Lochlan is feeling much much better. He's back to his funny joyful self.
He's eating well and quite frankly is getting rather bored. Not much to do in a
tiny hospital room, and mostly just his crib since he's still hooked up to his
IV and can't move around too much. (doesn't stop him from trying!)
His oxygen prongs were removed yesterday but he still needs his IV to give
him his antibiotics. REALLY hoping he's almost finished with the meds and can
come home very soon. We were ready yesterday! The doctors didn't come by
yesterday to tell us what the plan is so we're feeling a little in the dark.
And anxious. Very very anxious. Ready for our little boy to be home.
I do know the nurse told Rob yesterday that the dietician is monitoring
Lochlan's calories and is concerned that he isn't getting enough. And could
possibly decide to put an NG tube in to get his weight up. (that is a small
tube that goes down his nose and into his stomach)
No thanks.
Lochlan is back to eating pretty much normally now and he hasn't lost weight
since being in here. There was 200grams difference but that's because when he
was first weighed he was wearing clothes and a diaper. The second time, he was
naked.
He's not all of a sudden going to gain 2 lbs!!! So we would be having a serious
discussion over that recommendation! Besides I really don't think it would last
long before being taken out by an annoyed 22 month old!
Despite the hoe hum of the days, Lochlan enjoys flirting with the nurses.
Blowing them kisses and giving them flirty eyes, and waving bye. Actually it
was pretty funny last night when the nurse was in she was doing a few tasks and
all of a sudden Lochlan starting blowing kisses and saying "bye!" As
in, okay, I'm good now, that's enough!
I really wish I could give him a proper bath. Even changing his clothes is
difficult because of his IV. We need help to get his arm out of the shirt since
we can't just pull it through the tube. And quite frankly, his hand with the IV
is really starting to stink! Pee-EW!!
YES YES YES YES YES YES!!!
The doctor just came in and asked how he was doing. How he was eating, etc.
And she asked: "Do you think he's able to go home?" (YES YES YES!!!!)
Then when I said, yes, she said thank you!
I feel like a new woman! Tired after a second rough night of little to
no sleep because Lochlan wouldn't let me go to lay down to go to sleep? Or when
he'd finally get settle the nurse would have to come in to do puffers or check
his stats or give him meds....NOPE NOT TIRED NOW!!!!!
Please oh please God, let this be the day!!!!
Actually getting back to last night, it really was difficult. I tried
leaving the room so he could fall asleep (he was tired) but when I got back 20
mins later or so, he was not very happy. Then he clung to me....it was like he
thought I would leave him for the night if he fell asleep or if he did get to
sleep, he would just be woken up again by a strange lady in a silly mask and
gown poking and prodding him! I had to literally keep my hands on his back when
I finally got him to lay down. Then I would try to scootch away. No, not
having it. I was really getting frustrated. I finally got him settled and he
slept for a bit then it would start all over again. Good times. So cannot wait
to get into a routine again (at home!)
So YES YES YES YES YES YES, we are ready to go home!!!
-----------------
We get to go home!!! Waiting for his last dose of IV antibiotics and then we are off!!! YES!
Sunday, March 11, 2012
Friday, March 9, 2012
One day closer to coming home
I must admit: I'm a little frustrated right now as I write this. Perhaps I should wait....
nah!
I'll start with the good things and maybe that will diffuse my irritation!
Lochlan is on the mend! He is getting stronger and stronger with each passing day. He was started on room air around 4pm. He needs to be on room air and monitored for 24 hours before he can go home. So this is an excellent start!
He is starting to stand up in the crib and wanting to push all the fancy buttons that surround the crib....just the ones that call for help and turn on the oxygen and suctioning and all that fun stuff.
Oh and he's even intrigued by the end of the crib where the mattress is raised. "Oh what good times can be had by sticking my feet down there?" Oh I don't know....falling through! He hasn't but he sure could get stuck in there I'm sure! And I wouldn't put it past him to crawl over the bars and fall smack on the hard floor. So, no thanks! Not really into that.
He's also into checking out his IV site. It's wrapped really well but that doesn't stop him from investigating and trying to bite it off or to stick parts in his mouth. He even thinks its funny to put the end of one of the stat probes in his mouth. And taunting me too! "Momma!" I look and he's grinning with the probe hanging out of his mouth.
Giving him a bath yesterday was loads of fun. Since he can't stray too far from the crib since the oxygen tube only goes so far, we have to bath him in the baby tub in his crib. Thankfully we stripped his crib of sheets but that didn't help the floor from getting washed! I gave him a few toys to play with and he thought it would be fun to scoop up some water and throw it over the side of the bath.
Good times.
Note to self....no matter how stinky he gets, or how much food or snot is stuck to his forehead or hair, do not bathe the toddler in the baby bath on the crib!
Sponge bath...maybe.
Bath at home when we blow this popstand? Absolutely!!! (please be tomorrow!!!!!)
Loch is eating more. And playing with his food more. As in, let's see if dipping a carrot in ice cream or pudding will taste good. What about the broccoli? Or maybe if I take that straw and dip it and fling it around that would be neat.
Yes, feeling better.
They've put him on pediasure to try to get some extra calories in him. When he was in triage he weighed 19lbs, 10.6 ounces. (with clothes and a diaper!) Apparently today he was 200 grams less but that was without any clothes or a diaper on. But the nutrition people want him to have 3 pediasure's a day. Three! Ha! We're lucky if he'll take a few sips here and there.
"Milk? Oh yes, it's milk. Here you go!"
Sip sip....
"Momma? Gilk!"
dang.
So we're trying a mix of mostly milk and a little bit of the yucky shake...I mean most delicious drink.
Tonight was not exactly what I thought would go down. I was planning getting Lochlan settled and then kicking back with a movie. (ha ha kicking back....on a pullout chair huddled over a laptop...okay actually that still sounds pretty fancy considering...) But the Loch man had different ideas. He decided it would be fun to stay up as long as possible! Actually I thought for sure he was ready for bed. We read stories, brushed his teeth, all that routine stuff. He was rubbing his eyes....then I realized his stat wire thingamajig was off of his toe....so I asked the nurse to put it back on him so he wouldn't be disturbed while he was sleeping. Well....perhaps that was mistake #1.
That unsettled him pretty quick. Then it was phone ringing.... Lochlan "hello?"
Snuggle snuggle. more songs.
Then the nurse came in for stats and puffers and his toe thing had fallen off again!!!
ring ring "hello?"
more songs...
Still wasn't settling. I think at this point he was leaning over the side of the crib and reaching for the IV bag and poking it and giggling. Hmmm.....
ring ring...."hello?"
Then it was time for his meds. And the toe stat wire thingy was off again so she put it back on.
Finally got him settled and he was sleeping when....BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP!
Are you fricken kidding me???!!!!! His O2 stats dropped to 88-89 and to not set the alarm off it has to stay above 92. I knew it was possible ...something to do with something....different rhythms and deeper breathing....something....K....
Anyway, so that was in itself already a bit frustrating. But no, it was the fact that the machine was left running and therefore beeping every minute unless I pushed the silence button...every min. Poor thing is trying to sleep. Surprisingly that didn't bug him. (good to know for all those times we tiptoe around at home!)
Then his medicine infusion was complete and the alarm for that went off....so I told the really hot guy that came in....oh...sorry that was just supposed to be in my head....correction: the nurse that came in about the oxygen stats and the constant beeping. So he informed Loch's nurse who came in about 5mins later with the nurse that had tried (and failed) to put the IV in his arm 3 times! No biggie. I had forgiven her. But what I found frustrating was that they weren't using their super duper little boy is sleeping, let's try not to wake him voice.....oh no it was loud and okay....I can get over that....but it of course woke Loch up. So they decided to suction him. Why not learn on the little boy that's already super tired and upset and okay, you student nurse stick the big tube down his nose and suck out all the mucus. Oh and since it wasn't sucking out anything, crank that sucker up! Oh there it is. Okay, but just to make sure let's do both nostrils 2 times...Still freaking out little boy, not to worry, we'll try this side one more time.
Poor little guy was traumatized. No wonder he freaks out when the nurses go anywhere near his nose. Even when I try to wipe his nose with a kleenex he freaks out and turns his head or covers his nose.
I will admit he sounds a lot better....but his stats didn't change all that much. And the nurse was waiting for his number to hit 92 before turning it off and leaving. (for the record it hit it once....if it was me, he should have been consistently at 92 before the machine was off) Granted, I am comfortable with how he sounds and how's he's acting to not be concerned about him. But still....
I do think his probe or whatever you call it is on upside down so that could have something to do with it.
I really hope I'm not being too hard on the nurses. They do great work. They really do. I was just irritated tonight because I don't think some things were thought through and I was getting tired because Lochlan wouldn't settle and I needed a break....
On a side note, I'm feeling much better! No more constant coughing jags!! Woo-hoo! I slept way better last night (cause I actually got some sleep!) and I wasn't coughing very much during the day today either! YES! My voice is even starting to sound like me again. Not some 1-900 #!
So on that note, I should hit the hay. Could be a big homecoming tomorrow to celebrate!! : )
nah!
I'll start with the good things and maybe that will diffuse my irritation!
Lochlan is on the mend! He is getting stronger and stronger with each passing day. He was started on room air around 4pm. He needs to be on room air and monitored for 24 hours before he can go home. So this is an excellent start!
He is starting to stand up in the crib and wanting to push all the fancy buttons that surround the crib....just the ones that call for help and turn on the oxygen and suctioning and all that fun stuff.
Oh and he's even intrigued by the end of the crib where the mattress is raised. "Oh what good times can be had by sticking my feet down there?" Oh I don't know....falling through! He hasn't but he sure could get stuck in there I'm sure! And I wouldn't put it past him to crawl over the bars and fall smack on the hard floor. So, no thanks! Not really into that.
He's also into checking out his IV site. It's wrapped really well but that doesn't stop him from investigating and trying to bite it off or to stick parts in his mouth. He even thinks its funny to put the end of one of the stat probes in his mouth. And taunting me too! "Momma!" I look and he's grinning with the probe hanging out of his mouth.
Giving him a bath yesterday was loads of fun. Since he can't stray too far from the crib since the oxygen tube only goes so far, we have to bath him in the baby tub in his crib. Thankfully we stripped his crib of sheets but that didn't help the floor from getting washed! I gave him a few toys to play with and he thought it would be fun to scoop up some water and throw it over the side of the bath.
Good times.
Note to self....no matter how stinky he gets, or how much food or snot is stuck to his forehead or hair, do not bathe the toddler in the baby bath on the crib!
Sponge bath...maybe.
Bath at home when we blow this popstand? Absolutely!!! (please be tomorrow!!!!!)
Loch is eating more. And playing with his food more. As in, let's see if dipping a carrot in ice cream or pudding will taste good. What about the broccoli? Or maybe if I take that straw and dip it and fling it around that would be neat.
Yes, feeling better.
They've put him on pediasure to try to get some extra calories in him. When he was in triage he weighed 19lbs, 10.6 ounces. (with clothes and a diaper!) Apparently today he was 200 grams less but that was without any clothes or a diaper on. But the nutrition people want him to have 3 pediasure's a day. Three! Ha! We're lucky if he'll take a few sips here and there.
"Milk? Oh yes, it's milk. Here you go!"
Sip sip....
"Momma? Gilk!"
dang.
So we're trying a mix of mostly milk and a little bit of the yucky shake...I mean most delicious drink.
Tonight was not exactly what I thought would go down. I was planning getting Lochlan settled and then kicking back with a movie. (ha ha kicking back....on a pullout chair huddled over a laptop...okay actually that still sounds pretty fancy considering...) But the Loch man had different ideas. He decided it would be fun to stay up as long as possible! Actually I thought for sure he was ready for bed. We read stories, brushed his teeth, all that routine stuff. He was rubbing his eyes....then I realized his stat wire thingamajig was off of his toe....so I asked the nurse to put it back on him so he wouldn't be disturbed while he was sleeping. Well....perhaps that was mistake #1.
That unsettled him pretty quick. Then it was phone ringing.... Lochlan "hello?"
Snuggle snuggle. more songs.
Then the nurse came in for stats and puffers and his toe thing had fallen off again!!!
ring ring "hello?"
more songs...
Still wasn't settling. I think at this point he was leaning over the side of the crib and reaching for the IV bag and poking it and giggling. Hmmm.....
ring ring...."hello?"
Then it was time for his meds. And the toe stat wire thingy was off again so she put it back on.
Finally got him settled and he was sleeping when....BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP!
Are you fricken kidding me???!!!!! His O2 stats dropped to 88-89 and to not set the alarm off it has to stay above 92. I knew it was possible ...something to do with something....different rhythms and deeper breathing....something....K....
Anyway, so that was in itself already a bit frustrating. But no, it was the fact that the machine was left running and therefore beeping every minute unless I pushed the silence button...every min. Poor thing is trying to sleep. Surprisingly that didn't bug him. (good to know for all those times we tiptoe around at home!)
Then his medicine infusion was complete and the alarm for that went off....so I told the really hot guy that came in....oh...sorry that was just supposed to be in my head....correction: the nurse that came in about the oxygen stats and the constant beeping. So he informed Loch's nurse who came in about 5mins later with the nurse that had tried (and failed) to put the IV in his arm 3 times! No biggie. I had forgiven her. But what I found frustrating was that they weren't using their super duper little boy is sleeping, let's try not to wake him voice.....oh no it was loud and okay....I can get over that....but it of course woke Loch up. So they decided to suction him. Why not learn on the little boy that's already super tired and upset and okay, you student nurse stick the big tube down his nose and suck out all the mucus. Oh and since it wasn't sucking out anything, crank that sucker up! Oh there it is. Okay, but just to make sure let's do both nostrils 2 times...Still freaking out little boy, not to worry, we'll try this side one more time.
Poor little guy was traumatized. No wonder he freaks out when the nurses go anywhere near his nose. Even when I try to wipe his nose with a kleenex he freaks out and turns his head or covers his nose.
I will admit he sounds a lot better....but his stats didn't change all that much. And the nurse was waiting for his number to hit 92 before turning it off and leaving. (for the record it hit it once....if it was me, he should have been consistently at 92 before the machine was off) Granted, I am comfortable with how he sounds and how's he's acting to not be concerned about him. But still....
I do think his probe or whatever you call it is on upside down so that could have something to do with it.
I really hope I'm not being too hard on the nurses. They do great work. They really do. I was just irritated tonight because I don't think some things were thought through and I was getting tired because Lochlan wouldn't settle and I needed a break....
On a side note, I'm feeling much better! No more constant coughing jags!! Woo-hoo! I slept way better last night (cause I actually got some sleep!) and I wasn't coughing very much during the day today either! YES! My voice is even starting to sound like me again. Not some 1-900 #!
So on that note, I should hit the hay. Could be a big homecoming tomorrow to celebrate!! : )
Thursday, March 8, 2012
E.R. visits and pneumonia
Unforunately our family has been plagued with sickness for the past few weeks. First Rob, then Abby who had a terrible cold/flu. We even rushed to emerg in the middle of the night after she randomly gagged/threw up. (there were other things that led to this decision - including a phone call to TeleHealth.)
On the way down, it was like she was a totally different girl. Talking about how pretty the lights were and just being super chatty. She didn't even want to sleep while we were at the hospital. 3 hours later, it turned out she was okay. Just had a terrible cough/cold/flu thing happening. No pneumonia. Although she did have an x-ray to rule that out.
She has recovered quite nicely. I started to develop a cough and it has been getting the best of me recently. No other symptoms, just this nagging cough that really keeps me up at night and hits me at some points during the day too. So annoying!!!!
A day or two later after our emerg visit with Abby, (Thursday/Friday) Lochlan got sick. Very sick. He seemed to be holding his own though and was perking up a little. Enough so that on Saturday, Rob and I felt comfortable traveling for a wedding while Loch and Abby stayed with my mom overnight. He slept a lot. I knew when Rob brought him home, that he was really not feeling well at all. We monitored him and decided to keep giving him the Tylenol/Advil combo.
Monday morning he was up just after 7 and was super tired still and just wanted to snuggle. I put him down for a nap at 9:30 and went in to check on him quite frequently. Around 11:30, I noticed that he was breathing more rapidly and didn't look very good. Rob's sister, Fiona is a nurse and came over (she lives across the street - definitely a perk!) And agreed that he definitely needed to go to emerg. I got the car and our bag ready and took Lochlan from his crib and into the carseat. He looked terrible.
The whole drive down to the hospital, I kept checking my rearview mirror and talking to him. I was really really worried. He did not look good. And I was starting to get very very scared.
We got to the hospital (Children's Outpatient) and had to wait in triage for a bit. Once he was seen, she whisked him into the back room to immediately be put on oxygen and have the doctors look at him. He was sat'ing in the mid-high 80s.
I had to hold the oxygen mask hovered over his face to blow the oxygen into it. They tried nose prongs, but he did not like that at all. So we went back to the face mask. Which they finally just put over his head. Because he required extra oxygen, he had to be admitted to the hospital. And we couldn't just drive him over to the other hospital (where the peds and admittance is) because he needed the O2, so we had to wait to go over in an ambulance. Good times.They took a chest x-ray and it showed he had pneumonia in his right lung. When the ambulance finally arrived, they hooked him up to a special car seat belt thing. He looked so tiny on that stretcher. Rob took the stroller and other items while I went with Loch in the ambulance. I held his little hand the entire time.
We arrived on KIDD 10 (the pediatrics wing) where we were a year and a half ago.Talk about memories. It's so very overwhelming seeing your kid lying in a hospital bed. Memories of the past came flooding back. It was like, "here we go again."
The doctors decided to put in an I.V. to help deliver the antibiotics and give him extra hydration. It took 4 tries to get it in. FOUR! Poor little monkey. The one nurse tried 3 times and then finally another nurse tried and was successful. If that didn't work I was going to lose it I think. The veins kept bruising is what they told me. I stayed with him while they were doing that because I knew he would want me to be there with him and hold his hand. I hated it. He hated it. I don't blame him. It was very frustrating.
So now it is a waiting game. We wait for him to get better. Wait for him to not need to extra oxygen. Where he can breathe again on his own. Then we can go home and put this behind us.
Rob and I stayed with him Monday night, and I slept overnight and hung out with him Tuesday during the day. Then after school, Rob brought Abby in for a visit and then I took her home and Rob stayed overnight and all day Wednesday. Abby is very worried about her little brother and keeps saying that she misses him. Wednesday morning, we had some good quality time and then I had to get ready to teach. She said she wanted to go to the doctors to visit Loch. I told her we wouldn't be doing that until later because I had to work. She said, "hey mom, I have an idea! You can drop me off at the hospital and then go to your class and teach the children!" Cute girl. Unfortunately that wasn't going to work.
He has perked up a little bit. Starting to want to eat a bit and we read stories last night and he played with a toy for a few minutes. He just wants to snuggle mostly and was a big cling master and didn't want to let me go. He has had to be suctioned a few times which is loads of fun. They stick this tube down his nose and it sucks out all the mucus. It's very thick. And he hates it (wouldn't you?) but it helps him breathe better so it's for the best. Anytime though a nurse or doctor gets near him, he starts freaking out. I don't blame him! He is in isolation on the floor since it's contagious and we don't want him to infect anyone else that is in critical care. So the nurses/doctors have to wear masks and gowns and gloves.
Thank you to our family and friends for your help. For being supportive, for watching Abby, for hanging out with Lochlan, for meals, for tea and coffee, for everything. We appreciate it so much.
And thank you to you for your thoughts and prayers and healthy vibes and well wishes.
We REALLY hope our little man can come home this weekend. Heal quickly my love.
On the way down, it was like she was a totally different girl. Talking about how pretty the lights were and just being super chatty. She didn't even want to sleep while we were at the hospital. 3 hours later, it turned out she was okay. Just had a terrible cough/cold/flu thing happening. No pneumonia. Although she did have an x-ray to rule that out.
She has recovered quite nicely. I started to develop a cough and it has been getting the best of me recently. No other symptoms, just this nagging cough that really keeps me up at night and hits me at some points during the day too. So annoying!!!!
A day or two later after our emerg visit with Abby, (Thursday/Friday) Lochlan got sick. Very sick. He seemed to be holding his own though and was perking up a little. Enough so that on Saturday, Rob and I felt comfortable traveling for a wedding while Loch and Abby stayed with my mom overnight. He slept a lot. I knew when Rob brought him home, that he was really not feeling well at all. We monitored him and decided to keep giving him the Tylenol/Advil combo.
Monday morning he was up just after 7 and was super tired still and just wanted to snuggle. I put him down for a nap at 9:30 and went in to check on him quite frequently. Around 11:30, I noticed that he was breathing more rapidly and didn't look very good. Rob's sister, Fiona is a nurse and came over (she lives across the street - definitely a perk!) And agreed that he definitely needed to go to emerg. I got the car and our bag ready and took Lochlan from his crib and into the carseat. He looked terrible.
The whole drive down to the hospital, I kept checking my rearview mirror and talking to him. I was really really worried. He did not look good. And I was starting to get very very scared.
We got to the hospital (Children's Outpatient) and had to wait in triage for a bit. Once he was seen, she whisked him into the back room to immediately be put on oxygen and have the doctors look at him. He was sat'ing in the mid-high 80s.
I had to hold the oxygen mask hovered over his face to blow the oxygen into it. They tried nose prongs, but he did not like that at all. So we went back to the face mask. Which they finally just put over his head. Because he required extra oxygen, he had to be admitted to the hospital. And we couldn't just drive him over to the other hospital (where the peds and admittance is) because he needed the O2, so we had to wait to go over in an ambulance. Good times.They took a chest x-ray and it showed he had pneumonia in his right lung. When the ambulance finally arrived, they hooked him up to a special car seat belt thing. He looked so tiny on that stretcher. Rob took the stroller and other items while I went with Loch in the ambulance. I held his little hand the entire time.
We arrived on KIDD 10 (the pediatrics wing) where we were a year and a half ago.Talk about memories. It's so very overwhelming seeing your kid lying in a hospital bed. Memories of the past came flooding back. It was like, "here we go again."
The doctors decided to put in an I.V. to help deliver the antibiotics and give him extra hydration. It took 4 tries to get it in. FOUR! Poor little monkey. The one nurse tried 3 times and then finally another nurse tried and was successful. If that didn't work I was going to lose it I think. The veins kept bruising is what they told me. I stayed with him while they were doing that because I knew he would want me to be there with him and hold his hand. I hated it. He hated it. I don't blame him. It was very frustrating.
So now it is a waiting game. We wait for him to get better. Wait for him to not need to extra oxygen. Where he can breathe again on his own. Then we can go home and put this behind us.
Rob and I stayed with him Monday night, and I slept overnight and hung out with him Tuesday during the day. Then after school, Rob brought Abby in for a visit and then I took her home and Rob stayed overnight and all day Wednesday. Abby is very worried about her little brother and keeps saying that she misses him. Wednesday morning, we had some good quality time and then I had to get ready to teach. She said she wanted to go to the doctors to visit Loch. I told her we wouldn't be doing that until later because I had to work. She said, "hey mom, I have an idea! You can drop me off at the hospital and then go to your class and teach the children!" Cute girl. Unfortunately that wasn't going to work.
He has perked up a little bit. Starting to want to eat a bit and we read stories last night and he played with a toy for a few minutes. He just wants to snuggle mostly and was a big cling master and didn't want to let me go. He has had to be suctioned a few times which is loads of fun. They stick this tube down his nose and it sucks out all the mucus. It's very thick. And he hates it (wouldn't you?) but it helps him breathe better so it's for the best. Anytime though a nurse or doctor gets near him, he starts freaking out. I don't blame him! He is in isolation on the floor since it's contagious and we don't want him to infect anyone else that is in critical care. So the nurses/doctors have to wear masks and gowns and gloves.
Thank you to our family and friends for your help. For being supportive, for watching Abby, for hanging out with Lochlan, for meals, for tea and coffee, for everything. We appreciate it so much.
And thank you to you for your thoughts and prayers and healthy vibes and well wishes.
We REALLY hope our little man can come home this weekend. Heal quickly my love.
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