Something neewwwww…
Brendan received a package in the mail today that we we have been waiting for. It contained a bunch of HME’s (Heat & Moisture Exchangers). Instead of wearing the mist mask over his trach while sprinting off of the vent and being tied to the big loud compressor, this little thing slides over his trach tube with an oxygen line attached. It just has a filter that traps the heat and moisture from his exhale. It makes him portable!!

The direct O2 line makes it so that he needs way less flow volume, so we can actually use the little tanks to carry him around. (little tank not pictured) Trevor gets stuck in baby jail while Brendan got extra attention.

Trevor says, “Brendan, Brendan, Brendan!” and bounces on his chair backwards

Brendan had roly-poly time on the floor for a while today. His incision is looking much better today, we just have to keep his fingers off of it.

He sits SO much better with the ostomy bag gone. He can’t sit unsupported yet, but his posture and effort have improved without that mess in the way

Trevor figures he can gnaw his way out

To top it all off for poor Trevor, Brendan got to play in the jungle.. and he loved it!

To help Trevor adjust with having his brother home again, he got to have a second bath in the big boy tub. He just doesn’t know how this blue star thing followed him in.

Trevor put his face in the bubbles

He knows how to turn off the starfish

Both boys got to do a little typing, but Trevor didn’t want his picture taken. I sure wish they could do the blog for me!

We are so excited and relieved and exhausted!! Okay, double exhausted. Brendan is looking and feeling excellent and we are so happy to have him home.

This morning at the hospital, we just had to kill time waiting for all of the official discharge process. Brendan entertained us with a piano concert, we especially liked his unique playing style.

We were almost free and we got stopped at the parking garage elevators and had to go back inside for some paperwork corrections. Brendan was awfully patient about it.

Finally on the road! He wonders if Trevor has been missing him!

He can’t wait to sleep in his own soft bed!

Trevor was waiting at home. He even put on his dress shiorts (not a typo, that is shirt-shorts 🙂 )

Trevor was a blur, crawling all over trying to make sure everything was ready

He thinks Brendan needs his play mat out

He takes breaks from prep work to play on the jungle

Brendan is relieved to be home, but something isn’t right about his bed.

Trevor is in there to slap Brendan’s hand whenever he tries to scratch on his incision

Brendan is just going to boot him out!

Except then he realizes that Trevor might just come in handy

So far, everything is going smoothly. We have a lot of recovery to do and then we have to jump right back in to drug weaning and pushing Brendan on his sprinting times. The best news is that the drug doses are all the same as they were when we went in! We did not lose any ground on weaning with this surgery. Brendan’s nurse will be here tonight, so I hope to get some sleep!

There is no better way to wrap up week 46 than with the news that Brendan is going home tomorrow!! The doctors are very happy with his progress. As of 6pm tonight, he is on his full formula feeding and his TPN is gone. He is pooping regularly. He just has to demonstrate through the night that he is tolerating full feeding. He was mostly in a great mood and was just making all the nurses swoon with his cuteness. He kept me very busy though and I didn’t take many pictures.

He was very serious today about his sprint.

You take your eyes off of him for even a second and he is scratching his surgery wound. The incision itself looks great and is healing well but the surrounding skin is just destroyed by his scratching. It is very sensitive skin where it was under the ostomy base all the time. He has it all bloody and messy. He just goes digging with that thumb, he is trouble!!

You can’t be mad at this face!

Everyone is exhausted, and we are all relieved that this hospital visit is at its end. We are so excited for homecoming!

Trevor tried to play in Brendan’s crib again today, but Brendan’s crabbie security system caught him

Trevor didn’t let it stop him

Better luck next time Brendan, you are going to need a bigger guard crabbie.

Trevor went to the basement for a little rest

Peek! Just kidding, he doesn’t nap.

I am getting ready to head back to the hospital for my last overnight with Brendan. I am hoping he sleeps so I can sleep. I am excited that the next time I make the drive home, it will be sitting in the back seat with Brendan in the car! We hope that it all goes smoothly!