Burke wants to play...

While Rachel and I have been here at PCMC with Burke, Emma has been staying with one of my sisters and her family back in Boise. Since being down here we have called Emma nearly everyday. Each time we talk to her she says, "I want to talk to Burkie." Burke, of coarse, has been knocked out with medications so we have had to tell Emma that "Burkie is asleep so he can't talk right now." Her reply to this has usually been, "He's sleeping...... when he wakes up I want to talk to Burkie." To this we have said, "OK" but we know full well that it is going to be several days before he can talk with her.

Rachel and I wondered how long it would be before Emma grew tired of this response. Well, on Thursday Emma didn't like that answer any more so after Rachel told Emma that "Burkie is asleep..." she replied with, "well wake him up." To this we have tried to give here a 3 year old version of why Burke is always sleeping.

Burke woke up for a little while Friday and was calmly laying there in his bed looking around when we thought, now would be a great time for Emma to finally talk with Burke. We hesitated a little not knowing how Burke would respond. We decided to give it a try. So I quickly sent a text off to my sister Becca with his bedside telephone number asking her to call so Emma could finally talk with Burke. Very quickly they called. I passed the phone to Rachel who then put the phone down to Burke's ear. The instant Burke heard Emma's voice he went NUTS. He must have thought it was playtime. He squirmed all over that bed trying to escape all the tubes and restraints. Rachel quickly pulled the phone away and handed it back to me. I put the phone to my ear just in time to hear Emma say, "I love you Burkie." While I finished quickly with Emma and Becca, Rachel was trying to calm Burke down. Rachel settled him down but it was very apparent that Emma's voice to Burkie meant it was playtime....and it is, but not quite yet....Burke just needs a few more days.