Spencer Scoops: What a year for Gavin!

Gavin's 7th-grade year was a busy one, thanks in large part to his commitment to his select soccer team, the FC Sharks. Gavin also ran track and played soccer for his school too, not to mention somehow squeezing in scouting. He had hoped to play basketball for his school as well, but those tryouts and plans got interrupted by the unexpected drama detailed below.

First day of 7th grade!

The FC Sharks. This pic was coincidentally taken when Gavin was suffering from appendicitis, but had played the game and scored a goal anyway...

Probably not the best idea, since he ended up two days later with a ruptured appendix (deja-vu for Mom!!!). Here he is being wheeled into surgery on 11/12/13 (easy to remember that date!).

Gavin was out for a little while after surgery, but his main complaint upon waking was once again that he was STARVING. He literally had eaten nothing for two days and barely anything for the two days before that. Prior to the surgery they wouldn't let him eat anything and the hunger was almost worse than the pain from the appendicitis. When he was finally allowed to eat something more than broth, he requested a Chipotle burrito and ate the whole thing the very night of his surgery. His surgeon was impressed, to say the least.

We happened to be at the hospital when this lovely couple brought in stuffed animals for all the pediatric patients in honor of their son who had been a pediatric patient at Medical City, but who had not survived. They have been doing this for decades once a year on their son's birthday, and we were there for their visit. Gavin received a dragon--not like he's a big stuffed animal guy, but it was very kind of these people.

Really bored, but hanging in there! Gavin was in the hospital for 5 days, during which time we watched more TV than we could really stand. We also played quite a bit of pool, with Gavin dragging around his IV stand. I stayed with him all day every day, and Tim spent every evening with him, along with staying overnight the first two nights too.
Gavin was such a trooper! All the nurses commented on the way Gavin took this all in stride--no whining, moaning, crabbiness, or carrying on. It seemed to make a nice change for them! :-)

Finally time to go home!!! Good-bye Medical City! Hello Chick-Fil-A strawberry shake (Gavin's craving finally satisfied on the way home!).

These great friends of Gavin's came by to visit him with a signed soccer ball the next day.

Other than his surgery, and soccer, soccer, and more soccer. . .

. . .I think we will all remember this school year for Gavin as "The Year of the Hair." (Mind you, none of this experimentation detracted in any way from Gavin's popularity with the girls at school!)