Wednesday, December 30, 2009
A Happy New Year!!
Even though Olivia hasn't returned to school and we're not back into our regular routine, it seems like things are returning to normal- compared to how they have been the last couple of months! Santa has been a little slower this year (due to OK's blanket of snow!) so he is coming to our house tonight. Unfortunately, it's a little anti-climactic, and I hope we don't have to do this again. It's a little less exciting to put reindeer food out 5 days after the deer have already come and gone!
Ian ended up getting his cast off on Dec 14th, which was great. However, his incisions (under the cast) had come open and he had experienced a terrible reaction to some of the casting material. He was covered in a rash, and although I had prepared myself for him to look shriveled with four long partially healed incisions, I wasn't prepared for the incisions to be open or for his body to be covered in blood blisters and other red sores. We were really taken by surprise and decided to check into the hospital for the night so the nurses and doctors could monitor it. Anyway, to make a long story short we were able to go to therapy the next day and went home that night. We continued full days of therapy the rest of the week (outpatient) and went again for two days last week, then left Wed for Christmas in OK. Fortunately, we were able to divide the drive into two days and Ian (and Olivia) did great. Actually, Ian did great the entire time we were gone. We have now been released from therapy but we are doing his exercises twice a day at home, and the hospital sent us home with a smaller stander than what we had so he is in that at least an hour a day. He is really doing great though. We were able to take the ramp going into the house down, and he is taking a few steps with a lot of help. We were told it may take up to a year to get to where he was before the surgery, which was walking short distances and wheelchair the rest of the time. Hopefully, this surgery will help but it's not guaranteed to. It was primarily done to alleviate future pain. Our return appointment is in March.
Another thing that has been going on with us is Olivia's adoption. Although she has been a member of our family since February 2008, we have not been able to finalize yet. The week before Christmas, while we were doing full days of therapy for Ian, we received a letter in the mail basically saying we needed a mini home study and that someone would be coming to our house on the morning of Dec 28th- two days after we arrived home from OK and the morning after we had Christmas here. I also had documents to gather, information to provide, and doctors' physicals (for all of us) to schedule. Because of the snow, we ended up getting home the night of the 27th, and did a whirlwind house cleaning to be ready for our appointment the next morning. I think because of these things, I am already saying things have returned to normal- because compared to the past two months, they have! Next is our court appearance on Jan 11. I should have happy pictures to post!
So, all is settled (except for having Christmas in the morning!) and I am really enjoying this time home with the kids. I always do like the period between Christmas and New Years. I find it relaxing that the hubbub of Christmas is over and exciting as we anticipate the things the year ahead might bring!
One thing I know it is going to bring is Ian being home schooled. I am excited about that. He loves to be home, and I think is much happier than at school. I am not expecting miracles (but I will be praying for them) as far as what he will learn, but I am hoping he can learn some daily living skills that would make him a little more independent. I have only committed myself to this semester, and if it doesn't work for us, he can always return to his regular school next fall. His teacher and the aids are very nice, and although I'm sure they will be in some ways relieved, I know they will miss him too. However, he hasn't been in school since the first two days of November, so really they're already used to him not being there. I feel like it's my gain that he will be home with me, and hopefully it will be his too. Ask me again in a month or two though!
So. . . now it's time to think about my resolutions for the coming year and look forward to what's ahead. I'm excited and feel renewed already!
Happy New Year- Leah
Ian ended up getting his cast off on Dec 14th, which was great. However, his incisions (under the cast) had come open and he had experienced a terrible reaction to some of the casting material. He was covered in a rash, and although I had prepared myself for him to look shriveled with four long partially healed incisions, I wasn't prepared for the incisions to be open or for his body to be covered in blood blisters and other red sores. We were really taken by surprise and decided to check into the hospital for the night so the nurses and doctors could monitor it. Anyway, to make a long story short we were able to go to therapy the next day and went home that night. We continued full days of therapy the rest of the week (outpatient) and went again for two days last week, then left Wed for Christmas in OK. Fortunately, we were able to divide the drive into two days and Ian (and Olivia) did great. Actually, Ian did great the entire time we were gone. We have now been released from therapy but we are doing his exercises twice a day at home, and the hospital sent us home with a smaller stander than what we had so he is in that at least an hour a day. He is really doing great though. We were able to take the ramp going into the house down, and he is taking a few steps with a lot of help. We were told it may take up to a year to get to where he was before the surgery, which was walking short distances and wheelchair the rest of the time. Hopefully, this surgery will help but it's not guaranteed to. It was primarily done to alleviate future pain. Our return appointment is in March.
Another thing that has been going on with us is Olivia's adoption. Although she has been a member of our family since February 2008, we have not been able to finalize yet. The week before Christmas, while we were doing full days of therapy for Ian, we received a letter in the mail basically saying we needed a mini home study and that someone would be coming to our house on the morning of Dec 28th- two days after we arrived home from OK and the morning after we had Christmas here. I also had documents to gather, information to provide, and doctors' physicals (for all of us) to schedule. Because of the snow, we ended up getting home the night of the 27th, and did a whirlwind house cleaning to be ready for our appointment the next morning. I think because of these things, I am already saying things have returned to normal- because compared to the past two months, they have! Next is our court appearance on Jan 11. I should have happy pictures to post!
So, all is settled (except for having Christmas in the morning!) and I am really enjoying this time home with the kids. I always do like the period between Christmas and New Years. I find it relaxing that the hubbub of Christmas is over and exciting as we anticipate the things the year ahead might bring!
One thing I know it is going to bring is Ian being home schooled. I am excited about that. He loves to be home, and I think is much happier than at school. I am not expecting miracles (but I will be praying for them) as far as what he will learn, but I am hoping he can learn some daily living skills that would make him a little more independent. I have only committed myself to this semester, and if it doesn't work for us, he can always return to his regular school next fall. His teacher and the aids are very nice, and although I'm sure they will be in some ways relieved, I know they will miss him too. However, he hasn't been in school since the first two days of November, so really they're already used to him not being there. I feel like it's my gain that he will be home with me, and hopefully it will be his too. Ask me again in a month or two though!
So. . . now it's time to think about my resolutions for the coming year and look forward to what's ahead. I'm excited and feel renewed already!
Happy New Year- Leah
Monday, November 16, 2009
So Far, So Good
Everybody is gone now- including Brian. My parents left yesterday after Brian, Olivia, and I went to church. Brian went back to work today. He did come home to eat lunch and get Ian up on the stander a few minutes. Tomorrow morning someone from church is coming over to sit with Ian while I run Olivia to school and then hopefully help me get him out of bed. Then another person is coming later in the morning to help me get him in the stander. I can run to the grocery store and pick Olivia up from school while she is here too. The main difficulty is getting Ian moved from place to place while Brian is at work.
His appetite is just about back to normal I think. He just ate a very good lunch, and is content in his cast, which we are very thankful for. He also slept better last night, and neither of us had to sleep with him. The weather is kind of crummy today, but on nice days we can go for a walk. Unless we get really desperate, Ian definitely will not be going on any car rides! Since he can't sit, we have to put on his harness and push and pull him in his lying position across the seat and then strap him in using that harness. It's not easy, and he did not care for it on the way home. I think other than that all is well. I just need to figure out what we're going to do at home for the next 5 weeks!
I think that's it for today. I've been catching up on bills and things that were overlooked while we were in the hospital. I'm anxious to get our cast removal date- the 7th or 14th of December. We'll be counting down the days, and I'll be Christmas shopping on-line! I better go get Ian turned. He's a great little trooper.
Leah
I probably won't post too much because there won't be a lot going on. Will let you know if anything changes or we get a cast removal date.
His appetite is just about back to normal I think. He just ate a very good lunch, and is content in his cast, which we are very thankful for. He also slept better last night, and neither of us had to sleep with him. The weather is kind of crummy today, but on nice days we can go for a walk. Unless we get really desperate, Ian definitely will not be going on any car rides! Since he can't sit, we have to put on his harness and push and pull him in his lying position across the seat and then strap him in using that harness. It's not easy, and he did not care for it on the way home. I think other than that all is well. I just need to figure out what we're going to do at home for the next 5 weeks!
I think that's it for today. I've been catching up on bills and things that were overlooked while we were in the hospital. I'm anxious to get our cast removal date- the 7th or 14th of December. We'll be counting down the days, and I'll be Christmas shopping on-line! I better go get Ian turned. He's a great little trooper.
Leah
I probably won't post too much because there won't be a lot going on. Will let you know if anything changes or we get a cast removal date.
Thursday, November 12, 2009
We're Home!
After visiting with the doctors this morning and having a good night last night we decided to bring Ian home. He has done great but has still not eaten. Luckily, he wasn't skin and bones before the surgery and it didn't hurt him to lose a little. Of course he was getting his nutrition through tube or IV while in the hospital, but we really need him to start eating soon. Maybe tomorrow. We're glad to be home and looking forward to the weekend. My parents will be here until Sunday. Thanks you again for your prayers. We're on to the next phase of the treatment- the five weeks at home in the cast. We don't have our appointment date to get it removed but should be either the 7th or 14th of December. Then we will begin a week or two of therapy. It is our choice. We can do either inpatient or outpatient- our choice.
I've got to get to bed. I haven't stopped since we got home, and I'm exhausted.
Leah
I've got to get to bed. I haven't stopped since we got home, and I'm exhausted.
Leah
Home Today. . . Maybe
Ian had a great day yesterday. No oxygen, and no oxygen during the night. So, it's looking like we will go home today. I had originally wanted two nights without oxygen, but this morning's x-ray looked much much better, and the respiratory therapist said we would know if he was in distress during the night. Him not being able to breathe and us not knowing about it was my biggest concern. The only thing that might keep us from going home today is that he won't eat. They haven't offered any reasons for this except that after surgery it sometimes takes awhile to get your appetite back. It's now been 8 days though, and I think he probably should have it back by now. We'll see soon if they really want him to be eating before he can be discharged. We should have an answer by noon I think. The intensive care doctor is here this morning so we'll see what he says. We'll let you know.
Leah
Leah
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
No Change
Ian stayed on blow-by oxygen last night but was able to come off this morning. The difficulty at night is that he won't wear the oxygen mask, and he really doesn't have to, but when we prop it up, it falls or he knocks it off. Then the monitor alarm goes off and I have to get up and fix it. This happens several times throughout the night . If we want to make him wear the mask, we have to put arm restraints back on, which we don't want to do. Anyway, he really does fine during the day but just can't keep his levels up at night. He really didn't sleep well at all (so neither did I) and he is crashed right now. I took a little nap myself. He doesn't seem to mind his cast and has been happy. He did great in his stander and ate a few bites of bacon and eggs this morning. We haven't tried his lunch yet since he's asleep. We've been moved to room 115, so instead of being the first door on the right, we're now on the left. Brian is working some from here and is planning to stay the night and go to work when I get here in the morning. If Ian can stay off the oxygen tonight, we'll go home tomorrow. That's the whole hold up. I probably won't update tonight since I don't anticipate any change between now and then. We'll go back to physical therapy (the stander) this afternoon for an hour or more and just hang out the rest of the day. He is also still taking an antibiotic and breathing treatment. The doctor said 30% of his right lung is effected. We haven't heard from my parents so they must be doing fine with Olivia.
'Til tomorrow or something changes- Leah
'Til tomorrow or something changes- Leah
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