The Road to Recovery

Playing with Grandma's glasses and checking out "Mommy's work" right before they took him back.

After surgery, my brave boy with his apple juice... finally

Wyatt's surgery went exceptionally well-- Praise the Lord!! I didn't sleep much at all Monday night, thinking about it. We arrived at the hospital around 9, and after getting checked in and talking to the surgeon and Anesthesia, they took him back just after 11. An hour hour, we got a glowing report from the surgeon and were told we would more than likely get to go home for the night (Thank you, thank you Lord!!)

We did in fact, get to go home after arriving at Children's only six hours before. I cannot speak higher of the whole experience. I know I am a little biased, but as a parent- I could not be more pleased. Everyone- from the lab techs to the CRNA's to the anesthesiologist to the nursing staff treated my child like he was one of their own. They truly knew, that as a mom, this would be terribly difficult- yet they were enormously comforting. I am so, so grateful we have such a wonderful facility in our backyard- what a blessing.

Recovery, on the other hand, has been a bit rough. As expected, Wyatt is hurting- it is quite painful for him to swallow the medicine, so getting that in him has been a challenge. It breaks my heart to see him so miserable-- but, so far, no bleeding and no vomiting, so I think we are doing pretty well- exhausted- but chugging along. I am thankful that I have had the last couple of days to comfort my baby, and praying that next week will prove to be a turning point for our little guy.

I cannot tell you how much all of the prayers and thoughts have meant to us-- it was beyond comforting to know so many people were thinking of us this week- and we love you for it! The calls, texts and emails have been unbelievable. We are incredibly blessed to have such amazing friends and family- and I thank God for all of you!

Gulf Coast Getaway

Of course my husband knew the Captain of Zeke's Deep Sea Fishing Fleet :) Here he is, introducing Wyatt and drooling over the Red Fish
Thinking about where he is going to run next...
Vacation = Breakfast In Bed!
Crabbing with Daddy
What would be a trip to Orange Beach without the family beach picture?!
Seriously. Love. Tacky. Jack's. Wyatt loved the live music and the fried goodness in that basket
And, the sand and surf
Mark, Wyatt and I stole away for a quick trip to the coast this weekend. It was, by all means, one of the best weekends I have ever had. I swear, family is all that is right with the world- and there is nothing that clears my head or renders my soul more than selfish hours spent with the people I love the most.

We laughed, played, ate and slept. I came home feeling rested and ready for tomorrow. We did have a little bit of a let down that Wyatt is 3rd on the surgery list, and will have to go until 10 a.m. with no breakfast or his beloved apple juice. No one loves juice more than my son. Please pray for our sanity!

I was also prepared for the distinct possiblility that he will have to be admitted. I am praying, praying, praying that he does exceptionally well and can go home tomorrow.

Will be back tomorrow to update everyone. I can't thank you enough for keeping us in your thoughts and prayers!

Wyatt the Pirate

We are full steam ahead on birthday preparations for the big number 3.

My son, who has an odd preoccupation with all things Pirate these days, has of course nixed all other theme ideas- including an ice cream party at a nearby location where they do all the work (to be honest, the easy part appealed to me more than the actual itinerary :).

So, this mom is researching Pirate English, googling menus and spending way too many hours on Etsy. I am not sure why I do this to myself-- you know, the whole tons-of-money tons-of-time on a two-hour party-- but it always pays off in the end. I do realize that my husband is right- Wyatt couldn't care less about tablescapes and fruit kabobs. But, since I am that neurotic mom- I want it to be perfect and adorable and I want my little Buccaneer to remember his day. He probably won't, ( I don't remember my 3rd birthday) but... there will be the pictures. And, let's be honest- no matter how you slice it, July birthday parties in Alabama are never going to be easy :) Thank goodness for blogging, because I have gotten some GREAT ideas!

In other news, Wyatt's surgery is Tuesday... so keep those prayers coming!

And then there was more

As you know, a week ago we were preparing for Wyatt to have outpatient surgery- both emotionally and logistically. I had gotten medical leave approved at work to be out for two weeks of recovery, I had grilled our pediatrician and ENT ruthlessly about post-op expectations and Mark had taken Tuesday off so that he could be there for the procedure.

All that was left was the phone call from the surgery center telling me what we needed to be there. On Monday, Wyatt woke up with a low-grade fever complaining that he didn't feel good. The anesthesiologist beat me to the punch and called before I could reach for the phone. They had gotten both the ENT's and the pediatrician's office notes, and operating on a two-year old with a heart murmur had apparently raised some red flags. The tests that were ran were not conclusive enough for him to feel comfortable putting a toddler under, nor did they indicate that he did not have more serious issues. At that, the surgery was post poned until we saw a Pediatric Cardiologist.

I tried not to get rattled as I made phone calls, retrieved referrals and set the appointment. I would be lying if I didn't said that Wednesday afternoon loomed over my head for the first half of the week. We had absolutely breezed through Wyatt's first three years of life- I had counted myself lucky on many occasions that to-date we had only been to the E.R. once- but what if the entire time, something was wrong? What if my child did have a condition that we were unaware of? As I fretted, Mark consoled. My friends prayed, called, texted and encouraged me more than they will ever know.

I honestly couldn't focus on much of anything last week. Wednesday afternoon rolled around, and we got the good news I had been hoping for. His murmur is in fact innocent, which means there is a sound, but no physical abnormality with the heart. We couldn't have gotten a better report. For the first time in three days, I could breathe.

Six appointments and twelve tests later, Wyatt's tonsillectomy is scheduled for June 14th, and I couldn't be more relieved!

Updates

There have been two events that have absolutely consumed my heart and soul this week.

The recent tornado outbreak is still so very real and painful- one week has passed, and yet, in that small amount of time, so much has changed. Neighbors are helping neighbors, rivals are helping rivals- beyond anything else-- we are in this thing together. Some are more impacted than others, but all of us have been affected in some way or another. I am ready for Saturday, if for nothing else, to provide healing to my soul. I don't care if I am hauling trees, fishing through rubble, serving food or providing any amount of comfort-- I need to do something.

I have become fixated on You Tube-- watching the tornados whip through the state over and over and over again. I scour blogs, facebook and online articles related to the storms and the aftermath. I know that on Saturday, I will be way more blessed than any of the people and families we serve. I am a firm beliver that giving back, regardless of the method, is the best medicine for survivors guilt or the feeling of utter helplessness.

The other unexpected event that has affected our family is Wyatt's impending tonsilectomy on Tuesday. Whether or not a medical procedure is inpatient or outpatient, minor or major, planned or unplanned is completely irrelevent to this momma. I am a nervous wreck thinking about my baby going under anesthesia, have needles poked into his arm, and being scared because he doesn't know what's going on. I feel a MILLION times better that my co-workers will be in the OR with him and that we are having the surgery done in such an exceptional facility. It is, however, nervewracking nonetheless.

We did find out this week that Wyatt has a minor heart murmur that has gone undetected until now- probably because the doctors can hear it better when he is sick. I felt kind of silly after tests were ran and everything looked okay, because I burst into tears in the doctors office and began thinking of everything and anything that could lay ahead for us, and for him. I think it comes with working with and around sick children- you just always expect the worst- and it adds another element of worry to Tuesday-- even with the surgeon's assurance that everything will be fine- I am trusting in the Lord to hold my baby even when I can't, and I know that Wyatt will be taken care of.

Thanks in advance for all your prayers in the upcoming week!

A Christmas Party and A Pity Party

Shelly

The girls

Emily, the sweet hostess with the mostest!

These are a few pictures from a Christmas party we attended Saturday night. We had a great time catching up with some old friends and celebrating the season. Thanks Emily for hosting such a fun and festive party!

It was the highlight of the weekend, and I am about to tell you why.

We ended up having to cancel a playdate and skip our Friday night Sunday School party, because (you guessed it) Wyatt was sick again. Another high fever combined with a sleepless night and another Saturday morning spent in the urgent care clinic absolutely did me in. I cried all weekend- for my poor, sick little baby and for myself. I felt guilty for taking him to Indiana where he contracted the Swine Flu which started this whole mess, guilty for starting him in daycare, guilty for having to work full time- I was just (and still am) absolutely heartsick.

After 27 presriptions, $400 in co-pays and four rounds of antibiotics... I just feel completely overwhemed. Six weeks later we are right back where we started. I just want my little guy healthy before Christmas.

Now, I know that things could be a lot worse. I work with families all the time whose kids are dealing with terminal illnesses and I am SO grateful that I am not one of them- I honestly do not know how they do it. I kept reminding myself of this all weekend, but I just could drag myself out of the pit I was in- and the pity party continued.

After all of this childcare drama, I hope that we can find a solution that works for our family. I know a lot of you reading this may wonder why I don't just stay home with him, but there are many reasons why this is not an option- plus I love my job... I know many, many mommas out there feel guilty for either staying home or not staying home, and for each one there are reasons why it works for them and their situation. For me and for our situation- I have to work. One day it would be nice to work part-time to spend more time with Wyatt, but right now, I simply can't.

Being a mother and managing a household is difficult no matter how you slice it- so cheers to all of you who make it work- sometimes its not so fun to be a wonderwoman :)

Turkey Day '09 Wrap Up

I tried really hard to get a good family picture this year... Mom had special ordered Wyatt's outfit from Etsy, and I was bound and determined to get at least a couple good shots. This was VERY difficult because Wyatt woke up with a fever and was not feeling well.

Anyways, I got ONE good family picture in between fits of crying, so for that I am grateful. I also got a couple of him walking with my mom. We certainly have a lot to be Thankful for this year!

We had a wonderful time at Mark's family's house for dinner, and it was nice to have my parents there as well.

Of course, the bad part was Wyatt feeling cruddy all day- and it just kept getting worse. By late evening, his fever had spiked to 104.9, and his breathing had become very labored. After two panicky calls to the on-call nurse with no response, Mark and I ended up putting him in the car seat and headed to Children's ED.

Halfway there, my pediatrician called back and talked us into going home and trying the luke warm bath. I relented, and I spent the night on Wyatt's floor after we got his fever down with a bath and some Motrin.

The next morning, I took him to the doctor, and come to find out he has Bronchitsis, Walking Pneumonia and the Hand, Foot and Mouth virus.

The poor little guy has sores all the way down his throat and is on codine for the pain. We have to adminster breathing treatments three times a day, and he is on his third round of antibiotics.

It absolutely breaks my heart to see him so sick... I am ready for my little guy to be back to himself again. The doctor promised me that once he gets through the flu season and his immune system is back up, he won't get as sick as often. I am clinging to this, and hoping that at some point he will get used to daycare. Thus far, since he started, he has spent more time at home than in school.

The good news is, with my parents in town to help with Wyatt, I was able to get the house decorated for Christmas... yipee!

Quick Update...

We are still reeling with sickness around our house... I tell ya, this early flu season has been rough on us. Thank goodness I did not catch what Mark and Wyatt have been suffering through. Just when we thought we were rounding a corner, Mark took a turn for the worse and ended up back in the doctor's office yesterday with the same symptoms he had last week. After a chest x-ray, two spots were found on his lungs that appeared to be the beginning of Pneumonia. He is resting, taking his meds and is officially grounded from all outdoor activities until further notice :). After two weeks, he will go back in for another chest x-ray- I told him he has to get well for our trip next week!

Wyatt has not gotten worse, but has not gotten better either. His fever is gone, but he is still coughing and wheezing. He is extremely fussy and clingy, so I know he is still suffering from the body aches and a constant runny nose. We have a follow up appointment tomorrow with the pediatrician, so I am hoping that we can figure out what we can do to get him well again. He hasn't been back to daycare in a week because I am too concerned about his compromised immune system and lack of energy. Again, I need to get him well in order to feel comfortable about leaving him for a week at the grandparents- nurse Rachel is exhausted!

sick... AGAIN!

Oh Lord, this is going to be a very long flu season. Mark, Kurt (my BIL) and Steph (my SIL), all came back from the wedding feeling horrible. Come to find out, the flu was spreading like crazy up there, and over 30 people that attended the wedding got sick including the bride and groom who are spending their honeymoon holed up in a hotel room in Italy- sick as dogs!

Mark was diagnosed with walking Pneumonia, and Steph and Kurt were treated for the flu, even though their nose swab came back negative.

I wasn't surprised when Wyatt's school called yesterday to tell me he was running a fever. By the time we got to the pediatrician's office his temp had gone from 102.3 to 103.6... and his flu test came back positive.

On top of having the swine flu, he also has pink eye. Poor little guy just can't catch a break- atleast the Tamiflu seems to be relieving some of his symptoms.

Through all of this my mother in law has been a life-saver. On top of delivering homemade chicken noodle soup, she picked up Wyatt from daycare yesterday and met me at the doctor's office. Today she's keeping Wyatt so that I could come in to work. YAY for Grandmas :)

I hope all of you are staying well- this stuff is no fun. As you can imagine, I am very ready for my family to get healthy again.

Week from H-E- double hockey sticks

This has not been a fun week. The good news is: Wyatt loves his new daycare, and I love it as well. The bad news is that within 48 hours of starting as his new school, he is already sick. Oh the joys of daycare.


What started as a horrible stomach virus that resulted in Mark and I holding him over the bathroom sink as he dry-heaved and I cried, has now evolved into a fever/cough/congestion. Since he is still considered high-risk for H1N1, I am taking him to the doctor this afternoon.


Tuesday evening we gave three baths, went through four pairs of pajamas and five crib sheets. Then the dog peed on the floor and before I realized it- Wyatt slipped in it. AWESOME.


oh, and this is what my house looks like right now after nine huge Southern Living boxes were delievered:
My OCD self does not like this too much :)


Here's my little helper, before he got sick.

Hopefully, the rest of the week will get better!

Living The Dream...

Oh, OH what a doozie of a morning. Really it was going just fine thanks to the help of my wonderful husband who helped me dress and load up little guy. He even made me a sandwich to assist in getting us both out the door on time. Really, I was quite proud of myself when at 6:32 a.m. I was breezing through Pelham. Even more thrilling was the smile plastered to my son's face throughout the entire commute- little did I know what I was in for.

As we neared Vestavia, I heard Wyatt fussing and glanced in the rearview mirror. Much to my horror, I realized he had thrown up his ENTIRE sippy cup of milk. There were now chunks of curds covering him, his car seat, the window, his hands and the interior of my car. If the sight didn't freak me out enough, the smell was enough to kill a small village.

Take a detour with me here- do you remember back in March when I careened into the side of a Chevron station while making a pit stop on the way to work? Basically I took out 17 propane tanks, a 25-foot glass window and a display of Lance Crackers in one fatal swoop. Even the local fire department was in shock that my little car could do so much damage (and still be in one piece)!

Fast forward six months, and just guess where I was forced to stop to clean up my child this morning- YOU GOT IT! The very same Chevron Station that my insurance company dropped me for. Now guess again who forgot a change of clothes for their child, and who only had 2 wipes in her diaper bag... and who had to drag their naked child into the Alford Ave. Chevron begging for paper towels?

And... for the last question of the day... guess who happened to be working behind the counter on this fateful morning? Ah yes, not just one owner, but both of them. Both Abu and Jasmine... who by the way, did not forget what I looked like, or what kind of car I drove... or for that matter- the damage that I caused their little shop. Nah, they weren't still angry that I put them out of business for 24 hours, or that they had to hire security to keep people from looting their store until the glass got replaced. Nope, they were happy as larks to see me again. And, even happier that I depleted them of paper towels.

I had to leave my child in a Buzz Lightyear sweatshirt that is about two sizes too big. Apparently, he also didn't have a change of clothes at daycare either, and that was the only thing we could find to put him in. In case you were wondering who should be nominated for the "mom of the year" award- it probably isn't me :).

Update on Wyatt's Croup

Wyatt is having a terrible time with the steriods. Our pediatrician had to prescribe the strongest steroid available because Wyatt's windpipe was so swollen, and he felt confident that this was the only option to reduce the swelling so that he could breathe.

However, with each dose, Wyatt becomes very pale, listless and clammy. He just cries and cries and I can tell this prescription is making him feel awful. I talked to the doctor a few mintutes ago, and he said I must keep him on this medication through the weekend, and that most babies are miserable on this particular steriod. It is heartbreaking having to watch him suffer but if it is making my baby better than it is worth it.

I am curious, have any of your babies been on steriods before? Did they have the same reaction? I can't help but worry that something is wrong...I have never seen him like this before. On top of the medication issues, he is still weezing... the coughing seems to sound a little bit better than yesterday, so hopefully we are making some progress.

As I was hoping to be a croup-free family...

I have been crossing my fingers for almost 13 months now that I would never have to join the moms-who-spend-all-night-holed-up-in-the-bathroom-with-the-shower-on club. As I begin the afternoon with frizzy hair, puffy eyes and achy bones, the realization has hit me that I am indeed a member of this not-so-elite club.

Wyatt sounded like a barking seal when I picked up from daycare yesterday, and the wretched cough seriously developed in a matter of eight hours, because when I dropped him off the only hint of a oncoming cold was the tiniest semblance of a runny nose.

The cough and the breathing issues got worse as the night wore on, and Mark found himself on the couch sitting Wyatt on his lap and patting his back to help him breathe even before I returned from bible study. I checked on him round the clock last night, and I tell you that little boy was making the scariest and most awful noises I had ever heard, and our 8:45 appointment with Dr. Jolly could not come quick enough.

Thank goodness we now have a steroid prescription, and Wyatt is resting comfortably. The pediatrician is pretty certain he will be fine, we just have to keep a close eye on him throughout the weekend to make sure that he is breathing- how comforting. I am pretty certain that I won't be getting any rest for the next few days...

As If this week couldn't get any more intresting...

Wyatt came home with Pink Eye last night. Three days before the wedding. Three days before all of those family pictures. And of course it is during Spring Break when the hospital daycare is full, and I am already using up a good chunk of my vacation days in the next couple of weeks getting ready for the wedding and having my wisdom teeth removed. The on-call nurse was able to get me a precription for the eye drops in order to avoid a doctor's office visit. BLESS HER.

Anyways, his eye did look much better this morning so I am grateful for that. Also, Mark's mom is watching him for me today so that I could come into work.- thank the good Lord! I am hoping that no one else catches the dreaded infection before this weekend's festivities, so needless to say we are all washing our hands.

So the run down- My house is an absolute diaster and contruction zone, my floor is half concrete, my parents are coming into town tomorrow,(I have no idea where they will sit!) We are all in a wedding in three days... oh and my son has pink eye. Perfect! Just a typical week in the Olis house :)