Consent signed.

Tuesday we once again graced Children's Hospital with our presence. I was so thankful that the dietician wasn't our only appointment otherwise I would have concluded that the trip was a complete waste of time. Basically she wanted us to increase her g-tube feeds gradually and give her a bolus of flaxseed oil (yep) in the mornings. We had been giving Kourtney flaxseed oil over the last year, but stopped it because we thought it wasn't helping her, but apparently it was helping her maintain her weight. So here we drove for 90 minutes, get put in the infectious holding room to greeted by a dietician clad in infectious gear: yellow gown, mask and gloves (because apparently Kourtney is infectious) and all she told us was to keep doing what we were doing. How humiliating. No other doctors or nurses do this but this woman feels compelled to follow the outdated protocol and not attempt to give us any ideas how we could boost her weight up.

Appointment number 2 was much more profitable, and comfortable! Kourtney decided that she wants to get her thumbs released. The plastic surgeon refused to operate on Kourtney until she was ready. So my brave little Kourtney told him that she wants the surgery done holding back her tears with the thought of skin grafting and painful dressing changes after. Dr. Courtemanche let Kourtney sign her own consent form. The irony came with the double handed signature that Kourtney has become accustomed to because her thumbs have become so fused into her palm. Exactly why she feels inclined to go through the pain of having surgery.

After the business was done, Dr. C opened himself up to us about his wife and her debilitating illness that she is struggling with. He is working less so he can take of her. I was blown away by his honesty and vulnerability. We never feel like an " infectious patient" to him; he is real and sees more in Kourtney than just a child with a debilitating disease. I hope we can inspire him in his challenges that he is facing.

Kourtney and I left feeling satisfied and a little afraid. We don't know when the surgery will be but we hope it will be in the next few months. But we got a good chuckle about the chubby, protocol-following, ineffective dietician compared to Dr. C who couldn't care less that Kourtney may be infected and warms our hearts.

Now for life lesson time: I myself have been in this position where we see someone that may be "infected" with life's trials and journey's. We pass judgement on them and clad ourselves with barriers so that they can't penetrate our lives because we fear that it may destroy our reputation or rub off on us. But yet what we really need to do is open our lives up to the people who are hurting and have been inflicted with disease of the mind, body and soul. To be an effective person in life it is vital that you break down the barriers created by fear, pride and lack of energy. When you have nothing to give, that is when you have the most. It is a process and when you get there the outcomes are rewarding beyond imagination.