Merry Christmas too all!

We have had an uneventful week. Brendan came home on Monday and is doing well. We still have antibiotics and breathing treatments and he still needs some oxygen all day long. Keeping him on the string is challenging. But he is recovering.

Thanks to Gramma, aunts and uncles, great aunts and uncles, cousins, and friends, the boys had a bunch of presents to open. Starting on Wednesday, I would randomly put a present under the tree when they were out of the room. They would notice and get all excited. Brendan said, “Mommy!! The Christmas tree farted out a present!” Whenever they were near the tree, they were watching it.

They got some awesome fast new slot cars with loops.

This morning, the rest of the pile appeared.

Almost 500 pieces to put together! The instructions said to allow 4-6 hours to build. It took about 2 and a half, with the boys “helping”. They were so eager to play!

Brendan has been asking for this for months. He was so happy to see the box. This also took a couple of hours to build, but it was awesome. One of my favorite Lego models so far – and we have lots!

The boys had a fun time. What kid doesn’t like to get awesome new toys? We missed our families and wish we could have been with all of them for the holiday. The last few weeks are a real blur and it is hard to believe it was Christmas day. I will probably start my gift shopping Monday. Better late than never!?

Extra love and hugs go to Pittsburgh tonight, a new baby cousin is only days away (or less!). I am glad Gramma arrived before he did!

Pseudomonas is a bacteria that is typically found in trach tubes. It is not usually a problem and does not typically infect healthy people. But if a kid like Brendan is compromised by another illness, the pseudomonas likes to join the party and can cause a serious infection in the lungs.
Brendan’s trach cultures revealed a pseudomonas infection and so he is being switched to a different antibiotic to knock it out.

He is slowly making progress on his oxygen weaning and made it down to 30%. Regular atmosphere at sea-level is about 21% oxygen so he has more improving to do. We are hopeful that he can come home on Monday.

He is feeling more like himself. He is going crazy that he is confined by short tubes and wires and really wants to roam. We are trying to keep him busy.

We are lucky that visitor restrictions are not in place so Trevor is able to come to the room when Bill and I trade shifts. Trevor made Brendan an artwork on the nurses’ dry erase board.

He even signed it with a “T”

Brendan has a distinct disadvantage in games of hide and seek.

Knock knock!

They are fascinated with this closet.

We have put almost 100 miles a day on our vehicles going back and forth to the hospital and Trevor has done every mile. While Bill stayed with Brendan yesterday, I took Trevor to his very first movie. We went to see “Minions” at the local cheap theater. Trevor lasted about 45 minutes and then wanted to leave. It was just too loud for him and the movie was not that good.
(sorry, really bad cell phone pic)

I have to rant for a moment. All the hospital stuff and illness and everything aside, one thing is really getting on my nerves. With rare exception, every single new person every day that enters Brendan’s room says, “ooh, where does the red hair come from?” It comes from magic red hair land. I don’t know. A leprechaun visited me in the hospital and waved his magic wand. I told a nurse yesterday, “I don’t know” and she says, “why, is he the mailman’s kid?” *wink* *wink* REALLY??! When the uncomfortable moment had almost passed, an RT walked in and said, “Where’s that red hair from?!” and they had a good laugh.
I know they are trying to make small talk or break the ice. It is annoying.
I don’t reply with, “Where did your freakishly large nose come from?”

Anyway. It is easy to feel more offended by things when you are exhausted. I hope he comes home soon.

We were having a super December, staying busy every day. We had a birthday with a friend, did ZooLights, the IDEA museum, some shopping, lots of cleaning, and tons of school and therapy.

The boys introduced their new little buddy, Landon, to the joys of IKEA.

Cart spinning with three boys

Friday the 11th, Brendan spiked a 103 degree fever. So I rushed him to the pediatrician. Always on a Friday! He was a sick boy.

They did a chest xray and said bronchiolitis. He also had an ear infection. So antibiotic and steroids, and we went home. I thought we were getting through it because Monday he seemed a bit better.
Tuesday, we dropped Trevor off at school and Brendan fell asleep in the car. When we got home, he kept sleeping, but his sats were falling.

On the maximum oxygen that our home systems can provide, he couldn’t get his sats above 73%. To the Emergency Room we go.

Of course he was admitted.

Breathing 100% oxygen got his sats to 80%. IV steroids and more breathing treatments and he was stable. Having some dinner with Daddy.

The next morning, he was alert enough to open an early present.

Brendan’s room is one of the few on the side of the building facing West. It has a “window fort” for Trevor.

Today, he has been able to wean down to 50% oxygen and he is feeling a little better.

Silly socks!

He was so envious of Trevor climbing in the window. He couldn’t stop asking for a turn. His respiratory tech helped his oxygen reach, and he was stable enough to be off the monitors for a while.

He was the happiest he has been since Tuesday’s drive to the hospital. He just kept telling me it was so hard to play with one finger. Couldn’t he take off the IV?

The doctors have guessed that he should be able to come home Saturday or Sunday. He has hMPV or Human metapneumovirus. It is a viral infection like RSV that likes to bury in the lungs and stay there.
So far, no pneumonia. He just needs time to shake this virus.