Scary, Wild Week

       Well we were home for about 6 days and I was not feeling good after my esophagram on Tuesday.  Tuesday night Daddy stayed up with me until 5:30 in the morning and then Mommy took over and called the Doctor for me.  We went for a ride to Children's and while we were there the surgeon said he was going to admit us.  We were going to stay for a few days because the Dr.s said I aspirated on the barium from the esopharam and I that I would be ok after a few days.  On Friday at 4:00 am I woke up Mommy because I was really not feeling good.  My main surgeon came in and said we were moving back to NICU.  Mommy and Daddy liked that because they liked the nurses and so did I.  Before they could move us to the new room Mommy noticed that I was swollen really, really bad in my scrotum.  Another Dr. came in later and thought I had a really bad UTI, so they ordered an X-Ray.  The X-Ray showed a little bit of air next to my liver so they sent the picture to the radiologist.  The radiologist saw something bad and told the surgeons to talk to Mommy and Daddy.  The Drs. told Mommy and Daddy that they thought part of my bowel had ruptured and I would need emergency laparotomy exploratory surgery.  The surgeon on call came and explained everything to Mommy and Daddy and I went to surgery for 2 and a half to 3 hours.  As it turns out I had a perforated bowel.  That means there was a small hole that punctured through my small intestines and was leaking milk that I was eating, into my abdomen.  What caused the hole you ask?  Well it was actually my J-tube that poked through somehow. The surgeon had to flush the milk out of my abdomen and took extra time doing so.  She also tested the part of my bowel after she fixed it to make sure everything was alright. I did have to be on a ventilator for a couple of days, but I got to have it taken out at about 12:30 this morning.  Now we have actually moved back to general rooms after much frustration from Mommy and Daddy, so that I can recover and hopefully be able to go home in a few weeks. Please continue to pray for me as I recover. Thank you!  I love you, see me soon!!!    

142 Days Later

AND WE'RE HOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

       After T.J. Tuesday was posted last Tuesday we found out we were able to go home in a few days!  So last Thursday I went home with Mommy & Daddy!  So far it's been awesome, except for my first big boy bath :)  I'm so glad I'm finally home. Today I got to go to my first pediatricians visit and he said I look great!  I also went back to Children's Hospital for a 3rd esophagram and the Doctors said that the leak is getting better and smaller which is great news.  The stricture hasn't gotten any smaller which is also great news.  We will go back in about a week or two to do another esophagram as a check-up.  The day I got to go home I came home with a diaper rash and a rash on my arm from the PICC Line, but both are clearing up nicely.  I'm still eating through my GJ-tube which Mommy and Daddy had to learn to operate.  My vocal chords still don't work 100% but Mommy and Daddy say I'm sounding so much better and we go back in a few months to do a check on that.  You are more than welcome to come see me just call Mommy and Daddy to make sure we will be home!

Measurements

Length ----------------- 26.25 inches
Weight ----------------- 14 lbs 4 ounces

Final E-Cards

Because we are home the e-cards wont work anymore, but if you have a card all ready for T.J. you can send one through regular mail by putting in our address.

Becky G.---------------- Family Friend
Mamaw L --------------- Grandma Lisa

Esophagram Take 2

       Well last Thursday Mommy, Daddy and I got some bad news.  We found out that one of my vocal cords became paralyzed because of the ventilator which is making it hard for me to make noise.  There are a number of different things they can do to try and correct this and they said it can even be just temporary.  Still it wasn't anything that anyone could have predicted or even wanted to hear.  After a couple of nights of withdraws I'm completely off dialudid, morphine, and versed.  That means all I need to do is get off precedex and I won't have a need for an IV anymore.  They are planning on taking the precedex off today!!! 

       Also from the picture above can you tell I love television?  I've seen Go Diego Go: The Jaguar Rescue a couple of times.  I've also watched The Lion King, 101 Dalmatians, Despicable Me and Toy Story 3.

Today was my second Esophagram and we found out that my contained leak is getting better!!! PTL! My surgeon said that we have to continue to check it every week to make sure the leak is getting better and there are no strictures but WE CAN GO HOME and wait!!! I will being going home within a couple of days along with my G/J Tube and maybe my PICC Line. A lot of paper work has to be done and some tests need to take place but I get to go HOME!!!

I'm not for sure what day I get to go home but we will update everyone on here as soon as we know.  Thanks for everyone's continued prayers and support, although we get to go home we will still need to come back to the hospital every week so keep those prayers coming!

Measurements

Length ----------------- 25.59 inches ------------- 50th percentile

Weight ------------------ 13 lbs 15.1 ounces ----- 11th percentile

Head Cir ---------------- 16.65 inches ----------- 51st percentile

E-Cards

Aunt Linda ----------------- Great Aunt Linda
Tanya ---------------------- Family Friends
Pepaw Vance -------------- Grandpa Vance X 2
Mamaw L. ----------------- Grandma Lisa

Gifts

Aunt Linda ------------------ Clothes
Aunt Jojo ------------------- Clothes
Billie Jo --------------------- Pacifier Clip

Esophagram Day!!!

       I'm back!!! Mommy and Daddy did just fine, but this is T.J. Tuesday!!!  I'm obviously not sedated anymore nor am I under a paralytic.  I am still on some pain meds, but they are already weening me off of them.  Mommy and Daddy both got to hold me again.  I really don't know what to do without my replogle tube so I just stick my tongue out now just like the pictures show you above.  Instead of my pacifier I substitute by sucking my thumb.  Now for the results of the esophagram.

The good news: There are no strictures!!!
The bad news: There is one leak and it's considered a contained leak.  There is also some narrowing, but no more then when the doctor stitched my esophagus together.
The good news again: A contained leak is the best kind of leak to have.  I can even come home with this kind of leak.  Because I do have a leak they put a G/J-tube in and started my feeds again. :)  The surgeons are going to repeat this test again next Monday or Tuesday just to make sure the leak doesn't get bigger.  Once I'm off all the meds and the leak doesn't get bigger or worse and Mommy and Daddy take a few tests I should be able to come home!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thank you all for praying for my family and me! Please keep it up they are being answered!

Measurements

Still no measurements because of the cords and meds, but hopefully we will have some for you next T.J. Tuesday.

E-Cards

Sara,Tim and Keller-----------------------Family Friends
Trina V.----------------------------------- Family Friends
Gma Shirley, Fisher and Bragg------------ Grandmas
Maria, Kyle and Markofe ----------------  NICU Friends
Becky G. --------------------------------- Family Friends