School, Spinal Fusion Anniversary, Oral Surgery Update, and Father’s Day

  • Post category:Holidays / School
  • Reading time:5 mins read

Looking over the events that happened in James’ life over the past month and it looks like this will be a short post. He went on a couple of field trips for school, had another appointment at the UIC Craniofacial Clinic where we felt like we got sent to the principal’s office, and celebrated an anniversary.

 

School

Let’s start with school. Our minor league baseball team had two special “school days” events in May where they invited schools to come out to enjoy a baseball game at a discounted price. James’ class went on the 15th, and since Stacy didn’t have anything on her schedule, she was able to join them.

 

James sits in his wheelchair at a baseball stadium, shaded by an umbrella. On the field below, players move across the bright green grass. In the background, a large scoreboard shows a player with the number 29 along with team graphics and advertisements. The sun is strong and the scene feels like a lively, warm day at the ballpark.
Beautiful day for a baseball game

 

Three people sit together outside a building with a sign that reads “BEAR CONSTRUCTION.” James sits in the center in his wheelchair wearing a hat, sunglasses, and a gray sweatshirt. His nurse sits to his right and is wearing a maroon shirt and sunglasses. Stacy is on his left in a black sleeveless top and sunglasses.
James with his one-on-one nurse and Mommy

 

A crowd gathers outside a concession area labeled “3RD BASE GRILL BURGERS & BREWS CONCESSIONS.” A large bird mascot in an orange jersey poses with attendees, including James in his wheelchair and Stacy seated beside him. Several people hold umbrellas for shade, and the atmosphere is cheerful and busy. The mascot’s jersey has a logo on the sleeve, and one attendee holds a sign with partially visible text. The scene feels like a fun, energetic moment during a community event.
Team mascot

 

Thursday, May 23rd was the last day of his freshman year. I workout on Tuesday and Thursday mornings before I go to work, and I always make sure I say goodbye to James before he heads off to school. On this particular Thursday I hadn’t quite finished my workout yet, so I paused my workout to say goodbye. Stacy was taking his last day of 9th grade pictures before she wheeled him down to the bus, so I posed for one.

 

A bright orange collage shows four photos marking James’s first and last days of 9th grade. On the left, two “1ST DAY” photos show him in his wheelchair wearing a blue shirt and holding a sign that reads “FIRST DAY OF 9th GRADE.” On the right, two “LAST DAY” photos show him in a red hoodie holding a sign that reads “LAST DAY OF 9th GRADE.” White stars and decorative lines frame the layout, with “9TH GRADE” written vertically between the two sections. The collage highlights the full school year from beginning to end.
1st and Last Days of 9th Grade

 

Two people are indoors in a home setting. James sits in his motorized wheelchair wearing a red hoodie, blue sunglasses, and a blue neck support cushion. He holds a sign that reads “LAST DAY OF 9th Grade.” Jeff stands beside him in gray shorts and black gloves, shirtless, holding a smartphone and making a peace‑sign gesture. Light‑colored walls, a rug, and closed closet doors form the background. The moment feels casual and celebratory, marking the end of the school year.
“Daddy, stop being silly!”

 

After school on the 23rd, his class had a goodbye picnic at the park next to the school for a classmate that was graduating. I was using up one of my vacation days, so Stacy, Maggie and I decided to stop by to surprise James and wish the girl the best in her future endeavors.

James had two weeks off and then started summer school last week. On their first day of summer school, they went on a field trip to a nearby lake.

 

James sits in his wheelchair on a wooden dock beside calm water. He wears a blue sun hat, blue sunglasses, a black jacket, and light‑colored patterned shorts. His chair is equipped with accessories, including a flexible arm attachment, and a bag. Behind him, the lake reflects green trees under a clear blue sky, giving the scene a peaceful, sunny feel.
Field trip to the lake

 

On Monday they brought in some animals for the kids to learn about. James got to see an armadillo, some crested ducks, a rabbit, and a tortoise.

 

An armadillo sits curled in a black plastic bin filled with straw. A person’s arm reaches in toward it, either offering food or gently touching its shell. The armadillo’s layered armor plates and small head are clearly visible. The scene takes place indoors on a wooden floor, capturing a quiet, close interaction with the animal.
Armadillo

 

Three white ducks stand close together on a wooden floor. Each has a fluffy crest of feathers on top of its head, giving them a distinctive, rounded tufted look. Their orange beaks and webbed feet stand out against their bright white feathers. The ducks face one another as if interacting, creating a charming, lively moment.
Crested ducks

 

A black‑and‑white rabbit rests on a bed of hay inside a black plastic bin. The rabbit lies quietly with its body tucked in, looking relaxed and comfortable. The bin sits on a wooden floor, and the lower legs and shoes of people nearby are visible around it, suggesting an indoor setting where the rabbit is being observed or gently interacted with.
Rabbit

 

 

 

Spinal Fusion Anniversary

In addition to celebrating his last day of freshman year on the 23rd, he also celebrated the 5th anniversary of his spinal fusion.

 

A collage celebrates James’s “Happy 5th Spinal Anniversary,” surrounded by red, blue, and light‑blue hearts. The images include James lying in a hospital bed with bandages and monitors, his back showing a long spinal incision, and him sitting in his wheelchair in a hospital gown and mask. Two X‑rays display his spine with surgical hardware, and another close‑up shows the healed scar. The collage brings together moments from surgery and recovery to mark the five‑year milestone.
5-year spinal fusion anniversary

 

That was one hell of a long surgery. Almost six hours. Six hours of us pacing around the waiting room, hoping and praying that he was going to be okay. And of course he was. He handled the surgery like a rock star. He did spent a full month in the hospital after the surgery, though; not from complications from the surgery, but because his digestive system took several weeks to wake up enough to digest his food. You can read the full story of the surgery and recovery in the Spinal Fusion Surgery post.

 

 

Oral Surgery Update

On June 7th we had another appointment with the doctors at the UIC Craniofacial Clinic to discuss James’ oral surgery. We thought we were going to further discuss the surgery and talk through some more of our concerns, but it started out feeling like we were being reprimanded. Apparently, they had a day in July reserved for the surgery, but since they didn’t hear back from us in a timely manner, they had to give that time slot to another patient. We were never notified of the surgery date and had no idea that they had something scheduled.

After we got that miscommunication cleared up, we further discussed our concerns about their surgical plan. We asked if just removing some teeth would provide enough additional room for James’ tongue, and unfortunately it won’t. His teeth aren’t the problem; it’s his narrow bottom jaw that needs to be widened to provide the room his tongue needs to lay flat.

Since they gave the July date to another patient, we had to wait to get a call from scheduling for another date for surgery. The earliest date they had available was in January. We don’t want him to miss too much school, so we opted to do the surgery at the end of May after the school year is over. For better or worse, we now have eleven months to mentally prepare for the surgery. We’re going to put our thoughts and concerns about the surgery in the back of our minds, but I know once we get into the new year, our anxiety is going to come rushing back to the surface.

I really wish we could get a second opinion, but we had a hard enough time trying to find just one place that would even consider doing the type of surgery that James needs. We had been to four different oral surgeons over the course of seven months last year, starting with the one that removed James remaining baby teeth in October of 2018. They either didn’t have an affiliation with a hospital to do an inpatient procedure or didn’t feel comfortable with performing oral surgery on James. UIC Craniofacial Clinic is the only place we were able to find that is willing (and capable) of doing the surgery on a kid like James.

 

 

Father’s Day

Jeff and James sit together on a blanket outdoors near a weathered wooden wall. Jeff sits behind James, gently supporting him with his arms around him and leaning forward to kiss the top of his head. James wears a blue checkered shirt and brown pants, while the Jeff wears a light blue shirt and khaki pants. Tall grass in the foreground adds a warm, natural feel to the quiet, caring scene.

 

We had a nice Father’s Day with family. James and Stacy got me a tank top that says “Hot Dad Summer” that I intend to wear when I mow the lawn; and some accessories for the grill, which has become my favorite pastime.