what have we been up to?

Nothing much. Here are some pictures, I will try and write later.

Craig is really really good with Gavin. He even 'borrowed' a doll from Aunt Heidi and has been changing baby's diaper when I change Gavin's. They are both really cute.

Gavin's doing pretty good. We see the surgeon every week and last week he said he looks good. He just has a really bad sore bum. I have been trying everything. hopefully it will get better.

He's home!

He's home! We had to push the dr a little to motivate him, but he was off everything today anyway and done with the antibiotics. Hooray! Thank you everyone for your prayers!

Eating

Today they started giving him pedialyte in a bottle, and then a little bit of (milk) colostrum at 6 and then again at 9!! He had several BMs and seems to be doing really well! I was able to feed him twice (the second time he didn’t want the pedialyte) and Trevor fed him the milk.

HOORAY!! This might speed up his recovery process to a little before next Wednesday coming home, but this is just our speculations.

The PGI doctor came and talked to us a little before we left tonight and said maybe we could try breastfeeding him tomorrow. But we will see what the other drs say. (I’m still not sure who makes all the decisions now, the surgeon or the pediatricians?)

He is still sleeping a lot and doing well.

Recovery

Gavin’s surgery went smoothly on Wednesday. However, they did find that he has two hernias (yay, another surgery!). This can be an outpatient procedure, and we will hold off on it until he is fully recovered from this one. It is not life threatening right now. If we didn’t have the surgery though, his intestines could fall into the holes and cause issues (and they would have noticed by about 4 months along if he hadn’t of had his intestine surgery).

He has been sleeping a lot, which is good. Yesterday he was only on Tylenol (they have a prescription for morphine for him if he needs it) and the surgeon was feeling around his tummy and he didn’t cry, so he seems to be handling the pain well.
Last night he did have a bowel movement, but it sounds like it will still be a little while before he gets to eat.

Craig has been so good for us! He was able to go play at a friend’s house on Tuesday and hang out with Aunt Nini (who he has missed a little) on Wednesday during the surgery. Then yesterday, it was just me and him again. He was a little restless at the hospital, so we didn’t stay too long yesterday morning.

But he is so funny and goofy! I think it’s a really good thing we have him already because laughing helps things not be as stressful for us. He does this shoulder thing. Sometimes it’s to start dancing, other times, he just does it! It’s like a shrug, but he really gets into it! It always makes me at least smile, if not laugh.
Craig is talking and learning so many new words. He is really getting his colors down better.

Trevor is back to work this week, except for Wednesday. It stinks, but I think it helps a little to get back to somewhat of a routine.

I’m doing pretty good. Getting a little better most days, emotionally. Laughing does really help. I feel like I should be back to normal, but my back just kills me. I think I am really straining those muscles( really shouldn’t be picking up Craig sometimes; but what do you do when he falls asleep and really, really needs his nap, but I want to at least go in and see Gavin. I pick him up and carry him in).

Pumping is going good. It just is tiring (every two-three hours sure does sneak up on ya). But feeding will be about the same when Gavin finally gets home. Just maybe our freezer won’t be overflowing. Or maybe it still will be, since I’ll need some storage for when I go back to work. It’s amazing how much nicer the hospital grade pumps are. I rented one for at home and they have one available at the hospital to use.

Poor Gavin has been getting these little bumps/rash on his skin. One nurse guessed he just has really sensitive skin because it is worse usually on the side he is laying down on. Trevor noticed last night he has some on his legs too. And it’s getting better, but when he tore his tube off his face, that of course made lots and lots of bumps on his little face. These were from before the surgery and then the three incisions for part of his surgery.

all is good

The surgery went smoothly and he is back in the nicu recovering. I will write more tomorrow. Soo tired.

Surgery is happening!

Gavin's results came in and there were none of the "relaxing" nerves in the biopsy (which is the results we wanted so we knew that he has Hirschsprung's disease). He goes for surgery at 8 am today (Wednesday) and it will take about 3 hours. Please keep him in your prayers.

For the surgery, they will be cutting 3 small holes in his tummy. Two in his lower abdomen and one a little above his belly button. Then, they will stick in a scope and take a biopsy of the upper intestines to make sure the nerves are all in there (we are guessing because it would've been too high for the other biopsy to reach). The pathologist will be on hand to look at the samples and make sure that this part of his intestines are fine. Then, the surgeon will go in and remove almost all of the part without all of the necessary nerves (missing the relaxing nerves). He will be leaving a small part to sew the normal part back together. Then, they will sew him back together and he starts his recovery. The surgeon said that he can begin eating again after his first bowel movement, but we will wait and see what the PGI doctor says (pediatric gastro-intestinal). Then, about a week to recover. . . hopefully :).

Today was pretty nice. . . in a not normal way. Craig was able to go play at a friend's house and had so much fun! I went in and Gavin had a pretty good day. The nurse said he was sleeping most of the day! and almost the entire time I was there, he was pretty calm. Then, tonight, he was pretty fussy and the nurse was about to give him some "sweeties" (very simple sucrose that feels like a morphine shot), but he did calm back down.

We ended up having a Mormon nurse today! which was perfect since we ended up having my dad come down and give him a blessing. She let us have 4 people in for the couple of minutes. It was nice.

no results yet

No results yet. Bummer. So we’re not sure if the surgery is still going to happen tomorrow or if it will be delayed until next Monday.

Yesterday, the nurse was finally able to put the pick line in (will be helpful during surgery and they cannot have things below or at his waist during the surgery for obvious reasons). She got it okayed by the doctor to give him some sedation. This put him out for a little while and she also gave him a really good enema and the PGI said the bowel movement was really good and it was great that the enema was able to be put in a little further. Plus, I’m sure it helped Gavin not feel hungry for a while longer.


I have so many things to be thankful for! So many people have sent their love and prayers and we know that we are loved.

All weekend I was kind of stressing about school and not having things organized for my substitute. Yesterday I went in to try and get things together and this other wonderful teacher, had made copies for my class and homework packets and is just so sweet! I really do have great teachers to work with and so many family members and church members looking out for us. It is nice to remember.

Not too much new

First off, Craig is being such a goofball recently! It has been fun having a little more time with him (since we both have this week off). He likes to go visit Gavin also. We were driving home one day for lunch and he asked me if we were going to see Gavin and I told him we needed to go eat and then we would. He started crying and whining a little and saying Gavin’s name. Then last night we asked him if he wanted to stay at home or go see Gavin and of course he wanted to go. But then in the car, he fell asleep, so I asked if he wanted to go home and sleep or go see Gavin and even in a groggy state, he still said Gavin. He really is such a sweetie!

Some Funnies:
Craig was riding his bike on the back porch last night and totally went up to the post and pretended to order like from sonic. It was hilarious!!!
Then at dinner, Uncle Luke was hanging out with us and Craig decided to call everyone someone else. So I was Craig, Luke was Momma, Daddy was Luke and Craig was Daddy. I couldn’t believe it, but he also had it moved over. So Craig was sitting next to Trevor, then Luke, and me and that’s how he switched our names. He made us laugh… which is very good right now.
He did something else; I’ll have to keep thinking.

Gavin Updates
Short updates: Gavin is now on the nutrients (has lipids in it and is yellow, like mountain dew) and is pulling out his tubes very often. Luckily, he hasn’t pulled his iv out of the umbilical cord (his cord is too short and they can’t sew it in); they will be changing the iv to a pick line and it will be placed in his lower arm up through his arm to an even bigger vein by his heart. This one can stay in for 20 days, whereas the one in his umbilical cord only 10 days before changing. No results back from biopsy. Gavin is about 8 lbs now but his stomach size is going down (a good sign that his intestines are not as enlarged and bloated)! He is having an irrigation every 12 hours and he is able to have bowel movements with this, so it helps keep his intestines clear and him healthier. (An enema basically) WE talked to the surgeon this morning and he said it might be Wednesday that we have the surgery! No results back yet, but at least now we have an idea!

What we have been up to:
A little later on Thursday (after they took his biopsy) we went in and finally got to hold Gavin again!! It was so wonderful. Of course I’m bawling half the time. Then that night, Grandma Kady and Aunt Nini came in and held him a little too, and I did again also. It is so wonderful! Poor boy is just getting so hungry. They did start him on Thursday night on the more nutrients through his IV, but it doesn’t help his stomach not feel empty. It makes me wonder how it will be once we are able to feed him if he’ll quickly realize that now when he shows me he’s hungry he’ll trust that he will actually get fed or not. We’ll cross that bridge when we finally get there.

We like it when he sleeps!! This helps him not feel hungry, or at least not cry because he’s hungry.
Yesterday, we went in and after Trevor took Craig out into the hall, I got to hold him for quite a while!! It was so marvelous. I just wanted to stay there all day and just keep holding him. I sang some songs to him and he had hiccups for part of it. I lost track of time a little, but I think it was about 30-45 minutes. Meanwhile, Craig was outside in the lobby with Trevor. Craig does do pretty good back in the NICU with us, but sometimes it’s just a little stressful having him there. Gavin got really upset and crying a lot towards the end of Craig being in there and he ended up pulling out his tube that lets the air out of his stomach. So Trevor and Craig went out in the hall and the wonderful nurse fixed his tube and I was able to hold him.
It’s a little less crowded around Gavin’s bed now, for the past two days, so that helps. Craig is pretty good about playing with his train or cars, coloring, reading books and playing a little Nintendo DS. When there are fewer cribs around Gavin, Craig just plays on the floor! Of course he has to get washed up to touch Gavin again, but he’s so good. Even pretty quiet while he’s playing . . . considering how noisy and loud he LOVES to be. On Thursday night, Craig even wanted to give Gavin one of his teddy bears. (Craig not really attached to one thing but semi-attached to a couple of things, like blanket, two bears, doggy and dinosaur. He goes through phases.)
Then, last night my mom, Craig and I went back and visited for about an hour. Gavin was asleep the whole time and so we didn’t hold him, but I got to rub his arm because he was uncovered with the heat on. Craig had fallen asleep on the drive, but when I picked up my mom, I woke him a little and asked if he wanted to go home or go visit Gavin. In a sleepy little voice, he told me Gavin. The entire visit he was still pretty quiet since he was a little out of it. He just wanted to sit with Grandma Kady.
Another grandma was washing up and noticed Gavin. She commented that he was a big baby! It was funny!! She then told her daughter, “Look at that big baby!” They must have had a preemie. I told her he’s about 8 lbs and she saw the sign (his name, birth weight and birth date) and said wow, 8 lbs 10 oz! Although Gavin is still bigger than Craig was when he was born. He is a big boy and probably starving! He likes to eat. Oh well. Some day.

Random:
Our days go by too quickly! We are so tired in the morning, then I’m pumping every 2-3 hours for 15 minutes, then driving. It just flies by and before I know it, it’s midnight and I’m so tired.
I forgot how much time nursing takes. In one way, pumping takes less time. But I have to be home or at the hospital to do it, whereas nursing I could do it out in my car or other places on the go.
I have had a lot of running around to do, trying to get paperwork for maternity leave and insurance and such. It’s not fun, but has to be done. Yesterday I had a breakdown. I think I’m doing ok and then a lady tells me I need more forms from my doctor and I break down crying! She must have thought me pretty silly for crying over a paper.

Gavin David Ross

We had our baby. . . finally. He came Sunday, at 6:58 pm. 8 lbs 10 oz of adorableness, Gavin David Ross. Dark brown hair, 20 inches long. Hooray!

Things looked good, I am feeling well and he was doing well. Monday just before noon we were planning on both of us being discharged and going home. However, Monday afternoon he was not eating at all or having any bowel movements. Nurses started getting worried, and so he was wheeled down to the nursery and had an x-ray taken. He had lots of air in his intestines.

The gastro-intestinal doctor looked at the x-rays and after having a tube stuck into his stomach, letting air and other fluids out, he was still not doing much better. Next day, Tuesday, he still was not passing all the air after some large bowel movements.

They decided that the level 3 NICU at another hospital would be better for him. There is a better infant radiologist and they can see more things in x-rays. Finally around 3, he was on his way to the other hospital.The next morning (Wednesday) he had an x-ray with a barium enema and things were better seen.

This is what they transfered him over in, in the back of the ambulence! Craig would be so jealous.

It appears to be Hirschsprung’s disease. For more details, look at these websites http://www.childrenshospital.org/az/Site1040/mainpageS1040P0.html or http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/hirschsprungs-disease/DS00825 or http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/hirschsprungs_ez/index.htm

Basically, part of his intestines need to be cut out and it will solve the problem of him not being able to keep food down and better go to the bathroom. He has not eaten since 11 pm on Sunday. Poor boy. And it will probably be quite a while still (next week after the surgery).

Last night (wednesday), they put a catheter through the umbilical cord into him to provide nutrients. Today(Thursday) they took the sample of his skin from the area that the nerves are not working and test it to make sure the nerves are not working. This will take several business days and then after the results are back, we will plan the surgery. Then, it will be a couple more days before he can take food (let his intestines heal and re-introduce food). That is the plan for now.

just pretending to have a baby

so, thrusday morning i woke up and had some contractions varying 5-10 minutes apart. i got ready for the day and they continuted. so i thought that things would be happening and we would be having our baby. but, i guess it was just pretending. oh well. we keep waiting. i have had some more serious contractions (2-3 minutes apart for 40 seconds each), but then they all just stop. so, we are STILL waiting.

we'll see if this baby ever comes.

four years

oh yeah, happy fourth anniversary to trevor and i! i can't believe it's been four years! we usually do a little something, but this year fell right at the wrong time. all of my changes, being pregnant . . . . we ended up going out to dinner with craig the night before, then taking anita out for her belated birthday dinner and trevor's mom the next night. we are oh so romantic!! oh well. i don't mind. i did miss tuacahn and st. george trip (mmm pizza factory), but maybe next year.

wow, 4 years, time is flying by!

life goes on

well, i have survived!! actually, we have. Still prego, and ok with it, besides the uncomfortable part.

I ended one year and started a brand new one! so many changes for me and they seem to be going pretty good. I am loving having only 15 students!!! the day is pretty long most of the time, but it could be worse. and of course, it still does not end just because I leave school. i have so much to do all the time and things never get done. but that's life.

last week, dr guessed the baby to already be 8 pounds. but things are looking good and I finally asked him questions and found out things should be ok labor wise with him.

craig is being watched by his aunt nini! she is great, it's just an adjustment for me. I drop him off around 7:15 and don't pick him up until 4:30. he is growing up and changing so much!! he is getting taller, heavier and learning so many words. his most recent giggle is saying the batman theme! na na na na na na na batman! tonight in the bathtub, he added batman shark! he's so goofy! we laugh so much because of him.

Trevor is keeping busy! he has a new calling that i will talk more about in our private blog. i'm not sure how he feels about it yet, but it seems to be going ok. he's working with my dad though and that can be tricky. they get along fine, it's just my dad is very spur of the moment and sometimes not as reliable.

I have great teachers that I am working with at my new school and everyone sure is helping me out great! i think i might finally have a substitute lined up for when i go on maternity leave (seeing as it could happen at anytime!!!!). i'm kinda hoping i make it to open house next week, but trevor mentioned that unless i am still in the hospital or in labor, i could probably figure out a way to go anyway. it's kinda tricky not knowing when this thing is going to happen. oh well.

last time, i lucked out and was just focusing on getting my finals finished and the night i was done, i went into labor. so i didn't really have to guess... not that i remember.

i'm having contractions, but nothing serious. i have another appointment tomorrow, so i will see how much more things are doing.

well, i'm supposed to be recording grades, not blogging, so i will stop. or go to sleep. i'm not sure. ha ha ha :)