Sunday, April 28, 2013

All's Well That Ends Well...Grayson's Surgery

My mom and I woke up at 3:45 on Thursday morning to make the drive to Memorial Hospital for Grayson's day surgery(adenoids, tear duct stint, tubes in ears). Drew had to do state testing with his students. Little Sweetie stayed with Wade-O and Gigi, Drew's parents.

Grayson did awesome on the ride there. He was the last "thing" I put in the car before we left. I just kept his pjs on. I didn't think he would wake up, but he did his babbling the whole way there. He was happy in the waiting room and the pre-op room, for the most part. I think he did awesome considering he hadn't had anything to eat since 7:30 the night before. He was also prodded and poked every five minutes by a different health care worker.

The nurse came in and gave him something that she said, "...would basically make him drunk." So I watched as Wee Pie got glassy eyed and moved in slow motion. The doctors came in and said hello. They checked Grayson, and gave us another run down of what was going to happen. Then, after a kiss on the head, they whisked him away in a wheel chair on the lap of the nurse.

I don't know why I wasn't more nervous. Maybe because I had undergone 6 grueling hours of waiting for Grayson's open heart surgery in a cardiac waiting room. One hour and three magazines later we met with the first doctor, the opthamologist, who said that the stints weren't easy, but they were done. He gave us eye drops and said he would see us Monday. Great. Good. One procedure down, two to go.

Thirty minutes later the ENT called us back. He said that everything went well. Grayson had large adenoids, lots of gunk in his ears that they got out, and very large tonsils. The tonsils have to wait, though, because Grayson isn't old enough for this invasive and bloody procedure. He did want Grayson to stay over night. I had already packed and prepared for that.

Then he asked if Grayson ever had petechiae (pronounced puh-TEE-kee-ee). You can read more about it here. Basically it is bleeding under the skin that is rash-like in appearance. Petechiae is caused by popping of blood vessels or low platelet counts. Low platelet counts are usually caused by the "L" word (or luekemia, but we aren't even going there!).

Grayson had his platelet count checked before when he was under a year old because he had petechiae. Drew and I researched it then and we know what the causes can be. Grayson's platelets came back in the clear after two wonderful days of waiting for the results of that test. That's why we aren't going there because those days were anything, but wonderful.

Anyway, I told the ENT all of this information. Dr. Rawlings said that some had popped up during and after the surgery. So Grayson was going to stay over night. I knew he would probably be staying overnight. I didn't mind Wee staying after three procedures and the fact he's had open heart surgery and the fact that he is a child with Down syndrome. I thought it would be best for everyone. So I waited to be called back to see my Wee.

Then when I got back to the recovery room, I didn't even recognize him. He looked so big in the nurses arms with his little wispy curls around his shoulders...wailing, sweating, blood spurting from his nose, and his petchiael rash all flared up. I wish I could have taken a picture of the nurses' faces! I think Grayson Goo really freaked them out and he was living up to his Grayson Goo namesake at that moment. I sat down and took that bloody, screaming boy in my arms. I promptly removed the heavy blanket that was causing my hot natured child such distress.

"He won't take this bottle," the brunette nurse said.

"That's because he doesn't drink from bottles." I replied calmly because I knew they just assumed he took a bottle because he is a child with Down syndrome. "His sippy cup is in my bag. He will drink any kind of juice, but no milk per the doctors."

She got it and filled it. Grayson gulped it down. Then he laid his little bloody, rashy head on my shoulder. The nurses were still freaked out. They told me he was going to the PICU.

"Instead of the regular pediatric floor? Why?" I asked looking around at them and the child life services coordinator.

"We will let the intensivist talk to you when you get there. You didn't meet him?," the blond nurse asked.

"No, I just got back here in recovery. Is this because of the petchiae, his bloody nose, or the fact he is a child with Down syndrome?"

"They will talk to you up there," brunette answered.

Those freaked out nurses took his bed the wrong way as they led him up to the PICU, all bloody and wailing again. I later found out that they don't do very well in day surgery recovery with kids. They just aren't used to them because most of the patients are adults. I'm sure Grayson Goo was a doozy!

The PICU experience was wonderful. I loved Grayson's two nurses that watched over him. The intensivist, Dr. Paden and the resident, Dr. Haupt explained that Grayson's petechiae was the reason he was here. Dr. Paden told me the fact the rash was above the neck lead him to believe it was just popped blood vessels due to crying. They just wanted to monitor him and make sure he recovered okay.

Here is where the story gets funny. We stayed in that PICU till around 5:00 that evening and then Grayson was discharged. Wee Pie got much better. He was playing, throwing balls, waving to the nurses as we took walks, and eating/drinking fine. He took several naps on me and his daddy. He needed tylenol and motrin, but overall we could have gone home after the recovery room.

I think Grayson's disability just freaked the recovery staff out. Disabilities and differences do that to some people. The recovery nurses just weren't ready for all the petechiae, blood, sweat, and tears Grayson was ready to give them. Grayson needed extra time to recover and the PICU staff accepted him with  understanding open arms. Perfect lesson in how kids with Down syndrome just need a little extra time to do things.


Poor baby ready to sleep on the ride home.
 Only picture I got of the whole day.
 Petechiae is hard to see in this picture.


I chuckle about it now and I though the whole thing was funny then, in the moment, at the hospital. Grayson is still doing well. He has been playing all weekend with his grandparents. He chomped on ravioli, mashed potatoes, hamburger, and spaghetti among other snacks. I can already tell he is hearing better and more aware. Everyone who's child has had the procedures told me I would see a difference right away. They were right.

Have a good week.

Sunday, April 21, 2013

What a week! Surgery update and signs that Wee's terrible twos are on the way.

This past week Grayson went to his first speech therapy appointment through a private office. I am very optimistic about this therapist. The drive isn't far either and they are flexible with scheduling later in the afternoon so I won't miss work. He has his second appointment tomorrow so I will post on that really soon. We are hoping that the upcoming surgery (tubes), along with the speech therapy, will improve his receptive and expressive speech abilities.

Along with tubes in his ears, Grayson is also getting a stint in his tear ducts and his adenoids removed. This surgery is scheduled for this Thursday. Last Thursday, Drew and Grayson went to a pre-op appointment with the opthamologist, Dr. Davarro. Drew texted me at 4:15 to let me know they were still waiting. The appointment was at 3:30. I told him to go complain. Seriously, an 18 month old, at the doctor, late in the afternoon, having to wait 45 minutes to an hour to be seen...uh not working.

Basically, I think Grayson destroyed the waiting room. Drew claimed he crawled everywhere, pulling things down, ripping up pamphlets, and bothering other patients attempting to do homework. He even attempted to crawl back into the actual office by pushing open the door and crawling on back to be seen. Drew finally told the receptionist that if they weren't seen soon, Wee would actually tear up the waiting room and he wasn't going to stop him.

Grayson in a better state than he was at the doctor.
 Grayson is all boy and beginning to show more and more that he is about to be a full fledged toddler. He shows this by getting into anything and everything. Once he is into it, he makes a mess of the room or himself. He also enjoys long tantrums on the floor when told no and testing his parents once told he can't do something. This includes playing in the toilet (yep, he's had his hand peed on), pulling hair (mine and Marloe's), biting (anyone who gets in the way), and banging hard things on our glass coffee table (yeah, I know, it's time to put it away). I also failed to include that he does somersaults out of the bathtub and it doesn't even phase him.

 Seriously, this kid is going to be hell on legs when he can finally walk.
Here is Grayson and the coffee table. The balloon didn't even last 20 minutes because Grayson managed to pop it shortly after.





On one more note. I ordered and have been reading a book, My Friend Isabelle. The book is a children's book, about a little boy named Charlie and his friend Isabelle, who is a girl with Down syndrome. Tonight I read it to Marloe and tried to introduce the concept of Down syndrome to her and the fact that Grayson is a child with Down syndrome.

I think it is way too early. Little Sweetie now thinks that Down syndrome is a store like the Dollar General. "Okay mommy we go to Down syndrome store with Grayson like we buy the juice from the Dollar General." I think I'll wait on that explanation and for now we will just read the book for pleasure instead of teaching a lesson.

Have a good week to everyone. More surgery updates and hopefully some really exciting news about the move coming up this week!

My mom is super excited about us moving.


Thursday, April 11, 2013

Few and Infrequent

Yep, that is how I can describe my posts. Not exactly the "bang" I wanted to have when starting this blog, but life has other plans.

We are busy, busy, busy. End of the school year means lots of paper work, housekeeping, and activities to attend. I am trying to get kids (my students) on extended school year for their IEP's and get myself on extended school year so I can teach them.

Drew is preparing for the statewide testing coming up in two weeks. He is also finishing up his CDL driving class that has taken him away from us every weekend. This Saturday will be his last class.

Grayson's surgery is in two weeks. I also have scored him an appointment with a speech therapist since our early intervention services don't offer speech therapy. They have one therapist that comes in the morning, one day a week, and only to do evaluations. I asked the service coordinator, "What's the point of doing evaluations if you don't have a full time therapist? And how can you be an early intervention service if you don't offer all the early interventions?" After ruffling her feathers, I decided to seek my own and I found one in the neighboring town that doesn't have a three month wait. Seriously, if you are looking for a speech therapy job, I think South Georgia may be the jackpot you have been looking for. They seem to really be in need of some.

And now the big news....drum roll please...

WE ARE MOVING!

Yep, watch out Carolina's...I'm coming home. Our house is on the market. Drew has a special education teaching position lined up, signed up, and ready to go already. I am looking, emailing, searching, and posting my resume daily. I forgot what an exhausting event applying for jobs in a new city was like. I have also been packing boxes, planning yard sales, and just purging things to get ready for our move in July.

Why are we moving? Well, we always planned to move closer to our family. Now just seems like the time. Drew and I talked about it and decided on the big move earlier this year. Then, we got on it and now we are moving in two and a half months. Yikes!!!! I better get busy.

So that is the reason my posts might become few and infrequent. I haven't forgot about blogging and posting on our family. The thoughts of uploading pictures, thoughts, and ideas are always in my mind. I just have to put some other things first right now. I got to sort out these big events in our life. So I am limiting my posts to once a week or every other week. I hope to include pics, but I can't promise. Just please don't forget about us! We have some exciting things happening and coming our way. I can't wait to share them with you all.
Ready to Roll!

Sunday, April 7, 2013

The Dirty 30s Ain't That Purty...Yet

I am definitely not that excited about my upcoming birthday tomorrow. My family, friends, and husband keep asking me what I want. "I don't know," has been my reply so far. Usually I would have a list of things for them to buy or do for me. Past birthdays have been about excitement, spring break, and celebration. This year I am just not that into it. I think it's because this year I will officially be in my thirties instead of just thirty. Or maybe it's because my birthday doesn't fall on spring break this year like it has every other year of my life. So happy birthday to me and yadda yadda yadda. I bought myself some shoes, asked Drew to book us a weekend at the beach in May for a birthday/Mother's Day celebration, and I am still thinking what I want from my mom.

I definitely am feeling my age today after my Big Nasty Mud Run that I completed with nine other lovely ladies yesterday. We were basically hiking through a swamp with a couple dozen obstacles built in. Yesterday was a blast even with all the scrapes and bruises and I had a cold on top of it all. I am sure the freezing cold pond, stream, and marsh water we swam in won't help that.

Today I feel my age. Today my back aches, my belt's to tight, and everything shakes from left to right! Seriously, I am pretty achy, but its worth it. Just being active and the good hurt you feel after makes it all worth it. I can't wait to do another one with that crew of ladies again.

As for my birthday, I know I will have more of those. I hope I will have lots and lots more of those. Hopefully this aging thing won't get me down too bad and I can enjoy my years of experience in life. 30's is the new 20's, right?


This is us before we got all muddy.
I am the third from the right and third from the left in the bottom pic.
Great bunch of teachers, co-workers, and friends.


Here is our after shot. I think I am still cleaning dirt from my ears.

Wednesday, April 3, 2013

Words on a Wednesday: Pics of Easter (with captions)

I wanted to post pics of our Easter weekend with captions of who each person is. So this Wordless Wednesday will just have to have words. I wanted to post these Monday, but life got in the way. Who would have thought that!? And on a break, no less. Anyway, I am posting most, if not all of them because I love them all and I want to share our great day.

First we woke up on Saturday and the Easter Bunny had come! Yep, we did it on Saturday to avoid dragging everything up to Drew's parents and then back home again on Monday. Plus, we knew that other family members had gotten those spoiled rotten children goodies, so they still made out like bandits on Easter Sunday.





Checking out the bunny loot. Of course it is a cookie!

 Then we drove to GiGi and Wade-O's house for the Easter festivities to begin.

Marloe needed Easter Sunday shoes and eggs to dye STAT, so I went to the store and scored both. Here is her having more fun playing in the dye than prettying up the eggs.


Look at the focus on her face


The Wee Pie was asleep during all of this. Egg dying occurred after his bed time.

Waiting patiently

Needless to say, she went to church the next day with one green hand and one purple hand.
The next morning, we were off to church. This is the best picture I got of them in their outfits, with the grandparents and Drew taking the picture. I think we did okay considering I got none of them last Easter.
Marloe continued her paparazzi face hide at church.
Because you know she is just that important.

Grayson did much better. He even kept his hat on for a while.
Grayson with his GiGi and Nanny.

Grayson with his Aunt Nikki and Uncle Chris. That is such a Marloe face he is making.
After church we headed home to get in our party duds for the Sewell family Easter celebration hosted by GiGi and Wade-O. The place was decorated with Easter fare including Marloe's sparkly eggs.
While Grayson napped...



Marloe and Uncle Chris had a blast with the bubbles he and Aunt Nikki brought her.
She held tight to her Easter basket the whole time in case an egg appeared.

Bubble chaser.


I could definitely use this picture to teach opposites. Tall and Short!

Grayson woke up and was finally able to join in the fun.
Grayson, Gramma, Aunt Lisa


Grayson and Yung (cousin)

Nikki, Grayson, GiGi



Cousin Love

Playful Faces
That's Katie in the last two pics. Marloe loves that chic!





Uncle Harry and Aubrey joined in, too.


Girl Talk

 We love you, too, Katie Bug!!!!
Here is the last of them. Just some miscellaneous pics from the weekend. Mostly Marloe hunting eggs.






Aunt Shelia and Aubrey


Nanny and Drew

Marloe from Easter morning.
Okay, that's all of the rambling and words on a Wednesday I have. Sorry it's so many pictures, but I just liked all of them. I didn't want to post and rant on Facebook, blowing up every one's news feed. So, this way those that want to look can and those that don't, won't.

That is all. Happy Spring Break Again!!!!!