April 8, 2013

Monday
Unit 1
14.55 kg
Meghan/Kathy

Today was day one with just me and you here, after another long night of your heart monitor beeping and random nurses covering us.  You slept in late and really never "woke up," as once again "we" are fasting for an LP, yes, I said "we" cause I don't want to cook or eat in front of you (I still had my coffee cause its better for both of us).  About 10:45 am you get your hunger again and get really mad that you can't have Macaroni and get angrier when you realize they didn't bring you a tray.  They come for us at 11:30 am, today the LP is just on Unit 1, in the procedure room so I carry you over.  Your a pro, so you just sit on the gurney, they clean your catheter and off to sleep you go, don't think you even blink.  With your Mom gone this gives me about 20 minutes to shower myself and run to the cafeteria to get lunch. I finish just in time for them to bring you back.  Now once again, post anesthetic, you want to eat and you want to eat now.  First thing is 3/4 cup fruit loops, then you send me for toast and PB. I come back to the room to check on you, but your upset.  I make the mistake of asking why, you say no more toast, you want a bagel (my bagel) so back to the toaster.  I get back and the nurses follow me in for vitals and vitals are easy cause you are mowing down that bagel and care about nothing else.  After a 1/4 of a bagel its an Oreo cookie, french fries, chocolate milk, safe to say we decide to skip your feeding.

After lunch you get pretty irritable and we all figure you look like you need a sleep, but we are wrong. We walk part way down to the fish before I have to carry you, however, today you finally say "my knees hurt," which is a good sign because you are able to isolate your pain.  Back to bed to watch Monsters Inc., Antz, read books and just chill.  Supper comes and your ready to eat again. You have some more french fries, chocolate pudding, chocolate milk, a little bit of ham and some pretzels.  Looks like we may not have to use the feeding tube (other than sneaking in all your medicine).

Nurse Meghan comes in to ask if she can get a smile by end of shift and you just glare and say NO.  I go to heat up my supper and go for a much needed walk.  When I come back the lights are on, the bed is moving up and down and the TV channels are changing, talk about a mood swing.  We spend the next 1/2 hour giggling and playing with a good number of the nurses, they are all glad to finally see a smile and hear your infectious laugh.  I eat and we play on and even walk over to the fridge to pick out a snack, we try walking back but you tug one of the IV's and now we got a beep, so I carry you back to the room.  We play some longer, but you are running out of energy, you ask to watch Elmo as you settle in for the night.  Its been a great day and did not need to use the NG tube for feeding, you eat enough all on your own for the fist time in a long time.  Tomorrow we are going to try and reduce your morphine a bit more so see how you do, lets hope its as successful as today was.

Love you K,

Dad