For the last week, Liam has been repeating 'gar-gar guck' (garbage truck) impatiently anticipating it's arrival. Today we videotaped his pure enchantment as the the truck rumbled through the alley, collecting all kinds of smelly refuse. Despite the drizzle, Liam enjoyed the performance.
Friday, October 31, 2008
Monday, October 27, 2008
October: Installations and Uninstallations
It has been 20 days since I last updated the blog. In retrospect, I had much time for updates, and much happened. However, I never thought I'd wind up at the hospital for emergency surgery an extended stay.
I'll start just after Liam's ear tubes. We waited for nearly a week to see what flora Liam's snot produced. There was some concern that he had a drug-resistant infection, but that wasn't the case. He had garden-variety nose stuff; streptococcus and hib (a non-flu form of influenza). He took antibiotics with few side effects. But his cough lingers even to this day.
A week after after Liam's ear tubes were installed, I had bad tummy pain and vomiting. I was up all night, but thought it was related to Liam's plagues. One week after that first sleepless night, I had another, exactly the same. Shannon dragged me to the ER on a Wednesday AM, and later that night, my gall bladder came out. The next day I had to have an endoscopic thing, so they could unblock my bile duct. I now also have a stent in my pancreas. I stayed at the hospital for what seemed like an eternity. It brought back a lot of memories of being in the hospital before Liam was born. The big exception being that Swedish hospital is so much better than Valley. The most annoying thing at Valley is the 'tinkie-winkie' lullaby piped thought the hospital whenever a baby is born. The lullaby only served to remind me that I was away from my Liam, which was so hard for me to do.
Liam and Devin had their first sleepover party Wednesday & Thursday night, and then he met me at the hospital for a few minutes before going to stay with Joya & Wiley for the weekend. Liam was somewhat worried to see Mommy in such a place and condition. Luckily, he was whisked away without much distress. While with the Crawfords, he had company. One of Joya's students was staying with her while a foster placement was being arranged. So Liam played with a little girl, which served as a great distraction. They also went to the pumpkin patch and the zoo.
The weekend before all of this happened, we went to Remlinger Farms with Devin and Liam. They had their big Halloween Festival going on, and the boys had a great time. The weather was warm and clear, and we had a fantastic day. The best part was when the boys 'drove' real cars around a track. The smiles were genuine and giant. We have some photos to post of that day. I'm glad we had a good day before all the chaos.
So to bring it current, I'm getting better. Liam's words are growing; the tubes were a great decision. Today, for example, he wanted to see the garbage truck. He repeated gar-gar guck (garbage truck) over and over while he looked out the window. He also picked up pumpkin, ghost and bat. A month ago he had so few words.
Halloween is around the corner, and my goal is to be well enough to walk around the neighborhood with Liam dressed as a lion. Photos of that will be posted soon.
On 10/20 Liam weighed 27 pounds.
I'll start just after Liam's ear tubes. We waited for nearly a week to see what flora Liam's snot produced. There was some concern that he had a drug-resistant infection, but that wasn't the case. He had garden-variety nose stuff; streptococcus and hib (a non-flu form of influenza). He took antibiotics with few side effects. But his cough lingers even to this day.
A week after after Liam's ear tubes were installed, I had bad tummy pain and vomiting. I was up all night, but thought it was related to Liam's plagues. One week after that first sleepless night, I had another, exactly the same. Shannon dragged me to the ER on a Wednesday AM, and later that night, my gall bladder came out. The next day I had to have an endoscopic thing, so they could unblock my bile duct. I now also have a stent in my pancreas. I stayed at the hospital for what seemed like an eternity. It brought back a lot of memories of being in the hospital before Liam was born. The big exception being that Swedish hospital is so much better than Valley. The most annoying thing at Valley is the 'tinkie-winkie' lullaby piped thought the hospital whenever a baby is born. The lullaby only served to remind me that I was away from my Liam, which was so hard for me to do.
Liam and Devin had their first sleepover party Wednesday & Thursday night, and then he met me at the hospital for a few minutes before going to stay with Joya & Wiley for the weekend. Liam was somewhat worried to see Mommy in such a place and condition. Luckily, he was whisked away without much distress. While with the Crawfords, he had company. One of Joya's students was staying with her while a foster placement was being arranged. So Liam played with a little girl, which served as a great distraction. They also went to the pumpkin patch and the zoo.
The weekend before all of this happened, we went to Remlinger Farms with Devin and Liam. They had their big Halloween Festival going on, and the boys had a great time. The weather was warm and clear, and we had a fantastic day. The best part was when the boys 'drove' real cars around a track. The smiles were genuine and giant. We have some photos to post of that day. I'm glad we had a good day before all the chaos.
So to bring it current, I'm getting better. Liam's words are growing; the tubes were a great decision. Today, for example, he wanted to see the garbage truck. He repeated gar-gar guck (garbage truck) over and over while he looked out the window. He also picked up pumpkin, ghost and bat. A month ago he had so few words.
Halloween is around the corner, and my goal is to be well enough to walk around the neighborhood with Liam dressed as a lion. Photos of that will be posted soon.
On 10/20 Liam weighed 27 pounds.
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Down the Tubes
On Monday morning, Liam underwent a procedure to place tiny tubes in his ears. Each tube is about the size of a grain of rice, and together, the tubes will help drain fluid from his inner ears.
The whole thing took less than an hour. Liam was a little worried when we entered the surgical suite. The bright lights cast a scary glow on the room. In addition, ten or so new people scurried around the room, wearing masks and blue gowns. If I didn't know what was going on, I'd think the mothership had finally landed. It all seemed like an alien encounter, and that would scare me at any age. Luckily, Liam has not yet seen any of the Alien Movies.
The nurse said he would cry and struggle as the anesthetic was given. She suggested thy could help me if I couldn't hold him, but I knew Liam would be brave. He didn't really cry, though he flailed around for a second before he drifted off to sleep.
The procedure took only a few minutes. Liam was so brave. He didn't cry after either. The nurse said she had never seen a child react in such a mild way. I told her that's just Liam. He takes everything in stride.
We hope the tubes will drain his ears. He's having a hard time hearing, and the tubes will fix that, we think. He's had the same ear infection for a few weeks now (nearly a month) so hopefully the tubes will work wonders.
On 10/6/08 Liam weighed 27.5 pounds and was around 31 inches tall. He also earned five choo-choo stickers at the doctor, which is a new record.
The whole thing took less than an hour. Liam was a little worried when we entered the surgical suite. The bright lights cast a scary glow on the room. In addition, ten or so new people scurried around the room, wearing masks and blue gowns. If I didn't know what was going on, I'd think the mothership had finally landed. It all seemed like an alien encounter, and that would scare me at any age. Luckily, Liam has not yet seen any of the Alien Movies.
The nurse said he would cry and struggle as the anesthetic was given. She suggested thy could help me if I couldn't hold him, but I knew Liam would be brave. He didn't really cry, though he flailed around for a second before he drifted off to sleep.
The procedure took only a few minutes. Liam was so brave. He didn't cry after either. The nurse said she had never seen a child react in such a mild way. I told her that's just Liam. He takes everything in stride.
We hope the tubes will drain his ears. He's having a hard time hearing, and the tubes will fix that, we think. He's had the same ear infection for a few weeks now (nearly a month) so hopefully the tubes will work wonders.
On 10/6/08 Liam weighed 27.5 pounds and was around 31 inches tall. He also earned five choo-choo stickers at the doctor, which is a new record.
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