Maybe, Just Maybe...

We MIGHT go home tomorrow. I will believe it when I am handed discharge papers. So far today he has made it to his feeding goal, and seems to be tolerating it. His labs look good. they'll redraw them in the morning, hopefully nothing will have changed with any of his levels. Dr. Morgan came in and checked his wound. He is the best surgeon here, but I swear he forgot to close him up! I didn't know people could go around with that much of their tummy open. I know it's the top layer(s) of skin, but still. He felt that it looked good, like it was healing and with no sign of infection. I will now be learning to change a wet to dry dressing. Where's that honorary nursing degree? Lane has had some of the best blood pressures ever this go 'round. His vital signs continue to look good, little bit of a temp but I'm hoping it doesn't get out of hand. He's been pretty fussy at times today but finally settled down.
Debi came to visit us today. We were honored to have had her bring her camera and take some pictures of our little patient for her blog. There is a link to it on my facebook page. It was written with love and the pictures are great. I regret not having more pictures of Lane while we were in the NICU. I also wish I had started this back then. It would've been a great way to look back and see how far God has brought us. A way to remember and give thanks for the miracles we've seen. I know some people don't understand this, some would chose to forget but this journey has changed my life, for the better. There is healing in remembering, loss in forgeting.
I just changed my 1st dressing, and did alright with it. I'll get better with time. The 1st time Sarah made me change his ostomy bag was a joke. Before it was over I could almost change 'em in the dark. Lane humored me and was good during my attempt and now is sleeping peacefully. I think that sounds like a great idea. Good night all...

Our journey continues

So by the grace of God, Dr. Morgan is on call. He must be so tired of seeing Bill, Jean, Will & me in a waiting room. This makes the 6th time. He's done all but 2 of Lane's. Yes, you added correctly, he's had 8. Eight surgeries in 3 years and 7 mo, 2 of which were emergency due to a perforation. You have to question why an innocent child must endure all that he has had to. But back to the story at hand. I signed the consent forms and we went to the 3rd floor to wait. We were the only ones in there which was kind of weird. Of course it makes the 2nd time we've sat in there alone and that's not counting the 1st one back in Oct. of '06. Surgery started at 11:34 and by 1:45 or so Dr. Morgan was out talking to us. It went well and Lane remained stable throughout. He said he found a perforation in his stomach. I didn't know it could do that. It was about the size of a quarter and he didn't know why it happened. He said he didn't think the Baclofen pump was infected, which was a cause for concern earlier in the night. He also didn't find any more perforations in the intestines, even saying they looked remarkably good considering Lane's history. Dr. Morgan explained that he left the wound open so that it would heal with much less chance of infection that way. We are already battling an infection from the perf. we don't need the wound adding to our trouble. Said he would put him on medicine to control the acid in case an ulcer had caused all this. We thanked him again and told him to have a good trip. You see if this had happened Friday, Dr. Morgan would've been in North Carolina. God still has His hands on Lane.

Really?

I never thought I'd live part of my life twice but last Thursday I did just that. It wasn't exactly the same but eerily similar. Lane woke up at 3:00 screaming. We had a pretty rough night til 6:00 that morning. I thought well we're in for a bad day and went about my routine. I noticed his tummy was tight so I vented him but the tube looked fine. Throughout the day I could tell he was trying to throw up but with the Nissen he can't. Well I'll just give him Pedialyte for the rest of the night I thought. After the 4:00 feeding his shirt became soaked. Will thought his diaper had leaked but it was right over the Mic-key button. I sniffed it and said no, that's formula. I raised his shirt up to find the button protruding out of his tummy with lots of air escaping around it. "We need to change this" I said. Will vented him 1st and the tube overflowed. Will took the Mic-key button out and it started gushing. This is not normal. By this time Lane was having trouble breathing. Will listened to him and took his pulse. His temp. was 100.6. "We need to go" I said. "Call 'em" Will said.
Lane and I took our 3rd ambulance ride together. Recognizing the ER staff is your 1st sign that you have done this way too many times. He was given 2 intraoscular IV's. This is where it goes straight into the bone. He needed fluids and he needed them fast. His blood pressure was dropping and it was the quickest way too get them in him. The OR doc was gracious enough to let us stay while they intubated him. I got to watch and Will told me step by step what they were doing. I love my firefighter/EMT-IV! He was sent for a CT scan which revealed free air and fluid around the tummy. Really? You're telling me he perfed AGAIN? Twice in 3 1/2 years? Really? I just leaned on the table and asked if anyone knew what it was like to live their life twice? This was Oct. of '06 all over again. Except this time I was numb, it was like it was happening to someone else, like I was watching a TV show, especially in the ER. "We going to surgery?" I asked. "yes" the doctor replied. "Let's go" I said and walked off down the hall.
At that exact moment, 4 prayers were lifted up simultaneously by Will, Bill, Jean and myself, "God, please let Dr. Morgan be on call."
We were sent to a waiting room on the 5th floor. The door opens. Walter Morgan, dressed in scrubs, walks in. "There is a God"...