Home Again, Home Again Jiggity Jig!

AT LAST!!!

Benjamin is home from the hospital.

24 days. 95 pounds.

Even better than being home...

he is home without tubes or PICC.

This alone is worth a cheer.

We were so ecstatic when he suddenly started progressing

to the point the NG tube could be pulled on Wednesday.

He began clear liquids on Thursday,

and all went well.

Then it was just a journey through the food chain, to home.

Hooray.

Now.....

If the problem is fixed permanently

Life will be Wonderful.

The surgeons feel somewhat optimistic.

Optimistic enough to say 4% chance of recurrence.

Not Bad.

Time will tell.

I have faith. :)

either way..

It's good to have the whole family in one place again.

I need a vacation. :)

Home Health

Nurse Nikki I am not!
I really don't want to become one either.
But it looks like I might have to.

The surgeon has declared that Ben will come home this weekend....
regardless.
If his output finally slows enough to pull the tube, he will eat and then come home.
If not, he will come home anyway. Tube, PICC, suction and all.
Still not being able to have any food or liquid by mouth.
Home health will deliver his TPN (food iv) each day.
I will be in charge of taking care of his PICC etc.
This scares me a little, I'm not ganna lie.

They are very confident his intestines will recover and work fully.
It just might take some time.
They don't want to rush the process, so will send him home to continue
waiting for a few weeks if necessary.

We really don't want to bring him home all hooked up.
It will be soooo hard for him, not eating, when we all are.
As it is we don't eat in front of him or talk about eating, unless he brings it up.
So we are really praying for a major change here in the next two days.

On the up side, we will love having him home again. :)

Absentee Teaching?

I feel like a slacker!
I have been absent from my Sunday School calling for 3 weeks!!
I am feeling somewhat guilty. Although, I don't think I could handle that one added thing.
Preparing a lesson takes a little time, of which I honestly feel I have none.

I haven't even attended church for three weeks.
This feels like forever.
I did get the sacrament brought to me in Ben's hospital room for two weeks.
Today I was too late for that, but gone during our church.
I know I shouldn't feel guilty, but I do. Is this nuts?
Luckily a great brother in our ward is just combining our classes until I tell him otherwise.

I am an absentee teachers aide too.
I haven't worked in two weeks.
I might like it to much.
It will make going back extremely tough.

Ben is progressing. His output has slowed some.
Yesterday they put him on a rotation.
6 hours off suction, 2 hours on.
They are hoping this method will force the small intestine to wakey wakey.
It seems to be working some. The output has slowed. And he isn't getting nauseous.
This is all a good sign.
He is hopeful that the tube will come out shortly and he will get REAL food soon.
No more food by IV. That's his mantra. And "Third times the Charm"
Meaning 3rd time in the hospital is the last.
We all concur.

Racing for Kids

Yesterday Benjamin and I had a fun surprise.
A bunch of Formula race car drivers who are here in Utah for a big race tomorrow at the Larry Miller speedway came to the hospital to visit kids.
So we wandered to the third floor lobby and Benjamin got to visit with the racers.
They were really cool. Talked about how they got into racing etc.
They all signed a hat, and various pictures and gave it to him.
Channel 4 ABC news was there too taking footage.
They interviewed Benjamin personally. ;)
He thought this was awesome.
I haven't had a chance to see if he made the news....
I did have Bailee DVR it. We will see, maybe he had 5 minutes of fame
straight from Primary Children's.
He also got a visit from a friend of his dads who flies on Air Med.
They gave him a hat and t-shirt. Being that he collects baseball hats, he is very happy about the two additions.

Originally we were hoping to be home in a two week time period.
Not going to happen. That would be today.
Still too much out put.
Who knew the body produced so much....Gunk.
Maybe sometime next week.
Yes, I really am tired.
All the back and forth etc.

Thanks to all who are helping me. You know who you are....
People transporting Brooklyn, people keeping Brooklyn for an hour or so after school.
Those who have brought meals.
Whoever is being a long term sub for me at work.
All the great nurses and volunteers at PCMC, especially the Math tutor. :)
And especially all those who have visited in the hospital.
It really brightens Ben's day and breaks up the monotony.

Idol

I have found myself addicted to American Idol.
I have often wondered about the stupid craziness all these years, never having watched.
Then this year I randomly watch one episode a few months ago and BAM...
Hooked.
I really like it.
Simon of course is my favorite. He is after all the Voice of Reason.
And to be honest he usually calls it right on.
Man can these three men still competing sing.
Adam I'm afraid sings the best.
Not really my type of music, but the best voice in my opinion.
Not a favored opinion I am finding out.
We will see....

Things with Ben remain about the same.
Still to much output from his NG tube to consider pulling it.
Until this happens NO FOOD or WATER by mouth.
His intestines are still sleeping.
Soon they will wake and things will progress faster.
Patience and prayers.
That's what we tell ourselves.
Meanwhile he is having a miserable bout of allergies.
Sneezing and an 8-10 inch incision don't mix.
I continue with my daily dose of Primary Childrens.
7:00 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. :)

Ups & Downs

Sorry that all my posts are hospital based...
This blog is a sort of journal and so I write about what is going on for me.

And for me right now, Ben being in the hospital is pretty consuming.
He has up days and down days.
I guess this is normal.

Saturday was a bad day.
He was very nauseous and in a lot of pain.
And the output in his NG tube was excessive.
This was out of the norm, because he had been feeling so good.

Sunday was a good day.
Ben got to have limited ice chips. :)
Lincoln had to work so I took the girls to the hospital with me.
They spent a good part of the day with Ben and I.
The girls and I also got to see a special showing of the Hannah Montana Movie,
right there in an auditorium in the hospital.
Apparently, Disney gives them quite a few movies a year to show
while there still playing in theatres. This is a great thing.

Ben opted out. He decided to take a nap.
He did say if Miley Cyrus had been in the lobby promoting...
well then he would have gone.
Hospital gown, tubes and all.

Tomorrow is another day....
Hopefully a good one.

42.5 Kilos

Ben's weight today. That's 93.5 pounds.
2.2 pounds per kilo. I know, not much for a 15 year old boy.
Now that they have started feeding him nutrients by his PICC
he has to be weighed every day.
Yesterday he weighed in at a 43.9 kilos.
I swear he peed out all that weight. lol.
The powers that be, want to make sure he isn't getting to thin.
Although, I don't know what they would do about it.
He can't have ANYTHING by mouth.
He can't even brush his teeth.
"He might suck water out of the toothbrush" they say. :)
I know I would if I were him.

Things are progressing.
Each day he feels a little better.
Still not looking like he'll be home any time soon.
Maybe....Next Friday. If were very lucky.
No 4-wheeling again for most of this summer.
This is a real downer to him
and the fact he will miss 9th grade Lagoon Day.
I totally agreed with him, that does indeed suck.

Thanks for the visitors.
He really appreciates the break in a monotonous day.
And the chocolate donuts are my break in the day.

PICC Line

So every once in awhile...
I have a spare moment.
Luckily for me they have Internet here at the hospital.
So today while Ben gets a PICC line...
I decided to check the blog and post.

I had to leave the room.
Blood and all.
Plus they do this procedure in a very sterile environment.
Me, not dressed all sterile.

He has to have this line because in a delirious state on Saturday night,
he pulled his feeding tube.
This had to have been a feat. The tube was at least two feet long.
Completely out. Laying on the bed.
Hmmmm. He can't even remember.
And the Dad slept through it to.
So they are giving him a central line to feed him.

He says T.V. sucks!!
To many commercials with food.
He probably wont get any food or water by mouth for at least another 5-7 days.
He believes he is starving and wasting away.

All else in life continues on as normal as possible.
Thank goodness for the teenager.

PCMC

Primary Children's Medical Center.
This really is a great place.
They have the most wonderful staff
and you know your getting great care if your there.

Which we are. :(
Benjamin went in for a rushed surgery on Friday.
It was definitely NOT planned.

It's going to be a long haul so if I am absent....
Well you know why.

My poor baby boy ;)
That is what he is...my baby boy...
even though he is 15.
He is not a happy camper.