Still sick ...

Our little man is sick and I'm so worried about him. His cough seems to be worse today. I managed to get the meds down him without him throwing up. YAY MOM! But with him propped up beside me, I can clearly hear him wheezing. Going to give a breathing treatment while he is asleep so he will breathe in all the medication. He likes to play with the tubes when he is awake and lick on them and all that, lol ... so we don't know how much of the meds he actually gets. Tried the mask last night and that didn't work either. He wanted to eat it. Anyway, took him to the Dr. day before yesterday and he said if he had not been so cheerful at the visit he would be admitting him into the hospital and that we need to keep a close eye on him because he could turn worse within a matter of no time ..... He didn't drink all of his bottle this morning so I am concerned, and I have a road trip to make this evening and will be away from him for about 8 hours, give or take. I just worry ... and worry some more ... and then some more. He has surgery coming up in October and I am praying nothing hinders that. Have to go get things ready for my road trip, please pray for Kadin and I will try my best to update soon. I've gotten bad at updating, life just seems to take control and whiz on by .... Thank you for your prayers!!

The Helmet

We didn't really know what to expect when Kadin was put in this cranial helmet. I was afraid he was going to fight it, but the minute that the Orthotist put it on him, he was good to go. We started out alternating off and on every hour. That was a little challenging, since we got it and went straight to eat and then had a ride home. But anyway, it was on and hour, off an hour, for the first day. The second day, we did 2 hour rotations with an hour off ... the next day, three hours... and finally, on the 4th day, it was an all day thing...something like that. You get the idea. He wears the helmet all day now and is allowed to take it off for an hour at a time. So every night, about 8pm, we take it off and give him his bath. We clean the helmet in the time frame that he has it off. He LOVES that thing!!! When you take it off of him, he reaches for it. I guess it has become some sort of security for him ??? It might itch a little too, but he doesn't seem to complain. His head is growing, which is a wonderful thing! He gets little "knots" on his head and when these appear, the Ortotist then cuts a hole in the helmet to allow for the growth. I still don't fully understand it, but it is working, so I will not question the process. I met a couple of other mothers in the rehab center who's babies also had helmets and one little boy had the entire top part of his cut out! That is GOOD progress, they say. We will get there. There is already a great change in the shape of Kadin's head. He looks WONDERFUL with it off. Kids everywhere look at it and just love it. Some even think it's a football helmet, especially at the games! I will post a pic of the helmet, but for blogging purposes, it has firetrucks and firefighters on it ... even a Dalmation puppy!!! He is even starting to play games with it. While he is sitting in his high chair, he leans his head down til the helmet crashes on the tray part of the chair. It's funny ... We will have to ween him off of it when it's time to not have it anymore because I am afraid he will be a monster without it. He sleeps in it and everything! He is doing wonderful with it and we can see the shift in his skull too.... It is awesome!!!

Kadin is scheduled for his next surgery on October 14th at Cook Children's Medical Center. This is the hypospadius (sp) and his circumcision. It is expected to be out-patient, but he has CLD and will be intubated for this surgery, so we just have to see how things go. We will be traveling to FW the night before and should, if everything goes as planned, be returning home that afternoon at some point. The Dr. (surgeon) told us that he will be swollen and bruised for about six weeks, so I am not looking forward to diaper changes and things of that nature for that month and a half! Poor baby ... I pray he does well and gets thru it ok. He has been thru so much and we feel this is one of the last things to conquer now! I appreciate all your prayers for this upcoming time in our lives.

As far as the development stages Kadin is going thru, he is doing soooooo much these days. He is able to roll over and over and over and over. He can sit with some support, but he is not sitting on his own at this point. He is not crawling either, but he is getting up on his knees and pushing/scooting himself. He babbles all the time and laughs so heartily! We just crack up when he laughs. It is from his innermost parts that the laugh comes all the way up!!! He sleeps thru the night still and wakes up so happy.

Kadin is enjoying real foods these days too ... mashed taters, mac and cheese, but he still loves his fruits and veggies! His daddy does not like veggies at all, lol .... so I don't let him feed him, ha ha ha. If I did, it would be bananas and applesauce all the time! Bless his heart ... he is such a sweet daddy and takes care of our son ALL the time. He and I help each other so much and sometimes we argue over who is going to get the bottle or change the diapers!!! Such nice things to argue about, but that's ok ... it's the only things we argue over, thank GOD! :) I am so blessed to have Danny as my husband...

Ok, so the helmet ... we go for a check up again the first part of October. I think Kadin is doing so well that they scheduled us out further than normal and said to just call if he had issues. So far so good ... no issues to worry with to this point, so we will just wait it out and see how things are the first part of October!

I just wanted to give a quick update since I don't do it near as much as I used to. LIFE happened once we got home and hasn't slowed down since! :) I will try to do better ... thanks for still keeping up with us. Drop us a line to let us know you have been here or look us up on Facebook (my email there is redlady88@yahoo.com)

Be blessed,
Leslie

Encouraged

Sometimes life can beat you down. Sometimes you think you can't go on much further. My faith has always been my foundation for everything that I do. No, I have not been "perfect". I only know ONE who is perfect. He is my example, and I have often failed him. I don't feel worthy of good things being said about me ... so tonight, when I was reading some comments from a very sweet friend regarding what she thought about me and my family and the love we exhibit, I was humbled, and reminded that the kind of love she showed me is the kind we should show everyone. You see ... she and her husband walked the almost exact same path that Danny and I (and our children) walked for 4-5 months, and in many ways, we are still walking the same path. Our preemie babies were born within a month of each other, none of us were prepared for what awaited us, that's for sure. So tonight ... when I was reminded once again that there was someone out there that knows what we went thru, that knows what it takes to make it thru that uncertain time in life with a preemie (micro-preemie), that thinks as much of our family as we think of theirs, I was encouraged that there are still good and sweet people left in this world, who don't compliment you to get something out of you or to just blow sunshine up your backside ... they tell you these things because it's what's in their heart ... I pray special blessings for Hilarie for making my night and renewing my faith that things really will be ok in this life ....