Day 86 - Feeling Better

Today is day 86 of Joshua's life and hospital stay. We have just 20 days left until Christmas and his homecoming!! That's less than 3 weeks!! We're hoping he'll actually get out in about 17-19 days. This picture was before surgery. I just thought it was cute! He looks so chubby!!

Joshua hasn't been weighed since before surgery, so I have no update there. He's doing much better today. His pain is finally under control and probably just improving from being 5 days since surgery. They changed his drug from morphine to fentanyl yesterday. He seems to be doing well with that. He decided late Thursday night that he was tired of the ventilator and when his nurse went to get his medicine, he took it out himself!! His heartrate immediately dropped as he was not yet breathing on his own, so the code alarm was called and they all rushed in and were able to calm him and get him breathing on his own. They put a nasal cannula with 30% oxygen on him and he's being weaned from that today.

Yesterday he did a little better. We were able to hold him for the first time because the vent was out. That was so nice! I actually did kangaroo care with him. That means that he was naked except for the diaper and I was shirtless except for undergarments and we sat there skin to skin. That's supposed to be very soothing for babies. So we sat like that for about 2 1/2 hours. He was still in a good amount of pain both from the surgery and from the gas he was having. I know it's kind of not cool to write about gas, but we were so happy it was happening!! It means things are working down there!! So whenever he would have a big bout of pain, he would bear down and hold his breath. Sometimes he'd need to have the oxygen mask placed in front of him and other times he would just recover on his own, but that boy can hold his breath for forever!! Today he is doing much better with it and hasn't done the holding breath thing. I think the new medicine is helping too.

The secretions that the naso-gastric tube are sucking from his stomach and getting more and more clear and that means that the belly is now allowing that stuff to pass on down through the intestines. This is another great sign. He's also had lots of gas like I mentioned, and even two poops!! So they decided this morning to no longer suction the stomach, but they left the tube in just in case the stomach backs up, it can help empty it. But it's no longer actually sucking anything out. That's so great!! That means in the next day or two, they'll begin feeding him. And then we just have to get him up to his max feeds and tolerating it, then we'll go home!! Hopefully that'll go quick because of how much he's already been eating before surgery.

So overall things are looking up and I'm so relieved. It's been a very long and draining week for us all, but especially Joshua. I'll be so glad when this is all over and we just have the the scar to remind us of it. This has been the longest 12 weeks of my life. I can not wait until it's all over.

Noah and Abby spent the week with family. I think they did well and had a good time. I'm so glad we have family near that can fill in like that. It definitely makes things easier. They both started their Upwards seasons today. Noah had his first basketball game and Abby had her first ever cheerleading game. They were both so cute. I took them to the games while Daddy was at the hospital. Next week we'll probably switch so Daddy can see the games. Luckily there will be plenty of games after Christmas where we all five can go together.

Well that's about it for now. I'll update again soon. Thanks!!