Home from the Hospital

We finally made it home from the hospital late Sunday night. We couldn't be more happy to be home. Brodie has been doing so well since we have been home. He hasn't been throwing up which makes things much easier on all of us. He had a swallow study on Tuesday and he handled everything except for straight liquids. Our neuro appt was ok but we never know what to think when we leave those appts. He did tell us that he would have deficits but I am not even going to say what they are because none of it is for sure in our eyes. The neurologists are not the ones that decide his outcome they just predict it. God will develop him for His plan and we are comforted knowing that it will be the best life for him. So for now we leave it in His hands and pray for the best for Brodie. We took Brodie out to dinner for for the first time since it was nice and we could sit outside. We had a great time and think it was good for both the boys to get out. Funny story while at dinner (not really funny but if you know us it is our typical luck). We had on two tables around us so we felt like we were away from the masses. The guy on one side of us lit up a cigarette and started smoking about six feet from Brodie's oxygen and the other couple got cold in almost 80 degree weather so they had the waiter turn on the giant propane heater that was about 10 feet from Brodie. In the entire outside area there was no one else smoking and no other crazy people that need heat when it is warm out. It is comical now since we did not blow up but what are the odds. Brodie has been doing great in physical therapy and occupation therapy starts on Monday. They have cut our nursing hours so we only have nurses 3 days a week and every night from 10-7. We are starting to get more rest but still pretty exhausted. We are just thankful every day that we have him with us and don't take a minute with him for granted. Also, he has his two bottom teeth coming in and one of them is starting to poke through.We will miss that gummy grin when they come in.  Hope that everyone has a great Friday and weekend.  Thanks so much for all of your support and prayers. 

Surgery was Successful

Brodie's surgery was a success. He had a complete overhaul and is doing amazing considering what he went through. As I write this he is laying in one arm as I type with the other. He is grabbing for my phone and just smiling away. He got the g-tube and a fundo. A fundo is a procedure where they wrap part of your stomach around your esophagus so that when his stomach fills up it clinches the esophagus not allowing for reflux. Hopefully this will keep him from vomiting and significantly change our lives. He was also circumcised and had his appendix out. There was nothing wrong with the appendix but the surgeon said he just removed it while he was in there so that he would not have issues with it later in life. One of the benefits of the surgery is that he no longer has tape and a tube on his face so we can see all of his handsome face. This time around the hospital seems to not be as easy to handle. Before we were working to bring him home and now that we have had him home we just want him to stay. It is harder now that I am back at work but hopefully he can go home soon. They are saying maybe tomorrow or Sunday. This should be his last procedure for a while until he gets the trach out. He has an appt. with the neurologist so we are both excited and anxious. Please pray that it goes great and that we get good news. As for LaVona and I we are exhausted and ready for things to settle down. The bad thing is that insurance is cutting our nursing hours so that will take some getting used to. We are just so thankful and blessed to have him and all of the exhaustion and stress is well worth it. We could not imagine not having him in our lives and there is not a day that goes by that I don't look at him and say wow to myself. Thanks to all of you that continue to support Brodie and care for him. We will keep you updated on his discharge and neuro appt.

Happy 6 month Birthday Brodie

Today is Brodie's 6 month birthday and he is doing better than ever.  He has his first physical therapy session tomorrow so we are excited to get that going.  He has been pulling the feeding tube out of his nose alot and it is getting harder and harder to put it back in.  We decided that it was time for the g tube (feeding tube in stomach).  Brodie went to the doctor yesterday to see the surgeon and had a GI study done.  They said that he did not have much reflux and that his pneumonia had cleared up.  With this news they gave us the go ahead for surgery and set it for the 14th.  Once this is done he will no longer have anything on his face.  He should be in the hospital a few days and then it is back home to get stronger and work on getting the trach out.  He is on very little oxygen right now and his vomiting has gotten much better.  He is still draining every ounce of our energy but we are so proud of him with how far he has come.  When the physical therapy people came out to do their initial assessment they asked his history and we told them that the neurologists said that he would never walk.  They were shocked and told us that there was no way that he would not walk.  They said they would not guarantee he would be a track star or that people won't notice a difference in his walk but that he definitely would walk.  This was great to hear.  Now we understand that this doesn't mean he is going to walk but he has been moving both sides so it just supported what we were already thinking.   He is smiling more and he even laughs now.  We are so happy with where he is at and look forward to seeing his progress.  We will let you know how the surgery goes on Tuesday and hope everything will go great.  Thanks for all of the continued support and kind words.  Hope all is well with everyone and I will get some updated pictures soon.