The AVM was only skin deep. And on his ear, it was only the top part of his ear (in other words the AVM didn't go into his ear canal which was a big concern too; also, the little flap of ear that doesn't have any cartilege in it was without AVM too, so they didn't remove that either). There was *no* AVM in his brain!!!!!!!!!! PTL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We were ecstatic!!!!! So then we went to the next step of this.
We had to take him back in around March of 2001 and get his tissue expanders put in (now mind you, we are dealing with a 4 yr old little boy, and although he heard the initial diagnosis and what was going on; it didn't really 'click' so with each step, we had to explain to him what was going on in 4 year old terms and not scare him. I had to put on my protective parent exterior for him (and Rhane who was 6 years old and didn't understand all this either; so it was tough. We didn't want them being scared or worrying so we only told them in stages what was going to happen. With the tests, we explained that the Dr's were going to take pics of Caleb's ear while he was asleep to see just how special it really was).
When we went in to get the tissue expanders, we explained to the boys (as Rachel was too young to understand), that Caleb was going to get balloons put just under his skin in his head and cheek and that we were going to put water in these balloons. Oh my goodness, that was just TOO COOL to a 4 and a 6 year old! LMBO So off we went, had Caleb's *balloons* put in and went on with our day to day lives. In fact, Caleb learned to ride his bike the day he came home from getting his *balloons* in. Talk about a tough little boy! My mom was *way over protective* with Caleb by this time and she freaked on us when we told her that he learned to ride his bike! LOL
From March until June was rather uneventful as far as all of this went. We just went on with our lives. You know, it is amazing what 'normal' becomes when you are going through something like this. We would have people tell us all the time, 'I don't know how you do it'. To which our answer was always, 'We don't have a choice; this is our life, we thank God that it is just his ear and we move on. God will get us through this'. And that is always how we have felt. It isn't just a 'show', that is us.
Well, it was the 3rd week of June 2001 (and note here that I was 4 months pregnant with Joseph by this time), and Rhane & Caleb were playing outside (playing teepees by the tree w/ a couple of poles. I had *JUST* looked outside and saw them and thought 'how cute, they are little indians *G*). I was inside with Rachel doing something and all of a sudden I heard this BLOOD CURLING scream! I knew instantly that it was Caleb and I KNEW that this was serious!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I ran (waddled) outside as fast as I could and OMGosh, again my heart STOPPED (Caleb has a way of stopping my heart alot, have you noticed? LOL). Caleb had blood all over his head and shirt and on the grass! (now mind you, it took me less than 30 seconds from the time I heard the scream til I was holding him).
So I picked Caleb up and rushed him into the house. Ross had worked the night before and so he was asleep in the house (until Caleb screamed that is). As I came in with Caleb (blood all over both of us) Ross came around the corner to help. We weren't sure WHAT was bleeding yet (whether it was his *balloon* or his ear or his head for that matter, but I figured it was the balloon or the ear). So we started cleaning him up and trying to see what was bleeding. All I could say over and over was 'Dear God PLEASE make it stop bleeding, please don't take my baby!' I wasn't crying, and I wasn't frantic. We were taking care of business. Get the bleeding stopped and get him cleaned up and keep him and Rhane (and Rachel as well since she was 2 by this time) calm.
Well, it was Caleb's ear (where that mosquito bite had been, that was still filling with blood (it was the size of the tip of your little finger)). Blood was GUSHING out of it! It was coming out at least the width of a #2 pencil lead. (remember the knick on his ear a year earlier); well, in 5 minutes this GUSHING was stopped (yes, I believe God heard and answered my prayers. I always have and I always will.). We were fixing to rush him to the hospital when it just stopped bleeding. So we called Julie (and also our Pediatrician); told them what happened and they said that as long as the bleeding had stopped everything was ok, and they would see him next week at the scheduled appt. After everything settled down, I lost it. At least I didn't freeze up! That could have been devastating, and that has always been a fear of mine!
