Hurray for Tubes!

Today was Gavin's big day! He got his tubes. It was a whirlwind morning that started at 0645. Gavin got his history and physical done by a nurse practitioner (yeah) and then we were sent to the surgery waiting room. Then Gavin's nurse did a set of vitals and we were put in a little pre-op area. We got to meet with the surgeon and the anesthesiologist and signed consent. We only had to wait about 15 minutes before he was taken back to the OR. Gavin got to ride in a little car while he waited. Gavin's case took approximately 12 minutes! I had barely sat down in the waiting room when the doctor came out to tell me that it was done and he did great! They drained a lot of fluid/mucous/pus from behind his ear drums. He was then taken to recovery and woken up. They let me come back at that point and he was cranky! I could hear him screaming from down the hall. But once we got home he ate a Gavin sized breakfast and took a a 2 nap and woke up like nothing ever happened! Here are a couple of pictures from his big day.

                       His shirt says, "My operation was bearable at Children's Mercy"

I never thought this day would come...

Tomorrow is a big milestone for Gavin. He is getting his tubes! After the awful winter that the boy has been through...RSV, bronchiolitis, croup, asthma AND 14 ear infections, the day has come. Dane and I have done everything humanly possible to keep him marginally healthy for tomorrow. I can't wait. We have to be at Children's Mercy South at 0645. He can't eat or drink which will be the hardest thing. He has to get a physical done by an NP first where he will be (hopefully) cleared for anesthesia and surgery is scheduled for 0815! It should only take about 15 minutes.

I can't help but wonder what his reaction will be when he can finally hear and isn't living underwater anymore! I will let everyone know how it goes. 

Gavin Auditions for the Muppets

If our children were Muppets, which ones would they be? Liam strikes me as a Kermit the Frog or Swedish Chef type (because of his culinary interest, not any particular linguistic dialect). And Gavin? Maybe Rizzo the Rat, or Gonzo, or possibly even Fozzie Bear? No, no, and no. 

Gavin, given an audition, would be Animal.

When he woke up yesterday, he had poop all over his face, his hands, and his pacifier, and was gleefully decorating his crib with it. After the bath yesterday evening, he peed in the bathroom and on his towel. This morning, he insisted on flinging his entire body into the kitchen blinds, banging as hard as he could on them. And whenever we're upstairs now, Gavin seems determined to rip the gate right out of the walled--where it's nailed in.

Just a bit ago, Lynnie brought over Easter cupcakes for the boys, and Gavin decided they would make a better hair gel than edible treat. (Oh yes, he's also auditioning to be a Viking marauder.)

Blurg

Well, today G had to come home from daycare. That boy spiked a temp of 103. They called Dane and he called me asking what to do. I am a calm, laid back person. I don't get upset easily and don't freak out about the kids. This was before gavin. I don't trust that kid. When he gets sick, he sinks fast. I learned my lesson the hard way with his RSV and then his croup. 

I asked Dane take him to the Dr. (I was at work). Maybe I jinxed the kid by saying that he was getting better. Unfortunately, Gavin has two ear infections. The worst part is that he doesn't respond to oral antibiotics anymore. He has to get 3 (PAINFUL) shots of antibiotics over 3 days. He got his first dose today and I will have to take him back tomorrow and Friday for the others. Poor G. He has been through so much. I know that we are still lucky and that he is a lot luckier than other kids (I do work in the Pediatric ICU), but your heart just breaks for the poor little man.  We just need him to stay better until he gets his tubes on 4/21!

Soon, I hope to post more positive things!

Fun At Home

Just Tired

Well, we are ready for spring. After Gavin's bout with croup, he tanked on us again, and how now officially been diagnosed with asthma. Blurg. He had been needing breathing treatments round the clock, but has transitioned well over to his asthma controller meds. He hasn't needed the "rescue med" (albuterol) is several days now. He is getting Pulmicort nebs twice a day to help supress his asthma. He is looking much better and finally (after 2 months of continual illness) is acting like himself. He is happy, playful and eating everything in site. 

I guess Liam got jealous of all of the attention Gavin was getting and he decided to be sick too! He came home from daycare with a fever last Wed. He was acting fine and then when he woke up from his  nap on Thursday, he was miserable. He had a cough and fever and was telling me that his throat and ears hurt. I looked in his ears and they were Ok, but decided to rule out strep throat. So, I took him in for an evening appt at the dr office. He didn't have strep, but did have a pneumonia. To top it off, he was wheezing too! The dr just looked at me and asked me if he had asthma. Seriously? So, we went home and had to start antibiotics and breathing treatments of albuterol. 

My parents came in town Thursday night. It was nice for us because we had extra hands to help with all of the breathing treatments that the boys required. By Saturday, Liam was sounding awful and coughing a ton. I had to call the dr office and they called in some steroids for him. Today, he is looking much better. We are down to about 5 treatments a day. It has been quite the winter for the Stangler house and we will happily welcome spring. 

I don't know what the future holds for the boys. I am pretty confident that Gavin will have asthma and need meds to control it. I am hoping that Liam's symptoms were illness related and will not need daily meds. We may just have to pay close attention to him when he gets a cold and make sure he won't need treatments to get through it. 

Here are some pictures of the boys doing their treatments! 

Oh Gavin

Well, yesterday we spent 6 hours with Gavin in urgent care. He has croup now. He was starting to act slightly punky over the weekend, but not quite sick. Then by Sunday night he had a little cough. He woke up in the middle of the night...simply unable to breathe. He was restless and struggling. I knew it was croup, but I knew at the rate he was going he needed help. So, back to urgent care. He had to get breathing treatments of epinephrine and two big doses of steroids. They did neck and chest xrays. There was talk of admitting him, but then he turned the corner and was looking better. 

We got to come home and he is doing OK. He is a little fussy and clingy, but I am happy to have him here rather than be at his bedside at Children's Mercy again. The bad news is that we finally got his ear tube surgery scheduled and we are going to have to delay it. They will not put him under with the airway swelling due to the risk of increased complications.  I need to call the ENT clinic today and fess up so we can move it back. I am so bummed. I really thought that if we could just get him tubes, life would get better. Now I am going to have trouble getting him healthy enough to have the surgery! 

Back to the doctor today for follow up! Oh, Gavin. What are we going to do with you?