It's interesting how many moments just happen without really thinking then looking back I'm either really thankful or wistful that I had held that moment a little longer. I took these pictures one day before the teeth were gone. Just a cute little shot. He's a really adorable guy.
I had been documenting this wound. Keeping an eye on it and waiting. It started to smell and the drainage was not a good sign. The wound was rotting. Thus we went to the doctor and were informed we had to get surgery soon. So the next day we were scheduled for would cleaning and a wound vac.
At home the girls were busy being kids. They are quite good at fashioning dresses out of cloth and clothespins.
My birthday morning while I was talking to the girls about watching out for Merle he fell down the front stairs and removed all those beautiful teeth all 5. Gone. He was a bloody mess, I was a panicked mess. Greg happened to come home he drove us to Ontario to see the dentist. He took one look and said sorry they are gone nothing to be done. With a heavy heart we drove home. My mom was there with lunch. I was almost too sick too eat. Mark could not eat as he had surgery in a few hours. Standing on the brink of that abyss called hospital stay I was so worried and this complication of injured baby did nothing to help that worry. I am so thankful for Aliza and Addie holding down the fort. I'm so thankful that my mom and grandma showed up to be the adults for a few hours so I could get myself together while I held my baby.
Waking up. He had a total of three wound cleanouts this is the first one.
Back home checking on the baby. My happy place back in my blue chair with my baby asleep in my arms. All was better than expected.
Wound vac. Didn't have to look. I was relieved, no pain just tubes.
Mark spent a lot of time working on school and some time facetiming his siblings. The highlight of his stay were calls from home.
Sponge sucking out infections.
The actual wound in the operating room.
A well deserved pizza after waiting for more than 24 hours to eat. He ate all but those two slices. Chicago connection pizza, was good, expensive but a great end to a fast.
Another night we ordered cookies. Big city life has lots of options. These cookies made me sick as I was so nervous about life going on. We met the plastic surgeon doctor before we ordered these. He outlined his procedure and the timeline for the hospital stay. I was sick two more weeks.
Mark getting ready fort he big one. projected to be 6 hours it lasted 8.
I found after a very trying day watching Mark that I needed something for my hands to do. Thus cross stitch came out. It's small and it's so satisfying to see letters completed. Anything to make the time pass.
Mark after 9 hours. The blanket was to warm him up. He took a while to wake up and had a whole new collection of tubes and wires.
It was such a relief to have Greg show up. Mark really enjoyed having his dad there as well.
Mark still waking up in the PICU. The nurses were superb and always with us, seriously about every half hour or more one or two of them was in the room checking Mark. This time was hard for him in that he couldn't move the leg and was hooked up to a myriad of monitors and had many tubes and wires on his chest arms and leg. He was a trooper and did as instructed. The biggest challenge was the bear hugger or heating blanket. The doctor wanted him to sweat so his blood vessels would stay as open as possible. This artificial heat made sleeping nearly impossible. At this point I Was at the Ronald McDonald house and was sleeping peacefully though not long spurts.
Step one cooling the room just keeping the leg warm.
First look, zero form on top it's a yellow iodine soaked pad that helps with healing. You can see the drain tubes that relieved pressure from the leg.
His personal nurse Justin was so good. Greg giving Mark a heparin shot.
Braving looking at the wound. The white is the skin.
Completed sampler.
Getting his hair washed in bed. No water just a chemical reaction but his hair was wet when done. It smelled plastic-icky.
Moving from bed the first time took three people all watching and lifting in additon to MArk.
Dinner at 11p.m. A lovely frozen dinner enjoyed alone at the Ronald McDonald house. How I missed company but enjoyed just being able to rest.
After Mark had not slept enough in a few days he divulged his worry about moving the leg. I called the nurse and she brought a team and we got some supports to help the problem. The engineered a place to rest his foot. Secured his leg in pillows. Taped wires, added blankets for support, and cooled the room. I sang to him and he slept 9 hours.
And another treat a visit from Anna. Her arrival became our countdown. She was coming a week before he was suppose to get out. We relished all the facetime calls and all the concern and prayers from many.
Throughout the experience we were strengthened by love and friendship of those around us. We are truly blessed.
No comments:
Post a Comment