For what ever reason, I'm missing a surgery. So yes, I do know how to count, I'm just forgetting one. It was probably a radiology sedation back in September/Octoberish.
May 31, 2008 Just making sure that we are still on for Hyrum coming in on Sunday for his bowel clean out and for surgery on Monday. I usually get a phone call on Friday's when surgery is on Monday. I didn't completely expect a phone call as I will be admitting Hyrum on Sunday, but I just wanted to make sure we were all a "go". Hyrum is doing great...and is now crawling on his belly inchworm style across the room!
Here is a picture of Hyrum in his walker! His next favorite thing to do!
I am out of town at a meeting but I called to OR and he is on the schedule. Not sure why you did not get the confirmation. I guess you would need to come into the hospital abt 1PM so he can get started on his bowel prep. I am planning on laparoscoping him first. See you then-
Earl C. (Joe) Downey MD
May 1, 2008
This is to let you know that we have arrived. Hyrum has toys to play with and has adjusted (as much as you can) to life in the hospital. Hyrum's surgery is set for tomorrow (Monday) morning. I will keep you posted on how he is doing through out the week.
Sarah's baptism went great and we had an enjoyable time with those that came. The kids are all with Grandma this week. And both Grandma's are getting to take time with them, so that will be fun for the kids to start their summer out!
I would also like to thank those that have been/are/will be praying for us. It means a lot to us to know that we have so many people thinking about us and especially Hyrum at this time.
Hyrum is doing well tonight. We have been promised a rough night tonight. He has been on a clean-out stuff for a few hours. And his stool is very runny, they will now be doing enemas on him every hour or so until it starts coming clear. They also have to do enemas on his lower half of his intestines to make sure it has no mucus in it.
We just got done with the first installment. It wasn't too bad, and he didn't complain too much about it. He was poked 5 times before they got his IV in. His poor veins are so small that even the best of the best have a hard time getting an IV into him.
Well at midnight we get another round of the enemas and will continue until it runs clearly, then they leave him alone.
His surgery is planned for about 12:30 tomorrow afternoon.
May 2, 2008
Well, Hyrum is out of surgery. It has been a long day. He is now comfortable in his sleeping with a little blow by oxygen.
Yesterday, Hyrum received a tube from his nose to his stomach to fill him up with a laxative to clean out his bowels. They gave this to him over a 4 hour period. During this process, the IV team came in with their fancy equipment and finally got an IV in on the 5th try. He was mostly happy and content throughout the rest of the day. Last night at 11 pm, they started doing enemas on both ends of his intestines...through his stoma (where he has been stooling) and through his rectum. This process helps to give a final clean out of anything that might be left inside. They did this at 11 pm, 12 midnight, 6 am, and again at 10 am. He spent a few hours playing on the floor and then napped after the 10 am clean-out. After which we roamed the halls in a wagon, in arms, or (his favorite) daddy's shoulders.
Hyrum then went into Surgery around 2 pm. We made it back to the room by 5:30 pm. He is doing well, but fully maxed on pain meds....but he has not red lined it so that is even better. He desaturates a little, but this is normal for him after surgery.
Though the night is young, I know that most people are anxious to know how everything went.
Hyrum going for a wagon ride!!! LOVED IT!!!
Hyrum playing on the mat this morning about 8 am...notice how happy he is...at this point he had gone 21 hours of no food.
And the final picture is right after Hyrum's surgery. Notice his stomach. The large bandage is where his stoma and mucus fiscula where. The smaller bandage is where they scoped him to make sure everything was good inside of him before they closed him up!
Hyrum is such a trooper. He just amazes me with his attitude and his ability to deal with his life. Yesterday they put a NG tube down him to put the medication straight in his stomach (it is real nasty tasting and he had to drink a litter in four hours time). He hasn't eaten anything since yesterday at 11 am. And he has had 4 enemas so far. one at 11 pm, 12am, 6am and 10am. He will probably have at least one more series. His surgery is scheduled for 1pm, but they are already behind and it will be more like 2pm. But he has already gotten down on the mat to play with his toys, and gone for a wagon ride around the unit. He only complains when they "torture" him with the enemas and other than that he is happy and wants to play! After the enemas I have them wrap him in a warm blanket. This helps him to sleep for a while (which is what he is doing now). He is such a happy child, I don't think any of my other kids could stand to go through 1 day of his life. But it really affects them to watch him grow and still be able to laugh. Though they still fight, they have a new reverence for life and for each other.
Grandpa Burrell (Jennifer's Dad) came to visit and give Hyrum a hug.
This will be (hopefully) the last on his gut. They are closing up his intestines so that he can poop normal. Next Monday he will go in for an MRI of his throat to see why he is not able to swallow chunky foods. This may result in another surgery in the near future. In August, he goes in for another x-ray of his spine. They are watching it for worsening scoliosis. From there his next planned surgery won't be until he is about 5 years old on his ear.
He has a curvature of 36% in his spine so yes he has scoliosis. They are watching him to see how fast the curvature is changing or staying the same.
If he stools in the next 48 hours, we won't know who well he has control until he is ready to potty train. If he doesn't go, then he will be on the needing an enema to go side.
May 5, 2008
Grandpa Smith came to visit and give Hyrum a hug.
I am truly amazed by this little boy that has graced my home! This particular hospital stay has really been the best and easiest for him. They are already talking of sending him home later today!
HE HAS A POOPY DIAPER!!!!!!!!!
more details to follow!!!!!
Ok So I have one awesome story. As Hyrum was taking a ride in his wagon, he ended up running into a mass of people and news people. I was wanting to go through them to the piano on the other side of the crowd, but was stopped by someone from the hospital asking if Hyrum would like a stuffed animal. He had yet to smile(reason for heading to the piano), so I thought this toy might cheer him up. He loved the stuffed animal, but another gentleman from the NFL Blazers came and asked if it was OK to let Hyrum say hi to the mascot. I was skeptical that Hyrum would like this, but agreed to it. Hyrum loved the attention!!! And I looked up to find myself and Hyrum surrounded by the camera crew! They took about 2 hours of film of the mascot saying Hi to other children, but Hyrum seems to be the only one who made it to the news!
If the download doesn't work, here is the link to the news.
http://www.ksl.com/?nid=294&sid=3469394
Enjoy
So dear friends and family,
As I was changing Hyrum's diaper this afternoon, I had to do a double take as there in Hyrum's diaper was poop! I yelled for the nurse and got 5 nurses at my door! I turned and smiling said "I have a poopy diaper!" Laughing everybody went back to work, but very thrilled for Hyrum as this meant he got to go home! I was discharged within the hour! I have since changed about 5 diapers!
Hyrum was very excited to go home. When I showed him his clothes he laughed very giddy like and clapped his hands!
Yesterday, while talking with my mom, she relayed a story that I would like to share with you. Tuesday morning, Rachel (my 11 year old) refused to have breakfast. My mom found this to be very odd, but did not push her. Later on, Sarah spilled the beans and told Grandma that Rachel was fasting for Hyrum to get better. Now remember Tuesday, he was still on full pain medication all day long, he was not allowed to eat, but he slept for the full day with minimal wakings (only for more pain meds). Wednesday morning, it was a complete turn around. He was off oxygen completely, he wanted to sit up and play for a few minutes, he even went on a ride in the morning, though he was fairly tired through out the day. So as I relayed how well Hyrum was doing, my mother in turn told Rachel how well Hyrum as doing, to which Rachel responded, "Fasting does work and Heavenly Father does answer questions" What a wonderful experience for her to learn such an important lesson!
I think this is one of my favorite faces that Hyrum makes. The one eye brow raised, with that "Oh ya" expression!
Most baby's don't like riding in their car seats. I think all would agree that this is NOT one of those times. With that tongue sticking out it says it all "I'm going home!"
John knowing that I already loved this piano and found that the chances of coming across anything similar were slim to none, and with a buyer flying in from Texas on Wednesday took it upon himself to work with the dealer and make all the arrangements. The piano movers left the house about the time I left the hospital to come home. Talk about him cutting it close!
Category 1 has the likes of Steinway & Sons New York at the bottom of the category 1, Bossendorf somewhere near the top with Grotrian in between. Yeah, a piano that is better than a Steinway & Sons New York! Cool!!!
