Following Up...

In what hopefully will prove to be the final chapter in Nathaniel's recent trials and tribulations, this morning found us back at Sick Kids Hospital for a followup appointment with Dr. Salle in Urology. Since the appointment wasn't until 9am, we didn't have to leave at the crack of dawn like the last time. Although given the day's weather condition--the first day this January that actually felt like January--we probably should've departed a bit earlier.
No matter: we were seen promptly around 9:30am by the always-cheery doctor and he was pleased with the progress of Nathaniel's war wound. The catheter was removed with a few snips without a flinch from our little trooper. No more double diapers!
Another appointment was arranged for May and after a frustrating exit from the underground parking garage we were on our way back home through downtown's newly moist, always treacherous streets (as of this writing, 13 pedestrians have been killed since the year began).

Throughout this entire ordeal, Nathaniel has been an absolute joy. He required not a drop of the heavy-duty painkillers prescribed, didn't pull-and-pry at his dressings, and soldiered on with standing exercises and round-the-clock play whereas many of us several times his age would've crawled into the fetal position and inhaled Tylenols like they were breath mints. He's clearly up for any challenge but I think we've all had enough drama to last us through the winter. With both boys starting to figure out the whole walking-thing, Pops needs to conserve his strength for the thaw, when those painkillers just might come in handy...