Thursday, November 19, 2009

Happy Birthday. Now shut up and eat your brains

Our oldest turns 10 tomorrow. He also celebrates one year seizure (and medication) free this week. To mark this fabulous occasion, he said he wanted a brain cake.....so hear ya go. Don't let anyone tell ya that you don't have a lick of brains.

October 2009

Apple picking
Don't sit under the apple tree for anyone else but me...
Pumpkin Patch

Wednesday, November 04, 2009

HOME!

What is that saying about home? Something about it being humble and no other place like it? I can't remember because I haven't slept since very well.
KC the wonder kid is BAAACK.
After this morning initial estimate of being at 90 %, he ate something and and then started climbing and ripping up the room.
His diagnosis .... metabolic acidosis. And as I said before, his history of licking and putting everything in his mouth -- made the doctors concerned that he got into some kind of toxic substance. The pediatrician said his blood levels were close to normal today, but considering his behavior we were fine to be released. Her only concern was that his body did not react to treatment as expected. Therefore if there are any future incidents, we'll have to investigate a cause.
For the two older boys -- they are in quarantine upstairs. Both tested negative for strep and influenza, but they are taking Tamiflu as a precaution because of KC's hospitalization.
The love and generosity of friends has inspired and overwhelmed me. A friend is bringing my exhausted soul dinner tonight. Another friend picked the baby and me up from the hospital so we wouldn't have to pile all the boys in the van. The messages on Facebook, email, texts, phone -- I have clung to every word of hope, prayer and laughter. Bits of joy - it is what I live for.

wed 6am

There are meowing noises coming from the hospital bed next to me. The sweetest sounds I do believe I have ever heard. KC is back to about 90 %. He still has low energy and is content to be bedridden, but is past the whiny fussy stage he was in yesterday.
Yesterday I rejoiced when he started moaning and fussing, because it was a 100% improvement from being near unconscious. When someone can stick him with a needle and draw blood without him even opening his eyes, it is bad.
This morning he is charming the nurses with his sideways smile and meowing his answers back to them, as if he's pulling off some big joke on them. But we've got his number.
We are in a holding pattern this morning until the doctors can have a last look at his lab tests from this morning. The toxicology tests have become negative, which rules out one of the initial fears that he got into something he shouldn't have.
Last night he ate for the first time in four days -- rice, applesauce and something like 12 packages of saltine crackers.
God has been so good to us. His presence has shined in the kind words of friends and talents and generousity of the staff.
And today -- we will figure out what we are going to do about going home. The oldest two have the flu fevers that hover around 103-104 if you let the Motrin slide by a a few minutes. I don't know that we should let the baby back into the plague just yet. Off to order His Royal Kittyness some food.....

Tuesday, November 03, 2009

tues 1pm update

Good NEWS!!! -- Kenji will be moved out of the ICU today!!! His labs are almost normal. They will move him to a regular room for the tonight. We expect to go home tomorrow. He smiled for the first time today and is becoming more of himself. The staff entertainment unit (or whatever they are called) just brought in a craft and he glued and colored. He also has more interest in playing.

Bad News -- Kai and Quinn have some other kind of ailment, so Shawn will be at home with them today. The initial strep tests are negative. (Though for Quinn they usually are, so we had the strep test sent for the one day test) They are treated them both protectively with Tami-flu, since Kenji will soon be home...and well, what is that saying about the last thing i need...?

Thanks for all your notes and calls of support.

Monday 11/2 update


Just a little update about Kenji.
Kenji is in ICU tonight at Scottish Rite Children's Hospital. He started the weekend off with what we thought was just a stomach bug. Vomiting started Sat afternoon and continued throughout the weekend.
We brought him in this morning for what we thought was some simple rehydration. I thought he'd be hooked up to IVs get some zofran and we'd be on our way.
His blood work came back showing that his Bi-carb levels were at a critical level. Normal is a 20 -- His was 8. After getting some fluids it dropped further to 6. This is apparently something that happens when during dehydration -- but his organs began to show signs of trouble too. Increased heart rate etc... And given his history of putting things in his mouth (they know us around here) they were concerned that there may be another cause.
The ICU doc indicated that he should only be in ICU for one night and will mostly likely go to a regular room tomorrow.
Kenji is sleeping comfortably now. (in fact -- they just drew blood from the top of his hand and he didn't even wake up)
Continue to pray for God's healing hands in this.
Will update as I can,