Happy Holidays everyone! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!xoxo
Margot
P.S. We're not sending out "real" Christmas cards this year, so enjoy. :)
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Merry Christmas
Happy Holidays everyone! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!xoxo
Margot
P.S. We're not sending out "real" Christmas cards this year, so enjoy. :)
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Updates
KP has been recovering nicely from his tonsillectomy. Today is his last day for antibiotics, he stopped his steroids yesterday, and he's been pretty much off of his pain medication since last week except at night.
One of his pain meds was a sucker that numbed his throat, and he just sucks on it for about 15 seconds every four hours. We usually just give it to him at night so that he can sleep well. The cute thing is that we put it in his mouth and count, "one-one-thousand, two-one-thousand" and so on, and at "fifteen-one-thousand" he pulls it out of his mouth and hands it to you. So adorable.
His first few days post-op were pretty rough, not because he was in so much pain, but because he wanted to go play outside and eat solid foods, and climb all over everything, but he couldn't per doctors orders. This is a better place to be than where we were after his last surgery where he just wasn't feeling up to doing anything.
Anyhow, all seems to be well with him now. He coughs more than he used to, and drools way more (I know, I didn't think it was possible either). The only drawback is that he picked up some bad nightime habits while he was in the hospital, so we're hoping that our trip to see Bachan will reset his time clock enough so that he will go back to being our perfect little sleeper.
We went out to Fort Worth to see the craniofacial specialist yesterday morning, and while we're not too fond of him, he does know what he's doing, so I guess I'll just have to deal with him while we get through this. He did confirm that KP has a submucous cleft palate. At this point we are just going to wait and see how his speech is (once he starts speaking) to see if we need to do anything about it. There is a chance that we will not need to do anything and that he will learn to work around this little roadblock as well. The good news is that if we do have to do surgery, it will only be to repair the soft palate so it will not be as extensive. We will be going back to the specialist again in March so that he can evaluate how KP is progressing.
On a lighter note, we are hoping to go see a certain someone and his reindeer this weekend, so I should have some cute pictures to post. We are also going to be off of work for the next two weeks for the holidays, so we have lots of fun planned.
We may also be going to the Arboretum this week so that we use our tickets before they expire. Plus, they have a nutcracker exhibit and a misteltoe arch! :)
On Wednesday, we're getting together at MeeMaw's with Grandad Lynn, Grandma Sheri and Uncle Logan.
Then it's off to church and then home to set out some goodies, let the Christmas bear read The Night Before Christmas, and go to bed. :)
Thursday is Christmas with Mimi Candy and Grandpa Mike. :) Who knows what kind of trouble we'll get into. We're thinking of going to the ice exhibit in Grand Prairie, or attempt an early movie, but we're up for anything and in search of Christmas adventure. :)
Friday we will clean and pack, and then it is off to Bachans on Saturday morning where we will get to see lots and lots of people and stuff ourselves silly on great food. :)
I hope that everyone has a happy, safe holiday with all of their families and friends!
xoxo
Margot
One of his pain meds was a sucker that numbed his throat, and he just sucks on it for about 15 seconds every four hours. We usually just give it to him at night so that he can sleep well. The cute thing is that we put it in his mouth and count, "one-one-thousand, two-one-thousand" and so on, and at "fifteen-one-thousand" he pulls it out of his mouth and hands it to you. So adorable.
His first few days post-op were pretty rough, not because he was in so much pain, but because he wanted to go play outside and eat solid foods, and climb all over everything, but he couldn't per doctors orders. This is a better place to be than where we were after his last surgery where he just wasn't feeling up to doing anything.
Anyhow, all seems to be well with him now. He coughs more than he used to, and drools way more (I know, I didn't think it was possible either). The only drawback is that he picked up some bad nightime habits while he was in the hospital, so we're hoping that our trip to see Bachan will reset his time clock enough so that he will go back to being our perfect little sleeper.
We went out to Fort Worth to see the craniofacial specialist yesterday morning, and while we're not too fond of him, he does know what he's doing, so I guess I'll just have to deal with him while we get through this. He did confirm that KP has a submucous cleft palate. At this point we are just going to wait and see how his speech is (once he starts speaking) to see if we need to do anything about it. There is a chance that we will not need to do anything and that he will learn to work around this little roadblock as well. The good news is that if we do have to do surgery, it will only be to repair the soft palate so it will not be as extensive. We will be going back to the specialist again in March so that he can evaluate how KP is progressing.
On a lighter note, we are hoping to go see a certain someone and his reindeer this weekend, so I should have some cute pictures to post. We are also going to be off of work for the next two weeks for the holidays, so we have lots of fun planned.
We may also be going to the Arboretum this week so that we use our tickets before they expire. Plus, they have a nutcracker exhibit and a misteltoe arch! :)
On Wednesday, we're getting together at MeeMaw's with Grandad Lynn, Grandma Sheri and Uncle Logan.
Then it's off to church and then home to set out some goodies, let the Christmas bear read The Night Before Christmas, and go to bed. :)
Thursday is Christmas with Mimi Candy and Grandpa Mike. :) Who knows what kind of trouble we'll get into. We're thinking of going to the ice exhibit in Grand Prairie, or attempt an early movie, but we're up for anything and in search of Christmas adventure. :)
Friday we will clean and pack, and then it is off to Bachans on Saturday morning where we will get to see lots and lots of people and stuff ourselves silly on great food. :)
I hope that everyone has a happy, safe holiday with all of their families and friends!
xoxo
Margot
Monday, December 8, 2008
Here we go again...
Well, we're in the hospital again for another surgery. On Friday we met our new ENT, and he decided that we would need to take out KPs tonsils and adenoids. We knew that this might be coming, because the sleep specialist told us it may come to this if his cpap didn't get the job done.
So, we got to the hospital at 6:00 this morning to check in for surgery. KP had a great time hanging out in the playroom. Wouldn't you know it, a room full of toys and he goes for the toy cell phone first, and then the toy vacuum. What can I say, the boy know what he likes. :)
Anyhow, we got wheeled up to surgery around 7:30. We hung out in the waiting area for about half an hour, chatted it up with the doctors, and then off he went, never once looking back. You know, he doesn't have a bit of stranger danger, so when the anesthesiologist came near him, he just reached out to him and that was that. Hmm.
Surgery only took about half an hour. During that time, they scoped his trachea and took out his tonsils.
Trachea looks the same. Still like a pancake. The doctor feels like it IS getting restricted by something on the outside which means more tests, and we will be revisiting the option of stitching his aorta to his sternum. I'm still not so sure about that, so we'll be having a long talk about it before it happens. My only reservation is...well, it's been a while since I've taken anatomy, but I seem to remember the aorta being a pretty important part of the circulatory system...I'm just saying.
And, only the tonsils came out. It seems that while he was in there, the doctor took a look at the roof of KPs mouth, and it appears that he has a cleft palate. So, he left the adenoids in because in kids with a cleft palate like that, the pressure from the adenoids provide a wall where there isn't one but should be one...that's what I gather so far. Bear with me, I haven't had a chance to research this at all, or talk to the doctor without a toddler screaming in my ear. But that is my understanding.
Anyhow, we now have a referral to a craniofacial specialist, and have added 2 more surgeries to our plate (fix the palate, take out the adenoids). So, that's what I get for writing that our surgery last month would be our last MCD surgery. That'll sure show me.
The endoscopy that we were going to do today will be done in January instead. His ears are all still the same.
One thing that is nice is that we had a follow up appointment scheduled with our general surgeon tomorrow, that we have had to cancel for obvious reasons. When we called to cancel, his office did that for us, and then his surgeon called us back himself because he wanted to know what was going on with him. I really do like that his doctors (well, his main 5 anyhow) take a true interest in every part of him, even the parts they aren't involved in.
Well, that's all for now.
xoxo
Margot
So, we got to the hospital at 6:00 this morning to check in for surgery. KP had a great time hanging out in the playroom. Wouldn't you know it, a room full of toys and he goes for the toy cell phone first, and then the toy vacuum. What can I say, the boy know what he likes. :)
Anyhow, we got wheeled up to surgery around 7:30. We hung out in the waiting area for about half an hour, chatted it up with the doctors, and then off he went, never once looking back. You know, he doesn't have a bit of stranger danger, so when the anesthesiologist came near him, he just reached out to him and that was that. Hmm.
Surgery only took about half an hour. During that time, they scoped his trachea and took out his tonsils.
Trachea looks the same. Still like a pancake. The doctor feels like it IS getting restricted by something on the outside which means more tests, and we will be revisiting the option of stitching his aorta to his sternum. I'm still not so sure about that, so we'll be having a long talk about it before it happens. My only reservation is...well, it's been a while since I've taken anatomy, but I seem to remember the aorta being a pretty important part of the circulatory system...I'm just saying.
And, only the tonsils came out. It seems that while he was in there, the doctor took a look at the roof of KPs mouth, and it appears that he has a cleft palate. So, he left the adenoids in because in kids with a cleft palate like that, the pressure from the adenoids provide a wall where there isn't one but should be one...that's what I gather so far. Bear with me, I haven't had a chance to research this at all, or talk to the doctor without a toddler screaming in my ear. But that is my understanding.
Anyhow, we now have a referral to a craniofacial specialist, and have added 2 more surgeries to our plate (fix the palate, take out the adenoids). So, that's what I get for writing that our surgery last month would be our last MCD surgery. That'll sure show me.
The endoscopy that we were going to do today will be done in January instead. His ears are all still the same.
One thing that is nice is that we had a follow up appointment scheduled with our general surgeon tomorrow, that we have had to cancel for obvious reasons. When we called to cancel, his office did that for us, and then his surgeon called us back himself because he wanted to know what was going on with him. I really do like that his doctors (well, his main 5 anyhow) take a true interest in every part of him, even the parts they aren't involved in.
Well, that's all for now.
xoxo
Margot
Monday, December 1, 2008
Thanksgiving 2008
Here are the long awaited pictures. Slideshow only this time, sorry folks. We're trying to improve the workflow so that we can update more often. But, if you click on the slideshow, it will take you to picasa to view the album one by one.
Well, it's been a busy month/year. I think that it is sad that there were more posts for 2007 than 2008, by quite a lot, and our little guy was only with us for 4 months of 2007. What can I say? We've been busy, and he's a handful (as you can see).
Well, it's been a busy month/year. I think that it is sad that there were more posts for 2007 than 2008, by quite a lot, and our little guy was only with us for 4 months of 2007. What can I say? We've been busy, and he's a handful (as you can see).
We had what should be our last major MCD surgery a couple of weeks ago. KP had to stay in the hospital for a couple of days. It didn't go as badly as I thought it would, though. We had to go in on Monday for bowel prep, which if you remember involves lots of golytely (which doesn't at all), and NPO for KP.
We went to the hospital totally prepared, and that helped. Thank you Yo Gabba Gabba DVD! :) That combined with Bachan's DVD player, meant that we were Gabbafied for our entire stay. :) One of the nurses asked if that was the new Barney...well, I guess so.
Okay, bowel prep wasn't so bad this time because KP was actually able to wear diapers. This is the first bowel prep without an ostomy, and it's amazing how much smoother it goes. He only had one huge bed linen changing event, and that happened when Daddy was staying with him overnight, so that was okay. :) Tee hee.
Surgery went well. I packed all of our bags just in case we had to go to PICU again, but he woke up fine and we got to return to our room (the packing helps). We only had to stay overnight after surgery, and then we got to bust on out of there. It was quite exciting.
Three weeks later, and I think that he is finally healing. This one took a bit longer than the others, and I think that is because he is getting older now. Each surgery takes a little longer to heal. That being said, I'm not looking forward to his hand operations next year. Booo.
Anyhow, Thanksgiving was great. We got to see Candy's family on Thursday at Cindy's and Lynn's family on Friday. It was nice to see everyone. Cindy's backyard is a wonderful oasis, and the site of our little impromptu photo shoot. :) I have been inspired! It also helps that the weather was so nice, that we sat outside to eat, and let KP just run around and play. I think that is the first non-shift meal that we have eaten since he's been born!
So, tomorrow we start our deaf ed classes at JJPearce. I am officially enrolling KP into the school district. I was filling out the enrollment forms, and they have a space for grade...I left it blank. :) At least he's walking, so this feels less weird than if we had to enroll him when he was 3 months old like they originally wanted to do. :)
We will be meeting with our deaf education teacher every Tuesday morning for at least the next 6 months or so.
Thursday we begin getting Developmental Services once a week as well. This is the appointment that will end up transitioning to Speech Therapy once KP starts speaking.
So, our mornings are packed full of fun. We now have just Wednesday and Friday mornings free. Seems like there is something we can schedule there... :)
We also have our 6 month evaluation with our ENT tomorrow. I will try to post how it goes. It will be nice since we're meeting with our Deaf Ed teacher beforehand, though, because she is going to give us a list of questions to ask the doctor. We'll be scheduling another ABR for February as well.
Finally, next Monday KP will be having another upper GI endoscopy. Our hope is that everything is the same as it was last time and we don't have to keep going in. If they have to dilate his esophagus this time, we will have to go in once every 3 months to have the procedure done again. Blech.
Well, that is all that I have right now. Sleeping Beauty is beginning to stir. I will try to update more often, I really promise this time.
Let me know what you think of the new picture format. Would you rather have the pictures one by one? Did you like other slideshows better? Would you prefer more frequent updates, even if there are no pictures (because the pictures are really what hold us up)?
Please post a comment answering some of the questions above. And if you're an anonymous poster, please sign your post in some way so that I know who you are. :)
xoxo
Margot
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