Thursday, October 16, 2014

MUCH NEEDED REST AND NORMALCY



It's been 8 days since we've been home from the hospital, and I feel we've finally gotten around to our "normal" routine. Saturday night was the last night I had to get up and do a respiratory treatment at 2AM. Colby is also finished with his antibiotics. And I must brag a bit and say, Colby is doing very well. So nice to hear the whoosh-whoosh-whoosh of clear lungs instead of the crackles and rubs we heard for over two weeks. Again, let me just say how incredibly happy we are to be out of that hospital and back home. I appreciate all that Cincinnati Children's did for Colby. The nurses and respiratory therapists were all, for the most part, pretty darn good. I didn't have to throw any big fits to get something fixed. But I'm so glad to be out of that hospital, you have no idea. I'm sure Colby is too. After all, he was the one with the illness.

There are two things I've noticed with Colby's new vent mode and settings. #1-his heart rate is lower. Much lower than it used to be. I guess that's a good thing? His heart isn't having to work as hard and he's more comfortable. #2-Colby can't jabber and make noises like he could before. He still jabbers but it's not nearly as loud. Almost sounds like he has a sore throat. I hate this. Absolutely hate it. I want to run back there and put the vent setting back where they were. But that's not the answer, so we'll all have to get used to his new, not-so-loud, hoarse jabbers. Good God, SMA sucks so much there are no words to describe it.  

Monday the nurse and I took Colby to look for Halloween costumes. If you know us at all, we take our dressing up for Halloween pretty darn seriously. So we have Colby's picked out. And no, I'm not telling, it's a surprise. Now I have to decide if I'm going to dress up or not. I've been invited to two Halloween parties, on different weekends, and guess what? No nursing coverage for either night. That blows. But I could dress up and go to school with Colby the day they have trick-or-treating. That's what I did last year, just tagged along with Colby and his nurse. Can't decide yet.

Monday night I hit a wall. The "I've been stressed, worried, and have missed way too much sleep" wall. It was 9:30PM and I honestly couldn't function. I was so, so, so, so tired. I told the nurse, I have to get some sleep. She said no problem, she would finish tucking in Colby. I swear I got ready for bed and was zonked completely out by 9:45. Slept until Colby's feeding pump went off at 7AM the next morning. Man, did I ever need that sleep.

Tuesday we took Colby swimming for the first time since I don't know when. He loved it. He looked happy and content floating around in the water. Taking him swimming is a big pain in the patootey, but very worth it. Then when the night nurse got here we gave him a bath to get all the salt water off of him. Tuesday it was his night to zonk out. By the time I walked the nurse to the door, chatted with her a couple of minutes, and went back in to tuck in Colby, he was already snoozing away. Play hard, sleep hard, guess that's our motto.

I have struggled back and forth and back and forth on whether or not to send Colby back to school or put him on home/hospital instruction for a while. I know when we were at Cincy I said home/hospital all the way. But of course I'm going to think that when he's in the middle of an illness! I was freaking out just a tad. This has been a very difficult decision. Finally, I asked Colby, do you want to go back to school, yes or no, holding out my hands like always so he can use his eyes and answer. He picked YES! I was shocked! So shocked I asked him 3 times, and each time his answer was yes. The nurse said, how many times are you going to ask Colby that? My answer was, as many times as it takes until I get the answer I want, haha. But I asked him again this morning, and he definitely said YES to going back to school. So, Mr. ColbyRuss BigBoyPants is returning to school Monday, October 27. Final answer. I think.Unless I freak out and change my mind between now and then.

This blog entry is getting lengthy so I'll wrap it up for now. Next blog entry will be to tell you all about the Pampered Chef fundraiser we're having to fatten up that "get Amy and Colby a house and out of their tiny apartment" fund. Bye for now. Realize your blessings. Count them. Be thankful for them. Should make you smile, and smiling is gooooood.

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