and she told us that her and her 2 daughters wouldn't be at Rebecca's birthday party because of a family emergency. Then she went into the emergency.
I know this man. I know this family. Their hearts towards adoption is SO HUGE! They have two Chinese daughters of their own. We met them when we had NO children and were invited to a "playdate" with other adoptive families in the southern MD area.
The dad in this family is a diabetic, type 2, just like me. He's older (older than me), and was struggling with his diabetes......................His diabetes reared it's ugly head earlier in the week. He has now lost a foot to the disease. He's been transferred from a local hospital to Georgetown Univ. Hospital. I know alot of the readers of our blog are christians and pray. I'm asking you to pray for this family. He's still in ICU and has been there for quite a while. His kidney's have tried to shutdown. He's on dialysis. He's doing a tad better, but anyone who knows anything about Diabetes knows things can happen QUICKLY and without warning.
I've been in touch with the family. (The mom) I feel so bad. I feel bad because him and I, even though we don't know each other as well as the mom and I do, we share that same disease! God knows it's ugly! I hate it! It takes too much from people! It's not fair and it strikes ANYONE at any age! You don't have to be fat, skinny, tall, short, have a history of it in your family, or not. It will strike with whom it decides.
Please, if you remember in your prayers, please pray for "D" and his family. God knows who this family is. He goes for another surgery tomorrow. When I find out more, I'll pass it on. Their girls are both under 10. Pray for the mom as she goes to the hospital and still tries to keep the girls on a "schedule" as much as can be done.
Important dates:
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Sunday, September 16, 2007
Almost a week now.............
Well, so far so good. Matthew had one tiny set back that Daddy figured out more than Mommy did. (from the "down under" stuff) But nothing big. It's been fixed, Matthew didn't like it. Other than that? Life is good. Matthew is doing well but is liking Mommy staying at home. I can see that. Actually? I'm liking staying home with him. He's such a doll. He asks me all kinds of things. Loves to talk more now. His vocabulary and working with consenants are great! He has a J now. His R is getting there too. There is only one thing that is worrying mom and dad at the moment.
We've seen liquid come out of Matthew's nose just once since the surgery. We aren't sure if that was a mishap, like you or I drinking coke and it goes up your nose type of thing or something else. I know our surgeon said that the liklihood of another fistula forming was pretty high. (Although we are praying it doesn't happen!) We are doing everything right. I just don't know until we see the surgeon on Friday. We will go downtown to Children's for an appointment. Hopefully it will be GREAT news! We need some about now. ANYTHING! *besides bills from Children's for Matt's surgery*
Rebecca is in her rare form as always. Since we pay more attention to Matthew, especially mommy, she does just about anything and everything to get our attention! It's really OLD already! Anyone with kids (more than 1) knows about this!!! Daddy tries to teach her what is going on, especially with Matthew, but who knows with her. Her birthday party is coming up soon! She's having a PRINCESS party. You know the Diva must have her Princess party! *oh good grief* (When I was little, it was all about the birthday cake! Who cared about the "theme" or what you got, or where you went..........oh, but I do remember my first Burger Chef birthday party and McDonalds party! DOES THAT DATE ME OR WHAT?!?! *Alright, don't answer that!* Your old too because you remembered it!;o)
Charlie is living large! Literally. He's lost weight being in our family! He's gone from 91 pounds, down to 87.5. He's pretty healthy. *yes, he went to the vet last weekend* Just a distemper shot and he was good to go. His hip dysplaxia is present and pretty obvious, but not stopping him from doing anything. We have him on some organic/herbal stuff which is helping alot! He can run with the BIG DOGGIES! We take him for walks just about everyday and he goes to a dog park every weekend and the kids playground park every weekend. The kids LOVE him! LOVE him! He is estimated to be about 6 or 7 years old which makes him getting into his "older years". I must admit, he's a perfect match with our family.
Kitties are good. Driving the dog crazy, or vice versa, but Poodie, Livie, and Oliver are doing just fine.
Did I cover everyone? Oh yeah, Daddy is good. We are moving on our 6 month post placement for Matthew also! YEAH GOD! *very happy about that*
The mommy files
We've seen liquid come out of Matthew's nose just once since the surgery. We aren't sure if that was a mishap, like you or I drinking coke and it goes up your nose type of thing or something else. I know our surgeon said that the liklihood of another fistula forming was pretty high. (Although we are praying it doesn't happen!) We are doing everything right. I just don't know until we see the surgeon on Friday. We will go downtown to Children's for an appointment. Hopefully it will be GREAT news! We need some about now. ANYTHING! *besides bills from Children's for Matt's surgery*
Rebecca is in her rare form as always. Since we pay more attention to Matthew, especially mommy, she does just about anything and everything to get our attention! It's really OLD already! Anyone with kids (more than 1) knows about this!!! Daddy tries to teach her what is going on, especially with Matthew, but who knows with her. Her birthday party is coming up soon! She's having a PRINCESS party. You know the Diva must have her Princess party! *oh good grief* (When I was little, it was all about the birthday cake! Who cared about the "theme" or what you got, or where you went..........oh, but I do remember my first Burger Chef birthday party and McDonalds party! DOES THAT DATE ME OR WHAT?!?! *Alright, don't answer that!* Your old too because you remembered it!;o)
Charlie is living large! Literally. He's lost weight being in our family! He's gone from 91 pounds, down to 87.5. He's pretty healthy. *yes, he went to the vet last weekend* Just a distemper shot and he was good to go. His hip dysplaxia is present and pretty obvious, but not stopping him from doing anything. We have him on some organic/herbal stuff which is helping alot! He can run with the BIG DOGGIES! We take him for walks just about everyday and he goes to a dog park every weekend and the kids playground park every weekend. The kids LOVE him! LOVE him! He is estimated to be about 6 or 7 years old which makes him getting into his "older years". I must admit, he's a perfect match with our family.
Kitties are good. Driving the dog crazy, or vice versa, but Poodie, Livie, and Oliver are doing just fine.
Did I cover everyone? Oh yeah, Daddy is good. We are moving on our 6 month post placement for Matthew also! YEAH GOD! *very happy about that*
The mommy files
Thursday, September 13, 2007
I knew it was bound to happen............
a meltdown. It happened this morning. After we had breakfast, I told Matthew we would go "bye-bye" for a bit. Nothing long, just an errand and home again. Had PLENTY of stares from folks and a couple actually asked me, "What's wrong with his arms?" LOL It's amazing how folks KNOW it's not right to stare, but yet, they do and then ask what's wrong. I just said he had surgery in his mouth and they don't want him putting fingers inside. End of story.
Anyway, Matthew had a major meltdown. I knew it was coming, just didn't know when. It happened today. As I was changing him and putting the medicine on the places "down below"/suture sites. He had had enough! That was it. I was kicked, pinched, you name it. He did it. Matthew was crying/screaming just about as much as Monday evening. But this was different. Different cry. More like, TEMPER TANTRUM time. I let him have it. Literally. If I had surgery, if I had pain like he did, I'd be unhappy and have a meltdown too. I put him on the floor gently and let him have at it. (He couldn't hurt himself. Diaper was on. No-no's were on.) After about 2 minutes, he was done. I asked him are you finished? Matthew said yes. I said good, now can we go "bye-bye"? He said yes and away we went. He's been excellent since then.
Right now, he had a milkshake (that melted by the time we got home) from Burger King and it was CHOCOLATE! He drank that and said he was tired so I put him in bed. He's sleeping. I tell ya, after the past couple of days, for him to have a 2 minute meltdown..........well, BIG DEAL! I asked him later was he hurting and he said no. It was pure temper.....pure I've had enough temper. He gave his hugs and we went to do our errand. Man......what a trooper!
You know? I never said anything until now, but while him and I were in the hospital on Monday night, I asked Matthew (when he wasn't hurting anymore) was it better to be at the hospital with Mommy or back in China. He looked at me and said w/Mommy. Then he put his arms up for a hug. I can't imagine my boy having surgery in China with NO ONE with him. Not one person. He would be there all alone. I know he did that twice, but NEVER again!!!! I promised him that. Daddy too.
So today is an ok day. Just the one meltdown. Who knows when he gets up. I don't tell him no or don't do that. Why? What for? He's had surgery and enough pain for a grown person to go crazy over! He's entitled. As long as he doesn't hurt himself, go right ahead. And when he's done? We'll go do something else. :o)
The mommy files
Anyway, Matthew had a major meltdown. I knew it was coming, just didn't know when. It happened today. As I was changing him and putting the medicine on the places "down below"/suture sites. He had had enough! That was it. I was kicked, pinched, you name it. He did it. Matthew was crying/screaming just about as much as Monday evening. But this was different. Different cry. More like, TEMPER TANTRUM time. I let him have it. Literally. If I had surgery, if I had pain like he did, I'd be unhappy and have a meltdown too. I put him on the floor gently and let him have at it. (He couldn't hurt himself. Diaper was on. No-no's were on.) After about 2 minutes, he was done. I asked him are you finished? Matthew said yes. I said good, now can we go "bye-bye"? He said yes and away we went. He's been excellent since then.
Right now, he had a milkshake (that melted by the time we got home) from Burger King and it was CHOCOLATE! He drank that and said he was tired so I put him in bed. He's sleeping. I tell ya, after the past couple of days, for him to have a 2 minute meltdown..........well, BIG DEAL! I asked him later was he hurting and he said no. It was pure temper.....pure I've had enough temper. He gave his hugs and we went to do our errand. Man......what a trooper!
You know? I never said anything until now, but while him and I were in the hospital on Monday night, I asked Matthew (when he wasn't hurting anymore) was it better to be at the hospital with Mommy or back in China. He looked at me and said w/Mommy. Then he put his arms up for a hug. I can't imagine my boy having surgery in China with NO ONE with him. Not one person. He would be there all alone. I know he did that twice, but NEVER again!!!! I promised him that. Daddy too.
So today is an ok day. Just the one meltdown. Who knows when he gets up. I don't tell him no or don't do that. Why? What for? He's had surgery and enough pain for a grown person to go crazy over! He's entitled. As long as he doesn't hurt himself, go right ahead. And when he's done? We'll go do something else. :o)
The mommy files
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Hungry!
Our little boy is hungry! Last night it was pathetic. Mom, Dad and Becca ate and Matthew drank. He started crying. I had to remind Matthew that it was only for a short period of time and that I would try and make him soft foods tomorrow (which is today). Soft scrambled eggs should be a hit with him. He's so hungry! A smoothie for dinner was ok, but he wanted FOOD! REAL FOOD!
This morning he wanted to go with his big sister to daycare, but he couldn't. He wasn't happy about that either. He was REALLY upset when it was time to "wash and medicate" the sutures "down below".........we have to do this every time we change his diaper! He cries. It hurts. We know this. But we MUST do it or infection will set in. We don't want that.
Right now Matthew is playing with legos and watching Lilo & Stitch. He likes both. He has his no-no's off for the moment. He KNOWS the rule! No touch mouth!!! He hasn't really touched it, or come close, but even when I just leave the room for a minute, I put the no-no's back on because we don't want to go through all of this again!!!
Charlie the doggie is watching over Matthew pretty intently too. I think Charlie knows Matthew is "sickly" for the moment. It's interesting to see.
The mommy files
This morning he wanted to go with his big sister to daycare, but he couldn't. He wasn't happy about that either. He was REALLY upset when it was time to "wash and medicate" the sutures "down below".........we have to do this every time we change his diaper! He cries. It hurts. We know this. But we MUST do it or infection will set in. We don't want that.
Right now Matthew is playing with legos and watching Lilo & Stitch. He likes both. He has his no-no's off for the moment. He KNOWS the rule! No touch mouth!!! He hasn't really touched it, or come close, but even when I just leave the room for a minute, I put the no-no's back on because we don't want to go through all of this again!!!
Charlie the doggie is watching over Matthew pretty intently too. I think Charlie knows Matthew is "sickly" for the moment. It's interesting to see.
The mommy files
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Last 24 hours..............HOME!!!!!!!!!!!!
As of 9:30am this morning, Matthew was released from Children's National Medical Center. (Thank God) It took quite awhile to get to this point though.
Yesterday around 5:30pm:
Matthew was sleeping pretty much until about 5:30pm.....about 3 1/2 hours after surgery was completed. His "coddle of pain blockers" (for "down below") was starting to wear off and OH MY GOSH WERE WE AWARE OF IT! We were in a room in which they call a holding room. (1/2 way from operating table to regular room, sort of) Matthew woke up from a sleep just screaming for all he was worth! Apparently the block wore off, he wee weed and that's what started this. From 5:30pm to 11:30pm, different pain meds were tried.....fentanol (sp?), then Tylenol 3 w/codiene and finally morphine! Thank God for the morphine!!!! It kicked in and Matthew ended up falling asleep, as he was crying. All the walking, craddling, holding, hugging, riding in the radio flyer wagon in the world wasn't enough for our son's pain! God did we feel it, in many different and horrible ways! (Not like him mind you, but watching your child in pain and there isn't anything you can do about it is SOOOOOO VERY hard to watch! Especially as the nurses try to work on him because every bell, button, flashing light and knob on the IV thingie is going off!!! That and your child's heart rate fly from 95 to 185 at the drop of a hat and the IV thingie says in bright RED/yellow lights TACHY.) Blood oozing out of his nose and mouth because of being so upset as it is plus the palate doing this on top of it and your son panicking over that! OY!
TODAY:
Anyway, the nurses changed shifts and helped us so much! All the nurses helped us alot but the night nurses helped us greatly! It was just Matthew and mommy by then. Jackie and Rose helped us move to an isolation room for more privacy and to be closer to the nurses station. By midnight, Matthew was sleeping, semi tolerating the pain and going in and out of sleepyland. Mommy got some much needed sleep finally until more alarms went off when Matthew occluded his IV lines. After that, Rose was on board then and said for me to sleep and she will look after Matthew. It was hard to trust anyone with your child, but Rose was a mom too. A nurse and very forgiving and graceful with her child patients. (and parents) I said yes. 6am rolled around and Matthew was already up and "flirting" with Rose! Yep, my son was back! The nurses coming on at 6am were so funny towards Matthew. Said he was a little cutie! Yep, that's Matthew.
The breakfast of choice was apple juice and milk! For Matthew, this was a good feat for him! He drank both. Tried melted ice cream, but nope, didn't work. The doctor came in at about 9am and took out Matthew's "pack" inside his upper palate and it was sutured to his teeth to keep in place! Matthew did NOT like having that removed but he just kept saying OUWEE, OUWEE mommy. 4 clips and it was over! We could go home!!!
Surgery:
(His palate looks GREAT! NO HOLE! Matthew's palate has a VERY new and innovative graft inside it (grafting of a new plastic piece). Only a hand full of patients have this at CNMC! Matthew's fistula was definitely MORE INTENSIVE than anyone knew. His hole was a finger's worth from what you could see inside his mouth. BUT, once the surgeon got past that, he said it was HUGE and wide open! What China did? I have no clue, but I know what is there now!!!! He closed up the first layer of soft tissue, put the plastic in and then put another layer of skin. He said the body would absorb the plastic with no problem. This is why this part of the surgery took longer than expected.)
(The second part of the surgery took longer because Matthew's hernia was much more bigger than the urologist thought. She had to put it all back where it should be. More intensive then she thought as well. The rest of the urological issues went just fine.)
So, we are home, we are ok. Matthew is doing ok. He's on meds. Pain is there, but much better than before. Mom and Dad are ok. Becca is trying to be calm around Matthew. (easier said than done)
The mommy files
Yesterday around 5:30pm:
Matthew was sleeping pretty much until about 5:30pm.....about 3 1/2 hours after surgery was completed. His "coddle of pain blockers" (for "down below") was starting to wear off and OH MY GOSH WERE WE AWARE OF IT! We were in a room in which they call a holding room. (1/2 way from operating table to regular room, sort of) Matthew woke up from a sleep just screaming for all he was worth! Apparently the block wore off, he wee weed and that's what started this. From 5:30pm to 11:30pm, different pain meds were tried.....fentanol (sp?), then Tylenol 3 w/codiene and finally morphine! Thank God for the morphine!!!! It kicked in and Matthew ended up falling asleep, as he was crying. All the walking, craddling, holding, hugging, riding in the radio flyer wagon in the world wasn't enough for our son's pain! God did we feel it, in many different and horrible ways! (Not like him mind you, but watching your child in pain and there isn't anything you can do about it is SOOOOOO VERY hard to watch! Especially as the nurses try to work on him because every bell, button, flashing light and knob on the IV thingie is going off!!! That and your child's heart rate fly from 95 to 185 at the drop of a hat and the IV thingie says in bright RED/yellow lights TACHY.) Blood oozing out of his nose and mouth because of being so upset as it is plus the palate doing this on top of it and your son panicking over that! OY!
TODAY:
Anyway, the nurses changed shifts and helped us so much! All the nurses helped us alot but the night nurses helped us greatly! It was just Matthew and mommy by then. Jackie and Rose helped us move to an isolation room for more privacy and to be closer to the nurses station. By midnight, Matthew was sleeping, semi tolerating the pain and going in and out of sleepyland. Mommy got some much needed sleep finally until more alarms went off when Matthew occluded his IV lines. After that, Rose was on board then and said for me to sleep and she will look after Matthew. It was hard to trust anyone with your child, but Rose was a mom too. A nurse and very forgiving and graceful with her child patients. (and parents) I said yes. 6am rolled around and Matthew was already up and "flirting" with Rose! Yep, my son was back! The nurses coming on at 6am were so funny towards Matthew. Said he was a little cutie! Yep, that's Matthew.
The breakfast of choice was apple juice and milk! For Matthew, this was a good feat for him! He drank both. Tried melted ice cream, but nope, didn't work. The doctor came in at about 9am and took out Matthew's "pack" inside his upper palate and it was sutured to his teeth to keep in place! Matthew did NOT like having that removed but he just kept saying OUWEE, OUWEE mommy. 4 clips and it was over! We could go home!!!
Surgery:
(His palate looks GREAT! NO HOLE! Matthew's palate has a VERY new and innovative graft inside it (grafting of a new plastic piece). Only a hand full of patients have this at CNMC! Matthew's fistula was definitely MORE INTENSIVE than anyone knew. His hole was a finger's worth from what you could see inside his mouth. BUT, once the surgeon got past that, he said it was HUGE and wide open! What China did? I have no clue, but I know what is there now!!!! He closed up the first layer of soft tissue, put the plastic in and then put another layer of skin. He said the body would absorb the plastic with no problem. This is why this part of the surgery took longer than expected.)
(The second part of the surgery took longer because Matthew's hernia was much more bigger than the urologist thought. She had to put it all back where it should be. More intensive then she thought as well. The rest of the urological issues went just fine.)
So, we are home, we are ok. Matthew is doing ok. He's on meds. Pain is there, but much better than before. Mom and Dad are ok. Becca is trying to be calm around Matthew. (easier said than done)
The mommy files
Monday, September 10, 2007
An unhappy little boy......
That and a semi stressed mom is what I left at the hospital couple of hours ago. Matthew got through his procedures really well and was awake and semi alert when he got to the recovery room. However when the pain meds started to wear off he got more and more discomforted and fuzzy. It is a little hard for a almost three year old to comprehend that a few hours of pain makes for a lifetime of gain. One thing is for sure... It is very tough to watch your little son in pain and not being able to give him sufficient comfort to make it better for him. If everything is well with him in the morning he will be able to come home, if not he'll be admitted for at least one day.
Roy
Roy
Sunday, September 09, 2007
Surgery update as of SUNDAY NITE!
Here is the latest in what the surgical ward/recovery nurse has told us as of today. Monday, Matthew's surgery was moved up to 10am. We need to be at Children's Hospital by 8am. (Parked, signed in and waiting.) Things will get rolling as Roy and I sign him into the surgical ward. Matthew WILL be staying at least until Tuesday. (Best case scenario is that he goes home Tuesday. If one thing goes wrong, he will stay indefinitely until the doctors see fit to discharge him.) The main reason for him staying awhile is because his surgery will take a while to do. Appx. 4 hours. Going in at 10am and coming out at 2pm, being in recovery for up to 2 hours afterwards, Matthew may not feel like drinking anything for dinner. If he cannot drink something, he will not go home..............but also, his hernia side of the surgery. He will have 2 incisions on his lower abdomen where they "pushed" all the intestines up where they should be. They do not want infection to set in.
Today was Matthew's day. ALL DAY.....he got his favorite breakfast, bacon and eggs w/hasbrowns, for lunch he wanted a hot dog and for dinner? PIZZA! He wolfed it down too!!! The blender is cleaned up, ready to go, momma has so many fruits lined up in the refrigerator for Matthew's smoothie's, it's quite interesting to see. Ice cream is freezing......oooo, forgot to turn on the ice maker. Will do that as soon as I'm done. Other than that? NO MORE FOOD or DRINK for Matthew until after the surgery! Roy and I will take turns going to eat breakfast at Children's tomorrow. (being a diabetic, uh, YEAH, like I have a choice?) All the kids in the surgical ward have to fast for surgery so there is NO FOOD and NO DRINKS allowed in that area.
Daddy's doing fine. Becca? Oh my gosh was she in rare form today! (Knew she was going to her Aunt Kimmy's house.) Matthew? He's fine. He says he's going to see Dr. Murthy tomorrow. He truly likes him ALOT! I'm glad.....Mommy? Well, I'm trying to keep myself together. Putting Matthew to sleep will be the hard part. That's like the "real" part to me. Maybe it has alot to do with my parents dying, whatever, who knows. I'll be fine. I just keep telling myself to GET OVER IT already. It usually works.
Anyway, I've told some, now I tell all, CALL OUR CELL PHONES and leave messages on the voicemails! We will get back with you when we make it to the cafeteria! If we need to get messages out to folks, we have our avenues! YOU WILL KNOW! Just hang tight.
Thank you for praying for our son. Please keep up the good fight for him. Prayers are always welcome for him and for us!!!
I think that's all for now.
Today was Matthew's day. ALL DAY.....he got his favorite breakfast, bacon and eggs w/hasbrowns, for lunch he wanted a hot dog and for dinner? PIZZA! He wolfed it down too!!! The blender is cleaned up, ready to go, momma has so many fruits lined up in the refrigerator for Matthew's smoothie's, it's quite interesting to see. Ice cream is freezing......oooo, forgot to turn on the ice maker. Will do that as soon as I'm done. Other than that? NO MORE FOOD or DRINK for Matthew until after the surgery! Roy and I will take turns going to eat breakfast at Children's tomorrow. (being a diabetic, uh, YEAH, like I have a choice?) All the kids in the surgical ward have to fast for surgery so there is NO FOOD and NO DRINKS allowed in that area.
Daddy's doing fine. Becca? Oh my gosh was she in rare form today! (Knew she was going to her Aunt Kimmy's house.) Matthew? He's fine. He says he's going to see Dr. Murthy tomorrow. He truly likes him ALOT! I'm glad.....Mommy? Well, I'm trying to keep myself together. Putting Matthew to sleep will be the hard part. That's like the "real" part to me. Maybe it has alot to do with my parents dying, whatever, who knows. I'll be fine. I just keep telling myself to GET OVER IT already. It usually works.
Anyway, I've told some, now I tell all, CALL OUR CELL PHONES and leave messages on the voicemails! We will get back with you when we make it to the cafeteria! If we need to get messages out to folks, we have our avenues! YOU WILL KNOW! Just hang tight.
Thank you for praying for our son. Please keep up the good fight for him. Prayers are always welcome for him and for us!!!
I think that's all for now.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
