Reflecting

Last night went well. We all slept really good in our own beds. Andy and I had to wake at 4:00am to give Ty his meds. It went over well, and we went right back to sleep. Even little Evan was exhausted. He slept until 8:00am, which is usually unheard of. Most of the time he is bright eyed and bushy tailed at 6:00am. When Ty woke up this morning he was pretty stiff. We helped him out of bed and downstairs to the couch. He then had a bath, and I think that got the ball rolling. After his bath he started walking a bit with his walker. He was able to walk quite a bit today. I pray that he hasn't overdone it though. As far as his spirit goes, we have our Ty Ty back! He is playing, happy, and seemingly back to his old self. The leg is still painful, but we are working on that. Andy and I are giving Ty his antibiotic through his PICC line every 6 hours. There is a special process of cleaning, flushing the line, and administering the meds that we follow. It isn't too bad, and we will be pros before long I am afraid. Ty will need this medicine for two to three weeks. I still haven't told him about being out of school. I will do that tomorrow most likely. It is really so good to be home and reflect on our past week.
It is truly amazing how much our son is loved and prayed for. Not just by us, but by so many other people. We sat in the living room this evening just looking around. It looks like Christmas has arrived. Ty has so many gifts of well wishes. His teacher, Mrs. Stephanie brought over a big basket of toys, gifts, cards, and candy from the kids in his class. To say he was excited was an understatement. The cards, the food, the offers for babysitting. It all means more to us than you can imagine. Most importantly the fact that people have prayed for him diligently touches me so much. I am so humbled and amazed. I praise the Lord that He healed Ty. I know that your prayers obviously worked. I guess we just really want to say thanks for loving our little guy, and to God be the glory for his recovery. Until next time...

Homeward Bound

WOO HOO! We are heading home this evening. Ty has been up walking with a walker. It was a very challenging fight, but he did it. He cried the whole time. He is extremely stiff and sore. He only walked a bit, and was ecxhausted from it. The PT said that it will just take some time to regain that strength. We know that sitting around and lying around will just make it worse. So we have to encourage him to use it even though it is painful. He is still getting accustomed to the walker and trying to learn how to use it. Home health will be bringing us a walker to use. The nurses will be coming in shortly to give me the 101 on how to use Ty's PICC line. So we are getting the ball rolling. It is so good to hear the words you can go. We are all so exhausted. We thank each and every one of you guys for your wonderful prayers, and acts of kindness during this difficult time. We could not have faced it alone without the care of our family and friends.
I will periodically be updating the blog to fill you in on Ty's progress. Keep praying for a smooth transition home and continued recovery. We might be bringing Ty to Kidzfest tonight for a tiny bit depending on how he feels and what time we are discharged. We should have a wheelchair for this. We certainly don't want to overdo it. As for tomorrow, I am taking my sweet Tristan to see the Cheetah Girls. We have had tickets for a long time. She has been wonderfully obedient during Ty's hospital stay. I have just been so blessed with a great daughter. She deserves some mommy time tomorrow. Well, until next time.

Update

Ty made it from the bed to the chair this morning for the first time. It is the first time he has been off of his back since last Friday. He did well. Andy and I decided to give him a bath, but his pain is still there. Let's just say the bath didn't go over too well. Ty screamed so loud that I think the whole UT campus heard him. His hip is really sore, but I also think he is afraid to start moving it b/c he knows what it has felt like. PT will definitely be needed to help us get him moving. We are still waiting on that. I think they are trying to get the PICC line going first. The PICC line nurse was in around 2:15pm. She tried to get the PICC line in without Ty going under GA. She was able to get it into his vessel, but unable to move it along due to Ty's scar tissue from the 50 thousand (not really but it feels that way) IVs he has had in the past. He was extremely brave as she did her thing. He did cry, but never kicked or thrashed around. I can tell you now I would have been up off of that bed. Needless to say, it wiped him out and he is asleep now. So he is now headed back to the OR under anesthesia for them to put in the PICC line. Hopefully they will only gas him just a bit. It is a pretty quick procedure once it gets going. We are doing okay. I am exhausted from sitting here. Andy is doing okay, but he is antsy. We all know how he can't sit still for anything. We just want to come home- really, really bad. My poor little man is also allergic to the detergent that the hospital uses on their sheets. He has a rash on his back and butt. He has been scratching it quite a bit today so they are going to get him some cream. We have fixed that, and now he is laying on his fuzzy blanket from home. Still no BM. I am beginning to think it will be on my shift tonight after all. I will update more after the PICC line is in. All in all it has been an okay morning and afternoon.

STRENGTH

Last night was my night to stay at home with the other two kiddos and sleep in my own bed. Oh how I hate to leave my Ty-Ty, but how I long for my bed and my other babies. I have learned to treasure the time that I spend with them. Not that I don't already, but I think sometimes I take it for granted that I am able to be with them so much. It has made me sad not to have mommy routine this week.
On to other things though b/c I digress. Dr. Blackmon (Ty's ped.) and Dr. Crawford (Ty's ortho.) came in to talk to Andy this morning. Praise the Lord that Ty's fever went down after a dose of Tylenol last night, and did not return. I have no doubt that this was the power of many prayers being lifted up on his behalf. The docs stated that Ty's blood work looks real good, and that our next goal is to get Ty to have a BM. He has not gone since last Thursday. AHHHHH! Granted he has not eaten, but still I can only imagine. So Dr. Greg told Andy that he would have to give Ty an enema if he had not gone today. He also told Andy not to worry that he would make sure that happened on my shift. Okay, Greg if you read this... Not so funny;) What has to be done must be done though. The non-glorious side of motherhood.

The next step is physical therapy to get him up and moving. Also he is slowly being weaned from the morphine. He is rather cranky at times, but I know I would be too. He can either be high as a kite, or hateful as a bear. It just depends on the level of drugs in his system at the time. Andy said he had a decent night. The nurses had to change his IV. It did really well though. It lasted in his left hand from last Friday until last night- almost a whole week. They moved it to the right hand last night. We are praying to contine to see good results and soon his PICC line will go in. It looks like he will probably miss the Trunk-or-Treat festivities that our church is sponsoring, but I will be sure to load him up with his favorite M&M's- or wim wims as he would call them when he was little. He is a chocolate lover just like his momma! He and Tristan are suppossed to be Lucy and Peter from Narnia. How ironic that Ty is Peter. I know this child is so strong! It reminds me of a couple of verses

Psalm 18:32-33

It is God who arms me with strength, And makes my way perfect. He makes my feet like the feet of deer, And sets me on my high places.

I may just bring his costume to the hospital. He has a toy sword, and has been dying to play with it since I bought it.

We continue to covet your prayers. It is so hard to see your child in this situation. I also know this promise is true from Romans 5:3-4

And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope.

Through all of these trials that Ty endures, I will hold on to this promise. For it is exactly that, a promise. God's word does not lie!!! I am honored that HE is shaping our character through it all. I am anxious to see what the Lord has in store for Ty. It is something really big- I have no doubt about it. I will continue to update the blog often as Ty is recooperating. I am staying at home for a bit with Evan this morning. My mom will then come to watch him while I go to the hospital for my shift tonight. It looks as though we might be on the tail end of things now. I pray that we are. I am grateful for a couch to lay on in the hospital, but it sure isn't like my sleep number bed.

By the way, the "hot" anesthesiologist came in to check on him yesterday. He was sleeping though. She was so sweet to do that. Children's has been great. I meant to put this in my last post, but forgot. Ty's bottom tooth was loose before his first surgery. The docs pulled it out while he was under GA, and then they put it in a little bowl and taped four one dollar bills to the top. They brought it to us, and told us that the tooth fairy had visited in the operating room. Ty thought that was so cool. I just thought it was a great thing to do. He lost his first bottom tooth last week. Here he is from last week after losing that first tooth. I love this picture.

I just got a call from Andy while typing this update. Ty is sitting in the chair! WOO HOO!!! Keep those prayers coming.