram while the heart is racing away.  I have been praying for her endurance today, and hope you will too. 

She is a real champion, my hero.  She endures this ordeal patiently and with grace and is an example of strength, meekness, godliness and humility all rolled into one.  

After all this testing, there is one left: pulmonary function tests.  We haven't gotten that one lined up yet, but after the treadmill it will be "easy peasy" as some people like to say.  Hopefully it will be tomorrow sometime, not at the end of the day today.

With all the tests out of the way, that will end "Step 1" which I wrote about before.  Then there is a bit of a waiting game while they review the data, labs, etc to determine if she is indeed a candidate for the study and possibly plug her into a surgery slot in 2-3 weeks.  But we don't need to be here for them to do all that.  As such, we are going to be able to come home tomorrow night!  Woo hoo!  Our flight leaves in the evening, and we'll get in late. 

Meanwhile, she is having more pain, as I said above.  We are obviously quite concerned about her worsening symptoms, and covet your prayers, good wishes, lit candles, you name it.

And as those in the fourth estate like to say, "and that's all the news that's fit to print".  If you want more of the news that's not fit to print, well you're on your own.

And now for some pix!

First: me enjoying a cold beverage (not sayin' what's in it, or how many I had).  At El Real Tex-Mex restaurant.  Notice the Western playing in the bar...a refreshing change from what is on every other TV in town...the World Cup (apologies to soccer fans).  

Gabrielle at El Real eating amazing guacamole, and not showing much interest in the Western on the big screen TV.

Gabrielle at a reflecting pool in Hermann Park (museum district)

This oyster shack, Capt'n Benny's, is shaped like a boat.  It is right next to where we are staying.  Sign on the other side says "eat fish live longer, eat oysters, love longer".  It's rated 4 stars on Yelp, but the smell of grease two blocks away has kind of made me leery.  Yep, that's our neighborhood: an oyster shack, a pawn shop and across the street a liquor store.