The shocking reality of travel...the countdown has begun

Preparations are underway for our 1st official vacation as a family. Lest we jinx ourselves, we are making cancelable plans, but making plans nonetheless For now Mason is still doing great, but we know all too well that can change on a moment's notice, so we are hoping and planning to go, but prepared for a change.

Like a lot of things in our lives over the past year and a half, most things are running smoothly, but we are running into some snags.

We've figured out how many oxygen tanks to bring with us on the drive to Montana and how many we'll need while we're at the reunion. Thankfully, our vendor has a sister location in Missoula that delivers to the location of our reunion; we'll be able to stop in Missoula and exchange what we bring so we have enough for the drive home and don't need to carry a round trip supply. We'll have with us 2 M cylinders (8" diameter, 3 feet tall) and 2 E cylinders (4" diameter, 2 feet tall) for the trip - plus all the other gear we need. The vendor will also be delivering 4 H cylinders (9" diameter, 4 feet tall) and 10 E's. Not sure how we'd get all of the oxygen and other stuff we need in the truck otherwise. Unfortunately, with the timing of the holiday, figuring out delivery has proved to be our biggest challenge. We need it when we get there, but we get there on the holiday and they don't deliver on the holiday. Nothing insurmountable, but logistically challenging just the same.

Last week, I started a list of items that Mason will need on the vacation as well including normal baby stuff plus his medications, feeding pump/bags, suction machine, nebulizer, some sort of way to carry the oxygen around the camp while carrying Mason around the camp, etc. You get the idea.

Thanks to my Mom, we figured out that it would be easier and allow more flexibility if we had 2 play pens to use while we're there. That way, one of us doesn't have to stay in the cabin while Mason's napping. For most kids, its really no big deal if you don't respond right away if the child needs something during a nap, and for Mason, most of the time this is the case. However, if Mason should happen to desaturate a little and the monitor goes off, at that elevation, he could be in serious danger within seconds. So, we have to be right there to respond - no time to run in from the next cabin or the lodge. Great idea, Mom!

Bill had the brilliant idea of using a tackle box (18W x 12D x 7H) to store all of Mason's medications. This way, he'll have all of his syringes, bottles of medication, nebulizers, and formula/lipids in 1 closable location. Less possibility of spillage. Next week, we'll be making sure to re-order all of his meds so that we don't run out of anything while we're there.

I am so glad we did our test run a couple of weeks ago. It let us know what worked and what didn't, how much oxygen we would need at that elevation, what would make things a little easier while we're on our trip, and simply that it was possible! I have never missed one of our reunions at Legendary Lodge and I really don't want to miss this one. With a little more prayer, a little more luck, and a lot more planning, hopefully we'll be able to make it!