Skip to main content

Wednesday Update: 9/28/05

Holy cow, can it really be September 28th!?!?!

Matt’s wonderful Aunt Linda sent me a note recently and told me that I should keep a little diary of the blessings that happen during this time. It’s true that you can tend to focus in on the negative things and overlook the wonderful little positive things when dealing with a stressful situation like this. So, I have decided to start each of my updates with something positive.

Earlier today I truly felt like the only positive thing I could say was that I like my new sweater. It has just been one of those days. However, I can now say that there were a few positive things that have happened today:
· After the attempt to insert the feeding tube in his stomach failed (further details to follow) the GI doctor was able to reinsert the feeding tube back in his nose and it was placed correctly the first time so we didn’t have to do 4 more x-rays and have him lay on his side all day.
· The physical therapists said he did even better today with his exercises, even though he was very groggy most of the day.

The day started out pretty rough. Mom got here early and the nurses told her that they had to give him a sedative around 6:30 this morning because he was being too agitated. Of course, we do NOT want him to have these sedatives as it really knocks him out and he loses valuable therapy time. So we were a little upset about that.
Next we head down to do the PEG insertion Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastric Tube (G-Tube)…inserting the tube directly into the stomach. We head down, wait for him to be prepped, wait for an hour as they ‘do’ the procedure, then head back to recovery…where we find Matt sleeping soundly with the tube back in his NOSE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Of course, we were instantly furious. Turns out that due to his ‘anatomy’ the GI doctor couldn’t see well enough to tell where he was and didn’t feel comfortable poking around much more than he did. I am glad that he realized his limitations and didn’t put Matt at any more risk, but was very upset that he had to have that stupid tube put back in his nose. He is now on the schedule to have the G-Tube inserted tomorrow, and the Radiologist will do it. Apparently, they will go from the outside in this time and shouldn’t have any issues. Please pray that the procedure is a success and we can finally move forward. He has been very groggy all day and will be again tomorrow after his procedure, so we’ve lost 2 days and that is frustrating. At least these procedures buy us more time to get him referred to a skilled care facility. I’m anxious for that next step, to get him doing more therapy and really on the road to normal. I know we have to be patient…and that is the hardest part for me. We all need prayers for that. I know this is going to be a long and painful process and am just SO ready to be moving on from here.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

A Glimpse Into Open Adoption

If you had been a customer of the Longhorn Steakhouse on Highway 19 in Palm Harbor, FL last Sunday night, you may have seen two couples walking through the restaurant, oogling a sweet baby boy on the way to their table. You may have commented on how cute he was. You may have thought he looked a lot like the woman carrying him. You may have wondered about the man in the wheelchair. But you likely would not have assumed you’d be witnessing this baby’s biological parents sit down to dine with his adoptive parents. It’s a scene I’ve been playing over and over in my mind as I recount the wonderful experiences of our trip to Florida. The magnitude of that moment, that evening, will never be lost on me. It was incredible to be a part of – and I’m so very grateful we had it. We had met up with Ethan’s birthmother, L, earlier in the day. She hadn’t seen him since he was a few hours old and was anxiously waiting for us outside a local mall. As soon as we saw each other the tears welled up in o...

WE'RE ADOPTING!!

Bah! I said it…er wrote it…out loud. There it is, in black and white for the world to see. (Pause for a drink and a breath) Matt and I are in the very early stages of planning to adopt. We have had a few meetings with an adoption agency, we are gathering the necessary information, and we are making plans to get this ball officially rolling SOON. It has been a very long and winding road to get us to this point, and honestly I never thought we’d get here. Adoption isn’t what we started out hoping for. It isn’t where we thought we’d end up. But here we are – gearing up for what will surely be a life-changing experience for us with hearts full of hope and excitement. The topic of adoption has come up in the past, but we quickly dismissed it for one reason or another. Matt and I have had our fair share of insecurities about whether or not adoption would be a good option for us. Who would look at our family profile and pick us?? It was a burning question that we probably still have ...

A Huge Loss

A coworker and friend of mine died tragically in a car accident last evening. I heard about it first thing this morning from his leader as he sat in my office and calmly told me face to face about our loss. I sank into my chair in shock, the waves of tears completely overcoming me. I listened to the words he told me, but couldn’t grasp their meaning. Someone I saw or talked to nearly every day was gone…just like that. I was devastated. Overcome with grief. I managed to compose myself for short periods of time throughout the day, but eventually the reality of it all floods me again and I can’t catch my breath. It’s so shocking and sudden, my mind can’t make heads or tails of it. Just two days ago, I sat on a stool next to this man, having a drink with other coworkers. Shooting the breeze, telling stories, laughing and teasing one another. And that will be the last time. I just celebrated my 11th anniversary at this job – on this team – with many of the same people. This man was on...