Post-Surgery

It's been 5 days since Caleb had his tubes in and adenoids out.  He's still not back to 100%.   The day of the surgery, he slept ALL day.  The next day, and all the days after that, he seems mostly ok, but will have these unexplainable stretches of crying and general unhappiness.  I know he's a baby, but this is new stuff.  I think he's either still got some fluid that hasn't come out yet and is sloshing around in his ears or his throat is still scratchy.  He is very consistantly cranky when I lay him down to change him or put him to sleep.  It seems the transition from vertical to horizontal is causing something.  He's also sprouting a molar and soaking the entire front of his shirts.  This afternoon he starts popping out a new rash...yes another one!!  Seems different in nature than the one last week, but odd.  It's mostly on his abdomen with random bumps other places.  I'm so frustrated with this.  We go back to the ENT for a follow-up at the end of the week so I'm curious to see how he's recovering.  I really want that happy kid back.  It's too hard to see him uncomfortable and inconsolable.

Tubes In, Adenoids Out

Well, it's done.  I've had a rough week preparing for this surgery on Caleb...see earlier posts.  We got to the surgery center at 7:40am (late b/c I forgot the paperwork), checked in and got our arm bands and a pager.  Then they paged us back to his prep room at about 8:20 where we went over and over his medical history and explained the procedure with about 7 different people.  He was very cheerful this entire morning even making friends with all the nurses.  Then, at 8:55am  they took him from us and we headed back out to the waiting room.  At 9:15am we were paged again to meet the Dr. in the conference room to discuss how the procedure went.  She said his adenoids were very enlarged and they came out fine.  His ears were totally full of fluid and puss and were still infected slightly, but she got most of the yuck out.  The rest of the yuck will drain out in the next few days.  She gave us the prescriptions and was on her way to do the next one.  We were paged again to go to Caleb as he was coming out of the anesthesia.  The nurses were holding him in the pit as he was whining and he was back in our arms at 9:20am.  Twenty-five minutes!!  He was really out of it and his head was flopping around like he was a newborn again.  We went into the "cry room" while he continued to come to.  They gave him some juice and he sucked it down.  He fell asleep on me and only woke up when they took out the IV, but then crashed again.  He was discharged a few minutes later and we dressed him and went home.  He slept from about 10:15am to 2pm when I woke him up to eat.  He hasn't eaten since last night.  But, since then, he's a little cranky, but mostly just wants to dance and play with the dogs.  So I think we're doing ok.  We'll see how the night goes.  Thanks for all your prayers while he's been going through this stuff!!

Our Pep Rally the night before for the surgery!! Notice the hair.

Caleb gets his gown on and won't sit still

 The open gown back view

Working on the crossword with Daddy while we wait

Coming out of anesthesia in the cry room.  We're both exhausted!!

Rash Day 2

So the doctor was right.  It is getting worse before it gets better.  The raised, "mosquito bite" like bumps flattened overnight and all trippled in size which then spread together into giant, flat, red spots.  It looks so much worse at this point.  He's itching where around the collar and diaper.  That's why I left him with no clothes on all day. 

The photos were ok, but the video really shows the extent of this rash.

Poor Caleb

The biggest reason I have not been blogging regularly is Caleb.  He has had a run of bad luck lately. In about 4.5 months, he's had about 6 ear infections or infections that just won't clear up.  So, we've been to the dr a lot.  Then 2 weeks ago, we're back at the dr again b/c Caleb had another night of screaming in pain for 6 straight hours during the night.  On antibiotics again, but the dr said it's time to visit the ENT and get the tubes. The meds aren't enough to clear up this constant fluid behind the eardrum.  So, Monday we went to the ENT and she confirmed that he can't hear our of his right ear and barely out of his left.  As most of you know we had a version of this problem with Adam, who never got tubes even with multiple ear infections.  Adam is now in speech therapy.  I'm picturing the same struggles for Caleb.  So, he's scheduled to have the tubes in and Adenoids out in one week.  
Well, Tues he already had a well-visit scheduled for his 15 month shots back at our Pediatrician.  I also used this appointment to do the physical that is required to be cleared for the surgery.   Check, check.  This morning, Thursday, I go to get him from the crib and I thought a mosquito got into his room overnight, but when I investigate further, he is covered head to to, literally, with spots/bumps.  I freak.  I'm sure it's chicken pox.  Then I'm also worried Adam is going to get it. Call the pediatrician and they say bring him in...but to the back door and they'll let us in...like lepers.  Anyway, the pediatrician (not our normal one, she has the day off, this is the partner) and nurses all look him over and aren't sure it's the pox.  The ped starts going over his recent history: Ear infection, but just finished the antibiotics the day before; Fever?  Yes, on and off;  Runny nose and cough?  yes awful;  diarrhea?  (oh, I forgot he's on MiraLax for about another year and a half b/c he has to re-train his colon.  This means diarrhea everyday.  That's another story).  So, the dr is totally confused at this point I think.  She starts looking in his ears again and says, "Whoa!!  That's horrible!"   Apparently, the last infection from 2 weeks ago is not cleared up, but is worse.  She looks in his throat,  "Whoa!   Is he even eating anything?  How can he swallow with a throat like that!"  Apparently he has a sore throat on top of the ear infection, cough, cold, spot/bumps, and diarrhea.  Oh, and he fell and skinned his knee up pretty bad on the way to the dr. 
She swabs him for strep and flu and both came back negative.  That's good, but what are the spots? ?!! She concludes that the bumps/spots are a reaction to the MMR immunization (Measles, Mumps, Ruebella) he got on Tuesday.  Not 100% sure, so we have to watch for a couple days to make sure the bumps don't turn into blisters like pox.  And that all the other stuff is just bonus!  He's now on a different antibiotic to hopefully clear the ears before the surgery and to clear up the throat.  He must go back to the dr on Monday to make sure the meds are working and to get cleared for surgery.  The surgery will be on Wed....maybe.  At this point I am stressed to the limit.  I feel so sorry for him and yet he's got a pretty good attitude. He has his moments of pity-party, but really doesn't show that he's in pain or itchy.   He has hundreds of spots of different sizes and it's like one giant raised spot in his diaper area.  She also prescribed a anti-yeast cream so the diaper area doesn't turn into an infection.  I will keep you posted on how this turns out.  At this point I just want the tubes in so he's not so miserable.  The ENT says he will probably start talking right away b/c he'll actually be able to hear!!  I am looking forward to that!!  So, stick with us.  I promise when I don't have so much going on, I will blog.  Here's a few pics of  the "Big Bump Baby" as Adam is calling him.

These pictures don't do the spots justice.  There are so many that don't show up.  Oh, the dr also said that this rash may get worse before it gets better and could last a couple weeks!!  Perfect,  I'm really looking forward to all the moms we come into contact with and their lovely expressions!!

I love this pic.  I got him a sonic slush to help his throat. 

Valentine's Day 2011

We had a wonderful Valentine's dinner at home again this year, sticking to our tradition of cooking new fancy things.  Chris did dinner:  Pan-seared talapia topped with a crawfish cake (version of a crab cake) and then smothered with a Dijon crawfish cream sauce,  broccoli with handmade Hollandaise Sauce.  This was "D-Licious" as Adam said.  The boys devoured this meal as fast as Chris and I did.

I did dessert...a new attempt.  Chocolate Souffle with an Orange Cream Filling. It actually worked and was so airy and creamy.  I will repeat this as it was easy and scrumptious.  

My Sister Job Hunted...And I Helped

I met my sister in Austin, where she had 4 interviews set up at several hospitals.  She's graduating in PT in April.  I knew the area so I volunteered to help drive and with whatever else she needed.  I also got 4 days of free-time as the kids stayed home with Chris.  We also got there just in time for the ice/snow storm.  Yeah!  It took some very slow driving, but we made it to all the interviews and she did great.  She got 4 offers and she accepted the one where the position suited her perfectly.  We also spent a lot of time eating at our favorite Austin spots and seeing friends and family.  Very fun!!

This is her in front of her new hospital.  The Seton Williamson. She had to walk into the interview with tennis shoes on, b/c she kept slipping in her heels. 

Chris Gets High...Really High

Chris was invited a few weeks ago to spend an afternoon touring the brand new bridge going over the Mississippi River just north of Baton Rouge.  It's called the Audubon Bridge and is set to open in June.  It is setting the new record for the longest cable stay bridge in the Western Hemisphere.  This thing is huge.  Chris got to climb all over it up to the dots at the very top of the towers (500ft above the River) and under it.  He had a blast. 

The Two Towers

The construction elevator on the side was what Chris rode up to the top. 

The most impressive thing was that to climb out on top of the tower, the last thing to do was to climb this Home Depot ladder 500 ft. up.  Hmmmm.  Just doesn't see right.

Chris on top of the world

The Mississippi River  

A view from underneath

Catch Up

I know I've been out of the picture for quite some time.  I hope to catch you up with these next few postings. 

The Fun Stuff:

We've been kayaking on the LSU lakes as the 4 of us.  The kayaks are working so well with me and Caleb on mine and Chris and Adam on the other one.  A few weeks ago we stumbled upon the annual Polar Bear Swim for charity.  However it was Louisiana winter which meant about 65 degrees.  Not the worst conditions.  It was fun to watch them charge the water though.