Upgrades

 We were such wonderful patients on our cruise that today we received an upgrade!  We were moved downstairs to a private room.  (Although we once again used back corridors to get here and I've no idea how to find my way out!)

It has a lovely view of the snow covered courtyard. 

(Apparently the RSV season has reached it's max and with the recent horrible weather following the terrible inversion (nasty air quality)... babies are coming in sick by the dozen and they made our floor the RSV unit.  Moving those of us simply recovering from surgeries and such who DON'T want to take a turn at the virus to other areas of the hospital.  It also meant that nurses wouldn't accidentally carry the virus from one room to another.  Our nurses had been so pleased over the last few days to be assigned to our room because it meant they couldn't be called into one of the RSV rooms and they didn't have to constantly gown up and wear gloves and mask every time they entered and exited a room. 

Emerson is delighted with the changes.  We will enjoy our upgrade for only one night though.  We will be going home in the morning.  We had to stay until his I.V. antibiotics were completed.  He is drinking his own bottle, pooping  constantly!, and has been medicine free all afternoon and is as happy as can be.  He has been officially driving me nuts this afternoon; rolling over and getting tangled in his cords and wires.  He has also been wooing the nurses with his smiles, babbles and chubby little legs. 

Cruisin'

So I've been hearing a lot about cruises lately.

My sister has been on a Mexican cruise and now my mother on a Panama Canal cruise.  They talk of the availability of everything you need right at your disposal.  Never having to leave the ship if you don't want to. 

I will not need to go on a cruise.

Emerson and I are cruisin' in our own way.  Anything he needs is brought to him.  A toy, a teething ring, a drink, a pacifier, a blanket, socks, a hot pad, some pain meds, music, even people to hold and entertain him. 

He is receiving fantastic care.  He had the tube removed from his nose today and was able this evening to have clear liquids at 1oz / 3 hrs.  He is delighted.  He is also addicted to a pacifier.  It became his best friend when he couldn't have a bottle.  Hopefully when the bottle returns, the pacifier can make a disappearance. He also had the I.V. in his head removed and the one from his arm had to go and be replaced by one in his foot.  He does prefer this so that he can play with both hands again and stop whacking himself in the face with an arm in a splint!  I like that I don't have to panic about him pulling them out with his curious little fingers.  He spent much more time awake today and went even longer between his need for pain medicine.  We are nearing our goals in many areas.  Still need to eat regularly and smile more.  He babbled a little this evening and smiled once... finally. 
 

 

Everything I need is also available.  A bed, laundry facilities, a small library, wi-fi, endless winding corridors that confuse me and get me lots of exercise, showers, an en suite bathroom, cable tv, answers to all my questions by qualified crew, covered parking (better than at home even!).I have a room with a window and a view  (of a parking garage.. and constant snow falling!)  There is a concert in the 3rd floor lobby every morning by volunteer pianists, play areas for the children, multiple eating areas to choose from, counselors available, meditation rooms, a chapel, and a mid morning snack cart brought to my door.  I am frequently being asked if there is anything they can get for me, do for me, how can they make us more comfortable. 

BEST part is.. no seasickness.  Worst part... TRUE sickness, ailments and injuries are the only way to get a ticket!  We even arrived in their special limo service, although I don't recommend this cruise to anyone who is healthy and can avoid it!

Recovery

Slow and Steady.

He is having longer periods of being alert.  He also tried to roll to his side by himself today.  He still fusses when his pain medicine runs out.  His nurse brought him a mobile and he was pleased with that.  Progress is good.  Still have goals to get the I.V.'s plural removed, the tube in his nose removed, be able to eat from a bottle again, and have regular poops.   His is still as pleasant as can be.  His sweet temperament is winning over the nurses.  Today's nurse kept thanking him for being so sweet.  It was a hectic day in the infant unit with a lot of sad babies demanding a lot of time and care.  He had a sponge bath and unfortunately his I.V. went bad and he had to have it changed.  This is his 8th I.V. stick. 

He still isn't smiling.  Two small smirks, but we'll take it until we have our happy fellow back.

24 hour recap

Emerson woke Sat. At 4 am gagging and dry heaving.  He refused his bottle and continued this way, lethargic between bouts of heaving until almost noon. 
I requested a blessing for him.  The men came and I felt calm.  He slept peacefully for half an hour while they also repaired our doorknob so we could once again get in and out our main door. 
When he woke he continued to refuse to eat and when he did he threw it all up.  I assumed it was flu but was concerned that without any fluids for 16 hours now he would be dehydrated.  Dr. Office was open until noon.
Dr. Concerns were to keep him hydrated.  Wanted to give pedialyte and bottle alternating.  1/2 oz every half hour until he kept it down, then we could increase amount.   Told me signs to watch for severe dehydration that would require an e.r. visit for I.v. fluids. 
Noon
On the way home I stopped and bought pedialyte, and lunch for the kids who were waiting at home.   Channa called so I pulled into the parking spot to be concientious about not driving and on the phone.  I also turned off the car so I didn't add excessive fumes to the already horrible air quality the city was experiencing.   After my chat with Channa I discovered I'd left my lights on and my battery was dead.   Another great neighbour came to the rescue and we made it home. 
We began the Dr.s hydration plan.  He vomited everything.  Then the diarreah began.  It was dark brown at first.  By 3:30 his diarreah was changing to a bright red bloody mess. 

(Yes I took a picture and the Dr. Was glad!)

4:30
I began to pack him up.  Bright red wasn't good.  I didn't need to ask anyone to know that.  While dressing him to go out in the cold he threw up so violently and pooped red again.  I changed my clothes quickly, his clothes again, leaving a pile of nasty mess for Caleb.  He threw up on me again on the way to the van but I wiped it with the burp cloth and kept going. 
6 pm
We were admitted quickly at the e.r.  but because of his dehydrated state and his chubbiness they couldn't get a good I.v.  after 5 tries a tiny older no nonsense nurse came in and minutes later he had an I.v. in his head. 
Pain medicine and fluids started, the Dr. Expressed concerns of possible problems.  Appendicitis or telescoping intesecessacation.  (Still butchering the spelling). He wanted us transferred to the children's hospital.  
8pm
Friends came and followed the ambulance with my van.  Channa met me at the hospital.  I was feverishly trying to text updates to daddy 1000 miles away and to worried kids at home.   I kept plugging my phone in to charge every room we transfered to since the battery was very low. 
I remembered about now that Duncan was at a friends home.  They fed him and brought him home. 
9pm
Drs agreed with the diagnosis and performed an xray to confirm.  Then an ultrasound was ordered to get more detailed info on how extensive the collapse of his intestine was.  It was almost his entire lower intestine.  Pretty much inside out. 
Midnight
They prepped him for a procedure called the air enema. They blew air into his bum to try to gently blow the intestine back in place. 
After three attempts only 10% was fixed and no sign of any more movement.   They prepped him for surgery. 
1:30 am
Surgery.  We waited alone in the surgical waiting room.   Whittling away the time eating chocolates, doughnuts and juice.  Finally, it was over.   They had to remove a 5" portion of the intestine that had become strangulated or suffocated.  It was keeping it from blowing back up.  They also removed his appendix. 
4am.
After 24 hours we were in recovery.  Channa headed home and I tried to get some sleep amidst the beeping and constant interruptions of hospital life.  He is resting comfortably, quite dependant on some pain relief for now. 

He has been such a trooper.  Barely whimpering. 

In xray

Waiting in position for an intestinal xray.  Had to stay still for five minutes.   He was very cooperative. 

Post op

Out of surgery.  Waiting for anesthesia to wear off.   Dr. Is pleased with results.  Removed a 5" section of the bowel and removed appendix. 

He will be in hospital at least 5 days for recovery. 

For tough stomachs.

The reason for the trip to the e.r. 

His diaper looked like this, along with vomitting and extreme lethargy.   Then the next diaper was only red. 

We've tried everything.

After three tries at the air enema surgery was our only option left. 

So, he is in surgery now.  They will repair his intestine and remove his appendix at the same time. 

We wait some more.   Either half hour or an hour. 

Updates coming

In the ambulance on the way to children's hospital.    Had to have I.v. in head.  

Will need a procedure for intussesception.  Obviously wrong spelling.  What caused him to have bloody diarreah.  Possibly appendicitis. 

Will keep posting.

Just as a side note.  I did not get carsick in the back of the ambulance. 

Little rule breaking Bach

We have explained the rules many times. 

*The volume can not be changed from where mummy has it set.

*You must play gently.  No pounding. No banging.  No feet allowed.

*NEVER under any circumstances use other toys to play the piano... Only fingers may tickle the ivorys.

*You must have clean hands.

It never occurred to me to make a pants required rule. 

Sit!

Emerson sits....  And sits.... And sits.   He LOVES to be more upright and part of the gang. 

Agony of decision.

I have a tough time making some of the strangest decisions.   Some like what's for dinner, or should I let the kids watch a movie.. stay up past bedtime... Or get new shoes are easy.  
Others have me thinking about it all the time.  Consuming my brain power that is sorely needed for more important things.  For example...  I have a winter jacket that lost a button.   It's a vintage type jacket and I happen to have at my disposal some real vintage buttons.  Unfortunately I can't narrow down which one to use.   It is at this point that I typically do one of two things..

1. I dont use any.  I wear the jacket without a button and fiddle with keeping it on.

Or

2.  Put my button choices in a baggie and put the jacket and the baggie back in the mending bag to defer the decision indefinitely.

Both seem silly.  It's a cute cozy jacket I should be wearing in our single digit farenheit weather.  I definitely shouldn't be spending so much time or energy on the buttons.

So.  I put it to the readers to decide for me. :-)

On the LAST Day of December

We decided to clean it up.  We took down the tree and the decorations and felt like we had a new house!

Caleb invited over some fun friends from school to ring in the new year and Sarah had a friend over as well.  Our regular 10 plus the extra 4 might have some thinking it was hectic, but other than staying up late... AGAIN, it was a delightfully calm night. 

We had a never ending popcorn bowl, an apple cobbler and some 'bubble juice'(root beer), to munch on while we played board games and watched old episodes of Hogan's Heroes.  The younger boys played Wii and watched episodes of Babar, a new found favourite apparently.  Cooper took full advantage of a never ending popcorn bowl and kept sneaking into the kitchen to replenish his sack.  He forgave me for making them eat an all veggie dinner.  I guess lots of snack foods is his idea of a good party and made up for the veggie dinner.

Emerson, the perfect baby, went to bed at 7 as always and slept through all the noises of the evening.  Whittaker made it to eleven, almost outdoing Sarah and her friend who didn't quite make it to midnight.  Miles made it to midnight and not a minute beyond!

We ran outside into the freezing temps to light our sparklers at midnight.  A block away some neighbours put on a fireworks show for our delightful viewing pleasure.  Then all was silent in the world again.  Our guests helped tidy up and headed off into the new year and then the remainder of the gang went to bed. 

Happy New Year to all.