Gilchrist Hotel and Respite

After many different conversations, many different times, Brian and I finally decided to put Ian into the inpatient unit at Gilchrist in Howard County. Why Howard you ask, because that's where the pediatric unit is. We started calling it the Gilchrist Hotel for Ian. Friday night, Brian, Becca and I spent the night at home watching Mrs. Doubtfire. 

On Friday evening, we got a report from Ian's Gilchrist home care nurse, she called to check on him and the "hotel" nurses said he's doing great and they didn't think he would have a problem sleeping tonight. 

Ian getting all settled in!

Marci tubing with Ian in spirit...blue tube and jacket...SPIDER-MAN.

Saturday morning, the 3 of us went snow tubing with girl scouts...Ian was with us in spirit...the jacket Brian and I wore was red as well as the tube we used was blue. While tubing was cold and it started to snow while we were there it was wonderful. A lttile weird driving some place in Brian's car as we are usually in the van and have Ian with us. For me tubing is always exhilarating...the wind and snow and cold in my face gives me the feeling of freedom, not a care or worry in the world. Something that is not part of my regular life. Saturday afternoon, was spent sitting around the house watching tv and reading....something we don't get to do often, at least uninterrupted. The only thing that would be great to have today would be a fireplace.

Brian, Becca and I at the lodge at the end of snow tubing.

Saturday night, we stayed in...well Brian did and Becca and I walked to a friends house before coming home and playing a mean game of Life. 

Sunday morning I was hoping to sleep in, well, I was up by 7:30. So I took a little time for me, while Brian and Becca were still sleeping. Later, Becca went over to her friends house for the day. Brian and I ran a few errands and then went out to lunch before heading to pick up Ian. Once we got to the unit, Ian was with one of his regular volunteers, Michelle, watching a movie. He was all smiles...told us some of what he did...like stayed up late last night watching TV, drank soda and had McDonalds. He graded the nurses...by the end of the weekend both the day nurse and the night nurse got "A"'s. We asked him if he would want to spend some more time at the hotel again...shocker the answer was yes...he even said that he did not want to go home...

Oh well, that is one request you know we could not honor....we are all back home after our first respite weekend. 

Ian giving Mommy and Daddy the look because it is time to get ready to go home.