Recovery Day 3

Today's story is much better:

Brandon slept all night in the crib. I slept better than the night before. Our nurse new how bad our day had been, so he left us alone as much as possible. I felt better when I got up. Brandon was a bit swollen. After he'd been awake for a while, the puffiness in his eyes went down. He didn't even awake from pain during the night. Since the surgery he had only had Tylenol with codeine as needed.

About 8:30 am we gave him the Tylenol with codeine to help with the pain for a heel stick. He did great for that about 9 am. He went back to sleep. The levels turned out to be about the same as the day before, but everything else was going so well, no transfusion. That made me relax because they will not have to install the line.

The dr. stopped in before Jeff and my Mom arrived. He said we will be able to go home tomorrow. He said without getting a transfusion, it might take a week or so for Brandon to completely be himself. So, we'll just do another heel stick tomorrow morning to check things out. No more pricking and prodding for today. Thank God!! :-)


He spent a lot of the day eating, sleeping and playing. The corners of his eyes (by his nose) are turning black and blue, but the swelling has gone down in the eye area. Just the sides of his head are swollen. He looks great for what he's been through.


Once Jeff and Mom arrived, we fed him his lunch. Jeff took me home to see Gunner and to SHOWER!! I could have showered at the hospital, but I'd rather go home. I had a great visit and got back about 4 pm. I think Mom really enjoyed getting to spend some time with the little guy. He slept a little, but she held him most of the time. Grannies are so wonderful!!

Brandon and I played a lot this evening. He finally settled down around 10 pm. We'll see how the night goes......

Thanks again for prayers! It has been very wonderful knowing how much everyone cares.

Recovery Day 2

Officially, Day 2 started 24 hrs. after surgery which I think was around 11:30 am.


We had a long night, not due to complications, but due to sleeplessness! I would have thought the little guy would be sleeping, sleeping, sleeping. He sat up and played and "baby talked" with us. Jeff went home around 9 since there was only enough room for one of us to stay the night. I rested between 10:30 pm and midnight, but never went to sleep. Brandon woke up and wanted to eat and play, so I complied. Finally got him back to sleep around 1, and I slept from about 1:30 to 4, then he was up again. He can either sleep in the crib or I can hold him. Holding is the best because his head can stay elevated. That helps with the swelling. The bed mattress is propped up some, but he's still pretty flat there.


This morning (Sat.) was the roughest. They had to draw blood to check things and it did not go well. They first tried to draw back from his IV, and it didn't work. Then they did a heel stick (he's just almost too old for this). It was very painful for him. One test showed that he was in need of a blood transfusion. They didn't get enough for the other test, so they came back later for more blood. That's when it really got bad. They tried to draw back from the IV again and it didn't work. Then they realized they "lost" the IV. They tried to start a new one 4 times so they could give him blood later. I'd had enough and so had Jeff & my mom. Our dr. had arrived and said to quit and get blood at 6 pm so Brandon could rest. Thank goodness. (He wasn't in danger from low blood levels, because all his vitals were normal and stable.)

About 6:30 they did another heel stick and unfortunately the blood clotted before the lab ran the test, so they had to try again around 9 pm. We had the IV Team come in and they tried to start another IV with no success. I said NO MORE, the IV team said no more too. Blood still had to be drawn for the test, so our nurse did another heel stick and the results showed his levels were still low. The Dr. said to wait til the morning and do another heel stick and they would decide then if he would actually need the transfusion. At that point the dr would actually install a line which takes longer, but is less painful since they numb them before they install it.

I'll be praying tonight for healing and restful sleep.

Can you believe this was PUBLISHED?

Can you actually believe this was published in 1955?

(I think you can click on the article and it will enlarge it - if that doesn't work, email me and I'll send the file)

I LOVE being a stay-at-home mom, but these "ideas" are just insane.

Oh yeah, got this from my husband...........of course it was a joke! LOL!!!!!!!

(yes, I am still sitting in ICU - Brandon's peacefully sleeping in the crib for now and I'm about to sign off and get some sleep myself......)

RECOVERY DAY 1

Brandon had his surgery today and is recovering well! PRAISE GOD!!!

Surgery was scheduled for 9:30, but they didn't take him to anesthesia until about 10:30. Brandon had not eaten since about 11:30 pm the night before and although we knew his little body was hungry, he was very calm all morning and just enjoyed being held by us. He even fell asleep in Jeff's arms while we were waiting. We know that this was due to all the prayers on his behalf for today.

An elder from our church came and stayed with us until Brandon was doing fine in recovery. That was so wonderful since my parents had to stay close to the house -- they were in charge of Gunner today.

The surgery only took about 45 minutes and he was awake when I went to see him in recovery. The dr. said the peak of swelling will probably be on Sunday. So far the only swelling is the sides of his head and the top of his forehead. It is expected for his eyes to swell shut, and that will probably cause frustration. We can handle that!!

Overall, he is in a great mood and enjoying the attention. He is sleeping well and eating well (nursing is going fine plus he's had bananas and applesauce). He has only had two doses of Tylenol with codeine to help him rest. He does not seem to be in a lot of pain at this time. He was playing with us around 6:30 pm and chewing on his toys - acting like his normal self!

Jeff and I are amazed at how well he is doing and know that it's all due to the good Lord watching our baby boy and your prayers. We can't thank you enough!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's been hard not having the ability to use our cell phones in ICU, but we can use our computers. When we move to a room (hopefully tomorrow) I think we will be able to use our phones and not have to go down the hallway.

Thanks again for all the prayers as we came in to today and the prayers for his recovery!
We love you,
Jeff, Jenny and Gunner

Posting Photos

Can anyone help me figure out how to post photos in the middle of my post? They will only post at the beginning!

Superman & Superbaby

Last week while shopping at Target (my FAVORITE store), I was looking at boys' pajamas and found Superman. Gunner had been playing superhero off and on for a while and I thought it would be a great surprise. Price tag $16.99 (plus tax). UGH, for those of you who know me I hate to spend money on clothes, especially PJ's!!

Well, it has definitely been a "priceless" purchase. He has worn them since he got them (I have washed them once and will again today). Jeff has taught him, "It's a bird, it's a plane, it's Superman!!" So he chants that as he flies (runs) thru the house with one arm in the air.

He even wanted to wear them to school on Friday and church on Sunday. Around the house all day and walking Goldie in the neighborhood are OK, but definitely NOT in public - it PJ's for heaven's sake and 90 degrees plus outside and it's long sleeves & pants!! He does put them on when he gets home from school and then back on to sleep in. (Priceless, again) I told him we can get a Superman halloween costume for out in public......what was I thinking?? I'm sure he will decide that when we go shopping for costumes soon......

Anyway, Brandon is to the point of raising his hands and legs while his belly is the only part of his body on the floor. We call him Superbaby.

My two favorite superheroes!!

Surgery being scheduled

Jeff and I met with the pediatric neurologist yesterday. We really like him and found that he is one of the best. Although he specializes in children, he also treats some adults (he helped with Christopher Reeves' case at one point).

Brandon needs surgery to correct the bone growth in his skull. The less invasive procedure needs to be done sooner rather than later, so we are in the process of scheduling the surgery for the end of September. The diagnosis is "craniosynotosis" and Brandon has the second most common form, affecting approximately 1 in 7,000. Craniosynotosis is when the fontanelles grow together prematurely.

The procedure should take about an hour. Recovery is, of course, longer. He will be in ICU for 1 to 2 days and a total hospital stay of 3 to 5 days. Once the incision heals, he will have to have a follow up at a later date to ensure that his skull is growing normally. Basically, once the surgery/healing is done, it's over. We are so thankful that it can be corrected so easily.

Please continue to pray with us for Brandon, his doctor and staff, and quick healing. THANKS!!

ONLY MEN WOULD UNDERSTAND......

Yes, only men would understand this photo. Jeff and Goldie are duck hunters, and Jeff is playing duck hunting with Gunner these days. Gunner has an old duck call to play with (annoy his mother with in the house.....it's so LOUD!)

So, Monday afternoon AFTER Jeff had been watching the boys and I was busy doing my things, what did I find as I entered Brandon's room? (see photo) Voila, the duck call is stuck to the door handle. Only a 4 year old would think to do this. Today is Friday, and I have still not removed it. What's the harm? Also, this same duck call was used by Brandon as a chew toy earlier - it is not an infant toy - but he seems to have enjoyed the manly toy anyway. By the way, his shirt says "My Dad Rules". I guess fathers and their boys just have certain special bonds that mothers don't understand!!

PS - THANKS TO ALL WHO ARE WRITING REGARDING PRAYERS FOR BRANDON. WE ARE NOT OVERLY ANXIOUS OR WORRIED AT THIS POINT SINCE WE DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT TO EXPECT. I HOPE TO POST THE DIAGNOSIS FROM THE NEUROLOGIST BY MONDAY NIGHT.

Brandon's initial CT scan diagnosis

BRANDON:

Finally, the call from the dr's office today.....Brandon's fontanelles have prematurely closed in the forehead area; all the others appear normal. Still, the nurse practitioner (Marcia) says not to worry. I have scheduled an appointment with a pediatric neurosurgeon next Monday. He will review the CT scan with us and be able to discuss our situation in depth. Marcia said each case is different and things are always changing in how to handle things. We may be able to monitor and see what happens OR it may be something that will require surgery. The main thing is it needs to be addressed because a baby's brain grows at such a rapid rate the first 2 years. If the skull hinders that growth, then you can have problems. The good thing is that this is not an immediate health concern, and we have time to look at our options. Please continue to pray with us.

Step back to Monday:

We had to complete Gunner's "homework". The teacher had sent home a cutout of a house with a door pasted to a large sheet of construction paper that was folded. We were to place a photo of Gunner behind the door and photos of the family inside. So this was the day we took the digital photos and printed them. Gunner had fun helping cut the photos to size and pasting them on. Jeff helped him write everyone's names and the word "family". It was great to see the finished product.

When we discussed his day at school today, he told me he got to sit in a chair in front of the class and tell about his family.

Today's comic relief:

Gunner got to stay later at school today for "Stay and Play". I picked him up and we were discussing his day while on our way to PetsMart. He's telling me about playing with Sami again. These two seem to have become great playmates. We're walking from the Blazer to the store, still discussing his day, and he says "I'm gonna marry her when I get bigger and move to her house." Then he asks me where she lives, and of course I don't know. He gets upset, but by then we're walking in the doors to get Goldie. End of story.

2nd Post

Hey! I'm back already!
Had some time tonight to play with the settings and figured out how to add my friends' links.

Not much going on today. We went to church and the YMCA. Gunner showed Jeff all the things he'd learned in swimming lessons in August.

By the way, the post from last night was published around 11 pm - I don't know why it says 6 pm!

Have a safe and happy Labor Day! :)

Catching up for August 2007

Well, I figured out how to get a photo posted! This is my first REAL post and just need to catch up on our August happenings. Many, many things are going on.


First, Brandon just (right now) rolled over from back to front for the first time!!! I'm trying to write this post and edit to make sure it sounds right, and he just starts rolling over and over on the floor of his room. He's been rolling from stomach to back since he was 4 months. We've been waiting for this because he's been so close the past week, just getting stuck and going back to his back.


The photo above is from early August one morning while Gunner was playing cowboy. That was his favorite character for the month. Brandon was happy, so I grabbed the camera for a quick shot.


In mid-August we went to Mexico Beach on the panhandle for a last summer "getaway" before Gunner started school. We met up with a coworker of Jeff's and his family. The kids had a great time, and so did we. When we returned home, that's when things really changed.


Monday, August 20 I received an email from a friend in Oklahoma that we had lost a dear sister in Christ. Melinda was 31, had 3 young children and a loving husband. She had fought breast cancer and won! Things went wrong after her second reconstruction surgery and she was very, very ill for a couple weeks and then had heart failure. They found out later she had cancer in her liver. I am still so sad and it's been over two weeks.


Thursday, August 23 Brandon's 6 month checkup. I had postponed it a week because of our trip and he had a cold....who wants to deal with an irritated baby with possible fevers or reactions to immunizations on a weekend getaway?

Our dr. had gone home sick with the stomach flu that morning, so we saw the nurse practitioner. All was well, EXCEPT the nurse practitioner said she thought his fontanelles were prematurely closed. That's the soft spot on the top of a baby's head. It's not supposed to close until they are about 1 to 1 1/2 yrs old. Also, Brandon's head is on the small side. He's only in the 3rd percentile for size. She said not to worry (I'm a mom, I'm going to worry!!) She got one of the other drs in the office to sign an order for xrays of his skull. It's my responsibility to call and get these done.

Friday, August 24 Meet the teacher day at Gunner's school. He had a big time and met some of his classmates. There are 10 children in his class and Mrs. Lynch is great. He didn't want to leave - a very good sign!

I call the hospital to schedule the x-rays, but they don't make appointments. Walk-ins, first come, first served. I call the dr's office to let them know I'll be going Tuesday. Monday is G's first day of school, and I don't want to be late picking him up.

Monday, August 27 Gunner's first day of preK. He was so excited. He pushed his way into the room in front of the other parents, leaving Brandon and me behind. He had a great day.

Tuesday, August 28 After dropping Gunner off at school, I went to the children's hospital to have the x-rays done. The tech took 6 views of Brandon's skull. It didn't take too long. It's the drive there and back. Picked G up from school - another great day for him. About 5:30 pm, the nurse practitioner called. Mostly good news! 5 of 6 views were normal. The other was inconclusive, so we need to get a CT scan done. The scheduling nurse will call me tomorrow.

Wednesday, August 29 Since the scan has to be scheduled, I wait for the nurse to call back with an appointment. I figure it will be in a week or so, maybe more. She said if I'm picky with the times, it could be next YEAR before we get in. I told her to schedule as soon as she could. Now I just wait for her to call with the appointment.

Gunner continues to love school. He tells me about a girl he plays with, Sami. She's a cutie and he loves to make her laugh. I'm not ready for this stuff.

Friday, August 31 Today is Jeff's dad's birthday and we mail his cards today. I'm always late. My dad's birthday is the 2nd, so his cards will be late too since we're mailing them today as well. Gunner wrote his name all by himself on the cards. This was an accomplishment since I've been trying to help him with his letters throughout the summer .....guess school peer pressure really works.

I'm so glad we have cell phones!!! As I'm loading the shopping bags from Target in the Trailblazer, I get a call from the nurse - can I be at the hospital for the CT scan around 1 pm? I immediately say "Yes" and it's 11:50 am. I'm supposed to bring Brandon sleepy and hungry so he can eat during the scan. I asked the nurse about the hunger....I'm breastfeeding, how will I do that while he's having a scan? She said take a bottle. OK, I've got milk in the freezer at home. I think I can grab it, thaw in warm water, change a diaper, etc. and make it there. But, Gunner's at school and I have to pick him up at 1. I call Jeff to fill him in. He said to let him know if I needed anything (he's 45 min away, so I'm not sure what he could do). Now I just hope my friend Jan can pick up G from school so I don't have to get him early and deal with him at the hospital! She's on my pickup list - she says she can, but she needs a car seat. I go by the school, drop off the car seat and explain what's going on. Then I stop at the house, do what I need to do. I checked in about 1:15 (I did speed a little to get there as close to 1 pm as I could!) and we were done before 2. A lot of work for such a short time. The scan was easier than the xrays. Wish we could have done it to begin with. Now we just have to wait. A slim chance we'll hear something Saturday since the dr's office is open.

Saturday, Sept 1 Called the dr's office - the nurses can't give results without dr.'s there. We just have to wait til Tuesday since the office is closed on Monday. We'll keep praying for good results!

Gunner got up at 6:25 this morning and talked and asked questions incessantly today. As a matter of fact, when he'd finished eating breakfast about 7:30, he wanted to call my dad. Their time zone is one hour earlier than us, so we tried to explain they may not be up yet. They were, and he talked for quite a while and sang some songs. Jeff and Gunner enjoyed football throughout the day. We finally got some needed rain, so it was a great day for lounging on the couch.

I'm tired now so I just ask for prayers for Brandon and hope everyone enjoys the long weekend!