December 2015

Her first time wearing her jeans, boots, coat and hat.  Adorable.  Staring and pointing, although not in the direction, at the plane overhead.  Saying "Whoa!" 

Tom and Mom.  Getting vitals taken and prepared for his ENT surgery and tests.  

December 8th, the feast of the Immaculate Conception.

Going for a ride around the CARES unit while waiting on the nurse to come and get T.  I secretly gave the nurse T's beads so she could distract him if needed.  This is how the nurse took him back into surgery.  I gave him kisses and hugs, pushed him around the unit and when he was looking forward, the nurse took the handle and pushed him through the surgery doors.  When he was put on the bed with masks, the nurse handed him is beads.  She said they helped a lot when he noticed I was gone.  Then he drifted off to sleep...

Still presurgery.  Still driving around  :)

Post-Op, enjoying a spinning plate as only Thomas can.

Tom and I walked many miles around the ICU in this little wagon.  When dad came to relieve me, they walked many more.
At one point I put the seat down, laid a pillow on it and turned it into a bed.  He finally fell asleep and even though it was only 20 minutes, it was a glorious 20 minutes.

These pictures are some of my favorites.  He was so sweet "talking on the phone"

This is a copy of the texts that were sent out to family following surgery:

Surgery went really well and he is recovering fantastic so far!  His tonsils were completely covering his airway, the doctor was amazed at how active he is with how little air he was getting with each breath!  Crazy.  His adenoids were covering his nasal passages so they took those too.  They didn't find any other obstructions and his airway , although still narrow, is big enough and not as weak to handle heart surgery and all the tubes they put down your throat during it!  They also looked in his ears.  She said they looked awful and his tissue was reacting to the tubes, so they removed them and cleaned all the debris out.  Hopefully no more infections!
Rob swapped with me around 630pm  tonight and he'll spend night.  They should be discharged tomorrow morning.

I'll try and send the pics from surgery tomorrow,  they are fascinating.  To me anyway.... :)

This was from Rob after someone asked how T was doing after being home for a couple days:

Fwd: Energetic as ever. High speed, low drag, and now sans tonsils to slow him down.

Top photo is airway (before surgery) when he inhaled. Tonsils are completely covering airway.
Bottom photo is when he exhaled.  

This is a picture of the tonsils on either side.  Tongue is on the bottom and uvula or "hangy ball" is the top middle.

No more tonsils!  Doc said the right came out nicely but the left which was embedded deep in his throat, came out in chunks.  She said that it took longer than expected and was difficult to get all the pieces because of the crumbly texture.  

Thomas has recovered well.  He doesn't snore as loud and can breath easier.  His most difficult days during his 2 week recovery were days 5, 6 and 7.  The kid that doesn't show pain, would shudder at food and drink and kick his legs after swallowing.  My heart felt sad for him but at the same time, he is so darn sweet and cute.

Heart Surgery is now scheduled for this upcoming May 26th....

Girl loves shoes.  I have a feeling that we'll have many more pictures of her in shoes.  :)

Tommy sat forever watching the spinning marbles, laughing, falling over laughing and then laughing some more.  

Evelyn's first run with the curling iron.  This is the before picture.
It is not summer but she insisted on wearing her swim suit.  :)

After picture!  

I love how God surround us with beauty,  I am grateful for these moments when you have nothing else to do but notice his peace and glory.

Party in Evelyn's crib, whether she likes it or not.  

Thomas thinks her crib is pretty comfy too!

We had a very nice Christmas this year.  Like every year the kids bring much excitement and joy in celebrating the birth of Christ.  What a gift it is to have that child-like reminder of the beauty in the season.

On the 27th of December Anthony started to complain of his elbow hurting.  As I went to bed that night, I thought to myself, that I needed to ask more questions and check it again in the morning.  Thinking that maybe I need to take him in.  

The next morning he woke me up, crying and in pain.  I looked again at his elbow which had become swollen over night and now Anthony's range of motion had decreased considerably.  I had him rest on the couch with ice.  I gave him a hug and felt his burning forehead.  After checking his temp, it was 103....or maybe that is exaggerating, maybe it was 102.8.  Either way, I was concerned.  I didn't know if I should go to Urgent Care or Primary Care Doctor.  Thankfully I have my wonderful Dr. Father-in-Law who patiently and happily fields all the medical questions of his daughter-in-law,  He really could write a book.  :)  Anyway, I know I called him but I can not remember how the conversation went.  I made an appointment with our PCP but decided with a snow storm and our PCP being 1/2 hour drive, I'd take him to Urgent Care.  Long story short, his WBC count was high but not over the limit.  The nurse practitioner didn't see anything on XRay but the Doc reading the XRay said there was a fracture of the elbow.  We made an appoint for the next day at Childrens Hospital and Anthony came home from Urgent Care with a sling.  As you can see in the following pictures.  :)  

It was perfect timing to receive  a Christmas package from Gran and Gramps!  It was enjoyed by all!

Dad and the kids testing Anthony's new spy pen.  He still uses it to solve cases.  ie: who vandalized the neighbors mail box.  Only detective Anthony can solve that case thanks to the gift of the spy pen and a good imagination.

The next day we headed in to see the Orthopedic Dr at Childrens.  I purposefully did not give Anthony any pain med because I didn't want to mask any symptoms.  I wanted the doc to see how Anthony was really feeling.  Can you tell how he's feeling in this next picture?!

The Doc took a look at the xray and said there was not a fracture in Anthony's elbow and by the looks of Anthony, the doc said he probably had an infection in his elbow that would require cleaning out before it spread or damaged the surrounding tissue and bone.  Into surgery we went....

My brave Anthony.  He liked that he and Thomas got to have matching hospital PJs.  Anthony was feeling  miserable, probably an understatement, until they gave him some morphine for his pain.  Praise the Lord for modern medicine.

After Surgery, in his room watching Star Wars VI.

Playing in the game room the day after.

Playing hospital BINGO

Exploring together

Skipping pennies in the stream

Watching the ball machine

posing with and as the nutcracker

The hospital has lots of cool fish tanks!

Family gets to come for a visit!

Bella took care of Anthony's gecho while he was in the hospital

Wonderful cousins came for a visit and brought Anthony a magicians kit.  What a great gift to help pass the time!  Anthony came down with a fever again and was confined to his room for 36 hours, so this was a lovely passtime.

Siblings are a great gift also!!

after the fever passed he was able to leave his room and back to the Wii it was.... 

Exploring the hospital again and playing on the bridge.   Waving at cars as they passed under.

Anthony made a T for Thomas

Meanwhile, at home, T and E are having a party in the crib

Beautiful Grace

After we spent almost a week in the hospital, we went on our last exploration with the hopes of going home the next day.  After several blood draws and culture of the puss that was around his elbow it was deteremined it was a non-MERSA staph infection.  Thankfully it hadn't spread or done any damage to the bone or surrounding tissue.  We had to wait a while for results, due to the New Years holiday but it was worth the wait because Anthony was responding well to the oral antibiotics and didn't have to go home with a PIC line.  Yahoo, prayers answered, patience paid off!

Our last morning at the hospital, going home with a months worth of oral antibiotics.   It was a busy time for the family going back and forth from the hospital each day but for Anthony, he said it was better than a hotel.  Not just because of the wii and pinball machine.  He loved the food, the bed, the fluffy pillow, he loved the nurse changing his sheets daily and the one on one time with mom or dad every day.  Who could blame him!?

None the less, it's back to home we go.  Really, in the end, there's no place like home... after you get used to having to make your own bed anyway.  :)  ...and eating your mother's food.  ;)

Glad your better Anthony.   What a way to end and begin a new year!  Cheers to 2016!  I have a feeling it will be full of suprises that will keep us on our knees.  JMJ, pray for us!