For those of you have been asking about Grayson, here is an update.
In addition to being markedly underweight, he briefly stopped breathing several times and started choking. He spent three days in the hospital last week undergoing a swallow test, a swallow study, a brain scan and blood work. Doctors eventually concluded his breathing problems were stemming from a severe form of acid reflux called GERD.
He was discharged on Wednesday but Meagan had to take him back to the doctor on Saturday with some more lung/breathing issues. The doctor told Meagan to give him breathing treatments throughout the weekend and if he wasn’t better by today, he would have to be re-admitted to the hospital. Meagan said he is doing better this morning, which we are grateful for.
Nathan and Meagan are working with the doctors to get Grayson’s formula the exact consistency needed so that he doesn’t choke on it going down and doesn’t bring it right back up.
As you can imagine, it has been a stressful week for those kids of ours but they made it through. They are such wonderful parents. Meagan said on Facebook that they looked like the Clampetts going home on Wednesday but they left with a smile and many thanksgivings that none of the tests came back showing anything too serious.
I especially love this photo of Nathan taken during Grayson’s hospitalization. The nurturing, compassionate heart he showed for Sarah while she was undergoing cancer treatment has only grown bigger and richer as he cares for his son.
Nathan and Meagan said to pass on their thanks for your concern and prayers.
Back in the late 70’s, there was a farm equipment supply store in Goldsboro, NC. After a while, business began to fall off and the store owner’s wife thought she would supplement the family’s income by bringing in a few of her unused pieces of clothing to sell in a little corner of the shop. After a little while, some of her friends asked if they could also bring in some of their clothes to sell.
Almost forty years later, that shop of small beginnings has turned into a gargantuan business with 10,000 consignors and 700 new items processed each day.
And on a personal note, I have to say how special this store is to me because it has been part of my life since 1980 when it officially opened. That means I was a Second Fling-er before I was married, before I had kids, and long before I became a middle-aged grandma. That store has been in my life longer than Steve has!
I hadn’t been there in a couple of years and was getting a nostalgic longing to pay it a visit although I wasn’t thrilled about a 6-hour round trip to do so. And then it suddenly occurred to me that when I go to Greenville for my infusion, I am less than an hour away.
Eureka! I immediately planned a visit.
I wish I could adequately explain to you my feelings when I pulled up in front of the store. I have been a nomad for so much of my life, traveling, moving, never staying in the same place very long while growing up. To walk up to a store that I have been shopping at for 38 years, where hardly anything has changed? Well, it felt a lot like coming home.
This is the original sign; the one I have seen through almost four decades of visits.
The first thing I saw when I entered the store was the same thing I’ve seen every other time: a wig-bedecked mannequin dressed in a featured outfit. I have been greeted by this lady (and her various mannequin relatives) many dozens of times over the years.
It’s hard to express to you how enormous this place is.
It seems like an odd thing to love, but I really like the down home, non fancy dressing rooms that have changed very little through the years. They have a full length mirror and a door that locks. What more could anyone want?
After an hour or two of browsing has passed and you think you have seen it all, you go down a short hall and find there’s more. Lots and lots more.
There is a men’s area with all manner of clothes not shown in the picture.
There is also a children’s area.
This particular spot brought a lump to my throat because I got so many little outfits here for Nathan and Sarah over the years. In fact, I got my favorite dress of all time here for Sarah, an absolutely darling frock with colorful paper dolls printed all over it.
This is not a great picture but you can see how great that little dress is.
Then you open yet another door and find a space that is at least as large as the first room with an enormous variety of books, decorations, and household goods.
And then you go through yet another door and find the Yard Sale area, which is another huge area.
They have bridal and formal wear . . .
jewelry . . .
and boots.
There is furniture of all kinds . . .
and interesting, decorative dishes and glass pieces.
The best part of the store is the way they do their tags; every few weeks, they lower the price a little more. I ended up getting a darling blouse for $2.06.
And all of this got its start 38 years ago simply because the wife of a farm equipment store got creative with helping out the family’s budget!
I just love those kinds of stories–small beginnings and big endings.
And may I just say that if you are ever in the Goldsboro, NC area and you are a fan of thrift/consignment stores, this one is definitely worth a stop.
I figure I’m going to go back once or twice a year on some of my Greenville days, just so that I can continue that sweet tradition that has been in my life for so many years.
What about you? Is there a business/store/restaurant in your life that you have returned to again and again over the years? What is it about that place that draws you back?
I am so glad to hear that Grayson is out of the hospital and improving. Hopefully they can get his formula/medications right so that he can eat and gain weight. Acid reflux is so hard on babies. My youngest grandson had it but it wasn’t severe and he outgrew it.
That consignment shop is HUGE!! I wish we had something like that around here. 🙂
Lee Anne,
Go to hear that your grandson outgrew it; that is what Meagan and Nathan are hoping for, as well.
As for the consignment store, I have been to a lot of stores in many different areas of the country and it is, by far, the largest I have ever seen. It’s truly amazing.
I’m so glad Master Grayson is improving and hope he continues to improve. All I can say about Second Fling is WOW! I sure wish I had known about it when I lived in Kinston & Deep Run in the early 80’s. If I ever make it back Down East (which I REALLY want to do) I definitely have to make a stop there!
Sue Ellen,
Oh yeah, Kinston would have been NICE and close for you! Oh well. It will give you a reason to head back Down East. (And I can tell you have lived in that area because no one else would say Down East.) 🙂
Dear Grayson – acid reflux at his young age. Have a niece with that and it has not been fun. Praying that they will be able to find a wonderful solution for him so he can eat – whatever. Now that place is my kind of shop. You could spend quite a bit of time there because it is so large. I don’t do consignment shops often (I’m more of the thrift store), but I remember a woman in our former church who would go to garage sales and buy things cheap and then sell them at consignment shops. One item was an ultra suede jacket she bought for $2.95 and sold it for $95.00. She had so much fun doing this. After all these years to go back and enjoy it again and again.
Sharyn,
I have actually thought of doing what your friend did myself since I see so many fabulous deals at thrift stores that don’t necessarily fit me but are extremely high quality items for a couple of dollars. Sounds like she made money and had fun at the same time–quite the combination!
Thanks for your concern for Grayson; hoping and praying he gets to feeling better VERY soon!
So glad to hear that Grayson is doing better. Hopefully they can get his formula right so he can start growing.
That store looks huge. I don’t really have a store like that; however, there is a family owned fast food place in my hometown that has been around since before I was 10 probably. It’s changed hands but is still called by the original owner’s name – Simone’s. Their hamburgers and fries are delicious! I usually try to get takeout when I visit my parents – unfortunately they were closed when I was there last week. Lots of people that grew up in my hometown make it a point to eat there when they visit.
Phyllis,
It’s always a treasure to find a restaurant, like Simone’s, that has been in a town for a long time. People can go back and remember when they ate there as a child or a teenager or had their first date, or whatever. Old businesses are a great repository of memories.
Dear Becky, we will continue to keep Grayson and family in our thoughts and prayers. I LOVED your coverage of the Second Fling! As always, the photos were wonderful! You did buy the record player… right?… right? 😉
Fred,
That was a cool record player, was it not? Maybe I’ll get it NEXT time. 🙂
Wow, that store!!! I think I’d be in there for at least 4 hours and would leave with a car full of stuff. I can see why you have wanted to get back there. I wish there was something like that here. My son is getting married in a few months and I have to find a ‘mother of the groom’ dress. AND this dress needs to be long to the ground. Uggh. I never wear dresses and the last long gown I wore was my own wedding dress, over 30 years ago! I hate spending too much money on something I will only wear once. If there was a store like that, maybe I could find something. As it stands now it looks like I will be paying retail price, which just about kills me.
And little Mr. Adorable Grayson. I’m so glad he is out of the hospital. Reading between your lines, I’m guessing they are in for a bit of a long haul with his swallowing/gerd/respiratory issues. This is not an easy thing to get to the bottom of as its hard to know what is triggering what. All they can do is keep going and if he is not responding very well, to push for more opinions and answers. Genetics, metabolic and so on. I may remember that Maddie has asthma? So there may be a connection there. Time always tells but until you know for sure it can be so stressful. He has a wonderful family!
Lesley,
Yes, you could easily spend four hours (or even a whole day) in there!
And where you live, there would be a TON of consignment stores that sell long gowns. Do a search and see what you come up with. Sarah has gotten a couple of lovely long gowns from consignment/thrift stores.
You remember correctly that Madi has asthma; Meagan has to use a nebulizer with her from time to time. And you’re right that it’s been a challenge to get causes and solutions narrowed down for Grayson. Meagan is so good at searching for answers and implementing the instructions from the doctors. The main thing right now is to get some extra weight on our little buddy so that he can grow strong and feel better!
Thanks for your wise and understanding words.
So thankful some progress is being made in sweet Grayson getting better. Nathan and Meagan are incredible parents.
It’s amazing how long Second Fling has been in business! Glad you could stop in there again. Next time we come for a visit, going there is on the list of things I want to do! ☺️
There was a little shop I used to go to on occasion that smelled exactly like Grandma and Grandpa Mike’s second hand store. Stepping in the door of that shop actually brought tears to my eyes because it brought back such clear memories of going to grandma and grandpa’s as a kid. Unfortunately, the shop changed hands and the new owners remodeled, taking away the aroma of those memories.
Hope Steve is feeling better–guess we could say un-shingled. Sounded like an awful thing. ?
Love to you both!
Deb
Deb,
Wait, you were never in Second Fling, even when you were in Smithfield? Definitely a thing we need to do!
It’s funny, when I was writing this blog post I was thinking of Grandma and Grandpa’s store. I think going there through our growing up years may be the reason we all love thrift stores so much. And I agree about that certain smell. It can instantly transport you back forty years. I’m sorry the aroma of those memories got taken away.
Yes I think I did go there at some point back in the day, but I’d like to go again! ?
Deb,
I figure there had to be at least ONE time, being so close! But if you’d like to drive on down tomorrow, we could visit again! (Not so far from Wisconsin, is it?) 🙂
Be right there. ?
I need to look up that address. I have wanted to go there for years as you talked about it in the past. Seems like a good day trip. Prayers continue for Grayson and the rest of the family. Also for you, Steve and Sarah. November is here and we are so thankful for your family and what everyone means to us. Not sure about any certain store. I did like to visit Harbor Specialities in Beaufort, NC, but they have changed some of their merchandise so it doesn’t attract me anymore. Have a great week. Hugs and love. Still like The Christmas Place in Pigeon Forge which was definitely a yearly stop but with Jim’s health issues not sure we will make that trip again. Did not go this October as usual.
Ann,
I just looked it up and it’s not even very far from you; about 90 minutes or so. You would really enjoy it!
I’m sorry you couldn’t get to Pigeon Forge in October but am thankful you and Jim have so many memories of the times you were there. You have gotten to do some really special things. Hugs!